A Personal Account of Events With My Teacher – Nantuo’s Lamp
Martin has been a student of His Eminence Tsem Rinpoche since 2010 and in that time he has had the privilege of closely witnessing how Rinpoche works, the unfathomable things Rinpoche does for people quietly, how lives have miraculously changed because of Rinpoche’s Dharma and what drives Rinpoche. As someone who came to the Dharma at a mature age, Martin shares interesting insights, stories and his experiences with Rinpoche both from a secular as well as a spiritual perspective.
Nantuo’s Lamp
Anyone who has had the great fortune to meet H.E. Tsem Tulku Rinpoche will tell you that Rinpoche is generous. But it is all too easy to generalise ‘generosity’. A person who tips well is generous, or those who lavish gifts on family and friends because they can afford it and enjoy seeing people happy are generous. More rare is the kind of generosity that a poor woman by the name of Nantuo displayed during the time of the Buddha.
Nantuo was an old woman who had nothing but the ragged clothes on her back. She had to beg for alms daily just to live from hand to mouth and sometimes Nantuo would go for days without food. On one especially harsh and cold day, Nantuo struggled to find anyone who would give her even some loose change. Finally she managed to receive one small coin which she held in her skinny and trembling hands. Nantuo thought that with this one coin that she had worked the entire day for, she could at least buy some scraps of food and not go for another day completely hungry.
But just before she could spend this coin on food, she saw a crowd gather and there was excitement in the air. Nantuo learned that the Buddha Shakyamuni was close by and people were rushing to buy all sorts of perfumed oil as offerings to him. Although she had nothing Nantuo rejoiced knowing that the Buddha was in the vicinity and a multitude of people were going to benefit from meeting the Great Sage. Nantuo by then was very tired and hungry. It had been a hard day after all. But a thought arose in her mind – it is so difficult and rare to see the Buddha and if she did not seize the opportunity to make even a meagre offering to the Buddha, this prospect may not arise ever again. And yet Nantuo was aware of how destitute she was and how she would not be able to make any significant offerings to the Buddha. All she had was that one coin and if she did not use the coin to feed herself that night, it would be difficult to know when she might be able to eat again. The night looked like it was going to be long and cold. And yet her heart was generous and the thought of making a simple offering to the Lord Buddha overwhelmed her. She decided it was better to go hungry and pay homage to the Buddha and so Nantuo decided she was prepared to endure another harsh night with an empty stomach.
A beautiful thangka of Buddha Shakyamuni. To download other high resolution thangkas for free, click here
With that small insignificant amount of money, Nantuo managed to purchase the smallest quantity of oil which she then offered to the Buddha. Her stomach growled with hunger, those around laughed at her meagre and ‘shameful’ offerings but her heart knew that she was doing the correct thing.
As darkness engulfed the town, Nantuo knelt down and prayed “May this light pervade the ten directions, guiding all sentient beings out of this miserable cycle of birth and death and lead all unto the path of liberation”. When morning broke, all the oil lamps, even the most expensive and exotic were already extinguished or blown out by Maudgalyayana, one of the Buddha’s disciples, who took charge of keeping watch on the lamps. But Nantuo’s lamp was still shining brightly. Even after exhausting every means to blow out the light, Maudgalyayana, who had the greatest supernatural powers out of all Buddha’s disciples, still could not extinguish Nantuo’s shinning little lamp. He was surprised and asked whose lamp it was that even his tremendous supernatural powers could not extinguish?
The Buddha, who was present at the time, pointed to the lamp of the poor Nantuo, and with a smile replied,
“Maudgalyayana, the person who offered this lamp made a great vow to save all sentient beings. Even if you used all the water in the four great oceans, you would still not be able to extinguish this lamp. This candle was lit using a great, compassionate vow, and because she was full of sincerity, the light radiating from this lamp is inexhaustible.”
