Vajra Diaries, ‘One’s Ten Most Important Actions’

I’ve been observing the holy career of my Vajra Master, Vajradhara Kyabgon Gongma Trichen Sakya Rinpoche (H.H. Sakya Trichen 41st), somewhat close-up since December of 1977. At that time he had just come to New York for his first time, where he bestowed numerous initiations, among them, Hevajra and Sapan Manjushri. I believe he made his first trip to America, a year or two earlier, where he flew to Los Angeles. At that time, and for decades earlier, it had been a magnet for ‘the black saints’ or gurus of India and their self-realization techniques, such as Yogananda’s, while Tibetan gurus, pre-diaspora, were still ensconced in their ‘Tibetan Lamaseries.’ There he was visited by one such patron, who happened to be, most auspicious and coincidently, my family’s photographer, Arthur Blakley. Or  ‘Mr. Blakley,’ as I remember him being called in a rather respectful tone. Some of his portraits of my family are of that staid, formal variety the same as one I have of His Holiness. So there’s some interesting contextually karmic connections as Mr. Blakley was an eccentric seeming figure within the small town mind of Ojai California where I grew up. It seems karmic patterning make this world a small place indeed, and perhaps that’s its purpose, identical to our reifying egos in there tireless associative conceptualizations. Thus I suppose the attraction to meditation by those of some self-awareness, and mental exhaustion, living in the Los Angeles area at that time. More recently, during my last trip to India, where I attempted to have a personal audience during Losar with His Holiness, I saw him in full action, up close, as I waited adjacent to his seat for an opening in the throngs of Tibetans also  seeking his advice. Divination ‘Mo’s,’ blessing of water and ritual items, the constant returning of offering scarfs, giving advice, smiles, pats on the head, it went on and on. Zooming (literally) further forward, night before last, I received for the second time from him the tse drup of the Tibetan siddhi Thangtong Gyalpo, via Sakya and Friends, from Toronto where there is a large Tibetan community. Thousands were in attendance and His Holiness, after incumbent pomp and circumstance, sat a lonely figure upon a rather large thrown upon a stage in a giant convention hall, and had for a brief instant that childlike expression of almost being lost. I’ve seen it before, an emptying out of all assumptions or pretensions. Then he rocks side to side and begins reciting preliminary prayers. Following this, he gave cogent remarks concerning the threatened state of the world, as this initiation was being given during the sixth North American Sakya Monlam for World Peace. Then he preceded with bestowing, for the umpteenth time in this  present incarnation, and I’ve blessedly sat through scores of them with him, a long life empowered so that one could live long enough to achieve useful antidotes to the dire world situation. For those embracing the path during this lifetime, the aspirational phase is truly inspiring, as it engenders one’s mind with peace, empathy, mental clarity required for the actual engagement for the good of others. All the while, a good Bodhisattva should be involved in these ten recommended activities “that build up positive force and further one's Dharma study and practice: (1) copying scriptures, (2) making offerings to the Three Gems, (3) giving to the poor and sick, (4) listening to teachings, (5) reading scriptures, (6) taking to heart the essence of the teachings through meditating, (7) explaining the teachings, (8) reciting sutras, (9) thinking about the meaning of the texts, and (10) meditating single-pointedly on the meaning of the teachings.” In other words, the true Bodhisattva’s work is truly never done, and there’s no better or shining example than the tireless Vajra Master, Vajradhara Kyabgon Gongma Trichen Sakya Rinpoche, who is none other other than the Buddha to all of us aspiring Bodhisattvas, in this time and place—a world that truly needs our undying attention.