Rinpoche’s specific qualities 17

I did not forget, it was His Holiness Penor Rinpoche who wanted me to learn Tibetan. He said twice, “Learning Tibetan is good for you.” I didn’t pay much attention the first time, but the second time I didn’t ignore it. I later learned the Tibetan language, I only learned it because His Holiness Penor Rinpoche asked me to. In January 2006, when I went to Bodhgaya to participate in a Mönlam(Great Prayer Festival), several Chinese monks from Wuming Buddhist Academy (Serta Larung Ngarik Nangten Lopling) wanted to visit His Holiness and asked me to help to translate. How could I translate? I had only studied Tibetan for ten months, but I couldn’t resist the pressure and still went ahead. The process was embarrassing, such as translating “Guru Yoga” in Tibetan to “Yoga Master.” But now looking back, it is filled with gratitude because it was the first and only time in my life that I spoke Tibetan with His Holiness.

Ten years later, in 2016, I followed Yangtang Rinpoche to Namdroling, and Rinpoche unusually said that he would stay for a few more days after finishing the initiation in about a week’s time. I followed Rinpoche’s teachings and activities, and Rinpoche usually left in the early morning of the next day after the teachings were completed. Looking back now, staying in Namdroling for a few more days was one of Rinpoche’s last arrangements before his passing away.

Luckily, with the help of my friends Kun-Sheng and Mimi, I had the opportunity to interview Yangtang Rinpoche. Rinpoche said in the interview that His Holiness Penor Rinpoche had received teachings from two great masters, Palyul Chogtrul and Zhangguo Drupchen, and if he could practice in his lifetime, he would obtain the rainbow body. After fleeing from Tibet to India, His Holiness originally wanted to spend his life in the sacred caves. However, due to his inability to let the teachings decline, he decided to establish a temple and ordain monks. Now, the magnificent Namdroling Monastery with more than 4,000 monks in front of us, comes from a saint who gave up the rainbow body…” This passage made me cry, and I translated it for Mimi, she shed tears as well. Looking back, although I am still unsuccessful, I have the opportunity to make connections with some great masters due to my knowledge of a little Tibetan language and the ability to understand some content in the scriptures. I will never forget all of this, it is all due to the kindness of His Holiness Penor Rinpoche. On Guru Rinpoche Day, while missing my teacher, I offer this “Remembering His Holiness Penor Rinpoche”.