Spirituality And Lockdown 2.0

Butter Lamp

I don't think I'll have to say this since it has been circulating in social network for the past few years. However let me highlight so that it relates to what I'm going to say. According to the translated version of Pema Kathang which, of course, is the (auto-) biography of Guru Rinpoche, there you'll get to see some of the prophecies too. One of the prophecies that the great Guru clairvoyantly pointed was on how sangha or dharma practitioners in the future would act. What we’re going through should not be a surprise as it has been seen by the buddha of three times, (past, present and future). I'm mentioning this in order to avoid unnecessary badmouthing amongst ourselves—fellow humans. Bad actions will breed only bad results, let's be aware of this. 

Sur and Water offering

Coming to the point, some of you might think but I wasn't trying to cover up in the paragraph thereof by mentioning some irrelevant prophecies of what future would look like for us—dharma holders. Indeed I was trying to show evidence otherwise it is really hard to make people believe especially when  everything is done in black and white, nowadays. Having said that let me point out my own fault; waking up after the sun rise, not eating foods on time, craving for worldly things—modern technology, dreaming beyond cloister, hardly contemplating, blah blah blah the list can go on and on. It is shame that I can even disclose my own fault proudly. Honestly I do have other features which make more materialistic and less monk.

 

Kharchu Monastery 

Our Rinpoche has been always generous about his monks and sentient beings in general. To avert this pandemic, lately Kyabje Namkhai Nyingpo Rinpoche issued a notice in his own handwritten paper clearly stating that monk’s will have to chant one hundred thousand (100,000) mantra of Guru Rinpoche and seven lines prayer. Apparently, irrespective of the monastic status, monks are busy even this year's winter holiday. Of course monks do not have holidays—literally saying. 

After the second lockdown in the nation it became quite different for me. Maybe a chance to repent? Our exams got over and I know what freedom means when you do not have to study. Most of us had plan for the winter vacation. Should I say a blessing in disguise? I would have gone somewhere and spent my days meaningless but now I'm doing something better than what I would have done in otherwise situation. Apart from this, every morning I get to hear a sound of dharma which usually do not happen even in monastery as everybody expects (there're factors why one will hardly see or hear ritualistic-liturgy in Shedra and, if I've to but I won't, I’ll take another paragraph to make some of you believe.) In the evening there's an offering of sur (burnt offering) which can nourish the bardo consciousness as well as hungry ghosts. While some are chanting mantras there are other health conscious circumambulating the monastery.

I hope we will have a better days soon—I pray!