Mind your language - perceptions of conceptual words

I met someone interested in Buddhism about a month ago. Twice i visited her organic shop, it happened my Teacher, Kunde Rinpoche was arround. In the seconde time, she asked me how i communicate with this Buddhist Teacher who spoke limited simple, sometimes unclear (or inaccurate) pronunciation Mandarin (Chinese).  I told her for the first 3 years, when he visited here, mostly i was driving him here and there, taking care of some of his basic needs.  I have learned much from observing his actions, how he response calmly towards adversities and rude behavors of common people, even Buddhists.  I chatted and asked him many questions as we travelled in my 12-year old automobile. Listening to his lived stories and life experiences are real and practical lessons for me in so called life long learning journey.


Mind your Language - Lived Stories (1)

One of their young Lama who left the monastery in Tibet and studying in Dzogchen Monastery India.  When he was in the monastery, one day one devotee from Australia gave him a sum of cash support for his living.  He did not speak English at all that time. He called one of the Lama who speaks Tibetan to ask how to say 'Thank You Very Much'.  That Lama cheekingly told him 'I Love You'.  He memorized the phrase and went to the kind friend to express the phrase 'I Love You'.  That lady was in her middle age felt so affectionate and held his hands warmly and said 'Thank you, Thank you', showing an expression of very touched by his words. Later he then learned the meaning of this phrase, but luckily it brought much joy to the donor at that moment with perfect cultural meaning in showing affection among people!

Mind your Language - Lived Stories (2)

Last year after published his first translated book in English*, Kunde Rinpoche taught me how to practise Vajrasattva visualization.  He gave a simplied version first and advised to practise progressively as per Dzogchen practice, guided in his Great Perfection book. Almost towards the end of the practice, Kunde  Rinpoche used a term (in Mandarin) '无二无别' (non-duality). He read as 'wu err wu bie'
At that time, i didn't understand the meaning of the terminology yet.  Instead I gave the feedback may be it was better not to use the term to the beginners who do not read much dharma books yet when he was going to guide this practice later in the book launch at Dzogchen Samten Chokling Malaysia .

Lately we had a brief session of Vajrasattva practice (briefly to revise his pronunciation after back to India for nearly a year), after the session, curiously i asked him why he did not used the same term '无二无别' (non-duality) for this session in instructions? He reminded me that i had feedbacked not to use this term as it was not well-pronounced!!!

At that moment, i did not know to laugh or to cry for my own ignorance! - I apologized

Today, i spent more than a hour reading Buddhist teachings online.  I read one very interesting article by Khenpo Cicheng Lodo [my own translations: Praising the Dharma Realm: an abridge translation (?)]. Retrieved: 14 July 2012.
http://www.huidengzhiguang.com//c/2012-03-06/1212.shtml

When i read some of the terms used in explaining Nyingma, and the 'state' of Great Perfection mind training, Ah-huh! - Now i know i was then making the wrong suggestion.  I salute my Teacher's humanity! It also reflect my intellectual 'arrogance'!
Tashi Delek!

* A Garland of Flowers: Questions and Answers on the Highly Secret Clear Light Great Perfection. / H.E. Kunde Rinpoche; Translated by Geshe Lhakdor and Dr. Chok Tenzin Monlam [ ISBN: 978-967-10552-0-5]