An Introduction to Practitioners in Lifetime Retreat at Traling Monastery

by Tulku Karzang Dorje

This is something I wrote a few years ago. I recently asked it be translated in order to share thealmost overwhelming feelings of joy and inspiration I have at the dedication and courage of the practitioners in lifetime retreat at Traling Monastery. My teacher Khenpo Panchen Dawa for example, has spent most of his life practicing on the hill overlooking Traling and there are many places where people practice like this.

It has been almost 1000 years since the Kathok Lineage – one of the three major lineages in the Nyingmapa tradition of Tibetan Buddhism – was established in Kham and Amdo, Tibet. Althoughin its history it has experienced times of flourishing and times of decline, Traling has always beenan important satellite monastery of the Kathok Lineage. During recent centuries in particular, thedistinct status of Traling Monastery is of paramount significance for the lineage.Traling is a relatively large and famous monastic complex in the Golok area (Qinghai Province).Many venerable monks and great masters from this monastery are famed throughout Tibet: TulkuTenpai Nyima Rinpoche, Khenchen Padma

Lodro

, Siddha Khenpo Tarding Rinpoche, LingtrulRinpoche Chöying Dorje – the tulku of Ling Lama Chöje Dorje, Vajra Master Khenpo PanchenDawa, the learned Kunzang Gyaltsen – founder of the orphan school affiliated with the Lion &Dragon Palace at Traling.Khenpo Padma Lodro – highly valued and entrusted by Khenpo Münsel Rinpoche – was givenspecial recognition after the passing of Münsel Rinpoche when he was enthroned. He is a greatmaster and lineage holder of Dzogpa Chenpo and has become one of the authorities on Dzogchenteachings in Golok. He has established many retreat centers all over Tibet. Regardless of his oldage and weakness, every year he travels tirelessly as far as Samye Monastery in Central Tibet, aswell as to Mainland China, in order to propagate the Dzogchen teachings and guide disciples inretreat.I am very fortunate that every time I return to Tibet, I have the opportunity to visit a group of practitioners who are in lifetime retreat in the hills behind Traling Monastery, and to bring themsome modest offerings. Every time I do this it is a time of reconnection with my lineage and arenewal of devotion. As is well known, living conditions are quite hard and material comforts areinsufficient in Golok. However, the infinite Dharma joy that radiates out from these practitionersduring our communication has affected me deeply. In today’s materialistic age, it is really rareand precious that they practice the Dharma so diligently. Their perseverance is worthy of rejoicing and praise. Each and every one of these practitioners is excellent and I admire themgreatly. However I would like to share with you, my dharma friends, some deeds of two of thesespecial practitioners.The first one is called Gelok Lama. He is nearly 50 years old, with dark skin and a lanky build. Itis said that he has achieved the signs of realization of the rainbow body: knowing others’ thoughts,transcending time and space without hindrance, etc. Personally, when I first met him Iexperienced a feeling of complete exposure – as if he were totally able to behold my entire being.I then understood that he is not at all living as an ordinary person. He was prophesied by KyabjeKathok Moktsa Rinpoche to realize the rainbow body in this very life. His only possessions are poverty and peace, as well as a group of vultures. Every day he shares his already very limitedfood with this group of vultures and often chants scriptures to them. I once heard him say with myown ears, that his way of calling the vultures over was to chant the Seven Line Prayer once. If you have ever been to a sky burial ground in Tibet, you would be deeply impressed by the ferocityand barbarity of the vultures. However at the feet of this realized being they seem so gentle andobedient. One of my very dear teachers, Khenpo Kuncho, told a story about how he witnessedGelok Lama feeding vultures yoghurt from his hand. The wild creatures would turn their headssideways since their large beaks prevented them from holding their heads upright to eat.

Once Gelok Lama was invited to Kathok monastery in Kham by Kathok Moktsa Rinpoche. Thisis a distance of about 1000 miles. After he arrived the monks noticed a strange looking vulture inthe area, where there usually are none. When Gelok Lama came out of his dwelling he recognizedit as one of the vultures from Traling. Apparently it had followed him and when he left Kathok monastery, the vulture did as well.Gelok Lama is an unassuming, humble and kind person, but sometimes he shows the demeanor and miraculous power of his realization. Once he was sitting in his retreat cave meditating, lockedin from the inside. Suddenly he manifested on top of the mountain. He completed a session of deep meditation on the mountain top and then returned to his cave where he found he was unableto re-enter due to the lock. He had to find a shepherd boy who was small enough to climb inthrough the little window and unlock the door. This is a powerful sign of his accomplishment, ashe can pass through solid rock and emerge in his physical body. When he wishes to connect withhis root gurus, he is able to become one with them and communicate completely through the power of his realized mind. I believe that these are special signs of outer and inner accomplishment.One of the biggest problems for a practitioner in a mountain retreat can be a lack of water. Peoplewho have lived in this situation, like myself and my teacher Panchen Dawa, are so very aware of the significance of water to retreat practitioners. One of our favorite stories is how Gelok Lamahas miraculously excavated clean and clear springs so that each and every one of the practitionersin mountain retreat can enjoy a personal spring of water. This has become a much-told story andmiracle in Tibet.The other practitioner I will tell of is Lama Tharpa, a young man from Guangzhou. He used tostudy with Vajra Master Tsophu Toro Rinpoche (now passed away), then he studied withKhenchen Padma Lodro. The first time I went to see him, he had already been in retreat for four years and said that he would continue. Under his long hair – not trimmed for years – is a youngand dynamic face. The harsh external environment coupled with the language barrier did notdiminish his perseverance. When I met him in retreat, he was very happy and talkative. He toldme that his little sister’s family had immigrated to Vancouver, Canada many years ago and hadalways wanted to help him immigrate abroad as well. However, he politely declined. I tentativelyasked whether he still had worldly concerns, whether he still cherished the hustle and bustle of city life, and whether he still had difficulty in breaking away from the entanglement of affections.He told me that if he had left this pure land of snow, his life would have withered. His answer shocked me deeply. Without a deep understanding of Buddhadharma, he surely would not be ableto say anything like that. In consideration for the feelings of affection of his sister’s family, Iasked if I might take a picture of him and carry it to her in Canada. He agreed with joy and took some time tidying up. In the resulting photo, he looked pure and solemn.There are more than a dozen other practitioners who are in lifetime retreat on the hill behindTraling Monastery and in the nearby sky burial ground. They are also filled with moving Dharma joy and inspiration, which I hope to have the opportunity to share with you later.I pray that one day I can be like these practitioners in mountain retreat who have abandoned allworldly concerns, free from the hustle and bustle of cities and free from disputes and conflicts. Inthe pure land of spirituality, I aspire to purify my humble heart and soul. Every moment of everyday there are practitioners in profound meditation whose concerns are not the worldly attachmentsthat so occupy our thoughts and activities and bind us to the energies of samsara. So much of our lives are spent in endless, meaningless activity. However when I think of these great practitioners,hope wells up in me and I am embraced by the beauty and truth of the Buddhadharma. This is anunending source of inspiration to me and I share it with you to inspire and encourage you as well.I close with this powerful aspiration prayer from the

Excellent Path of Omniscience of the Longchen Nying Thig

Ho. Deluded by various appearances – like the reflection of the moon in water – sentient beings are wandering through the samsaric chain of lives. In order for themto be relaxed in the luminescent sphere of self-awareness, I shall develop theBodhicitta by the practice of the four Boundless States.May All Sentient Beings Return to Their Original Purity!

Translated by Tuptan Palden and edited by Mary Pat Thompson and Steve Ayers