Chat with H.E.
Kunde Rinpoche.(herein address as Tulku) on 1 March 2013
Q= sonam yeshi,
A=Kunde Rinpoche, Bracket ( ) – notes added for clarity, [ ] – expression
Q: Tulku， Thus far I had yet found any written
document about the auspicious spiritual life of Master’s Root Lama, Tokden
Lodoe Gyatso (should be ‘our’ Root Lama) written in English. Can
Tulku kindly narrate some biographical history of this accomplished Great Dzogchen
Master perfected the Lama Yangtig transmission from Jigme Yonten Gonpo (no.
39 in the lineage transmission)?
A: My Dzogchen Master, Tokden Lama Lodoe
Gyatso , our Root Lama, hails from Golok (Tibet), when he was very
young age, he knew whom he was! He left home himself and walked to Dzogchen
Shriseng Monastery to study! Master narrated to us that along the journey, he
received offering of ‘zamba’ food, He eat it with natural water (sea, rivers)
once a day!
Q: : Sounds a
genius in modern time!
A: During the early
50an when religion was being prohibited by the communists, all monks had to
disrobe and put to do hard labourous works such as building roads, bridges
etc., many famous monks were put into jail! Master was one of them (early
twenties). But He taught the Great Perfection to the jail mates secretly.
Q: Wasn’t him be
discovered and life threatening?
A: yes, the jail
officer had ransacked his jail cell where He was staying with Bano Wangtrul
(his first student in the jail) but could not find the pitch instructions
written on the empty tea pack papers and cigarette wrappers!
Q: How did he
get writing tools such as pencil or chalk?
A: It was
narrated that He mentioned able to find writing tool to His students, no one
knew how he got it. But they believed it was given by the Dzogchen Dharma
Protector, Ekajati (the One-Eye Dharma Protector)
Q: His
attainment was such inconceivable?
A: Yes, Master
was given a name by the jail officers – Stone Man, someone who was hit and
wacked but showed no pain!
Q: What was your
personal experience with this Dzogchen Master?
A: He is a
Buddha to me! I knew He did not sleep in lying down posture, He sat in
Meditation posture throughout resting time! He seems not sleeping, meditating
throughout the nights!!! Daily at 4.00A.M., He started reciting the texts of
Dzogchen Great Perfection practices.
Q: Was Master
been recognized as any reincarnation of any Great Master of the Past in
Vajrayana Tradition?
A: Before He
entered into Nirvana, He informed us while teaching us Yeshi Lama (those
receiving Great Perfection teachings oral transmission from the Master, less
than 30 senior Khenpos and Rinpoches), He is the ‘Dharmakaya of Bodhisattva, Shantarakshita’.
(note: later,
cross reference information was found from Chinese blogs written by students of His student such as Bano
Wangtrul and others mentioned this and more details，please see below referred weblink)
Q: Can we say He
reveals the Truth only before His Body Dissolved?
A: Even one has mundane
level of doubt , Master had reached the age after 70, there was not any point for
such senior Lama who held no material possessions offered to Him from
the beginning till He enter Nirvana said anything untrue!
Q: [laughter]
agree! My personal observation and reading from life history of Great Masters,
one amazing ‘authentication’ was the way they passed away, and the Relics from
physical body.
A: Yes! We had
shared this in earlier conversation. Master announced the date He was
physically dissolving, and before His Vajra Body diminishing completely, it was
cremated. During the cremation, dew-like misty smoke surroundings like
dizzling, and Relics were fallen from the sky!
Q:Wow, what
other quality of the Bodhisattva that impressed you till today?
A: The unwavering
confident and perfect diligent in Dzogchen Meditation, He had lived an example
that this modern time it is difficult for many to emulate even with many
facilities and right conditions to study and practice. He advised us that with
the facilities of butter lamps, we could study the Sutras at night; comparatively,
He could only afford to burn an incense and read under that little dim bright.
Master even made used of Moonlight to study, it was said he followed the Moon and
study till he reached the top of the hill during the time He was receiving all
the Sacred Teachings in Dzogchen Shriseng Monastery!
Q: Thanks for
sharing, Tulku. There has been a common concerned: How to recognize a Vajra
Master?
A: The ‘Lineage
of Transmission’ (传承) is the Key (golden chain) in Great
Perfection. The ‘Lineage’ has not been stained by broken Samaya lapses! (note: Example for
Dzogchen Masters, please refer the book, p.68, A Garland of Flowers /
Kunde Rinpoche). Further, the quintessential is the ‘Bodhicitta’ (菩提心) of a Teacher – one’s activities
benefit all Sentient Beings
Q: Did our great
Grand-Master, Lama Tokden Lodoe Gyatso left any pitch instructions
before His Nirvana?
A: Yes! I was informed
that He said nothing more to teach, but Two Things He had lived throughout his
life: He Venerated His Dzogchen Master, Jigme Yonten Gonpo like a Buddha
with no broken Samaya; secondly, He lived with Bodhicitta through
His life!
Q: It is very
moving, Tulku. You are such lucky! Thank you very much for sharing the live
experiences of Dzogchen Master, Lama Tokden Lodoe Gyatso.
A: [smiling],
Thank you
Tashi Delek扎西德勒！
Thus have i heard…
posted by sonam yeshi in 2013
(Note:
Translated & Transcribed by Sonam Yeshi. Any mistakes herein were the
ignorant of the translator and transcriber, kindly feedback and notify at sonamyeshi09@gmail.com – posted by Sonam
Yeshi
Other Resources for references [Chinese]:
