Les bouddhistes français ont du progrès à faire

Ne pas confondre : à gauche Son Éminence (SE) et à droite Sa Sainteté (SS)

Le poids des mots, le choc des photos !

En circulant sur l’internet sinophone (avec traduction, rassurez-vous), je tombe sur Sa Sainteté Gyalwang Drikungpa (Drikung Kyabgon Chetsang, ci-après SS). J’avais fait un blog sur lui dans le passé Leçons apprises ? (du 20 octobre 2019) sur sa venue en France. Je découvre son activité à Taiwan, où il est représenté par son disciple Son Éminence Rinchen Dorje Rinpoche (ci-après SE). Une des activités de SE consiste à amener des groupes de disciples taiwanais en Inde, pour y assister à des activités organisées par SS.

Ainsi, en novembre 2017, SE s’est rendu en Inde (Śrāvastī, Uttar Pradesh), à la demande de SS, avec un groupe de 535 disciples taiwanais. La communauté de SE avait fait don de $2 millions de dollars pour le projet de construction d’un complexe monastique ("Great Shravasti Project") lancé par SS en 2013. SS, en visite à Taiwan en 2017 pour le nouvel an, avait invité SE et sa communauté en Inde pour assister au Festival Culturel Bouddhiste, célébrant le 800ème anniversaire du fondateur de l’école Drikoung Kagyu, et pour constater le progrès des travaux. Le voyage avait eu lieu en novembre 2017.

La direction de l'hôtel à Delhi demande une bénédiction

SE (en clergyman) bénit des bouteilles d'eau avec son vajra.
Elles seront distribuées à la direction de l'hôtel

Bénédictions individuelles pour quelques chanceux

Lors du voyage, le groupe de 535 disciples était logé dans un grand hôtel à Delhi. Après le repas, toute la direction de l'hôtel venait demander à genoux une bénédiction à SE. 

“Whenever Rinpoche goes abroad to preach the Dharma, he always follows the predestined conditions to benefit all living beings. People regardless of race, religion, or nationality will move forward to pray for blessings because of Rinpoche’s great strength. Skillful and convenient to help them. Everyone present was extremely moved by Rinpoche's compassion and the trust of sentient beings!” (traduction automatique Google translate[1])

Disciples taiwanais attendant l'arrivée de SS et de SE

Arrivée des voitures de SS et de SE

SS, suivi de SE, se rendant au Festival culturel bouddhiste

Le 10 novembre 1917 avait lieu le Festival Culturel Bouddhiste à Śrāvastī. Parmi les nombreux disciples venus du Bhoutan, de Singapour, du Sikkim, de la Malaisie, du Népal, Ladakh et les régions Himalayennes se trouvaient aussi les 535 disciples du centre de Taiwan avec leur beaux uniformes et drapeaux, pour accueillir SS à son arrivée.

Il y eut divers discours, suivi d’un discours de SS remerciant SE pour son don généreux. 

SS présentant le film sur sa vie

Le discours fut suivi par la projection d’un film sur la vie de SS, présenté par SS en personne, qui rappelait au public sa naissance dans une famille royale au Tibet[2].

Enseignement public au Parc des gazelles

Après avoir conduit lui-même la récitation de prières de longue vie à son adresse, SS et l’ensemble des invités se rendirent au Parc des gazelles (Jetavana) pour un enseignement public et la récitation de la prière pour renaître à Sukhāvatī. Les gens du lieu furent très impressionnés par la parfaite organisation de la journée et des disciples bien disciplinées[3]. 

Disciples disciplinés se déplaçant sur le lieu de pélérinage

L’ensemble se rendit ensuite au Monument du grand miracle, d’où le Bouddha était parti pour enseigner sa mère au paradis Trāyastriṃśa au sommet du Mont Meru. 

C’est là que SS et SE prirent congé de la foule, et se rendirent au lieu de la construction du complexe monastique, pour voir l’avancement des travaux, et l’utilité du projet rendu possible grâce à la générosité des disciples.

