Lifetime Retreat

An Introduction to Practitioners in Lifetime Retreat at Traling Monastery by Tulku Karzang Dorje This is something I wrote a few years ago. I recently asked it be translated in order to share the almost overwhelming feelings of joy and inspiration I have at the dedication and courage of the practitioners in lifetime retreat at Traling Monastery. My teacher Khenpo Panchen Dawa for example, has spent most of his life practicing on the hill overlooking Traling and there are many places where people practice like this. It has been almost 1000 years since the Kathok Lineage – one of the three major lineages in the Nyingmapa tradition of Tibetan Buddhism – was established in Kham and Amdo, Tibet. Although in its history it has experienced times of flourishing and times of decline, Traling has always been an important satellite monastery of the Kathok Lineage. During recent centuries in particular, the distinct status of Traling Monastery is of paramount significance for the lineage. Traling is a relatively large and famous monastic complex in the Golok area (Qinghai Province). Many venerable monks and great masters from this monastery are famed throughout Tibet: Tulku Tenpai Nyima Rinpoche, Khenchen Padma Lodro, Siddha Khenpo Tarding Rinpoche, Lingtrul Rinpoche Chöying Dorje – the tulku of Ling Lama Chöje Dorje, Vajra Master Khenpo Panchen Dawa, the learned Kunzang Gyaltsen – founder of the orphan school affiliated with the Lion & Dragon Palace at Traling. Khenpo Padma Lodro – highly valued and entrusted by Khenpo Münsel Rinpoche – was given special recognition after the passing of Münsel Rinpoche when he was enthroned. He is a great master and lineage holder of Dzogpa Chenpo and has become one of the authorities on Dzogchen teachings in Golok. He has established many retreat centers all over Tibet. Regardless of his old age and weakness, every year he travels tirelessly as far as Samye Monastery in Central Tibet, as well as to Mainland China, in order to propagate the Dzogchen teachings and guide disciples in retreat. I am very fortunate that every time I return to Tibet, I have the opportunity to visit a group of practitioners who are in lifetime retreat in the hills behind Traling Monastery, and to bring them some modest offerings. Every time I do this it is a time of reconnection with my lineage and a renewal of devotion. As is well known, living conditions are quite hard and material comforts are insufficient in Golok. However, the infinite Dharma joy that radiates out from these practitioners during our communication has affected me deeply. In today’s materialistic age, it is really rare and precious that they practice the Dharma so diligently. Their perseverance is worthy of rejoicing and praise. Each and every one of these practitioners is excellent and I admire them greatly. However I would like to share with you, my dharma friends, some deeds of two of these special practitioners. The first one is called Gelok Lama. He is nearly 50 years old, with dark skin and a lanky build. It is said that he has achieved the signs of realization of the rainbow body: knowing others’ thoughts, transcending time and space without hindrance, etc. Personally, when I first met him I experienced a feeling of complete exposure – as if he were totally able to behold my entire being. I then understood that he is not at all living as an ordinary person. He was prophesied by Kyabje Kathok Moktsa Rinpoche to realize the rainbow body in this very life. His only possessions are poverty and peace, as well as a group of vultures. Every day he shares his already very limited food with this group of vultures and often chants scriptures to them. I once heard him say with my own ears, that his way of calling the vultures over was to chant the Seven Line Prayer once. If you have ever been to a sky burial ground in Tibet, you would be deeply impressed by the ferocity and barbarity of the vultures. However at the feet of this realized being they seem so gentle and obedient. One of my very dear teachers, Khenpo Kuncho, told a story about how he witnessed Gelok Lama feeding vultures yoghurt from his hand. The wild creatures would turn their heads sideways since their large beaks prevented them from holding their heads upright to eat.

