— 12 March 2010
Dear Sangha Members,
I hope that you are all fine and your practices are progressing well along the path. We, here at Mindrolling and Samten Tse, are all well. We are all delighted with the news of Kyabje Trulshig Rinpoche having accepted the position as head of the Nyingma lineage. Not only is Kyabje Trulshig Rinpoche one of the most revered and peerless masters but he is also of the Mindrolling lineage and as such we are all doubly joyous. And this along with H.E. Khochhen Rinpoche's acceptance of the position of the General Secretary of the Nyingma School, we hope that we can all carry forth the vision and activities of Kyabje Mindrolling Trichen into the future generations. We pray that all our masters continue to live long and bless us with their wisdom and kindness.
Today I am very pleased to be writing to all of you about one of the most precious events that will take place for the buddhadharma in the West. While receiving the Rinchen Terdzö transmissions during 2008 and 2009 at Mindrolling Monastery, I could not help but marvel at such profound transmissions being bestowed with such love and kindness from a truly remarkable master in this day and age. However, there were times when many of us here were a bit wistful that the larger sangha from the West could not be here receiving these precious teachings. All of us deeply wished that our fellow sangha members, whom we have shared so much with over the years, could also be here to receive the blessings and good fortune of such unsurpassably precious transmissions. Therefore, our joy knew no bounds when it seemed certain that the Nyingthig transmissions, along with some of the very profound Dzogchen teachings, would be bestowed by Kyabje Tsetrul Rinpoche at Lotus Garden in 2010.
Since buddhadharma began to be transmitted in the West there have been many great masters who have blessed the land itself with their presence and taught the sacred dharma for the benefit of all. And it is truly marvelous and a cause for tremendous joy that a time has come when the supremely precious and the rarest of the rare Mahasandhi teachings can be bestowed in the West. It is a truly historic and momentous occasion.
In order for me to fulfill my role as a teacher and guide you along the path of dharma, it falls upon me to let you know that this is one of the most rare circumstances and treasured opportunities a practitioner can ever have. It is not usually the job of the teacher to urge their students to receive transmissions. It is up to the students to realize the value and importance of transmissions and put it before all worldly matters. However, often people have come up to me after some transmission has occurred that they needed to be told to receive it or required the "approval" or "permission." So lest there be any doubt in anyone's mind, know that it is of the utmost importance that everyone who is able to attend and receive these precious transmissions does so.
Sadly many of our great teachers are of the last generation of masters trained in Tibet and are of an age where direct transmissions from them are becoming increasingly rare opportunities. Therefore, every opportunity one has to receive any teaching from these incomparable masters is giving meaning to this precious existence.
I will write to you all from time to time and keep you posted on the preparations and progress in arranging this peerless event. There is much to do and we will need the help and support of the entire sangha to make the whole visit go smoothly and flawlessly. It will indeed be a wonderful opportunity for all of us to truly serve the buddhadharma, contribute to the spread of dharma in the West and earn boundless merit.
Right now we are in the process of arranging all that is needed to host Kyabje Tsetrul Rinpoche and his party at Lotus Garden. We have a team working on the process of applying for the United States visas for Kyabje Tsetrul Rinpoche and his entourage. With the recent changes in the world and world travel, it has become quite the process to apply for the US visas which has now become even more a lengthy and complicated process than before. It is a real lesson in exertion and patience. Since we are still applying for the US visas, we are still not confirming the dates. It seems though that these precious Dzogchen Nyingthig transmissions, if all goes well, will be taking place somewhere around the end of August and beginning of September 2010. These transmissions will hopefully take place during the Annual Retreat in the Entering the Vajrayana and Dzogchen sections of the Retreat. We estimate that it will take about 15 days for the transmissions to be completed.
It is a remarkable experience for all of us to be working with a teacher such as Kyabje Tsetrul Rinpoche, who is very traditional in his approach of teaching the dharma and living a simple and contented life. Kyabje Tsetrul Rinpoche says that if any student of the dharma wishes to receive teachings then they will be available and ready to be there at any time. When a gentle push was made to confirm the dates, Kyabje Tsetrul Rinpoche asked, "Is the teacher's time more important or is the student's time more important?" It is undoubtedly and entirely true in keeping with the tradition of giving up one's life and limb for four lines of teachings. However, we do find that trying to bridge the gaping chasm between cutting one's flesh to the bone as Sadaprarudita did for the sake of receiving teachings and the pace and lifestyle of a modern day practitioner is not an easy task! :)
But seriously speaking this is a singularly exceptional opportunity for everyone, and especially for our Lotus Garden sangha. Receiving such invaluable teachings from such a great master will be truly giving meaning to our lives. It is a sign of the fruitioning of the collective excellent aspirations of the sangha that a time has arisen when it is possible for us to host such extraordinary and profound transmissions. I hope that you will all take a moment to rejoice in it and realize the unrivalled preciousness and excellence of this opportunity.
I send you the love and best wishes of all of us here and look forward very much to seeing you soon. I will write from time to time to all of you and keep you posted on the developments as they happen. Take care of yourselves and practice well.
With love and prayers,
—KR