La fin de l’article, rendant compte des discussions entre SE et ses disciples taiwanais, montre le progrès à faire en France par les lamas et leurs disciples, notamment sur le plan de la dévotion, de la gratitude envers les bienfaits du maître, et l’expression en public de cette gratitude[4], ainsi que de la générosité et de la croissance incessante de celle-ci pour le bien de tous les êtres[5], et de la gratitude envers les maîtres de la lignée pour permettre de faire des dons de plus en plus généreux[6], et de ne pas lâcher du leste[7] sur ce point crucial, dans l'optique de l’au-delà et des existences à venir[8]. Je vous laisse lire tout cela avec humilité et honte, les bouddhistes français ont encore beaucoup de chemin à faire... à l'instar du disciple récalcitrant Huang. Voir son récit ci-dessous (en anglais)

La repentance du disciple récalcitrant Huang (en deux scènes). Le disciple Huang avait reçu le mantra de Tara de SE, et lui était reconnaissant pour cela. Seulement, il n'avait pas exprimé cette gratitude en public. Quand SE lui en fait la reproche, Huang ne s'exécute pas, mais répond à Son Éminence ! La nuit suivant, le récalcitrant Huang tomba deux fois dans l'escalier de l'hôtel en se blessant assez sérieusement. Le lendemain Huang se repentait en tombant à genoux devant SE. Celui-ci souffla avec compassion sur la blessure de Huang, et tout le monde fut ému par sa grande compassion. Il n'y a pas de photos de cet instant de grâce. Il y a des moments trop précieux pour être livrés à la curiosité du public. 

Saturday, November 11, 2017

"As H.E. Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche was waiting in his Dharma robe for his flight at Lucknow Airport in the afternoon, a young Indian man, seeing Rinpoche in such a stately appearance, approached him and implored a photo with him. Rinpoche agreed. With his all-embracing power, the master practitioner never stops inspiring sentient beings with compassion.

In the evening, H.E. Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche bestowed Glorious Jewel disciples an opportunity to dine with him. Rinpoche kindly asked a disciple name Huang who was sitting at the same table, “How is your health recently?” Disciple Huang answered, “It is improving as a result of chanting the Green Tara mantra, and my qi seems to flow more smoothly!” Rinpoche said, “Why didn’t you say that you are grateful to your guru for giving you the chance to chant the mantra?” Disciple Huang replied, “Yes, I did. I said it in private.” Rinpoche asked again, “Why do you say it in private instead of saying it now?” Embarrassed, Disciple Huang answered, “Yes, I did. I said it in private.” Again, Rinpoche asked, “I’m asking you why you do not say it now. By not saying it, it means that you think you have improved your health because of your own effort. You have failed to recognize your guru’s benevolence. If I had not taught you the Green Tara mantra, how would you have been able to chant it in the first place? Or, if I had not given you the chance to come to the Buddhist Center, how would you have been able to chant there? Do you believe that I can now call off the Green Tara chanting sessions? You talked about saying your gratitude for your guru in private, but why don’t you express your gratitude for your guru in public? Are you afraid that people may think that you are trying to kiss up to your guru? Nonetheless, this would be praising your guru! You need to praise your guru’s merits in front of your guru and everyone. There is nothing private in this matter as far as I am concerned. On top of it, when I just scolded you, you were quick to talk back.”

Sunday, November 12, 2017

"H.E. Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche led all attending disciples onto a flight from Delhi back to Taiwan.

At the hotel before leaving for the airport, Disciple Huang, who had been scolded the night before, fell twice at the corner of the hotel’s staircase. He came out of his first fall unhurt, but his second fall was rather serious, causing him a deep cut on his right forehead.

As soon as Rinpoche learned about this, he dispatched another disciple to forward his guidance to Disciple Huang, “He must repent immediately! His fall was not a form of punishment by me. Rather, it was because of his talking back defiantly last night, which showed his lack of respect and observance, thus the relationship between guru and disciple has been severed. Naturally, the blessings are gone with it. He did not realize that he was able to chant the mantra of the Green Tara all because of the benevolence bestowed by his guru; without the guru’s Dharma transmission, disciples would not have a chance to chant the mantra. Moreover, he had been seriously ill before and I saved his life. Therefore he should thank his guru for the great benevolence and praise his merits!”

In front of the departure gate in Delhi Airport, Rinpoche saw Huang, the wounded disciple, at a distance, and waved for him to come over. Huang immediately knelt in front of Rinpoche to repent. The guru looked at him compassionately and blessed him by blowing air gently into his wound. This was a very touching scene and everyone was deeply moved by the guru’s compassion. Rinpoche would never give up on sentient beings and always tries to save and protect them no matter how defiant they may be, or how unreceptive they are to Buddhist teachings."

Lire aussi sur les drapeaux bouddhistes A quoi sert une identité ?

