Spirituality After 60

1
Spirituality After 60
2

• As I reflect on the eventful day in July 2007, I
  either smile with bliss or shed tears of both joy
  and sadness.
• It was on the 3rd of July 2007 that I was brought
  to a Tibetan Buddhist temple (gompa) at Sunwaymas
  by a friend for a Dharma teaching by H.E. the
  25th Tsem Rinpoche. Prior to this meeting, I had
  read in a national newspaper about this young and
  modern Tibetan monk and I was very impressed with
  what was written.

3

• So when I heard about Rinpoche, I thought it
  truly was terrific that a monk could be so modern
  and unconventional, and yet hold the essence of
  Shakyamuni Buddhas teachings with such purity.
  On meeting Rinpoche and hearing his teaching, I
  knew that my search for a Spiritual Guide was
  over and that I had found my Guru whom I had been
  seeking in order to understand the Buddhas
  teachings. I wanted to practice to gain peace in
  my life by recognizing the meaning and our
  potential in freeing ourselves of suffering.

4
(No Transcript)
5

• At that point of time when I met Rinpoche, I had
  gained a small level of success as a business
  person and with that, I had also developed a way
  of life and a mind that was hard and unforgiving
  because I believed that in winning, something
  needed to be sacrificed and something lost. Sad
  to say, I lost my humanity. The qualities of
  forgiveness, kindness and care for others, all of
  which I once possessed, had wilted away.

6

• I had built a wall of protection (which in
  hindsight is more a wall of destruction) and
  began to lead my life in an unwholesome manner.
  The only emotions I would manifest were anger,
  intolerance, resentment and depression. If I had
  dared to love, it was a case of being extremely
  guarded and conditional. In some cases with
  people very close to me, that love became
  obsessive due to the fear of losing them. It was
  rather suffocating for the both of us, I would
  say.

7
(No Transcript)
8

• Coming to Rinpoche with such deeply ingrained
  perceptions and emotional makeup was indeed a
  great burden for Rinpoche. Rinpoches goal for
  his students is the path to Enlightenment, not a
  feel good Buddhist practice. And just like a deep
  splinter in ones flesh, removing these mental
  defilements was surely going to be a painful
  process.

9

• In the initial stages, I was totally immersed
  into supporting the Dharma to grow and did
  whatever I could to fulfill my personal desire to
  get the job done. Rinpoche noticed that and
  skillfully went along with me, even though he
  knew it was not the best way to achieve the true
  essence of Bodhicitta.

10

• Along the way, my negative karma arose and
  obstacles came at me with great ferocity. Instead
  of fully understanding the methods to avert the
  calamities of my negative karma, I succumbed to
  them and started to falter in my path. While I
  was in great confusion as to my dissatisfaction
  in my Dharma work and space, Rinpoche manifested
  my faults and put them in my face, like a great
  mirror for me to see my failings.

11

• Instead of understanding Rinpoches skillful
  methods, I resented what I saw and was unable to
  relate to the profound teachings Rinpoche was
  giving me. The fact was I recognized my faults
  but could not accept the reality of them.

12

• This inability to shift away from my egoistic
  state of mind made me crawl into inactivity and
  harbor negative thoughts of the people I know in
  Kechara.
• It went on for a long three years and today as I
  pen this article, I realize how much my Guru
  loves me, to the extent that he would risk my
  negative thoughts towards him just so that I can
  become a better Dharma practitioner.

13

• My realizations may be late but I know that if I
  truly practice Guru Devotion and the essence of
  Buddhism, there is still a chance for me to atone
  for my wrongdoings that I have inflicted on my
  Guru.

14

• As my kind mentors advised, I need to surrender
  myself to my Guru, be alright with whatever is
  asked of me and trust Rinpoche 100. I need to
  realize that what I perceive can be fixed by me
  is not the correct method. Most of all, to let
  go of all long-held wrong views and perceptions
  led by my ego of not wanting to fail.

15
(No Transcript)
16

• As Rinpoche says, Dharma is not easy so too is
  finding peace and true inner bliss. If I am so
  fortunate to have Rinpoche as my Root Guru, to be
  deserving of Him then why not surrender to His
  teachings? Life would be so much easier and
  emotions would be contained within a Wall of Love
  and Compassion instead of that wall which I built
  with hate, anger, jealousy, resentment and
  depression.

17

• May my sharing be of benefit for all those who
  would read this so that they would not waste as
  much time as I have in their spiritual journey
  which brings lasting joy and happiness. Hopefully
  from reoccurring good rebirths, we will always be
  near a genuine Guru and the Dharma.

18

• For more update, visit us

http//www.tsemrinpoche.com/