Once Gelok Lama was invited to Kathok monastery in Kham by Kathok Moktsa Rinpoche. This is a distance of about 1000 miles. After he arrived the monks noticed a strange looking vulture in the area, where there usually are none. When Gelok Lama came out of his dwelling he recognized it as one of the vultures from Traling. Apparently it had followed him and when he left Kathok monastery, the vulture did as well. Gelok Lama is an unassuming, humble and kind person, but sometimes he shows the demeanor and miraculous power of his realization. Once he was sitting in his retreat cave meditating, locked in from the inside. Suddenly he manifested on top of the mountain. He completed a session of deep meditation on the mountain top and then returned to his cave where he found he was unable to re-enter due to the lock. He had to find a shepherd boy who was small enough to climb in through the little window and unlock the door. This is a powerful sign of his accomplishment, as he can pass through solid rock and emerge in his physical body. When he wishes to connect with his root gurus, he is able to become one with them and communicate completely through the power of his realized mind. I believe that these are special signs of outer and inner accomplishment. One of the biggest problems for a practitioner in a mountain retreat can be a lack of water. People who have lived in this situation, like myself and my teacher Panchen Dawa, are so very aware of the significance of water to retreat practitioners. One of our favorite stories is how Gelok Lama has miraculously excavated clean and clear springs so that each and every one of the practitioners in mountain retreat can enjoy a personal spring of water. This has become a much-told story and miracle in Tibet. The other practitioner I will tell of is Lama Tharpa, a young man from Guangzhou. He used to study with Vajra Master Tsophu Toro Rinpoche (now passed away), then he studied with Khenchen Padma Lodro. The first time I went to see him, he had already been in retreat for four years and said that he would continue. Under his long hair – not trimmed for years – is a young and dynamic face. The harsh external environment coupled with the language barrier did not diminish his perseverance. When I met him in retreat, he was very happy and talkative. He told me that his little sister’s family had immigrated to Vancouver, Canada many years ago and had always wanted to help him immigrate abroad as well. However, he politely declined. I tentatively asked whether he still had worldly concerns, whether he still cherished the hustle and bustle of city life, and whether he still had difficulty in breaking away from the entanglement of affections. He told me that if he had left this pure land of snow, his life would have withered. His answer shocked me deeply. Without a deep understanding of Buddhadharma, he surely would not be able to say anything like that. In consideration for the feelings of affection of his sister’s family, I asked if I might take a picture of him and carry it to her in Canada. He agreed with joy and took some time tidying up. In the resulting photo, he looked pure and solemn. There are more than a dozen other practitioners who are in lifetime retreat on the hill behind Traling Monastery and in the nearby sky burial ground. They are also filled with moving Dharma joy and inspiration, which I hope to have the opportunity to share with you later. I pray that one day I can be like these practitioners in mountain retreat who have abandoned all worldly concerns, free from the hustle and bustle of cities and free from disputes and conflicts. In the pure land of spirituality, I aspire to purify my humble heart and soul. Every moment of every day there are practitioners in profound meditation whose concerns are not the worldly attachments that so occupy our thoughts and activities and bind us to the energies of samsara. So much of our lives are spent in endless, meaningless activity. However when I think of these great practitioners, hope wells up in me and I am embraced by the beauty and truth of the Buddhadharma. This is an unending source of inspiration to me and I share it with you to inspire and encourage you as well. I close with this powerful aspiration prayer from the Excellent Path of Omniscience of the Longchen Nying Thig:

Ho. Deluded by various appearances – like the reflection of the moon in water – sentient beings are wandering through the samsaric chain of lives. In order for them to be relaxed in the luminescent sphere of self-awareness, I shall develop the Bodhicitta by the practice of the four Boundless States. May All Sentient Beings Return to Their Original Purity!

