Dear friends near and far
I hope you’ve all been happy and healthy. I am very well and just started off with my travels for this year. I left the Valley this afternoon for Malaysia where I’ll be for the next few weeks. I’ll be hopping from one city to the next in Asia en route to North America via Australia and then to South America, Europe and finally back home in October. I have just started my journey and I’m already tired! But I’m certainly looking forward to seeing many of you during my stops around the globe.
It’s already late here in Malaysia and by the time I send this message out, it’ll probably land in your inbox on the 11th for those of you living in East, for which I truly apologize. But for the rest of you in the West, still the morning of 10th, Guru Rinpoche Day!
Anyhow, about two weeks ago we were on a pilgrimage following the footsteps of the Lotus Born in Nepal and Sikkim. It was a memorable trip still so vivid and in memory of it, I would like to share Padmasambhava’s last instructions to his students before leaving for the Chamara Island.
At the pass of Gunthang, on the border of Nepal and Tibet, as Padmasambhava is getting ready to leave for the Chamara Island of the cannibal demons his students implore him not to leave them. Padmasambhava has no choice but to leave, for the cannibal demons would spill out from the Chamara Island into our world and destroy the human race and only he can tame them with his wisdom and compassion. To the grieving students, Padmasambhava encourages them by saying, “For the people of the future, I have left behind blessings in the form of body, speech and mind.”
Body
I have left kutsaps – representations of myself in the form of statues – blessed them and concealed them with the intention that beings in the future might see them, receive blessings and make a direct connection with me.
—Padmasambhava
He made the aspiration that coming into contact with a kutsap would be no different than meeting Padmasambhava in person. Beings who make such a connection will be blessed in this life and future lives. It serves as a source of blessing, removes obstacles, as well as strengthens and deepens one’s connection to Padmasambhava.
Speech
To represent my speech there are the many treasure texts hidden.
—Padmasambhava
Dusum Sangye, the famous prayer to dispel obstacles, a terma of Chokgyur Lingpa is one such example:
Guru Rinpoche, the Buddha of past, present and future,
Dewa Chenpo- Guru of Great Bliss- the source of all siddhas,
Dudul Drakpo Tsal- Wrathful One that Subdues Negativity- who removes all obstacles,
Grant your blessings we pray! Through them, may all our obstacles, outer, inner and secret be quelled,
And may all our aspirations be fulfilled!
Mind
And for my mind representation, it is always with those who have a karmic connection with me. For those who pray to me I am always there, especially on the tenth day of the month, I will be there to dispel the suffering of the beings.
—Padmasambhava
Sarva Mangalam,
Phakchok Rinpoche
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