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CONTACT WITH COMPASSION - An interview with His Eminence
Gyalstab Rinpoche
By Charlee Parkinson
Published Articles
As I approached the temple grounds of Gyuto
Tantric University(1)
in Sidhbari, India, two policemen armed with
AK-47s approached me. They had discovered on their guard a small puppy that
lived under the stairs of the temple and were pointing to the form now lying
lifelessly on the grass below. She had apparently been attacked the night
before, but in India
dogs are seen to be as insignificant as street rats and humans rarely want to
interact with them. I lifted the puppy into my arms and took her to the path
that circles the dimly lit temple to see her condition under the lights. She
seemed near death and was obviously in great pain, her breath labored and
sporadic. Her eyes were lifeless and distant. A feeling of great sadness
overcame me. How could I assist this tiny being lying unresponsive in my hands?
What could I do to help relieve her deep suffering? How can one ever really
help others when circumstances seem so hopeless? How can I do anything?
Out of the subtle shades of the morning darkness, a shadowed figure accompanied by a robed attendant emerged from around the corner of the quiescent temple. As they approached, I recognized His Eminence Gyaltsab Rinpoche, one of the principle teachers of His Holiness the 17th Karmapa, eagerly walking toward me in his practice of morning kora. Within a breath, he stood in front of me, silently staring at the helpless puppy in my hands with genuine concern. Without the words to express the details of the situation or the understanding of what to do, I laid the puppy's broken body at the Tibetan lama's feet.
For a moment, everything in the environment was ultra still and quiet, then the low hum of His Eminence's prayers filled the air. The attendant, the policemen and I watched motionless. When His Eminence finished the prayers, he paused for a moment, looked at me with encouragement and continued on his way, without words, into the growing light of morning.
I took the puppy to my room, wrapped her up in my favorite black sweatshirt and fell asleep on the floor with her extremely weak and damaged body lying next to my heart, expecting not to see her alive again.
When I awoke only two hours later, she was inches away from my face, sitting upright, staring at me with a look of confusion as to how she had acquired such comfort. Shocked, I began to inspect the dog. She was still in pain, but she was alive and doing remarkably well. I gave her milk and watched with amazement as she drank without hesitation. To my surprise, she began to slowly roam around the unfamiliar territory, sniffing and exploring as if nothing had happened. A miracle?
Two days later, I happily took the recovering puppy back to the temple to visit Gyaltsab Rinpoche. As I walked through the monastery courtyard, several monks sat on the outer perimeter cement wall and watched with silent amazement that anyone would carry a street dog to the temple. I just smiled. They seemed to be intrigued yet stayed at a culturally comfortable distance.
When we entered His Eminence's quarters, he requested that the puppy be put on the table in front of him. Focused and with great care, he held her body with one hand and gently patted her with the other, softly blowing mantras into her ears. The puppy sat perfectly still and at ease, accepting every gesture, every word with what seemed a deep satisfaction. The exchange was magical in the most ordinary way. It was so simple. It was compassion. I was watching something so wonderfully familiar on a simple human level yet so rarely seen (or trusted) in the relative world these days. I was speechless. For two days.
On the day I left Sidbhari, I went to the temple to say goodbye to the puppy and to bring a last offering of milk. Entering the grounds, I observed with gratitude five young monks from the monastery feeding her and some other puppies fresh milk—and lots of it. Nearby, several other monks were carefully arranging a bed of old rags under the shade of a verdant tree. They were deep in the concentration of care and looked up only occasionally with bright eyes and confident smiles. The blessings of the lama were once again apparent. It seemed a miracle that this sage could save a life from certain death. However, the true miracle was visible in the hearts of others who had witnessed the activity and were reflecting it everywhere with joy. I walked away from the temple that day inspired and with a clear sense of appreciation for what I had seen through the incredible grace of the selfless master's prayers.
A few months later I made the lengthy trip to Ralang Monastery, Gyaltsab Rinpoche's seat in Sikkim, to see His Eminence and ask some questions that had been sparked that day in Sidbhari. The trip was well worth the hard effort (purification!). The many obstacles created by the absence of any security or comfort throughout the entire journey are now my ornaments, and were truly the best teachings on patience, tolerance and concentration one could ever ask for. After six days of traveling in India alone, sleeping in places that for some people are a hell realm themselves, praying over every plate of food eaten that it might be bacteria-free, the arrival in Ralang was a triumphant moment indeed.