Nantuo’s story perhaps comes closest to describing Tsem Rinpoche’s level of generosity. And one manifestation of this extraordinary generosity is how Rinpoche has offered up Rinpoche’s entire life, reputation, relationship with Rinpoche’s relatives, Rinpoche’s monastic ties, old friends, teachers and Rinpoche’s great wish to be with the Dalai Lama so that the world can have the practice of great Dharma Protector Dorje Shugden. It is now well known that for the last 23 years, there has been a campaign by the Tibetan government-in-exile to extinguish the powerful and sacred practice of Dorje Shugden. Those who do not comply have been defamed and disparaged and many Tibetans, Mongolians and Tibetan Buddhists worldwide have mistakenly assumed that loyalty to the Dalai Lama obligates them to disparage everyone who continues to worship Dorje Shugden.
Click to enlarge
When the ban was imposed, Rinpoche was a monk with little else but the robes on his back and Rinpoche’s relationship with the monastery which Rinpoche held sacred. After all Rinpoche had given up everything and endured tremendous hardships to go to India to become a monk. And if Rinpoche wanted the world to have the precious practice of Dorje Shugden, then Rinpoche would have to give up everything again and that was like Nantuo looking at the one coin in her hand and deciding to go hungry so that she could make an offering to the Buddha for the wellbeing of all sentient beings. It would have been easy enough for Nantuo to pray without making an offering. Just like it would have been much easier for Rinpoche to continue practising Dorje Shugden quietly and only make it available to a few close students. But then it would also mean that Rinpoche cared for his own wellbeing more than the wellbeing of sentient beings in this and all future lives. Rinpoche knew, that the people of this time desperately need Dorje Shugden. This has been confirmed by Pabongkha Dechen Nyingpo, Trijang Dorje Chang and Rinpoche’s own root Guru, Zong Dorje Chang.
The way Rinpoche has suffered due to the ban on Dorje Shugden is beyond anyone’s imagination and while it may be possible to enumerate the online attacks on Rinpoche, it is impossible to quantify and articulate the pain of having being cut off from the monastery and the Dalai Lama that Rinpoche holds dear.
Generosity is when someone extends a benevolent and munificent hand to those who need help. In very rare cases, being generous exacts a price which extends far beyond the hand. It consumes also the body and every fiber of the giver’s emotional and mental serenity. Decades into the Dorje Shugden ban, the practice is growing and as are the spirituality of many people around the world who have come to rely on this enlightened Protector. And all this growth feeds off the marrow of a very kind and generous monk.
For more interesting information:
- A Personal Account of Events with My Teacher – Perfect Clairvoyance
- The Buddhist Divide – An Unholy Campaign against Religious Freedom
- Dorje Shugden Retreat: A powerful practice to fulfill wishes
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A great story about generosity. Nantuo made a very compassionate wish to benefit all sentient beings, even at the cost of her going another night without food and suffering from extreme hunger. Thank you, Martin, for sharing this inspiring story. We should all aspire to be sincere in our Dharma practice, like Nantuo, and like Rinpoche. To develop the qualities to bring benefit to all.
Set aside her own comfort, the poor woman chose to give all she had to make light offerings to the Buddha so that the lights will guide all sentient beings unto the path of liberation. In our time, Tsem Rinpoche is a genuine monk whose level of generosity can be compared with the poor woman. Rinpoche offered up his whole life and reputation in order to bring the dharma and Dorje Shugden for the benefit of sentient beings. Although he has to endure so much due to the unethical ban, Rinpoche upholds Dorje Shugden practise because this is his commitment to his root guru, and many great lamas has confirmed that Dorje Shugden practice is essential for the generations to come. What Rinpoche does is always for the benefit of others and non for himself.
Come to think about ourselves. When life is good and free from worries, we may not be able to have a daring mind of giving or making firm commitments. When things become difficult and unbearable, always keep in mind that what comes into our life is with a purpose. The greatest depression and deepest pain is to mold us into a better human. We should never stop cultivating the ways of virtue. Tsem Rinpoche is a real life example who practices generosity with compassion and selflessness regardless of hardship and difficulties.
