Recent activities of His Holiness Shamar Rimpoche

Post-visit memo of HH Shamar Rimpoche

"It is not that how you can help your sangha with pujas, …what you should appreciate is the chance your lama give you to help with all these activities as your offerings, …"quoted from HE Lopon Rinpoche, when he gave speech to his disciples and sponsors in an warm and cozy evening, right at the night before HH Shamar Rimpoche said farewell to all his followers on March 12^th, really inspired a lot of people. Totally speaking, Shamar Rimpoche’s journey of Stabilization for Taiwan was very successful. After 12-day consecutive activities including several official visits, TV interviews and pujas, Shamar Rimpoche impressed a lot of people with his compassion, kindness and humor.

As the highest lama and spiritual leader of Karma Kagyu lineage, Shamar Rimpoche is very serious about the education of lamas and disciples. While he accepted an interview by a group of volunteered journalists of Karma Kagyu monastery, he advised all the disciples in front of cameras, " …should not be naive, should be analytic and analyzed about the dharma, and don’t just follow everything blindly…" What he thinks his toughest challenge is: How to make people understand that most important is the knowledge part of the dharma, not rituals that always attract the majority of people. In terms of works, what his favorite thing to do is still focusing on the education. He thinks one of his major responsibilities is preserving the lineage, and therefore supporting many genuine devotees.

During his staying, Shamar Rimpoche visited Mr. Jing-Ping Wang, the head of Legislative Congress, on March 4^th. Both affirmed and recognized that by following the dharma would bring Taiwanese a new and positive path. Besides Mr. Yung-Jing Cheng (the magistrate of Hsing-Dzu Hsien), Mr. Tien-Tsai Hsu (the mayor of Tainan City), Mr. Huan-Je Su (the magistrate of Tainan Hsien), Shamar Rimpoche also met the president of Taiwan, Mr. Sui-Bian Chen, at opening of Exhibition of Orchids of Taiwan on March 8^th. Both are invited as VIPs for ribbon cutting. They shook hands and exchanged words shortly right before the ceremony.

The first religious activity of HH Shamar Rimpoche was Marpa empowerment held in Taipei International Convention Center on March 2^nd. Over a thousand people squeezed into the conference room, but in orderly manner, to accept the blessings. Followed was the Vajrayogini empowerment held on March 3^rd, after the rituals, Shamar Rimpoche expressed that by receiving the guru yoga empowerments, people are qualified to follow the practice of the four foundations. He told people " You will have the ability to forward the practice of Vajrayogini, which you will achieve the enlightenment within one life. ….The seeds within you will emerge, that you can develop your system. Your good nature can be developed by following the practice of Vajrayogini." And, there’s a Dorjenamjong initiation presented at Evergreen Hotel, Tai-Chung, on March 5^th, again, a successful one. Shamar Rimpoche advised people at Kamtsang Kundol Society of Tai-Chung, "Should be compassionate, not too materialistic", " should follow the tradition of our Karma Kagyu lineage", " should respect lamas who have been sent here are qualified and disciplined with good education." Indeed, as the spiritual leader of Kagyu lineage, Shamar Rimpoche always keeps in mind that everything he thinks is for the good of all his disciples and followers.

A big welcome ceremony for HH Shamar Rimpoche awaited him at Karma Kagyu Monastery, Tainan, in the morning of March 8^th. On behalf of all the disciples of Karma Kagyu Monastery, HE Lopon Tenzin Rinpoche was presenting offerings to his guru in that ceremony. And, People were thrilled by the precious close relationship between these two venerable sanghas. Followed, was a 4-day Hevajra puja held in the monastery.

Being an authentic and genuine teacher of the lineage, Shamar Rimpoche is also a humorous and friendly person. He would never refuse giving blessings to people, no matter how tired he is. He tries his best to provide his true opinions or suggestions to people who need them, always. There is one thing worth remembering, that Shamar Rimpoche even went onto the stage to give blessings to those artists who performed in the appreciation banquet at the night of March 9^th. People are surprised that how lovely he is. Though he has returned to India, everyone would miss him so much and expect next meeting in the near future. Let’s pray for his long life, health and happiness.

 

Reported and written by:

Karma Tenzin Tseringma

Karma Kagyu Monastery, Taiwan.

 

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