Ralang Monastery is situated high atop south Sikkim's scenic mountains. The crimson and gold mandala-shaped compound sits on a clearing surrounded by hearty subtropical flora, with a picturesque view of snow-capped Himalayan cliffs in the near distance. Small villages and farms adorn the terraced rice fields on the horizon, except when the clouds sink low onto the mountain and a light white mist envelops the entire area, making everything disappear.
Gyaltsab Rinpoche resides on the middle floor of the regal temple. His ritual bell can be heard often and is an instant reminder of the abundant aspirations of this holy being. The monks who live in the monastery are always happy and smile often. Every day I would hear them laughing, singing a song or whistling a tune as they passed my window—clear indications of the charge the genuine master lends to his environment.
Goshri Gyaltsab Rinpoche was born in Tibet, near the capital of Lhasa, in 1954 to a family of devoted Vajrayana practitioners. Recognized by His Holiness the 16th Karmapa before his birth, the present Gyaltsabpa is the 12th reincarnation of a lineage of masters that reaches back to the Ming dynasty of China, where Gyaltsab Rinpoche was the Goshri, or priest, to the Chinese emperor. The Gyaltsabpas have played a central role in the preservation of ancient traditions in the Kagyu lineage of Vajrayana Buddhism and are known to be very powerful and effective in their activity. The present Gyaltsab Rinpoche, a master of few words most of the time and known in Buddhist circles to be one of the greatest practitioners of our time, is one of the main teachers of His Holiness the 17th Karmapa, the 22-year-old head of the Karma Kagyu lineage. Throughout many of their lifetimes together, the Karmapas and he Gyaltsabpas have acted as both teacher and student for each other to continue the lineage, which is transmitted by each generation through the oral tradition to secure its authenticity. Presently, Gyaltsab Rinpoche is the Resident Eminence for two monasteries in Sikkim with over 700 monks. He dedicates all of his time to his monasteries, teaching the Karmapa and meditating, consistently firm in his dedication to the genuine dharma.
After taking some time to settle into the stillness, I made an appointment with His Eminence to seek his wisdom as both a spiritual master and as an elder to whom I could look for counsel. I hoped he could lend advice to those like myself who are part of the younger generation of Buddhists, seeking guidance on how to achieve inner peace so that we can preserve positive relations with our environment. His Eminence kindly agreed.
Interview with Gyaltsab Rinpoche
Translated by Archarya Nyima Tsering
Charlee Parkinson: Do we have the responsibility to create the change in our world that will bring peace and happiness, or are we powerless under the sway of our collective and individual karma?
Gyaltsab Rinpoche: There are many levels of peace and happiness; it is difficult to specify all of these levels. Any being can create a small amount of peace and happiness. Renowned and powerful people can create a middle level, but the highest and ultimate level of peace can only be created by the buddhas, bodhisattvas and foe destroyers,(2) and none other than them.
CP: What role does compassion play in the benefit of individuals and the world at large?
GR: Compassion is a virtuous quality therefore it brings benefit to all. As Buddhist practitioners, we believe in the law of the interdependent nature of all phenomena. For example, if a doctor has compassion it is very beneficial for his patients. It is beneficial for the students if a teacher embodies this compassion. All sentient beings receive benefit if monks and lamas have compassion. The entire environment is saturated with peace and happiness where compassion exists. Most religions--Buddhism, Christianity and many others—maintain the idea of altruism. This virtuous practice of compassion will consistently enhance our education, health, and environment and continue to develop good relations among all beings. That's what compassion can do.
CP: How can we generate more tolerance and understanding when we have to undergo enormous suffering such as death?
GR: When we experience intense suffering, we should think in this way. When humans are inflicted with sickness we can rest, usually there are people to look after us when we are dying. Look at those animals other than human beings, such as an earthworm, for example. They have to undergo a hundred times more pain than a human being when they are being scorched under the hot sun. They can neither take a rest nor hope that anyone will look after them as they die. Another example would be when a fisherman catches fish. Sometimes they are cooked and burned while they are still alive. There is immense suffering, yet no one is surprised by this, and there is no one to even think about the fishes' suffering or to speak on their behalf. The pain that is felt in the hell realm is even more intense and beyond words. Those who experience suffering in the hell realms cannot even complain about it. If we keep this in our minds and meditate on it, we can tolerate the suffering of ourselves and of others with more compassion.
CP: What is the definition of compassion in Tibetan terms?
