KLOIE PICOT was at the Mönlam (Prayer Festival) teachings of His Holiness the Dalai Lama in March, held annually at his temple in Dharamsala, India, and starting after the Day of Miracles, the fifteenth of the Tibetan month. This year His Holiness taught on The Jewel Ornament of Liberation by the great Kagyu lineage lama Gampopa, one of Jetsun Milarepa’s heart disciples.

Kloie asked thirteen people – among the thousands present – three questions:

• Why are you attending the teachings?
• What did you get from them?
• How will they affect your life?

Eddie Shapiro, American writer

I came here through a chance chain of events. I was in Sri Lanka doing social action with Arya Ratna, one of the people in our book, Voices from the Heart. I decided to take time off and see Tai Situ Rinpoche at his monastery, but when I got there he was in New Delhi. So I thought to go to McLeod Ganj. I didn’t know His Holiness the Dalai Lama would be here.

I was amazed and in awe because he is one of the kindest men I have ever met. That was also just by chance. I met His Holiness 13 years ago, just after he had met the Pope.

I think what has penetrated me the most is the incredible capacity of the Dalai Lama – his infinite compassion in loving everybody, the ultimate teacher. Teaching us the different hells, using expressions that make one see that for eons one has been suffering. I can’t help but look at my life and recognize, “Ya, I did those things and at the time I did them they seemed like such nothing things, and I just let go. Then realizing that at any minute I could find myself in the hell realm.” Whew! This is a very heavy, painful and confusing thought, as I am sure it is very painful and confusing to a lot of people.

Actually a lot of people I talked to after the teachings felt very disturbed by the teachings on the hell realms. Many of us were brought up in the Judeo-Christian tradition and it was this talk of the hells, fire, brimstone and damnation that turned us off. So then one comes to Dharamsala to hear His Holiness and again we get the hells; that if you act out in the wrong direction or in the right direction but with wrong motivation you may spend eons in the hells. But the difference is that His Holiness says all this with such compassion. He shows us a way out of the hells and reassures us that if we do good things, if we really live a Buddhist life of loving kindness and compassion, then we can purify the negative karmic debts and also create positive potential.

No matter how I think it is going to be or feel, I think it will be even better. When you are with His Holiness you are with someone who is giving great teachings on the deepest level. I feel there is great drama taking place because he is very clever and he is Chenrezig and he is the Buddha. Having faith in what the Dalai Lama teaches and knowing that he wants only to release us from our negative karma is very calming.

Elinor Anderson, Swedish Nurse

I came here because I am interested in Buddhism and I don’t know much about it. I did a course in England and I found it very interesting and I thought I would come here while he was teaching. I just wanted to hear what the Dalai Lama had to say. No expectations. Curiosity I guess.

The first time I went to the temple, I didn’t have an FM radio for the translation, so I sat and watched the people. Then the second time the reception was so bad we could not hear because we sat among the Tibetans; we didn’t know there was a better reception on the other side. The third time I had the radio and was in the right place but I couldn’t understand the English words. I thought maybe I wasn’t concentrated enough, but I just couldn’t get it. I think I need to know more of the Buddhist terminology to grasp what is being taught.

The atmosphere in McLeod Ganj was brilliant. I had a great time and met so many special people. This is a very special place, so much spirituality.

I definitely want to learn more about Buddhism. Why do people dedicate their lives to such an elaborate practice? I would like to know more about the rituals and the pujas, to find out if it is for me. I relate well to the philosophy but have problems with all the offerings and pujas and rituals. I am glad I didn’t have any expectations. I just came here to see what the atmosphere was like and see what the Dalai Lama was like. It was nice because when he spoke he had such a nice soft voice and he was laughing and happy and really appeared something special. I hope to get the recordings and listen to it slowly to take it in.

