By Lama Tharchin Rinpoche

My father was born into a family of ngakpa, yogis, at the largest and most famous of eastern Tibet’s training centers for meditators. At an early age he was enthroned by his father and became head of the Repkong Ngakpa school. He served as abbot of the monastery [he was a layman] and leader of the Repkong ngakpas until he was 25 years old.

By then he had grown weary of administrative duties and the power politics of institutional Dharma. He ardently desired to devote more time to cultivating the roots of enlightenment. One night he jumped out the window of his castle and escaped. Taking only a little cash, and revealing his true identity to no one, he set out on a pilgrimage. From that day forward until he ceased wandering many years later, he was sustained by alms. Whenever he was given a few coins, he would use the money to buy food.

During the following years he measured Tibet from east to west with his body, moving across the country one prostration at a time. It normally takes about three months to go that distance on horseback. Along the way he stopped to make extended retreats on holy mountains and in remote caves.

Though he gave up name, fame and status, he received great satisfaction from the life of wayfaring. He might have continued indefinitely had he not met Dudjom Rinpoche, head of the Nyingmapas. Dudjom Rinpoche told him that he had meditated enough and should use his knowledge and attainments to help others. So my father went to live at Kongbo, seat of the Dudjom lineage. He took a wife and that’s where I grew up.

My father had done a 12-year retreat as well as many years of pilgrimage. He got so much benefit from these practices that he wanted me to do a 12-year retreat, too. It was his wish that after I completed my retreat, we would walk and prostate together to the holy places of India, Tibet and China. But I had only finished eight years of retreat when the Chinese invaded Tibet and we had to flee to Nepal and then to India. So instead of walking to China, I made a very comfortable, expensive, high-tech pilgrimage to the United States by airplane!

The real pilgrimage is always completed on foot. Horseback or carriage is not the right way to go. Before the Chinese invasion, huge numbers of people made pilgrimage in Tibet. Many great yogis from Kham and Amdo walked and prostrated to Lhasa where they paid homage to the Jokhang. They received great blessings at that place, and because of their attainments they also added to its accumulation. Some visitors to holy sites get such powerful blessings that when they return to their homelands they can teach and heal others.

When sublime beings pass by, they leave their blessing on the land. Over many years, with the passage of many accomplished yogis, the path itself becomes a holy object and a source of wisdom-energy. When you follow in the footsteps of sublime beings, one month of practice is the equivalent of a year’s exertion under ordinary circumstances. Through this kind of contact you can more easily accomplish vows, purify all negativities, multiply offerings, attain siddhis, and increase merit and wisdom.

The sincere desire to make a pilgrimage is itself enough to generate great benefit. If you vow to go and, let us say, circumambulate a holy mountain, and after a short time you die – even if you only take three steps along the path – nevertheless you will receive the complete sum of merit because of your intention.

Those who have very strong motivation and realization should go to terrifying places, such as sky-burial sites [charnel grounds] and lonely spots, in the manner of chöd practitioners. We all experience fear. Why are we afraid? Ultimately, the source of our fears is our clinging to the idea of ego. In solitude we can inquire: who makes who afraid? If we keep asking that question and observing our fear and how it arises and ceases, we will realize that all phenomena are a display of mind, all demons a projection of mind. In time we will come to understand selflessness and great emptiness.

In the meantime, just visit whatever holy places you can. Arouse pure intention and wherever you walk you will have the support of wisdom beings.

There is a simple and most effective way to meditate while you walk. Envision Guru Rinpoche [Padmasambhava] by your right shoulder. By visualizing him you take your own wisdom mind as your constant companion. Think and believe that the road you are walking on is the path to nirvana, and it will lead you to perfect and complete awakening. With such an attitude, all beings become your friends, teachers and protectors. As you walk along together, recite the vajraguru mantra with a melody, like this Om ah hung vajra guru pema siddhi hum!

Going on pilgrimage to Buddhist centers right here in this country is a very wonderful activity. Anywhere people practice Dharma, merit is accumulated in that place. People who visit such places can taste and feel that energy. It is very beneficial.