Sur le port d'un uniforme bouddhiste Mauvais temps pour la diversité

***

[1] “每當　仁波切出國弘法時，總是如此隨順因緣利益眾生，不分種族、宗教和國籍的人們，皆因感受到　仁波切的大攝受力而趨前祈求加持，仁波切也總是以種種善巧方便幫助他們。在場所有人莫不因　仁波切的慈悲與眾生的信受而感動萬分！” Source

[2] “A film about His Holiness the Drikung Kyabgon Chungtsang had been specially prepared for the puja, and the Drikung Kyabgon Chetsang introduced to the audience that the Drikung Kyabgon Chungtsang is from a king’s family and his birthplace was in Tibet, which has now been designated as a United Nations World Heritage Site.”

[3] “The local people saw that, even though there were so many Glorious Jewel disciples, they maintained such a good order. The locals gave compliments to the group leader by saying, “Your guru, Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche, is a great teacher and his disciples are all well-disciplined like an army.”

[4] “In the evening, H.E. Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche bestowed Glorious Jewel disciples an opportunity to dine with him. Rinpoche kindly asked a disciple name Huang who was sitting at the same table, “How is your health recently?” Disciple Huang answered, “It is improving as a result of chanting the Green Tara mantra, and my qi seems to flow more smoothly!” Rinpoche said, “Why didn’t you say that you are grateful to your guru for giving you the chance to chant the mantra?” Disciple Huang replied, “Yes, I did. I said it in private.” Rinpoche asked again, “Why do you say it in private instead of saying it now?” Embarrassed, Disciple Huang answered, “Yes, I did. I said it in private.” Again, Rinpoche asked, “I’m asking you why you do not say it now. By not saying it, it means that you think you have improved your health because of your own effort. You have failed to recognize your guru’s benevolence. If I had not taught you the Green Tara mantra, how would you have been able to chant it in the first place? Or, if I had not given you the chance to come to the Buddhist Center, how would you have been able to chant there? Do you believe that I can now call off the Green Tara chanting sessions? You talked about saying your gratitude for your guru in private, but why don’t you express your gratitude for your guru in public? Are you afraid that people may think that you are trying to kiss up to your guru? Nonetheless, this would be praising your guru! You need to praise your guru’s merits in front of your guru and everyone. There is nothing private in this matter as far as I am concerned. On top of it, when I just scolded you, you were quick to talk back.”

[5] “His Holiness said this morning that I am the one providing support from within and without the entire Order. This requires an enormous amount of money. That’s why I need to run the business, but the money I make is only for the benefit of sentient beings.”

[6] “She also said, “Our guru holds a general puja every week, a Chod Puja every month, and at the end of each year, he performs Pujas of Green Tara, Guru Yoga, Vajrasattva, Dorje Phurba, Four-Armed Avalokiteshvara, Black Water Jambhala, Elephant Jambhala, and so on and so forth. Taking the initiative, our guru performs them for his disciples out of his compassion, but we are so used to them that we take them for granted. In fact, these are the pujas that we disciples need to first make offerings and implore for. I am not just talking about money, but if you do not make any offerings, you would not have good fortune, therefore the merits derived from these pujas will have nothing to do with you. Besides, it is needless to say that our guru is an eminent Rinpoche. We all really need to appreciate our guru’s compassion and preciousness.”

[7] “The guru pointed out that the problem with us disciples is not whether we are able to do it; instead, it is whether we are willing to do it. Rinpoche attained his fruition starting as an ordinary believer, because his attitude in making offerings is different from that of the average people. He did not stop making offerings even if he was so poor that he had no food to eat. Furthermore, he constantly taught us that, according to the sutras, as long as we have reverence for the guru and practice the Dharma as required, the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas would not leave us without food, clothes, job, or a place to live in.

[8] “You all are closely watching your purses for fear that you overspend. I am not afraid of that; I have been overspending all the time, in the form of offerings. If you make offerings with a petty mind, you’d become a ‘poor person’ with money in your next life! What is a ‘poor person’ with money? It is a person with money in the bank that he or she wouldn’t be able to use.”
“Rinpoche went on, “In the last couple of days in Shravasti you have seen that none of the projects that His Holiness takes on is trivial. They require money all over, and I am the one who have been providing it. So far, I have contributed as much as US $2 million. I also provided the NT $30 million for his Foundation at the time His Holiness was establishing it. And a huge amount of money is still required for future construction!