GR: The term compassion in the Tibetan language refers to the elimination of suffering and the wish to give happiness to those sentient beings who are afflicted with suffering and who did not receive happiness in their life. In the Uttratantra (The Sublime Continuum of the Mahayana by Maitreya) it is said: "The natural Buddha lineage is completely soaked in compassion." The natural buddha lineage came from the buddha essence, but in some cases the luminosity of one's mind cannot bring it into function as it is temporarily shaded or covered by ignorance, desire and craving.
CP: Many young people around the world are investigating Tibetan Buddhism. How can this ancient Eastern wisdom benefit the future generation of international dharma students?
GR: The teachings of Shakyamuni Buddha are teachings of the union of compassion and wisdom. These teachings will give essential guidance to international students on altruism and good moral conduct. They will open the door to many sources of knowledge, which are incomprehensible to the ordinary mind. They will bring special benefit for students to become knowledgeable and create circumstances for good human conduct.
CP: His Holiness the 17th Karmapa is a very important figure in Buddhism and lie is also part of this current generation. What role do you feel he will play in the world?
GR: His Holiness is an amazing person endowed with extensive wisdom and excellent conduct. His awareness is vast on modern education and he is well-versed in language skills. I have full conviction that he will bring actual peace and happiness to the entire world through his extensive deeds.
Being with Gyaltsab Rinpoche was a catalyst for my mind to rest in the knowingness that there is still hope. I learned through this experience is that we ourselves are in charge of how we approach and navigate our existence in this world. It is truly beneficial to embrace compassion and share it with others without fear and without hope of reward. The masters of the past, present and future have taught and will continue to teach the valuable truths of virtue and show us through their example that we are also capable of putting them into practice.
We are not separate from the basic qualities of these beings, regardless of age, race, bank balance or religion, and seemingly need only to believe in ourselves and each other and in our innate human wisdom to practice the merits of kindness. In this situation, a simple stray puppy created the conditions for compassionate wisdom to expand into limitless space. There is no end in our hectic world for such opportunities of transformation even though solutions may seem out of reach at times. It is because of this fact that there is the equal potential for genuine contact with compassion that can guide us as a "human" society to the ways of the "genuine human" heart. As the great saint Mother Theresa said: "We ourselves feel that what we are doing is just a drop in the ocean. But the ocean would be less because of that missing drop."
(1) The temporary residence of His Holiness the 17th Gyalwang Karmapa.
(2) Foe destroyers (Skt. arhat) are superior beings who have gradually trained their mind to uproot all negative emotions (the ultimate enemy).
©2007 Charlee Parkinson, Thunderbolt Productions.
BODHI VOLUME 9 • NO. 3
Out of the subtle shades of the morning darkness, a shadowed figure accompanied by a robed attendant emerged from around the corner of the quiescent temple. As they approached, I recognized His Eminence Gyaltsab Rinpoche, one of the principle teachers of His Holiness the 17th Karmapa, eagerly walking toward me in his practice of morning kora. Within a breath, he stood in front of me, silently staring at the helpless puppy in my hands with genuine concern. Without the words to express the details of the situation or the understanding of what to do, I laid the puppy's broken body at the Tibetan lama's feet.
For a moment, everything in the environment was ultra still and quiet, then the low hum of His Eminence's prayers filled the air. The attendant, the policemen and I watched motionless. When His Eminence finished the prayers, he paused for a moment, looked at me with encouragement and continued on his way, without words, into the growing light of morning.
I took the puppy to my room, wrapped her up in my favorite black sweatshirt and fell asleep on the floor with her extremely weak and damaged body lying next to my heart, expecting not to see her alive again.
When I awoke only two hours later, she was inches away from my face, sitting upright, staring at me with a look of confusion as to how she had acquired such comfort. Shocked, I began to inspect the dog. She was still in pain, but she was alive and doing remarkably well. I gave her milk and watched with amazement as she drank without hesitation. To my surprise, she began to slowly roam around the unfamiliar territory, sniffing and exploring as if nothing had happened. A miracle?
Two days later, I happily took the recovering puppy back to the temple to visit Gyaltsab Rinpoche. As I walked through the monastery courtyard, several monks sat on the outer perimeter cement wall and watched with silent amazement that anyone would carry a street dog to the temple. I just smiled. They seemed to be intrigued yet stayed at a culturally comfortable distance.