Lama Tenzin Osel Rinpoche, 14-year-old Spanish student

I came because I knew His Holiness was giving an initiation in Lama Chöpa. I wanted to experience the Lama Chöpa initiation, which is very difficult to get. To receive Lama Chöpa from His Holiness is an added blessing. I think the last time he gave it during the Mönlam teachings was seven years ago.

What touched me most was His Holiness crying! He was talking about bodhichitta and he started crying. When he talks about all sentient beings he starts crying.

I think His Holiness has given me a lot of bodhichitta. I think he is really a buddha. I do not know how it will influence me.

This year I noticed there were many more Westerners than last year and that is really good.

Ven. Tenzin Palmo, English nun

I always intended to attend His Holiness’s teachings, but normally I am not in this area. Now I am starting a nunnery in Tashi Jong; I was down the road, so there is no excuse. In addition, His Holiness this year was teaching Gampopa’s The Jewel Ornament of Liberation, which is a Kagyupa text. And so I thought, this is a wonderful opportunity to be with His Holiness and at the same time to receive the transmission of this wonderful text. Last year I came just at the end and received initiations, so this is the first time I have attended these teachings.

Being in the presence of His Holiness always touches one’s heart. He is so absolutely the exemplar of a perfect bodhisattva. Every time one seems him one is awed again, by just how wonderful he is and by how lucky the Tibetans are to have him. Also, I was impressed by the feeling of harmony of those attending the teachings. Everybody got on so well. There were no problems, nobody fighting over seats or some such thing; everybody was very gracious. A very joyful feeling pervaded the teachings. Such a lot of people together and everybody in harmony. That is very nice.

Who knows how this will affect my life? One meets people – that’s the other blessing of being in His Holiness’ presence. During the teaching one also has the chance to meet everyone one has ever known and to make new contacts and one never knows where in the future that will lead.

Debbie Shapiro, English writer

I came because of the rarity of awakened beings in this world and the beauty there is in hanging out with one. When I met His Holiness he appeared to me like one of the most ordinary human beings I had ever met, just completely ordinary. It was an experience that completely surprised me as I had expected him to be totally extraordinary. Yet when you are with His Holiness his very presence is so completely with you that you feel that you are the only person in the world. Consequently I love to be around him. Any excuse!

I think the thing that has touched me the most is when His Holiness spoke on solitary peace; how although it’s essential to find our solitary peace, it doesn’t necessarily mean we are developing compassion or becoming a better person. If we are not developing compassion we are not developing an open heart, and my whole belief has always been to develop an open heart.

It is great to go into retreat and be silent for two months and develop this tremendous sense of peace but it is a “solitary peace.” Then as soon as you come out of retreat and you are again bombarded by beggars or bills to be paid, an angry husband/wife, or a violent teenage son/daughter, you lose that peace. With the development of an open heart and compassion, we can put Buddhism to practice. Then we can be of help to other people.

These teachings help me by reaffirming what I am already doing. By giving me tremendous fresh air, blood and juice. People talk about opening their hearts yet we are frightened to. We fear we will be walked on and that’s not what opening our heart is about. It’s about taking the chance and opening it even more. Trying to live with compassion can be very difficult, a constant challenge. But just going away into solitary peace won’t do it. We need that challenge. It doesn’t matter how many teachings we have been to, or how many scriptures we have read; none of that is going to serve us when confronting a violent teenager or a drunken friend. We have to respond with an open heart.

Swati Roy, Indian importer/exporter

I have been coming for many years. I am drawn to His Holiness because he gave me my life back. I felt it was ending in a disastrous way. His Holiness has brought me a lot of peace, happiness and joy, which I felt in my life were missing.

What has touched me most is the value of friendship, the depth of friendship and the patience that is required in the right form that brings so much joy and gives so much joy.

Besides benefiting me, I believe in helping; that has always been my motto. I am a simple Buddhist and I want to be of help all my life. I try to be a compassionate person and to be able to help make people realize that there is always hope. That is what I keep coming back for, to get that inner strength.