Translated by Tuptan Palden and edited by Mary Pat Thompson and Steve Ayers

青海查朗 朗寺後山終生閉關者事蹟點滴 寺後山終生閉關者事蹟點滴 查朗寺珠古嘎桑多傑 藏傳佛教後弘期甯瑪巴三大傳承之一的噶陀 陀法 法脈 脈在 在康 康區 區、 、安 安多 多的 的弘 弘傳 傳 已 接 近 千 年 歷 史 史 。 。 雖 雖 歷 經 經 興 興 衰 衰 與 與 演 演 變 變 ， ， 查 朗 朗 寺 寺 一 一 直 直 以 以 來 來 都 都 是 是 噶 陀傳承重要的分寺之一。特別是在該傳承的近代史上，查朗 朗寺的鮮明地位更是舉足輕重。 寺的鮮明地位更是舉足輕重。 查朗寺是青海果洛地區規模較大、聞名遐邇的寺院。該寺的諸多高僧大德更是譽滿藏區， 其中包括尊貴的旦貝尼瑪活佛、大堪布白瑪洛周（堪布巴羅）、成就者堪布達頂仁波切、 朗喇嘛之轉世曲央多傑活佛、博學者更桑堅參（查朗 朗寺 寺獅 獅龍 龍宮 宮殿 殿附 附屬 屬孤 孤兒 兒 學校創辦者）以及金剛上師堪布班欽達哇等。 受大圓滿掌門人門色仁波切的推崇與囑託，查朗 朗 寺 寺 老 老 堪 堪 布 布 白 白 瑪 瑪 洛 洛 周 周 （ （ 堪 堪 布巴羅）近年來成為雪域果洛大圓滿法門的權威之一。他發心建立的諸多閉關中心更是遍 佈全藏。老人家甚至不顧年邁體弱、不辭辛勞地每年 年定 定期 期遠 遠赴 赴西 西藏 藏桑 桑耶 耶寺 寺 並到內地 地弘傳大圓滿法、指導閉關弟子。 弘傳大圓滿法、指導閉關弟子。 我 個 人 非 常 有 幸 在 每 次 次 回 回 藏 藏 區 區 時 時 都 都 有 有 機 機 會 會 拜 拜 訪 訪 一 一 群 群 在 在 查 朗 朗 寺 寺 後 後 山上閉生死關的修行者，並帶給他們一點微薄的供養。眾所周知，果洛藏區環境艱辛、資 糧匱乏，但在與他們交流時從這些行者身上散發出來的無限法喜深深感染了我。在末法時 代的今天還能如此地精進修行實屬難能可貴，他們的恒心與毅力更值得 得隨 隨喜 喜讚 讚歎 歎 。 這 些 修 行 者 個 個 都 很 優 秀 ， 每 一 一 位 位 都 都 是 是 我 我 心 心 目 目 中 中 的 的 偶 偶 像 像 。 。 在 在 此 此 我 我 摘取其中兩位特殊人物的點滴事蹟，與諸位善友分享。 第一位是年近五十、黝黑瘦高的格洛喇嘛。據說他 他已 已經 經示 示現 現出 出證 證得 得虹 虹光 光 身成就的諸多外相（如他心通和時空無阻礙等），被一代高僧、當今噶陀 陀法 法王 王莫 莫紮 紮 活佛授記將今生成就虹光身。他所擁有的除了清貧和幽靜之外就是一群通人性的禿鷲了。 他 每 天 天 都 都 將 將 自 自 己 己 本 本 來 來 已 已 經 經 非 非 常 常 拮 拮 据 据 的 的 食 食 物 物 與 與 這 這 群 群 禿 禿 鷲 鷲 分享，並時常誦經給它們聽。我曾親耳聽他說， ， 召 召喚 喚這 這群 群禿 禿鷲 鷲的 的方 方式 式就 就 是念一遍蓮師金剛七句祈請文。到過天葬場的人都會對禿鷲的兇猛與野性留下深刻的印象 ， 但在這位成就者座下它們竟是如此的溫和 和 與 與 調 調 順 順 。 。 格 格 洛 洛 喇 喇 嘛 嘛 為 為 人 人 謙 謙 遜 遜 和藹，但也時時展露出成就者的風範與神跡。大家知道在山上閉關最困擾人的問題之一是 缺乏水源，本人曾居住山上七年之久，深深領略過缺水的困苦。但格洛喇嘛奇跡般地為 每 一位閉關者挖掘出一澈清泉讓他們享用，這在藏地傳為佳話和神跡。 再 一 位 是 來 自 內 地 地 廣 廣 州 州 的 的 年 年 輕 輕 喇 喇 嘛 嘛 塔 塔 巴 巴 。 。 他 他 曾 曾 參 參 學 學 于 于 金 金 剛 剛 上師措樸多洛仁波切（現已圓寂）座下，後依止大堪布白瑪洛周。我第一次去看他時他已 經閉關四年之久，並表示還將繼續下去。多年未曾修剪的關發下是一張年輕而充滿活力的 臉，外在環境的惡劣加上語言的隔閡都沒有退轉他的恒心。當我去探關時，他顯得很高興 並很健談。他告訴我他妹妹一家已經移民加拿大溫哥 哥 華 華 多 多 年 年 ， ， 並 並 一 一 直 直 都 都 想 想 幫他辦理移民讓他出國，但被他婉言拒絕。 。 我 我 也 也 曾 曾 試 試 探 探 性 性 地 地 問 問 過 過 他 他 是 是 否動過凡心，是否還眷戀城市的喧囂，是否難以割捨親情的糾葛。他親口告訴我如果離開 了這塊雪域淨土他的生命就會枯萎。他的回答深深地震撼了我，倘若沒有對佛法有著很深 的 體 悟 是 說 不 不 出 出 這 這 席 席 話 話 語 語 的 的 。 。 為 為 了 了 顧 顧 及 及 親 親 情 情 的 的 思 思 念 念 ， ， 我 我 要求給他照張相以便捎去給他遠在異國的妹妹一家，他高興地答應並為此費心整理了一番 ， 照片中的他顯得非常莊嚴清淨。 另外還有十數位正在用心精進修持的終生閉關者以及長期在寒林中修持的行者，他們也有 諸多令人感動的法喜和感悟，希望以後有機會再與大家分享。 最後我祈願自己有一天也能象這些舍世閉關者一樣遠離都市的憒鬧和人我的紛爭，在這塊 心靈的淨土中淨化自己卑微的靈魂。