Corrections from previous version
We apologise that an unedtied version of this message was sent yesterday in haste. Please find corrected version below.
-----------------
You will all by now have received the email inviting you to Rigdzin Shikpo Rinpoche's funeral. I hope you have all taken note that we need you to register asap because we are trying to finalise arrangements.
Offerings
When you register for the funeral on eventbrite you will have perhaps noticed the opportunity to donate to the Longchen Foundation Lineage Home fund. As an alternative more relevant to Awakened Heart Sangha students, I'm encouraging donations for a stupa fund so that Rigdzin Shikpo Rinpoche’s ashes can be stored in a number of reliquaries (small stupas) that can be place on shrines or bigger stupas such as at the Hermitage, Tyn y Gors and Beechey Avenue where RS lived in Oxford for 40 years! I encourage you to give generously as a way of honouring the Guru and accumulating punya thus strengthening the power of our prayers for his swift return and for him and all his students to meet again throughout all our future lifetimes in order to work together to bring all beings to Awakening. Give here
Online practice
It has been wonderful practising together online with his Longchen Foundation students (we are all invited to join each day 7-8pm https://us06web.zoom.us/j/87680646088 passcode 870454). It has also been wonderful reconnecting with so many of my colleagues in Longchen both old and new. As is so often the case death brings families and friends together and it’s a precious and these days somewhat rare opportunity for us all to get together to celebrate the life of our beloved Guru and reinforce old connections and ignite new ones.
Thank you everyone who has been participating whether on line at the Hermitage or at home, or on-line at Beechey Avenue in daily prayers for keeping our close connection (samaya) with Rigdzin Shikpo helping to remove obstacles to his further advancement on the path to Awakening and for his activity for the benefit of beings.
It is auspicious that we are doing all this extra practice for Rigdzin Shikpo Rinpoche during the Saga Dawa month and that Lama Agnes and her German students held a retreat here and we are having out Vows weekend at the full moon of Saga Dawa in front of our stupa with 25 people taking Refuge and Bodhisattva vows and 5 people taking Mahayanagana commitment vows and we will all be renewing or reinforcing our vows together at this very special time – it is also the 20th anniversary of the Hermitage this year – we will be reciting the Samantrabhadracharya Pranhidana this evening at 5PM as we have done each Friday since Rigdzin Shikpo Rinpoche passed away. Khenpo Tsultrim Gymatso Rinpoch’s nuns at his nunneries in Nepal and Bhutan have been reciting it everyday and performing an Amitabha puja every Friday remembering Rigdzin Shikpo Rinpoche in their dedication each day. All of this helps to remove obstacles to his path and his activity and strengthens our connection with him.
Wake
Incidentally the reference to the ‘wake’ in the funeral information is referring to the afternoon celebration – an unusual use of the term. There was a real ‘wake’ while Rigdzin Shikpo Rinpoche’s body was still at Beechy Avenue just after he died. His students kept a round the clock vigil by his students for 5 days until his body was taken to the undertakers. Although the mind of the Guru has dissolved into samadhi and its all-pervading presence of wisdom and compassion, the human remains continue to link him to the world and that is why they are kept in Stupas for beings to be able to access that power of connection into the indefinite future. This is a very important aspect of Buddhist if not all human ritual and a topic that we will be learning more about in the last Living the Awakened Heart area the year after next.
This year's Living the Awakened Heart area being 'vaster vision' we will be discussing in more detail the whole idea of Pure Lands and the nature of a person, a Buddha and our Buddha Nature. Huge topics we will only be able to touch on this year but the beginning of decades of further exploration!
Messages
I have received many messages of condolence from friends old and new since Rigdzin Shikpo Rinpoche passed away. I have been very touched by them and also comforted by all the prayers being said in connection with him by Khenpo Tsultrim Gyamtso Rinpoche and his two nunneries, Ringu Tulku, Ato Rinpoche, Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche, Dzogchen Ponlop Rinpoche, Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche, HH Khandro Rinpoche, Drubpon Khenpo, Lama Lodro (Karma Ling Birmingham), Tulku Sherdor, Lama Denys (Karma Ling France), Lama Phuntsok, Khenpo Namgyal, Jampa Thaye Rinpoche, Karl Brunnholzl and Stephanie Johnston, Elizabeth Callahan, Sahle-O (Dianne), Tashi Mannox, and many others.
Strengthening our connection with Rigdzin Shikpo Rinpoche
So whether you attend in person or online at his funeral – we can all dedicate punya to strengthen our connection to him. He was always so kind to us in the Awakened Heart Sangha and said he always enjoyed speaking to us and gave us so many wonderful teachings and blessings. For myself I think of the whole way I teach Dharma and realise almost my every thought is deeply influenced by his teachings and presence in my heart and mind. I will never be able to measure my indebtedness to him and the wonder of having had so many deep conversations over the years that have always taken me just that bit further than my present understanding can adequately encompass. May we all meet again and again and our connection with Rigdzin Shikpo Rinpoche keep becoming stronger and stronger.
Quite a few people have spoken of dreams and mediation experiences since RSR passed away. I too have noticed a significant shift in my understanding and a sense of great peace and joy whenever I remember him. All this would be considered a sign of good tendrel and samaya. Lets hope so and lets try to document some of the experiences people are having. Dashon in retreat says he had a dream shortly before Rigdzin Shikpo Rinpoche passed away and I did too. Who else I wonder?