Roman Strapetti, Italian teacher

Am I here by chance or by coincidence? When I arrived in Delhi I intended to go to Rishikesh or Pondicherry. Then I met three Italian girls right at the airport who had just come back from McLeod Ganj and said that the Dalai Lama was there. So I thought, Okay, I’ll go to McLeod Ganj. I have always felt McLeod Ganj to be a wonderful place.

What has most touched me is when His Holiness talked about the mind and how one has to detach the mind to see reality. This felt very familiar as it is what my spiritual teacher Patanjali wrote: that the fluctuations of the mind are the biggest obstacle for all spiritual seekers.

Also being here with sangha, Tibetans, Indians, foreigners from all over the world, there is a sense of harmony. You can walk down the street and say hello and everyone gives a polite response. Where else in the world can you do this?

The teachings have made me more aware of my illusions. That everyone lives in illusion and that I must be aware and live in this world, but be detached from it. Attachment/non-attachment, this is so difficult. Whatever you take you have to give back.

Thorhalla Bjornsdottir, Icelandic social worker

Attending the teachings comes automatically. I am living here so I go to His Holiness’ teachings. It is a part of being here.

It is really inspiring to come to the teachings. It gives one’s practice a push; seeing how little I know and seeing how much further I have to go in both practice and study. I perceive my practice like growing: first I was born, then I grew up. It was a natural process due to causes and conditions. Then I was grown up, and from being grown up I kept on into old age. I think that practice is the same thing, it is gradual. Constant work and eventually that work becomes you. It is not a grand illumination of fireworks in the sky but the gradual process that most affects me.

Jan Pethar, Australian

In 1988 I met a lady from Iceland and I was very inspired that she would travel so far to attend these teachings. She had been coming every year for 13 years so I immediately made the decision that if she could come from Iceland every year, I could come from Singapore where I was living at the time. Now I live in Australia and I am still determined to come every year. It is such an amazing opportunity to receive all the teachings, and to share them with all the people who are drawn to His Holiness.

Also I feel so privileged to be able to practically sit at His Holiness’ feet while he is teaching. Probably when His Holiness and all the Tibetan people return to Tibet it won’t be as easy to just come and attend the teachings. We Westerners really are well treated here!

What has touched me most is renewing my bodhisattva vows. His Holiness really touched my heart again by reminding me deeply that this is the main practice. All the other practices that I do are important, but this one seems to be the crux of the matter. This has strengthened my wish to try and help everyone and let go of the self-cherishing. You can say it intellectually, but this morning it really touched my heart; that when self-cherishing arises you can catch it and then you can try to enact the bodhisattva path. It is not easy but one must try over and over again.

The teachings will help me when I go back to Australia and try to put these bodhisattva vows into practice. I hope that I can share with others what I have learned and use my behavior to show it. Not only words but actions to show how the bodhisattva path really does bring happiness. I do not delude myself thinking that this is going to be easy.

Ven. Sangye Khadro, American nun

I try to come as often as I can. His Holiness is my guru; he is the ultimate guru. I feel it is really important to get as many teachings and transmissions from him as possible. Also this year His Holiness gave the guru yoga practice, which is a very important practice. I have never received the complete teachings before.

I remember when I first came to Dharamsala, in 1972, The Jewel Ornament was being taught, but I came in the middle of it and then I had to leave so I didn’t get the complete teachings. It was the first teaching I had in Buddhism, so I felt it is important to do again. I found that the meditations on loving kindness have touched me the most. Also, being present when His Holiness is teaching, meeting Dharma friends, being at Tushita Retreat Center, and being with the sangha have been really nice.

The teachings have been really fast and I haven’t had that much time to absorb them. But I would like to think this text will help me teach better in Singapore. So I hope I will have time to meditate and help others to meditate. For my own experience and for others, it always comes back to lam-rim. I never get bored with it. It always brings you deeper into the Dharma. There is always something that reaches you at a certain point in your own spiritual evolution.

