Blazing Splendor. Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche

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СКАЧАТЬ into eras, places, and situations unlike anything most of us have experienced. At the same time, it is a down-to-earth, human story, vividly told and, at times, heart-wrenching.

      Tulku Urgyen’s narrative tells of remarkable accomplishments of the human spirit, supported at times by divine intervention. It is no fairy tale, yet it is replete with magic and epic triumphs of wondrous magnitude. It describes spiritual achievement at its best—and human folly at its worst. Tibetans will find this biography unlike most others in their traditional genre, for it fails to mention almost any of the important details of this master’s life, his miraculous feats and his extraordinary level of realization. Western readers may find that many of the stories seem to be sheer fiction or at least demand the suspension of their critical attitude. Yet what is presented, though at times challenging to normal conventions and perceptions, is for the most part verifiable.

      Nobody could tell an anecdote like Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche. Not only could he perfectly recall tales told him as a child long ago and repeat them verbatim; he could invite you into his memory’s landscape and describe exactly what took place in vivid detail, as if casting a spell. He offers events and conversations with a captivating emotional depth that transports us into his experience.

      Still, in an odd way, this memoir is not really about Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche, his incredible works or his legendary special teaching style, which could ignite the listener’s hidden potential for attaining liberation and complete enlightenment. Rather, it shares with the reader what he witnessed and, perhaps most profound, how he perceived his world.

      And what a world Tibet was before the communist invasion! In that world, sacred exploits were the yardstick of success. Love and appreciation of the great gift of the Buddha’s teachings and for the masters who upheld those teachings were paramount. That was a legacy even the communists could not destroy; it was carried far and wide in the hearts of those who escaped the wanton destruction and devastation of their culture. Blazing Splendor recounts their fortitude—a victory of the strength of mind in the face of overwhelming odds.

      The main themes that permeate Tulku Urgyen’s story are the depth of veneration of the Buddhist teachings, their preservation and dissemination through unbroken lines of transmission, unfaltering courage in following one’s teacher’s commands, the unparalleled respect that masters had for one another, and the inescapable impermanence of any situation.

      The inconceivable damage that took place in Tibet cannot be denied or ignored. History bears witness to what happened. Yet, out of that devastation many precious masters and teachings survived. And the fact that these teachers were forced into exile has meant that those of us born into materialistic cultures can meet with this extraordinary tradition.

      So, we invite you to enter a world that once was and glean the atmosphere. Let your heart open and connect with the sublime. Don’t get lost in the details of place and time; just experience the spiritual ambiance. And, to be sure, deep meaning interweaves these pages—heart advice and spiritual teachings that just might set you on your own personal spiritual quest.

      We offer this all to you with unimpeded love and devotion for our amazing teacher and with the heartfelt aspiration that you will be greatly benefited in both the short and the long term.

      In telling his story, Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche placed the greatest emphasis on a landscape of people rather than physical places. Those people who inspired him most emerged as the main focus for this book. We have used the sequence of his spiritual ancestry and his life as the thread for these wonderful stories, each a jewel of timeless value strung together by Rinpoche’s memory. We present this garland of tales here for you to savor.

      Erik Pema Kunsang & Marcia Binder Schmidt

      Nagi Gompa, 2005

Prologue

      Since you have asked so many times, I will tell a bit about my life. In our Tibetan tradition, we begin a life story by tracing back one’s family to its origins. My family name is Tsangsar. My other name, as I am considered a reincarnation of a yogi, is Chöwang Tulku.

      I was born in Central Tibet, taken to Kham, then went back and forth between the two several times.² I fled the communists to Sikkim and finally moved to Nepal, where I am now living as an old man. That’s my life in a nutshell. I haven’t accomplished any great deeds. Mostly it’s just one sad event after another.

      Whenever I tell a story, I always avoid the two shortcomings of exaggeration and denigration—neither adding any extra qualities that someone does not possess nor refusing to acknowledge qualities that are truly present. As I am not the type of person who remembers specific dates, don’t look for any clear chronology here.

      I can, however, tell you some of the stories I have heard, many of which come from my grandmother.

Part One

       Spiritual Roots

1

       Grandmother’s Mission

      As my grandmother, Könchok Paldrön, supervised the loading of her yaks for the long, hard journey from Kham to Lhasa, she was in a hurry. She was an elderly woman now, and too much time had already gone by since she had last seen her son, who was living in Central Tibet—a two-month journey. She was determined to start searching for him.

      My grandmother made her feelings very clear, lamenting: “My father was Chokgyur Lingpa, the great revealer of hidden treasures,³ and no matter where he went, people gathered around him like iron filings around a magnet. During my father’s short life, his fame and glory, his influence and the number of his disciples seemed to surpass even those of the eminent Karmapa. Yet for all that, he left his body behind and me along with it.

      “Then my mother and brother passed on, too. Everyone I love has abandoned me. Who could be more cheerless than a lost orphan like me? Even my youngest child, Tersey Tulku, has discarded me to stay with his illustrious master in Central Tibet. People say he is unfurling the four enlightened activities among the nobles in Lhasa.⁴ Even the king of Bhutan caters to him—the king gave my Tersey so many presents that fifty pack animals were needed to carry them. He nurtures a flock of eight hundred disciples—but he leaves me, his mother, all alone here in Kham.

      “The travels of my father, Chokgyur Lingpa, were like a wave sweeping through the land, pulling everyone in its wake, no matter how learned or accomplished they might be. And no matter what school they belonged to, all the masters of his time received his teachings. Having witnessed such greatness, how can I be impressed by anything these days? I hear all kinds of stories about the so-called great deeds of Tersey Tulku, yet compared to the activities of his grandfather, they seem no more than foam on water.

      “And now here I am, Chokgyur Lingpa’s only remaining child, all alone. Tears have flowed from my eyes day and night, so that my pillow is moist with tears. I feel that all things beautiful and positive are no more than flowers in an autumn meadow—they are splendid but don’t last long.”

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