FPMT should repair samaya to Shugden for Lama Zopa's healing

[vajrastorm]

A few years ago, I attended an event to which HE Lama Zopa Rinpoche was invited to give a teaching. Throughout his teaching, Lama Zopa coughed incessantly so much so I could hardly make out what he said. However, later, one of his students explained to me that Lama Zopa was sick and coughing very badly because he was ‘absorbing’ his students’ broken samaya and their negativities. So my first thought, upon receiving news of his manifesting a serious stroke and consequent speech impairment, was that again this most compassionate Guru was ‘absorbing’ his students’ broken samaya and negativities.

My second thought was my own feeling of guilt and worry that, if I didn’t buck up , I may also cause my own precious Lama to manifest a debilitating sickness that may cripple his ability to continue to turn the wheel of Dharma. I have joined many other Dharma friends in prayer for Lama Zopa. Yet I wish to reiterate here that what Mana has said about broken samaya and repairing it, by FMT students , with their founder Lama Yeshe, and about reconnecting to Dorje Shugden, is absolutely correct. The need and the urgency are there.

Indeed, if I may make bold to say, it is my belief that Lama Zopa, a compassionate holy and highly attained master, actually performed a ‘crazy wisdom ‘ act in breaking away from Dorje Shugden( in seeming support of and acquiescence to Dalai Lama )and then manifested the stroke and speech disability as a form of ‘teaching’ for his FPMT students.  They must always hold their Root Guru’s lineage practices, including, the Dorje Shugden practice, close to their hearts.

This is not politics but Dharma we are talking about. This website has always focused on Dharma.
 

[thaimonk]

A few years ago, I attended an event to which HE Lama Zopa Rinpoche was invited to give a teaching. Throughout his teaching, Lama Zopa coughed incessantly so much so I could hardly make out what he said. However, later, one of his students explained to me that Lama Zopa was sick and coughing very badly because he was ‘absorbing’ his students’ broken samaya and their negativities. So my first thought, upon receiving news of his manifesting a serious stroke and consequent speech impairment, was that again this most compassionate Guru was ‘absorbing’ his students’ broken samaya and negativities.

My second thought was my own feeling of guilt and worry that, if I didn’t buck up , I may also cause my own precious Lama to manifest a debilitating sickness that may cripple his ability to continue to turn the wheel of Dharma. I have joined many other Dharma friends in prayer for Lama Zopa. Yet I wish to reiterate here that what Mana has said about broken samaya and repairing it, by FMT students , with their founder Lama Yeshe, and about reconnecting to Dorje Shugden, is absolutely correct. The need and the urgency are there.

Indeed, if I may make bold to say, it is my belief that Lama Zopa, a compassionate holy and highly attained master, actually performed a ‘crazy wisdom ‘ act in breaking away from Dorje Shugden( in seeming support of and acquiescence to Dalai Lama )and then manifested the stroke and speech disability as a form of ‘teaching’ for his FPMT students.  They must always hold their Root Guru’s lineage practices, including, the Dorje Shugden practice, close to their hearts.

This is not politics but Dharma we are talking about. This website has always focused on Dharma.
 

I've experienced the same thing. During dharma talks, Lama Zopa coughs incessantly to the point you do not understand what he is saying at all. I was told the same thing in which Lama Zopa was absorbing the negative karma of the people attending.

I also agree that Lama Zopa giving up Dorje Shugden was to teach something long term. Lama Zopa is too stable to give up any of his commitments and his samaya to Lama Yeshe. It is not possible. So there must be something more. Whatever the case, I do not think Mana's post or thoughts are political nor negative. I think it is hard truths to accept and fathom. After all, the Dalai Lama wants us to give up our practice of Shugden to have clean samaya with him. SAMAYA SEEMS TO ME THE ISSUE. Well samaya must go both ways. Logically by givng up Shugden, our samayas to our gurus become unclean. Both have consequences whether we choose our lama or Dalai Lama. I choose to be loyal to my own guru and commitments.

[Mana]

This book  would be applicable at this time. The truth written by Lama Zopa's own student. Forwarded by Dalai Lama.

http://dorjeshugden.com/wp/?p=20

[WisdomBeing]

As Lama Zopa is an attained being, his manifesting illness must be from a cause coming externally. My primitive take on the situations is:

If Lama Zopa's students are told by Lama Zopa not to practise Shugden, they would not be breaking samaya with Dorje Shugden because they are listening to their teacher. Much as I would like Lama Zopa's students to follow Dorje Shugden, i do respect that they follow their teacher's instructions.

