Oct 31

Kalu Rinpoche | 4th International Conference on Vajrayana Buddhism (Part 5)

So knowing everything is not everything. Experiencing it, knowing it, combining together is very important. You know? So therefore, renunciation, little by little. No pressure, little by little. As you progress with your practice, sense of detachment will come by itself. That’s why we are practicing deity.

The very purpose of practicing a deity is to reduce the ordinary duality. That is the whole purpose. It’s nothing to do with the “accumulating”, “be more powerful”, or “magical” or “spiritual”, or “mystical”, none of that. I mean, it motivates different type of people. It’s a good lie. Like Milarepa said, “Buddha is a big liar, but he didn’t lie for one day, the nature of mind”, you know. So it’s a good lie. “This will make you powerful, magical, spiritual, enlightened in three months, two months, two weeks” all of that big claim, it’s beautiful and a good lie, to motivate certain individuals who are hard to convince.

But nowadays, with Google information, it’s very hard to convince anybody other than focusing on what is within your body. And that’s why I decided to bring the Niguma Yoga to promote Buddhism in a way so that we can promote mental and physical wellbeing.

And I myself, I did a blood test few months ago, because I did 700 sessions of yoga, you know, in one year, which is like three times, four times per day. And of course when I was in three years retreat, I did my yoga, and I’m in love with that practice. Why? Because you can feel it! Not in a very sensorial world, like an example “I’m feeling this and I’m feeling that” but more into a subtle level experience, where your mind and body becomes one, and the meditative experience, and it can accumulate over the months, and weeks, you know?

So therefore I find it very important to promote the Niguma Yoga, because, oh yeah, talking about little bit science based, in my small budget science research. So six months ago, like last year, during that six months in last year, I was doing very intensive yoga practice every day, because it was lock down, not so much travelling, so I said “why not? let this be a little bit of experience”. So I did my yoga every day, I do my daily practice and I do every day, four or five times a day, six times a day, every day, 27 postures in one session. Takes 45 to 35 minutes. And I didn’t do any other form of sport, other than little bit of walk.

Then after few months of that, I was in Hawaii, I gave a teaching, because we have a meditation centers here and there. And at that time, I spoke with one physician, I said “could you take blood test? Because I would like to make a little bit of research what is the condition of my blood sugar, I know I have a sugar problem, but what is the condition of my internal body?” so he took a blood test, you know, few capsules, probably six, seven for my liver, kidney, heart, lungs, and then for thyroid, metal in my body, you know, quality of my blood, all of it, so all of them came back perfectly balanced. Only my blood pressure is little bit high, because I had a big argument few hours before that. So that’s that.

And I just want to say, that this is my prayer and aspiration, because Bhutan is the last Vajrayana country and it is not just my responsibility, all the Rinpoches and Khenpos and Lopons and different representatives from the different Buddhist branch to carry on the responsibility. All of us we are lineage holder of the Lord Buddha’s teaching. All of us we have a responsibility, you know?

In normal world, you need to be “successful” by a certain age. To be enlightened, you don’t need to be successful by certain age. It’s an ageless, timeless, and beautiful experience if you can practice accurately. You know? And the Vajrayana teachings in general, everything is permitted if you explain appropriately. If you don’t explain appropriately, everything’s incorrect. You know? So that’s that.

And I want to say thank you to the Center for Bhutan, and GNH Studies and the Ta-tshang of the main and official religion of Bhutan. Thank you very much for everything, that all the things that you have organised, all the volunteers who work very hard for the event, to make all the preparation, day and night, and thank you Dasho-la for very informal introduction because I was little bit nervous in the beginning, shaking little bit, pretending not to be nervous, but Dasho-la made me very calm. So logically, he’s my guru, to make my mind calm, you know?

Thank you everybody.

 

His Eminence Kalu Rinpoche talked about Niguma Yoga (14′ 28”): Tsalung Trulkhor in the Shangpa Kagyu Lineage of Tibetan Buddhism as a part of the 4th International Conference on Vajrayana Buddhism held from October 1 to October 4 in Bhutan.
Center for Bhutan & GNH Studies