Dear friends

It is a little more than a year ago now, that Jigme Rinpoche began insisting on the fact that we (the Dhagpo team) should pay a lot more attention to the way we welcome and take care of you and all the other visitors that come to the centre.
In the beginning this manifested in the form of subtle hints that some things weren’t quite how they should be. It is only thanks to his untiring patience that we are slowly coming to realize exactly what he meant / means. Rinpoche gave a number of teachings to all the Dhagpo residents, encouraging us to become aware of the precious opportunity that Dhagpo offers and thus not only not wasting it, but treating it with respect.

Since then we are doing our utmost to improve the services provided by the centre and we hope that these changes have been noticed by you.
As is usual in the Dharma, these changes are rooted within a change of attitude, and a change of attitude can only come about if one takes a good honest look at the way one is habitually acting. Once this initial inventory has been carried out the change of attitude manifests itself quite naturally in the rejection of harmful acts and the cultivation of virtue.
However, as every practitioner knows, the process of looking into ourselves is more often than not accompanied by a great deal of resistance; egos game is starting to be uncovered and it doesn’t like it. One of the most widespread teachings for reversing ego’s habitual tendencies and dealing with the difficulties encountered on the path is Atisha’s “7 points of mind training”.

Keeping in line with Jigme Rinpoche’s directives and in preparation for Dhagpo’s active summer months, we decided to hold a one-week Lodjong (mind training) retreat for all the centres residents from June 10 – 17. Based on the traditional commentaries, the oral instructions of Gendün Rinpoche received during 3-year retreat as well as their personal practice experience, the Dhagpo lamas and drublas led daily workshops alternating with practice sessions.

However, the first day of retreat was shaken by the news of the parinirvana of Lopön Chechoo Rinpoche. His last visit to the centre in August ‘99 left all of us deeply inspired. Especially the time he took in blessing each and every one of us individually, even getting up from his throne in order to bestow the vase initiation on a visitor in a wheelchair, becomes even more inspiring considering his state of health :

Accompanying Shamar Rinpoche during a visit to Dhagpo Kagyu Ling in July ’91, Lopön Rinpoche gave two days of teachings and initiations.

The teachings were on the attitudes to adopt while listening to and practicing the Dharma. One of the principal errors to avoid, he taught, was to search out the Lama and the teachings motivated by greed. He likened this to a hunter who is in search of the musk deer, prized for it’s fragrant musk used in medicine.
“One tracks the animal until it is found; once found, one claims the teachings in exactly the same way as one hopes to obtain the musk from the stag. Once one has obtained the teachings, one then leaves the dead animal behind just like the hunter would, carrying the musk away with him.”

Before leaving his body in October ’98, Gendün Rinpoche left instructions that when the day comes we shouldn’t be sad, but instead use the occasion to accumulate even more merit.
It is with this very same thought in mind that we join in Lama Ole’s request to bring joy to Rinpoche by continuing to apply the teachings we have received and practicing in the footsteps of all the great masters that have shown us the way by their living example.

In general, the practice of guru yoga is the supreme method for opening to the masters blessing. At the time of the parinirvana of an accomplished siddha such as Lopön Rinpoche it is especially beneficial to carry out such practice. Following this tradition, during the week of the residents retreat we held a Tsog-puja every evening, based on the guru yogas of Milarepa and Karmapakshi.
The week was filled with blessing an insight for all, and we dedicate the joy and inspiration we all received to the quick rebirth and continued vast activity of Lopön Chechoo Rinpoche.

The lamas, drublas and all the residents of Dhagpo Kagyu Ling
2003-06-20