Latest Update
With the help of His Holiness' office in Dharamsala we were able to send a letter requesting His Holiness' advice on the best practices for Rinpoche's students to be doing to help effect a quick and complete recovery. His Holiness' advice was it will be beneficial for us to recite the mantra of Tara as much as possible: on tare tuttare ture soha.
As Rinpoche has often said, the mantra of White Tara - om tare tuttare ture mama ayur punye jnana pushtim kuru soha - already includes the shorter mantra, so we will be including both of these in all our group practices from now on.
On the holy day of Saka Dawa last Sunday, Rinpoche watched His Holiness' teaching on the Eight Verses of Thought Transformation, and afterwards gave a spontaneous commentary for one, briefly explaining the meaning of the text verse by verse. This shows that if we keep doing our prayers and practices to accumulate merit, there's no reason we can't be receiving Rinpoche's teachings again soon, even if it might need to be remotely.
Rinpoche continues to progress well in both his occupational and physio therapies. The other day before the long life puja at TKSL, Rinpoche gave me a message to pass on to the students. He said he is not in any pain, and while his body has obstacles to accumulating merit and practicing virtue his mind does not. He has been less frustrated and more relaxed lately, and has even enjoyed watching Mr Bean on the ipad! The photos on this page were taken while he was doing that.
Please keep up your prayers and follow His Holiness' advice to recite Tara mantras as much as you can.
With love,
Tshering
First Update
His speech is much clearer, which is a very good sign. In general he is his usual charming self: he has established a beautiful rapport with one particular nurse and she seems quite taken with him too. He is still always thinking about others before himself, getting frustrated about being a burden on everyone. As if we’d mind!
The geriatrician/rehab doctor has visited and suggested moving Rinpoche to a new purpose-built rehabilitation facility attached to the public hospital. He thinks that will be the best place for him to be, and says he will receive the best rehab care and treatment there.
My heartfelt thanks to everyone everywhere for all your support. Thanks for all the prayers, for coming to pujas, donations for whichever purpose, your messages of love and devotion. I do feel like we’re doing the right thing to bring about our desired outcome - a full recovery and quick return to teaching.
Tsewang says that despite being unwell and very fatigued, Rinpoche has done all his daily prayers every single day, and he was telling me how disappointed he is to be missing his daily prostrations. That level of faith and commitment is profoundly inspiring.
We offered Guru Puja with tsog on Friday night and Tara Puja on Saturday afternoon; thanks to Ailsa and Pamo for leading. And thanks to Pema and multiple helpers for making it all happen.
Regular group practices will continue at TKSL, along with as many classes as we can manage. We need to stay engaged and focus on this as well as prayers, because the greatest merit is accrued by enacting the gurus’ wishes. And what does Khensur Rinpoche want us to do? Study! And to change our minds by putting what we learn into practice every day. To do that wholeheartedly is absolutely the best offering we can make.
Practies being done in India: In House 12, Rinpoche's house at Sera Monastery, Tara Puja was held on the very first day. Hayagriva tsog for his long life was offered the next day by 11 of his students who are now geshes. There have been offerings and prayers to the special Protector deities of several monastries and colleges: Sera Je Tehor Khamtsen (college); Gyü-me Monastery; Sera Jha-rel Khamtsen. Medicine Buddha Puja was also done by the Tehor Khamtsen and various practices will be happening every day in Rinpoche's house.
Soon there will be a full Hayagriva puja performed by the Sera Je Hayagriva group, which Khensur Rinpoche belonged to. We're hoping to have photos and videos uploaded to the website soon.
There are also offerings, prayers and pujas being done in Bodhgaya, Dharamsala, Kopan and America as well as around Australia; basically everywhere Rinpoche has students. We also heard from Kartzön (our good mate Yaki) that he managed to speak directly to His Holiness a couple of days ago after a teaching in Dharamsala and told him about Rinpoche, which is amazing and Rinpoche was very pleased.
With love,
Tshering
Khensur Rinpoche's Health
We are sorry to have to share the sad news that our beloved Spiritual Father, Khensur Rinpoche has had a stroke. He is in a good private hospital and is being very well cared for.
There are quite a few people I would have liked to let know in a more personal way, but it's just not practical with so much going on.
Obviously we, his students, don’t have the merit to keep him teaching, so let’s get together and do something to remedy that.
If you are in Brisbane, please come along to TKSL at any of Rinpoche’s regular class times and join in the prayers and pujas that will be happening in place of the classes. If you don't get our weekly emails, you can see what's happening each week here.
We really need to pull together right now so our precious teacher gets well quickly.
Already prayers and pujas have been happening at Sera Monastery and Gyü-me Monastery in India and will continue in the coming days. We have managed to advise His Holiness, the Dalai Lama and requested his prayers. The Nächung Kuten, medium of the Tibetan state Oracle, is also making prayers and arranging special pujas.
But we also need to do something ourselves, so please make the effort to come along and join the group practices if you can, and if not please make heartfelt prayers at home.
If you would like to make a donation to help with Rinpoche's medical expenses or the ongoing pujas, please let us know via email.