When we entered His Eminence's quarters, he requested that the puppy be put on the table in front of him. Focused and with great care, he held her body with one hand and gently patted her with the other, softly blowing mantras into her ears. The puppy sat perfectly still and at ease, accepting every gesture, every word with what seemed a deep satisfaction. The exchange was magical in the most ordinary way. It was so simple. It was compassion. I was watching something so wonderfully familiar on a simple human level yet so rarely seen (or trusted) in the relative world these days. I was speechless. For two days.
On the day I left Sidbhari, I went to the temple to say goodbye to the puppy and to bring a last offering of milk. Entering the grounds, I observed with gratitude five young monks from the monastery feeding her and some other puppies fresh milk—and lots of it. Nearby, several other monks were carefully arranging a bed of old rags under the shade of a verdant tree. They were deep in the concentration of care and looked up only occasionally with bright eyes and confident smiles. The blessings of the lama were once again apparent. It seemed a miracle that this sage could save a life from certain death. However, the true miracle was visible in the hearts of others who had witnessed the activity and were reflecting it everywhere with joy. I walked away from the temple that day inspired and with a clear sense of appreciation for what I had seen through the incredible grace of the selfless master's prayers.
A few months later I made the lengthy trip to Ralang Monastery, Gyaltsab Rinpoche's seat in Sikkim, to see His Eminence and ask some questions that had been sparked that day in Sidbhari. The trip was well worth the hard effort (purification!). The many obstacles created by the absence of any security or comfort throughout the entire journey are now my ornaments, and were truly the best teachings on patience, tolerance and concentration one could ever ask for. After six days of traveling in India alone, sleeping in places that for some people are a hell realm themselves, praying over every plate of food eaten that it might be bacteria-free, the arrival in Ralang was a triumphant moment indeed.
Ralang Monastery is situated high atop south Sikkim's scenic mountains. The crimson and gold mandala-shaped compound sits on a clearing surrounded by hearty subtropical flora, with a picturesque view of snow-capped Himalayan cliffs in the near distance. Small villages and farms adorn the terraced rice fields on the horizon, except when the clouds sink low onto the mountain and a light white mist envelops the entire area, making everything disappear.
Gyaltsab Rinpoche resides on the middle floor of the regal temple. His ritual bell can be heard often and is an instant reminder of the abundant aspirations of this holy being. The monks who live in the monastery are always happy and smile often. Every day I would hear them laughing, singing a song or whistling a tune as they passed my window—clear indications of the charge the genuine master lends to his environment.
Goshri Gyaltsab Rinpoche was born in Tibet, near the capital of Lhasa, in 1954 to a family of devoted Vajrayana practitioners. Recognized by His Holiness the 16th Karmapa before his birth, the present Gyaltsabpa is the 12th reincarnation of a lineage of masters that reaches back to the Ming dynasty of China, where Gyaltsab Rinpoche was the Goshri, or priest, to the Chinese emperor. The Gyaltsabpas have played a central role in the preservation of ancient traditions in the Kagyu lineage of Vajrayana Buddhism and are known to be very powerful and effective in their activity. The present Gyaltsab Rinpoche, a master of few words most of the time and known in Buddhist circles to be one of the greatest practitioners of our time, is one of the main teachers of His Holiness the 17th Karmapa, the 22-year-old head of the Karma Kagyu lineage. Throughout many of their lifetimes together, the Karmapas and he Gyaltsabpas have acted as both teacher and student for each other to continue the lineage, which is transmitted by each generation through the oral tradition to secure its authenticity. Presently, Gyaltsab Rinpoche is the Resident Eminence for two monasteries in Sikkim with over 700 monks. He dedicates all of his time to his monasteries, teaching the Karmapa and meditating, consistently firm in his dedication to the genuine dharma.
After taking some time to settle into the stillness, I made an appointment with His Eminence to seek his wisdom as both a spiritual master and as an elder to whom I could look for counsel. I hoped he could lend advice to those like myself who are part of the younger generation of Buddhists, seeking guidance on how to achieve inner peace so that we can preserve positive relations with our environment. His Eminence kindly agreed.
Interview with Gyaltsab Rinpoche
Translated by Archarya Nyima Tsering
Charlee Parkinson: Do we have the responsibility to create the change in our world that will bring peace and happiness, or are we powerless under the sway of our collective and individual karma?
