We visited several sacred places in
Sri Lanka this time and there were rainbows everywhere we went. This is indeed
a very inconceivable experience. I had followed many renowned Buddhist Masters
in the past like Dzogchen Rinpoche, Kade Rinpoche, Padma Gesang Rinpoche etc.,
to many places but I had never seen so many rainbows appearing in this manner.
This is just exceptional and very auspicious indeed.
11 of us ascended Adam’s Peak this
time on the 11th day of November (11). We even had a chance to see the Sakyamuni
Buddha’s foot print on the peak. I went with other lamas to Adam’s Peak in the
past but some of us did not get a chance to see the Buddha’s foot print and
some of us could only see it but did not have the chance of touching it. This
time, we are so lucky that we could touch the foot print and even do our prayer
before it. It was just wonderful!
The process of burying the terma
vase went very smoothly too. Although Acho Rinpoche stayed in the hotel and did
not join us in ascending Adam’s Peak, he knew what we were doing and did a
prayer simultaneously during the burying of the terma vase. When the terma vase
was buried, a giant sun halo appeared in the sky – it was truly amazing! I felt
very touched by the fact that we could meet such a great master in Acho
Rinpoche – you are just very fortunate to be his students.
Last night, I had a dream. In the
dream, I learnt that Acho Rinpoche was the one who brought Dzogchen teachings
to this world. I was curious why was Acho Rinpoche the one? Then, I saw Ekajati
appearing before me and showed me four words, giving me the answer to my
question. In future, I will include this dream in my third book which will be
written in Tibetan. I will get it translated into English and Chinese and give
it to you later.
Do you know why did rainbows appear
wherever Acho Rinpoche went? It is because he is protected by Ekajati who
perpetually appears above his head. It is just inconceivable that rainbows
always appear around Acho Rinpoche. I’m blessed by Acho Rinpoche to be able to join
you on this tour too. We truly have a strong karmic connection with one
another. Dzogchen lineage was originally transmitted on Adam’s Peak. We took
some sacred soils from the peak too. This place is indeed very fascinating and
makes me feel very touched.
Someone asked me – what is the
meaning of Dzogchen (Great Perfection). “Great” refers to a matter of great
significance and “Perfection” means that it has been fully accomplished. It
actually means that we have fully accomplished our spiritual practice – Great
Perfection. Now we are still stranded in the Six Realms of Cyclic Existence due
to our negative karma. We need to cultivate our spiritual practice until we
could break free of the cyclic existence one day, reaching the state of
perfection. We do not need to go to a certain place to practice Dzogchen
because we already have an accomplished Dzogchen master guiding us. The
quintessential teaching of Dzogchen is just Guru Devotion. We must follow the
instructions of our Guru 100% - this is the very condition of our
accomplishment of Dzogchen. It is utmost important for a Dzogchen student to
heed the advice of your Guru, revere your Guru, never desert your Guru and
always visualize your Guru sitting above your head – your Guru is just
Dzogchen!
I personally have had many teachers
including H.H Dalai Lama, H.H Karmapa Urgyen Trinley, H.E Dzogchen Rinpoche,
H.E Padma Gesang etc., who taught me many tantras. However, the most important
teacher of mine is Archun Togden Rinpoche, who is my Root Guru and my Dzogchen
teacher. I never forget my Root Guru no matter day or night. I pray to him
before sleep and when doing my prayers. One will only succeed in his Dzogchen
practice if he reveres his Guru and abide in his Guru; there is no need for him
to go somewhere else to do his Dzogchen practice.
Master Tilopa was a fisherman who
did fishing daily. He instructed his disciple, Naropa, to join him in his
fishing too. He killed and ate many fish. One day, Tilopa asked Naropa, “I kill
hundreds of fish daily. Do you still have faith in me?” Naropa answered, “I
have been serving you for more than twenty years, why would I not have faith in
you? I trust you completely.” Tilopa said, “As long as you trust me, it is
done. If you do not, just take a look at this now.” Tilopa ate the fish and
threw the fish bones back into the sea. Lo and behold, the fish became alive
again! So, as long as you trust your Guru, you will receive the greatest power
of blessing from him. If you do not trust your Guru, like Devadatta, the brother
of Sakyamuni Buddha who did not have faith in the Buddha, even the Buddha could
not save Devadatta when the latter fell into hell. You just need to take a look
at all the patriarchs of Vajrayana Buddhism, all of whom perfected their
practice through Guru Devotion.
Our Dzogchen Lineage is based on
Guru Devotion. Shri Singha served his Root Guru for 25 years without receiving
a single line of teaching from the doctrines. Why? That was because he was not
ready to receive the teachings yet. His Root Guru only assigned him mundane
tasks and finally transmitted Dzogchen teachings to him only after 25 years
later. Milarepa also served his Root Guru (Marpa) through building and
dismantling many houses, who ended up having his back badly bruised from carrying
the rocks on his back repeatedly. Milarepa had never lost his faith in his Root
Guru despite the hardships. This goes to show the importance of Guru Devotion.
One day, Marpa told Milarepa that he wished to eat a certain food and
instructed the latter to steal it (from a banquet). Milarepa could not disobey
his teacher’s instruction and did it accordingly. Milarepa ended up being
beaten by the people from whom he stole the food but he still tried very hard
to protect the food from being damaged. Such is the practice of Dzogchen!
That’s all for my sharing. Om Mani
Padme Hum.
Recorded by Lian Shao on 12-11-18
