A comment on "My Childhood in Taiwan...Revisiting..."

It has always struck me that Rinpoche has never had it easy. Not only did his birth parents not want him, but the people his mother left him with abused him. Then he was adopted into a family where the parents were physically and mentally abusive, leading him to run away to Los Angeles in pursuit of the Dharma.

Many years later, when Rinpoche got to the monastery, a person who was supposed to take care of him did not do so, and they neglected him for their own personal reasons. By the time Rinpoche reached Malaysia, he was near starvation.

At every turn where there should have been love, it was denied to Rinpoche. Either the people who were supposed to love him did not, or the people who could have loved him were not given the chance.

So when I read this post, I am reminded that my lama did not have it easy but he never let it deter him… so what cause do I have to complain about the difficulties I face?

Blog post:

http://www.tsemrinpoche.com/tsem-tulku-rinpoche/me/where-i-lived-in-taiwan-nearly-four-decades-ago.html
 

Comment:

You wonder, how unhappy must someone be with their own lives that they could mistreat a child in the way Shi Mama did with Rinpoche? That is not the behaviour of a happy person; happy people don’t abuse, torture and mistreat an innocent, hapless, defenceless child.

People talk about leading difficult lives but Rinpoche is someone who experienced obstacles even before he was born. How many of us would be able to tolerate such difficulties and overcome them, AND not carry the burden of anger or hatred for those who have wronged him?

This post has always inspired me because it reflects for me all the aspects of Rinpoche’s character – perseverance, determination, a love for the Dharma, a prevailing ability to forgive and the power of prayer and Rinpoche’s compassion to be reborn in a place and time that benefits the most people.

It also reflects for me a deep gratitude in Rinpoche to all who have shown him kindness, even if people may mistakenly consider him “too young” to remember or to know what’s going on. As someone who has had the privilege of spending quite a lot of time with Rinpoche, I can definitely say that no act of kindness goes unnoticed by Rinpoche. Even if the kindness isn’t directed at Rinpoche personally, Rinpoche always finds a way to repay people’s good motivation to encourage their positive behaviour in that manner.

For me, when reading this post, it is quite clear – the key to leading a happy life of peace and light is by focusing out. By focusing on the pains of others, we stop focusing on the pains we experience and they therefore lose their power to scar our minds.

Reflections and Teachings