Tsawa Pulthok Rinpoche
Dear Kecharians and friends around the world,
Last night, I gave a teaching to a group of people who were in Kechara Forest Retreat. I shared with them the correct way to pray for our loved ones and why we shouldn’t “demand” Dorje Shugden with fulfilling our wishes but let Dorje Shugden decide what is the best outcome. He has infinite Manjushri wisdom beyond our own and we should trust this wisdom. Sometimes what we pray for is not what should be fulfilled. Sometimes what we don’t want turns out to be the better result in the future.
I also shared with them about a beautiful monk, Tsawa Pulthok Rinpoche, who was jailed and badly tortured by the soldiers for 19 years, starting back in 1959 in Lhasa, and yet he has no anger towards his torturers. He was released and had resettled in Nepal where I met him. For the remainder of his life, he spent his time in meditation, retreats and pujas for the public until he passed. He was glowing, happy and very proud of the fact he was a student of His Holiness Kyabje Pabongka Rinpoche, which he told me when we met. He did full meditations on Vajra Yogini and short puja to Dorje Shugden daily in his small room in Kathmandu, Nepal where I had the honour to join in his prayers. He told me he was very happy to have his room to do his meditations, pujas and prayers openly. Whatever happened to him, he accepted as part of his karma and he spent much time in prison meditating and quietly teaching dharma to his other cellmates. He was very much respected in prison in Lhasa because he never showed anger, always meditated and consoled others, giving them great strength. He endured much hardship, torture and beatings but he never lost his monk vows. His full understanding of karma helped him not feel any anger or bitterness towards the soldiers. He told me that daily, he would meditate that the karma of others in prison would come to him. That all the torture and abuse he received was so others in prison did not have to suffer this. He said suffering for others was what kept him going and made him be able to endure the pain.
We are not bound by our experiences. We are bound by our choice. I also reminded those were present about the good person inside each and every one of us, and how we should not “bury” this good person with our excuses because the more excuses we give, the deeper this good person is buried and soon the layers of excuses will make it very difficult for us to find this good person. We are all beautiful good people and we should not let it get lost by lying, laziness, lack of integrity and procrastination. We all have a choice. If we have to make excuses, we should choose to make excuses to be a winner. When we win, we make ourselves happy and those around us happy.
The teaching session went well and it was spontaneous, and I requested the people who live and work in and around Kechara Forest Retreat for the talk. We had some good laughs too during the talk.
Thank you,
Tsem Rinpoche
‘If we trust in karma which exists, then there is no reason for anger’.
~ Tsawa Pulthok Rinpoche
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Inspiring story of a monk Tsawa Pulthok Rinpoche student of H H Kyabje Pabongka Rinpoche . In fact being jailed, badly tortured by the soldiers for 19 years, he hold no grudge against any of them. He forgave them, not because they deserve forgiveness, but he deserve peace. Being angry at them only hurt himself. He was well respected in prison, as he never showed anger, always meditated ,consoled others, giving them great strength and motivated them.
Even though he did endured much hardship, and all the sufferings but he never lost his monk vows. He understand karma, suffering for others that kept was him going. Inspiring story.
Thank you Rinpoche for this sharing.
Thank you Rinpoche and blog team for sharing this very inspiring write up about a beautiful monk, Tsawa Pulthok Rinpoche who was jailed and badly tortured by the soldiers for 19 years, starting back in 1959 in Lhasa, and yet he has no anger towards his torturers. He was released and had resettled in Nepal where I met him. For the remainder of his life, he spent his time in meditation, retreats and pujas for the public until he passed. He was glowing, happy and very proud of the fact he was a student of His Holiness Kyabje Pabongka Rinpoche. He did full meditations on Vajra Yogini and short puja to Dorje Shugden daily in his small room in Kathmandu, Nepal. He endured much hardship, torture and beatings but he never lost his monk vows. His full understanding of karma helped him not feel any anger or bitterness towards the soldiers. He would meditate that the karma of others in prison would come to him. That all the torture and abuse he received was so others in prison did not have to suffer this. He said suffering for others was what kept him going and made him be able to endure the pain. ???
Tashi delek! Hands folded and head bowed in respect to this most excellent embodiment of Buddha nature. In forgiving we find liberation. Hurt people most often hurt people. Break the cycle by observing cause and effect and don’t hurt because your hurt. We all share one thing in common, none wants to suffer. Thank you for your example we are so privileged to benefit from. Wishes of long life, wellbeing and happiness to Venerable Tsawa Pulthok Rinpoche. Thank you for sharing with us this most enlightening lesson.
Tsawa Pulthok Rinpoche a student of His Holiness Kyabje Pabongka Rinpoche. He has gone through much hardship, torture and beatings while in detention during the Chinese invasion for 19 long years. Yet he was one nice and respected Lama who kept his monk vows. He has accepted it with no hard feelings against the soldiers who has tortured him. Spending most of his remaining time in meditation, retreats and pujas for the public.
In life all of us have the right to make decisions and have choices about how we live our life. Making our own choices about the things we do is very important because it gives us the meaning of life to be happy and those around us.
Thank you Rinpoche for this sharing.