If Lama Zopa's students, who were originally Lama Yeshe's students and received DS practice from Lama Yeshe, were told to NOT practice by Lama Zopa, then I think that the students should keep samaya with Lama Yeshe and respectfully continue with their practice.

Also, are the actions of FPMT members against Dorje Shugden practitioners contrary to Lama Zopa's teachings of kindness and not to harm? Lama Zopa says that Trijang Rinpoche and Pabongkha Rinpoche are not wrong. And that students of Geshe Kelsang Gyatso should keep samaya with their Guru.. are FPMT members critical of NKT members, hostile towards DS practitioners and acting against Lama Zopa's public advice?

Perhaps this is the breaking of samaya with Lama Zopa that is causing Lama Zopa's ill health, so his students should contemplate according to the teaching by Lama Zopa below:

http://www.buddhasvillage.com/teachings/lz_prolonging.htm

Prolonging the Life of the Guru

(Advice from Lama Rinpoche in answer to requests by students wanting to know how best prolong the life of the Guru and avoid obstacles that can cause sickness and the Guru's life to be shortened.)

Most important is to remember with feeling the Guru's kindness, to follow his advice then remember one's mistakes and confess.

Long-life pujas purify negative karma .and accumulate merit - generally speaking life can be lengthened by accumulating merit - but the best kind of long-life puja is not just the ritual but to cherish the advice with the thought of correctly devoting to the virtuous friend. The Guru should be viewed from one's own side as the Buddha and his kindness remembered. One should feel regret for not practising properly in the past and make a decision to practice better in the future even in the ordinary sense of being a better person.

The heaviest effect on the Guru's life is degenerating or breaking the first root tantric vow to belittle the Guru which means giving up the Guru as an object of respect. It also involves having anger or especially heresy arising in the mind towards the Guru. When there is heresy, the mind is barren like a desert having no faith and where nothing can grow. This can cause the holy mind to be disturbed, like with sadness.

Sometimes students who request secret tantric teachings and not having devotion, can cause the Guru (in the context of the secret teachings) to break samaya as the teacher has difficulty saying no. But if the student has the sincere thought to try to develop and keep the vows etc., then it is good. Although it may be difficult to keep all the vows because the student's mind hasn't even the realisation of impermanence and death.

Harmonious sincerity in obtaining advice can inspire the Guru. This can give him the interest to have the intention to pray in an attempt to have a long-life even if from the Guru's side there isn't the complete capability to control the elements.

It's also important to be aware that the breaking of root tantric vows, samaya and so forth is also a danger to the student's life resulting in sickness and even in their own life being shortened, not to mention suffering in future lives. But of course, as explained in the teachings, any degeneration or breaking of the three levels of vow can be purified through confession etc.

So these things can cause the Guru to take disease and pass away early. It's a dependent arising. This can happen because of the karma of the group. For example, with my Gurus, they don't have karma but they show the appearance.

CONCLUSION:

A great deal depends on how well the students practice Dharma. How much self-cherishing thought there is that causes harm to oneself and others. I don't think the problem is so much to do with the fact that the students don't know what's the cause of the Guru taking disease and passing away early. For some students the cause is not being thoughtful and not taking the opportunity to change the life for the better. That is, not putting the teachings into practice.
 
This teaching is an excerpt from {source title and author}, and is available from Wisdom Publications, Inc., the FPMT publishing company, and can be found at many good bookshops. Amazon can get them too http://www.amazon.com
Check out other recommended books on our booklist.

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[Namdrol]

Prolonging the Life of the Guru

(Advice from Lama Rinpoche in answer to requests by students wanting to know how best prolong the life of the Guru and avoid obstacles that can cause sickness and the Guru's life to be shortened.)

Most important is to remember with feeling the Guru's kindness, to follow his advice then remember one's mistakes and confess.

Long-life pujas purify negative karma .and accumulate merit - generally speaking life can be lengthened by accumulating merit - but the best kind of long-life puja is not just the ritual but to cherish the advice with the thought of correctly devoting to the virtuous friend. The Guru should be viewed from one's own side as the Buddha and his kindness remembered. One should feel regret for not practising properly in the past and make a decision to practice better in the future even in the ordinary sense of being a better person.

The heaviest effect on the Guru's life is degenerating or breaking the first root tantric vow to belittle the Guru which means giving up the Guru as an object of respect. It also involves having anger or especially heresy arising in the mind towards the Guru. When there is heresy, the mind is barren like a desert having no faith and where nothing can grow. This can cause the holy mind to be disturbed, like with sadness.