Such a touching story of Nantuo’s generosity in her Lamp offering and what true generosity is. She could have made an offering with the wish to bring benefit to herself and yet in pure generosity, she set the motivation for the benefit of very sentient beings, looking beyond herself to the needs and happiness of others.
Yes, I do agree that Rinpoche too is just as generous as he gave his entire life and comfort for the Dharma, to help people connect with the beneficial practice of Dorje Shugden. We may be in the Dharma but I am still shocked how some who claimed to be holders of Buddha’s teachings could act the exact opposite, by vulgar abuse and even threats to Rinpoche’s life. Just because he upheld his vow to his holy Guru to practice Dorje Shugden and to propitiate this powerful practice to many who are in need. As in Nantuo’s story, the light from Rinpoche’s pure motivation has not diminished but shines ever bright to the 10 directions of the world and will only grow brighter more people connects to enlightened protector Dorje Shugden.
Thank you Martin for this beautiful story of generosity that so aptly shows the care and generosity of our Guru.
What determines the value of what we offer to the Buddha or someone is not by the monetary value, it is how sincere when we make the offering. In this story, Nantuo was very poor but she spent all she could to make an offering to the Buddha with the wish for the happiness of all sentient beings.
When we make a wish or do something with the intention to benefit others especially people we don’t know, it is with a higher purpose. Most people will pray for their own benefit such as the removal of obstacles for themselves so everything will go smoothly, or people will pray for wealth or health. When we pray for others, this is when we are practising generosity.
When we pray to benefit others, we are actually benefiting ourselves. Imagine, if we make everyone surrounding us happy and contented, a very peaceful atmosphere will be created. We have to always remember we are interdependent, everything is related so we cannot be selfish or self-centered.
Beautiful Nantuo’s story tell all an example of generosity. Nor matter what we offer to Buddha with motivation tells all. Nantuo choose to go hungry instead to offer a lamp to Buddha for the wellbeing of all sentient beings. Our Guru Tsem Rinpoche has a similarity to Nantuo ,Rinpoche has offered Rinpoche’s entire life for the benefits of all sentient beings and the spreading dharma teachings and the practice of great Dharma Protector Dorje Shugden. Many has suffered due to the ban on Dorje Shugden and so as Rinpoche. Rinpoche’s wish is HH Dalai Lama could lift the ban soon. Rinpoche has struggle many obstacles and against the odd to be where Rinpoche is today.
Thank you Martin for this wonderful sharing.
Most people would take easy way out, for Nantuo she could have made a prayer to Buddha Shakyamuni but she insisted to spend the little money she had to offer a light and to go hungry. It is not about the how big and grand the offering is but her mind, motivation and generousity towards the offering to Buddha which is inspiring. Offer the best no matter regardless of the hardship she face.
Just like Rinpoche, he has to endure so much hardship since young to learn dharma and because of his compassion and generousity we are able to learn dharma from him. Thank you Rinpcohe for sharing the precious Dorje Shugden practise to all of us.
This is really an inspiring story about generosity. Rinpoche is really a beacon of light and hope for many people , just like Nantuo’s lamp. Rinpoche is always caring, loving, giving, sacrificing, patient, understanding, etc.. Rinpoche is always happy to give even when he was young and had nothing much for himself. Thank you very much Martin for this wonderful and inspiring sharing of Rinpoche’s generosity.. Hope to hear more of your sharing again soon ??????☘️?
It’s truly a great story of generosity Thanks Martin for the way on how you relate that to Rinpoche’s wishes to preserve and spread Dorje Shugden. Even though at times Rinpoche also struggles to secure sponsorship from others (due to His practice of Dorje Shugden) and yet He didn’t give up. Dorje Shugden practice has benefitted so many (myself included) and hopefully many more in future.