Gyaltsab Rinpoche: There are many levels of peace and happiness; it is difficult to specify all of these levels. Any being can create a small amount of peace and happiness. Renowned and powerful people can create a middle level, but the highest and ultimate level of peace can only be created by the buddhas, bodhisattvas and foe destroyers,(2) and none other than them.
CP: What role does compassion play in the benefit of individuals and the world at large?
GR: Compassion is a virtuous quality therefore it brings benefit to all. As Buddhist practitioners, we believe in the law of the interdependent nature of all phenomena. For example, if a doctor has compassion it is very beneficial for his patients. It is beneficial for the students if a teacher embodies this compassion. All sentient beings receive benefit if monks and lamas have compassion. The entire environment is saturated with peace and happiness where compassion exists. Most religions--Buddhism, Christianity and many others—maintain the idea of altruism. This virtuous practice of compassion will consistently enhance our education, health, and environment and continue to develop good relations among all beings. That's what compassion can do.
CP: How can we generate more tolerance and understanding when we have to undergo enormous suffering such as death?
GR: When we experience intense suffering, we should think in this way. When humans are inflicted with sickness we can rest, usually there are people to look after us when we are dying. Look at those animals other than human beings, such as an earthworm, for example. They have to undergo a hundred times more pain than a human being when they are being scorched under the hot sun. They can neither take a rest nor hope that anyone will look after them as they die. Another example would be when a fisherman catches fish. Sometimes they are cooked and burned while they are still alive. There is immense suffering, yet no one is surprised by this, and there is no one to even think about the fishes' suffering or to speak on their behalf. The pain that is felt in the hell realm is even more intense and beyond words. Those who experience suffering in the hell realms cannot even complain about it. If we keep this in our minds and meditate on it, we can tolerate the suffering of ourselves and of others with more compassion.
CP: What is the definition of compassion in Tibetan terms?
GR: The term compassion in the Tibetan language refers to the elimination of suffering and the wish to give happiness to those sentient beings who are afflicted with suffering and who did not receive happiness in their life. In the Uttratantra (The Sublime Continuum of the Mahayana by Maitreya) it is said: "The natural Buddha lineage is completely soaked in compassion." The natural buddha lineage came from the buddha essence, but in some cases the luminosity of one's mind cannot bring it into function as it is temporarily shaded or covered by ignorance, desire and craving.
CP: Many young people around the world are investigating Tibetan Buddhism. How can this ancient Eastern wisdom benefit the future generation of international dharma students?
GR: The teachings of Shakyamuni Buddha are teachings of the union of compassion and wisdom. These teachings will give essential guidance to international students on altruism and good moral conduct. They will open the door to many sources of knowledge, which are incomprehensible to the ordinary mind. They will bring special benefit for students to become knowledgeable and create circumstances for good human conduct.
CP: His Holiness the 17th Karmapa is a very important figure in Buddhism and lie is also part of this current generation. What role do you feel he will play in the world?
GR: His Holiness is an amazing person endowed with extensive wisdom and excellent conduct. His awareness is vast on modern education and he is well-versed in language skills. I have full conviction that he will bring actual peace and happiness to the entire world through his extensive deeds.
Being with Gyaltsab Rinpoche was a catalyst for my mind to rest in the knowingness that there is still hope. I learned through this experience is that we ourselves are in charge of how we approach and navigate our existence in this world. It is truly beneficial to embrace compassion and share it with others without fear and without hope of reward. The masters of the past, present and future have taught and will continue to teach the valuable truths of virtue and show us through their example that we are also capable of putting them into practice.
We are not separate from the basic qualities of these beings, regardless of age, race, bank balance or religion, and seemingly need only to believe in ourselves and each other and in our innate human wisdom to practice the merits of kindness. In this situation, a simple stray puppy created the conditions for compassionate wisdom to expand into limitless space. There is no end in our hectic world for such opportunities of transformation even though solutions may seem out of reach at times. It is because of this fact that there is the equal potential for genuine contact with compassion that can guide us as a "human" society to the ways of the "genuine human" heart. As the great saint Mother Theresa said: "We ourselves feel that what we are doing is just a drop in the ocean. But the ocean would be less because of that missing drop."
(1) The temporary residence of His Holiness the 17th Gyalwang Karmapa.
(2) Foe destroyers (Skt. arhat) are superior beings who have gradually trained their mind to uproot all negative emotions (the ultimate enemy).
©2007 Charlee Parkinson, Thunderbolt Productions.
BODHI VOLUME 9 • NO. 3