Sometimes students who request secret tantric teachings and not having devotion, can cause the Guru (in the context of the secret teachings) to break samaya as the teacher has difficulty saying no. But if the student has the sincere thought to try to develop and keep the vows etc., then it is good. Although it may be difficult to keep all the vows because the student's mind hasn't even the realisation of impermanence and death.

Harmonious sincerity in obtaining advice can inspire the Guru. This can give him the interest to have the intention to pray in an attempt to have a long-life even if from the Guru's side there isn't the complete capability to control the elements.

It's also important to be aware that the breaking of root tantric vows, samaya and so forth is also a danger to the student's life resulting in sickness and even in their own life being shortened, not to mention suffering in future lives. But of course, as explained in the teachings, any degeneration or breaking of the three levels of vow can be purified through confession etc.

So these things can cause the Guru to take disease and pass away early. It's a dependent arising. This can happen because of the karma of the group. For example, with my Gurus, they don't have karma but they show the appearance.

Lama Zopa said it himself, that "the heaviest effect on the Guru's life is degenerating or breaking the first root tantric vow" so if students keep breaking the samaya, the lama will compassionately absorb the karma and become sick, and probably die early. So what Lama Zopa is experiencing now reflects what he said in his teaching, that must be it, otherwise it will mean Lama Zopa is just a normal being who has no control over his elements and let disease strike as and when it wants.

So which one is it? The answer can only be either of these two:  (1) Lama Zopa is absorbing students' negative karma and manifesting illness, or (2) Lama Zopa is a normal being who has no control over his body, so his current illness is a natural thing that many old people will get

For a high monk of Lama Zopa's calibre, definitely the answer is (1)

Likewise, when there is negative karma being absorbed on the Lama's side, the students themselves also will suffer the negative karma, this is not some "god punish you" thing, but is in accordance with the law of karma.

Therefore, it is high time for FPMT students to repair their samaya to Lama Zopa, to Lama Yeshe, and to Dorje Shugden, which FPMT students have gone against.

[Helena]

I think the advice from Lama Zopa himself is already self explanatory. Thank you, WB for posting it in here for everyone to read and thanks to Namdrol for your insight.

Highly attained Gurus do not have karma but show appearance.

I think the above words explain it veyr clearly.

Why would a Guru need to manifest the various appearances and create certain causes or situations in the first place?

Who does it all really benefit?

I think this is something every student should spend time contemplating.

Would the Guru need to suffer any bad karma for himself or on his own, especially if we really believe that our Gurus are living Buddhas?

Unless we do not see our Gurus as Living Buddhas, then yes, we would imagine that our Gurus are plagued by diseases and it has nothing whatsoever to do with us.

Why would the Guru need to go through such a painful and unpleasant process anyways?

I think we all should think a lot deeper than be carried away with what I would call superficial concern for sensitivities. When it is time to face the truth, it is time to say the truth.

While our Gurus are present and are able to teach us, it is our golden chance to right the wrongs and accumulate as much merits as possible to extend the life of our Gurus.

Why is is necessary to extend our Guru's life? Well, if you need to even ask why, then you are really in trouble.

I do not claim to understand anything a great deal.

All I care about and understand is that I can only be of benefit and become better with my Guru being alive and not dead. In addition, more people can become better and benefit while our Gurus are still alive.

Where there is Guru, there is Dharma.

Where there is no Guru, there is only samsara and the accumulation of even more bad karma.

There is no greater merit to offer to our Gurus than our own transformation and our clean samaya.

[shugdenpromoter]

As Lama Zopa is an attained being, his manifesting illness must be from a cause coming externally. My primitive take on the situations is:

If Lama Zopa's students are told by Lama Zopa not to practise Shugden, they would not be breaking samaya with Dorje Shugden because they are listening to their teacher. Much as I would like Lama Zopa's students to follow Dorje Shugden, i do respect that they follow their teacher's instructions.

If Lama Zopa's students, who were originally Lama Yeshe's students and received DS practice from Lama Yeshe, were told to NOT practice by Lama Zopa, then I think that the students should keep samaya with Lama Yeshe and respectfully continue with their practice.

Also, are the actions of FPMT members against Dorje Shugden practitioners contrary to Lama Zopa's teachings of kindness and not to harm? Lama Zopa says that Trijang Rinpoche and Pabongkha Rinpoche are not wrong. And that students of Geshe Kelsang Gyatso should keep samaya with their Guru.. are FPMT members critical of NKT members, hostile towards DS practitioners and acting against Lama Zopa's public advice?

