Growing up with Rinpoche: Reaching out
Tsem Rinpoche going through the Dorje Shugden lineage tree.
Having had the fortune of meeting Rinpoche when she was just 11 years old, the ‘Growing up with Rinpoche’ series captures Pastor Jean Ai’s growth under Rinpoche’s guidance. In this series, she recounts some of Rinpoche’s myriad Dharma activities to benefit sentient beings.
Anyone who spends time in the lama’s mandala will soon come to realise that Rinpoche fills his every waking moment thinking how to benefit others and then actualising those thoughts. The very existence of Kechara itself is Rinpoche’s wish to benefit materialising into something tangible, and it is out of this wish that hundreds of people have joined Rinpoche throughout the years to be of benefit to the world.
Rinpoche will employ any and all means to do this and it is a privilege to observe how Rinpoche adapts and tailors his methods to ensure the recipient receives maximum help. So when you see this photo, you might be forgiven for thinking that day was like any other. After a meeting, giving instructions, delivering a Dharma teaching on the death process of advanced practitioners, and then reviewing and choosing thangkas, Rinpoche held the hand of a new student and slowly explained to her the deities on the Dorje Shugden lineage tree, painstakingly pointing them out one by one. She had been working in Kechara Forest Retreat for many months now, and Rinpoche wanted to ‘thank’ her with the gift of Dharma that brings peace to our minds.
The Dorje Shugden lineage tree that Rinpoche gave a teaching on. To download the high resolution version, click on the image above and to download other images of Buddhas, please check here.
For Rinpoche, language is an inadequate excuse for not being able to assist someone or to teach them. In this case, the student’s first language being Chinese, Rinpoche scattered his teaching with Chinese terminology to refer to the Buddhas and deities, wanting to make sure that she fully understood what she was listening to.
The fact Rinpoche knows these words is from living in South East Asia for nearly 30 years and along the way, Rinpoche compassionately learned terms and phrases like “bodhisattva” or “Maitreya” in Chinese. It was borne out of a wish to make it easier for Chinese speakers to receive the Dharma because with Rinpoche, it is not about delivering the teachings in the way Rinpoche feels comfortable but in the way that is most appealing to the listener.
That night, with this new student, Rinpoche wanted to make sure she fully understood so Rinpoche asked her to repeat what she heard. When the teaching had concluded, Rinpoche asked her to take her time and analyse the thangka, and commit the teachings to memory as Rinpoche sat by, patiently waiting for her. After that, everyone sat together for a communal meal of falafel and hummus, marking this student’s first time trying Middle Eastern fare.
This scene has repeated itself for decades now and with every new student that comes along, Rinpoche puts in the same amount of energy, care, effort and attention to their Dharma learning and knowledge. Wherever they come from and whoever they may be, what is most to Rinpoche is that they go away with more knowledge and more imprints of the Dharma.
How fortunate we are to have such a bodhisattva walking amongst us, to literally and figuratively hold our hand down the path towards ultimate independence, which is full enlightenment. The question now is though, if the lama reaches out to you in this way, will you meet him halfway and reach back? It is something for all of us to think about when it comes to our personal relationship with our teachers, and what it is we have connected with them for and what we wish to accomplish. Are we doing the necessary to get to where we need to be and if not, what else do we need to do?
Just some thoughts for you all to contemplate at the beginning of a new week…
Originally posted: http://wp.me/p3DGTa-1pn
Please support us so that we can continue to bring you more Dharma:
If you are in the United States, please note that your offerings and contributions are tax deductible. ~ the tsemrinpoche.com blog team
I must express my gratitude to Rinpoche for giving many teachings on YouTube and other social media, is through his teachings I’m able to practice mind transformation.
Giving love can be in any form, but the most treasure love is a precious teaching that free you from suffering.
Thank you Rinpoche and Pastor Jean Ai
We are very fortunate to have Rinpoche to teach and guide us the dharma path. Rinpoche put all his efforts to build Kechara and created so many departments in order to suit all of who comes from different background and interest. Not only that Rinpoche created this interesting blog so he can share and spread dharma to every part of the world. Everything Rinpoche did is to plant the dharma seed in us. And therefore, we should appreciate and support Rinpcohe’s effort. Transforming our mind to be better everyday would be the best gift to Rinpoche. Thank you Rinpoche.
A beautiful picture paints a thoudsand words. Rinpoche is always patient, wise, understanding, knowledgeable, caring, loving, respectable, and a spiritual teacher who goes far and wide for everyone’s sake. Thank you Pastor Jean Ai for this wonderful sharing???????
Every student’s of Rinpoche i met, will told me this- Rinpoche’ love them. As time goes by, i realise that every student of Rinpoche have same feeling that Rinpoche treat them special and love them much. How Rinpoche did that? I was amaze. Rinpoche is only one person, and yet, over hundred of people feel the love that Rinpoche have for them. Even, to some people who left Kechara, who hate Rinpoche, or stranger. I come to know that Rinpoche will do prayer to them.
To me, it is really impossible. Look at family, even some kids will feel that the mom might love one kid more than other, but, in Kechara, I can only see the love that Rinpoche gave for everyone is same. Everyone is special to Rinpoche. Rinpoche is truly a bodhisattva and i see the equanimity that Rinpoche shown to us.
I realised that Rinpoche always give love thru dharma. Either by sharing dharma knowledge or give dharma gifts. I then understand that the best gift in this world is actually dharma, dharma can change people negative thought to positive, dharma can protect the person from going into bad situation. Rinpoche always taught us thru his own action.
It is really truly lucky to know Rinpoche and learn dharma from Rinpoche this life.
Thank you Rinpoche
Bowing to Rinpoche’s lotus feet
Freon
Our guru is truly one teacher who will definitely devote his time towards any particular activity or teachings all the way with us. Looking at the pictures of Rinpoche holding the hands of new student paints a thousand words. I can said its such a warm moment of teacher and student relationship. Even though I have not personally met Rinpoche in person listening to his teachings yet I have heard and reading many wonderful stories . It’s a privilege to observe his way and style of teachings. Rinpoche will somehow by all means make sure we understands, learning some knowledge from nothing to something. Its from Rinpoche’s blogs I have learned nothing to something, new knowledge a little a day and I am still learning.
Thank you Rinpoche for this wonderful sharing .