His Holiness said seven years ago he had read the lam-rim more than 70 times. Given his age this must be more often than once a year that he reads the lam-rim. This is so inspiring because is shows the importance of review. Once is not enough.

In the West we tend to think once is enough. Once you’ve read a book you never read it again. Lam-rim – and that is what The Jewel Ornament of Liberation is – is not like that. You have to keep reading it again and again, thinking about it, meditating on it, discussing it over and over again. And each time you do, some jewel pops out.

Jean Scotland, English teacher

I had no intentions of coming to these teachings. I was in Kathmandu teaching English to Buddhist nuns. I didn’t even know of His Holiness’ teachings. Then I met a Canadian nun who was coming and she suggested I come as well. At first I said I don’t think I can because I am here with a Christian charity. I have responsibilities to them and to people who have raised funds. To just run off was not on the program. Then all the nuns thought it would benefit my ability to teach English. So that’s why I am here I guess, to benefit teaching English to Buddhist nuns in Kathmandu. I guess it’s fate rather than free will.

I think the thing that has touched me most is the devotion of the Tibetan people to His Holiness. I suppose it is there in the Westerners as well, but to me it appears more humble in the Tibetans. My impression is that religion is wholly entwined with their everyday existence.

I am not really sure how the teachings will affect my life. It is so hard to answer that, because to be honest I do not know what my life really is. I don’t have a pattern that I recognize, and I find that very unsettling. The Dalai Lama’s teaching on impermanence as the law of life has helped. But being in a state of flux wears a little thin after a while.

Ven. Thubten Chodron, American nun

I have been every year for the last 10 years. I feel I need it because I am from the West and I am the only nun at the center. Dharamsala is a community I grew up in as a baby nun, so I like to come home, see His Holiness, attend teachings, see my other teachers and check in. It is really important, because it can be difficult as a solitary nun in the West. I really love His Holiness’ teachings, I love the lam-rim teachings.

When we were taking the bodhisattva vows, His Holiness talked about the disadvantages of self-centeredness. I have heard it many times, I even teach it, but every time I hear it, it goes to a deeper level. A feeling that that’s what I really want to eliminate but also a feeling of the difficulty of counteracting self-centeredness. It is so deeply ingrained. I really need the inspiration of the bodhisattvas and my teachers over a long period of time so that I can practice and transform my mind.

Clearly if I am not so self-centered, what I say and do won’t be so obnoxious. I won’t be so troublesome to so many human beings. Hopefully it will be easier to cultivate bodhicitta because the mind will be peaceful and pure. As one individual we can have a lot of influence. This is the subtle idea of practicing bodhicitta, that we can influence other beings in a positive way just by being who you are.

Ven. George Churinoff, American monk

During the last four years I have been teaching Lama Ösel so I haven’t had as much time to come up from south India. This year I made a special promise to myself to have the leisure to hear His Holiness without a lot of obligations. His Holiness is such a great example of the perfect Mahayana tantric guru and he is so practical. He is always leading us, not only us beginners but also the high lamas. He leads everyone a little further every year.

I think in general what has affected me is the presence of His Holiness and the great lamas around who themselves show great devotion to him. And to hear His Holiness explain with such clarity the teachings from Gampopa’s text, and showing the aspect of being non-sectarian in teaching a Kagyu text.

Also some particular points His Holiness mentioned resonate within my mind. Things that I either hadn’t heard before or things that I had heard but the way His Holiness will say it gives new light and inspiration. The chance to take the bodhisattva vows again and again with His Holiness, in the presence of the real and actual manifestation of great compassion. To take tantric initiation from His Holiness; to be taught how to keep and protect these vows, to be guided by the master guide. I have felt very inspired by it all.

It is not as dramatic a change as coming for the first time. That can make a dramatic change to one’s life. I guess it is the reviving and revivifying that builds the confidence and lends to the practicality of the path.

Seeing His Holiness teaching these classical teachings and living them in a way so practical and down to earth. And yet always leading us further making our everyday life a little more authentic.