I do believe that Lama Zopa/Lama Yeshe are Living Buddhas. Look at the simple fact that how many people they have benefitted throughout their lives.

However, I also do believe that their students need to quickly repair their guru samaya. Signs of broken samaya such as Lama Zopa "suffering" from a stroke and the current status of Lama Osel are very worrying. They definitely have the merits to teach but when they start manifesting signs that they are unable to teach, then the students need to check on what they have done or not done.

Many years ago, I've heard monks from Kopan monastery had influenced Pabongka Rinpoche's sponsors to stop sponsoring Pabongka Rinpoche due to the Shugden issues.

Therefore, students of both Lama Zopa and Lama Yeshe should stop all their actions against Shugden and it's practitioners. It is like throwing away your ancestral history, deleting them away and you have a new family name! Not right and ungrateful especially when the students have benefitted so much from Lama Yeshe.

It is still not too late.

[Ensapa]

I've experienced the same thing. During dharma talks, Lama Zopa coughs incessantly to the point you do not understand what he is saying at all. I was told the same thing in which Lama Zopa was absorbing the negative karma of the people attending.

I also agree that Lama Zopa giving up Dorje Shugden was to teach something long term. Lama Zopa is too stable to give up any of his commitments and his samaya to Lama Yeshe. It is not possible. So there must be something more. Whatever the case, I do not think Mana's post or thoughts are political nor negative. I think it is hard truths to accept and fathom. After all, the Dalai Lama wants us to give up our practice of Shugden to have clean samaya with him. SAMAYA SEEMS TO ME THE ISSUE. Well samaya must go both ways. Logically by givng up Shugden, our samayas to our gurus become unclean. Both have consequences whether we choose our lama or Dalai Lama. I choose to be loyal to my own guru and commitments.

Even in his recordings, I cannot make out at all what Lama Zopa is saying...he coughs every few seconds to the point that your concentration is disrupted and you cannot pay attention to the message he wants to convey. I feel that Lama Zopa has a huge personality cult built around him over the years and his coughing is to drive people who just want to see a high lama away, so that people who really want the teachings would actually stay and listen. Many people, i have heard, just wants to go meet Lama Zopa for the sake of meeting him and getting some blessings and not really to learn the Dharma. If you were a real lama, how would you feel? To many, high lamas are a little more than an object of curiosity as opposed to a Buddhist teacher that can lead his students to higher states of mind. It is just counterproductive to the teacher's goal and aims: taht is to teach the Dharma. So, to filter out the students, Lama Zopa coughs every few seconds deliberately to train people to listen better.

The other view is, broken samaya. It is said that broken samaya blinds the protector's eyes, and as recorded in Liberation in the Palm of your Hand, a lama once went to a room where he was supposed to give a teaching and at the very moment he saw a student who have broken his samaya, he immediately kept quiet, his face turned black and he left immediately without saying a word. If broken samaya can have this effect on high lamas, then can we say that Lama Zopa's coughing is caused by the broken samaya of the students -- so that it would be hard for them to receive the Dharma...but it was created by themselves...because when Zopa Rinpoche is not giving a Dharma talk, he does not cough. What does that tell us?

Anyways, hats off to Lama Zopa's transcriber. Must be a very amazing person because without this person, Lama Zopa's teachings will not spread.

[michaela]

I found this whole ban to be ridiculous and sad.  HHDL’s claim that DS is a spirit and his encouragement to not practice DS have become out of control.  This ban has been intrepreted in various ways and have various implications, political, faith, etc.  Students breaking samaya with their guru; DS practitioners being banned from entering shops and public facilities, Lamas being ostracized; Good Lamas work underground; People taking sides, students confused.

I hate it when people say that the sufferings of DS practitioners are due to their karma and so we have to accept this patiently.  Honestly speaking, I do not agree with this passive reasoning.  You have to accept everything patiently once you have done everything in your power that does not generate negative implications) to reverse the situation. 

If the purpose of the ban is to proove to people that DS is a powerful protector, is 16 years enough?  No matter what HHDL did to subdue this practitioners does not work because DS is a Buddha and he cannot be subdued.  What else is more obvious than this?

The centers that propitiate DS grew all over the world.  DS is the right protector for our time and the only thing that impede his greatness now is the BAN.  This ban should be lifted because it is obsolete now. 

