Chagdud Khadro

Guru Rinpoche Day

March 14, 2011

 

Dear Sangha,

 

I am writing from California,  sitting in Chagdud Rinpoche’s outer room at the top of Tara House at Rigdzin Ling. It is a privilege to stay in this room, which holds a treasury of memories. But more than memories and old stories, the room reminds me of how Rinpoche could be fully present wherever he sat and simultaneously benefit persons in distant places. For him space and time were no barriers, and his compassion cut direct paths through the tangle of interdependent phenomena. 

 

The Chagdud Gonpa sanghas in North and South America, and in Australia, recently joined in the recitation of more than two million 100-Syllable Vajrasattva mantras. Most practitioners gathered in Chagdud Gonpa’s more than thirty centers and meditation groups, although others also practiced individually during the same time frame. We shared the profound joy of purification.

 

The Vajrasattva practice was followed by extensive Vajrakilaya (the wrathful aspect of Vajrasattva) practice performed at Chagdud and Nyoshul gonpas in Tibet;  at Padmasambhava Peace Institute, Rigdzin Ling, and Iron Knot Ranch in the United States; and at Khadro Ling in Brazil. Again and again—100,000 times—we prayed that all the forms of negativity be averted: JYHO! Turn back!

 

The synchronicity of a wisdom deity being invoked in many places by many practitioners has tremendous benefit. By simultaneously assembling in this way we multiply our prayers and aspirations through powerful, radiant interdependence.  Our pure intention merges with that of the great lineage masters.  The skillful means of any one sangha is enhanced by many others. The outflow of compassion cannot be measured.

 

In a time when the outer elements are terrifying and out-of-balance,  when the causes for fear and suffering surge forth with shocking suddenness, we must rely on authentic teachers, on the sacred lineage transmissions we have received from them, and on each other as a protective sangha. 

 

Chagdud Rinpoche used to say, “I went to [such-and-such place] and sat down for a while.” He could have “sat down” in one place only, but he chose to travel all over the world, creating a dynamic network of centers. Now we, as his sangha,  as the custodians of that network, must continue to find strength in practicing together. That synchronicity is like “one butter lamp lighting another,”  purely motivated by compassion, purely offered and sealed through dedication—a source of illumination for all beings. 

 

With appreciation and rejoicing in the sangha,

Chagdud Khadro