[Ensapa]

I found this whole ban to be ridiculous and sad.  HHDL’s claim that DS is a spirit and his encouragement to not practice DS have become out of control.  This ban has been intrepreted in various ways and have various implications, political, faith, etc.  Students breaking samaya with their guru; DS practitioners being banned from entering shops and public facilities, Lamas being ostracized; Good Lamas work underground; People taking sides, students confused.
The ban has caused much pain and suffering to the Tibetan Buddhist community, not only just to the Tibetans. Many people have parted ways due to this issue and it is not necessary at all. It has caused much grief and division in the international Buddhist community ever since the ban started. People who went against Dorje Shugden usually degenerate in their Dharma practice...and this is one of the biggest issues with the ban.

I hate it when people say that the sufferings of DS practitioners are due to their karma and so we have to accept this patiently.  Honestly speaking, I do not agree with this passive reasoning.  You have to accept everything patiently once you have done everything in your power that does not generate negative implications) to reverse the situation. 

If the purpose of the ban is to proove to people that DS is a powerful protector, is 16 years enough?  No matter what HHDL did to subdue this practitioners does not work because DS is a Buddha and he cannot be subdued.  What else is more obvious than this?
The ban started in the late 1970s, so it has been going on for almost 40 years. Perhaps when tibet gets their autonomy or independence or whatever it is that they want, the ban will be lifted?

The centers that propitiate DS grew all over the world.  DS is the right protector for our time and the only thing that impede his greatness now is the BAN.  This ban should be lifted because it is obsolete now.
The centers who accepted DS as their protector and stuck to their Guru's instructions grew huge and wide, while those who did not8 did not grow at all. Is there anything else that needs to be said about this?

The ban was in the end, very decremental for Buddhists around the world. perhaps HHDL intends for it to filter the Buddhists but there is a lot of collateral damage involved from the ban and that is the difficult part of the ban. But as Trijang Rinpoche has told us to be patient and support the HHDL, we will do so because we do not know more than Trijang Rinpoche.

[Mana]

FPMT will not survive into the future without the also ageing Lama Zopa. Don't get me wrong, I completely respect Lama Zopa, but even with our respect, he will one day pass away. His travels and activities have already slowed down dramatically with his unfortunate stroke last year. We wish him complete recovery.

If FPMT repair their samaya, they will have many great teachers that can be invited to FPMT to teach and sustain until perhaps the next Lama Zopa matures and is ready to take over (if that happens).

If they repair their samaya, perhaps the purification will influence Lama Osel to 'return to the fold' as the saying goes? The merits accummulated from actions after the samaya is repaired will be very powerful and beneficial for sure.
After all Lama Yeshe instituted Dorje Shugden as FPMT's dharma protector for a reason. The founder of FPMT held Shugden as one of the principal protectors of FPMT and to remove and disparage Shugden will not forbode well for them. It is a direct affront against Lama Yeshe's wishes and attained wishes.

Mana

[Ensapa]

FPMT will not survive into the future without the also ageing Lama Zopa. Don't get me wrong, I completely respect Lama Zopa, but even with our respect, he will one day pass away. His travels and activities have already slowed down dramatically with his unfortunate stroke last year. We wish him complete recovery.

If FPMT repair their samaya, they will have many great teachers that can be invited to FPMT to teach and sustain until perhaps the next Lama Zopa matures and is ready to take over (if that happens).

If they repair their samaya, perhaps the purification will influence Lama Osel to 'return to the fold' as the saying goes? The merits accummulated from actions after the samaya is repaired will be very powerful and beneficial for sure.
After all Lama Yeshe instituted Dorje Shugden as FPMT's dharma protector for a reason. The founder of FPMT held Shugden as one of the principal protectors of FPMT and to remove and disparage Shugden will not forbode well for them. It is a direct affront against Lama Yeshe's wishes and attained wishes.

Mana

Hi Mana,
I do agree with you fully on this. FPMT will be gone once Lama Zopa passes away because of broken samaya. unless the tantric texts are wrong that is. At this point of time, we can all see very clearly that FPMT centers around the world have since stagnated and have not grown even a little since. Also, Lama Zopa manifested a stroke and is traveling less and less. He is passing some oral transmissions of the most secret Hayagriva practice in Sera soon as well:



While some people may see this as a good thing, I see it as a bad omen because it appears as though he wants to pass on his most secret teachings before he passes way. It is as if he is preparing to leave us. I dont know what it seems to you, but it does seem like that way to me and given the broken samaya from his students, I dont think so Lama Zopa will be able to remain with them for long. Perhaps he will manifest in a way where FPMT students can no longer connect with him or take teachings from him anymore, like Lama Osel did...