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On reading Ruling Your World - Ancient strategies for modern life:
By Sakyong Mepham: Published by Morgan Road Books - 2005
- By Norbu Samphell
The first five years of 21st century has not been that fortunate for many. We have seen a lot of violence and natural calamities that resulted in many deaths and devastations. But still, we have time to hope for it to be better than the past century - century of big wars and mass murders. On many occasions, great teachers like HH the Dalai Lama have expressed optimism that 21st Century will be the century of dialogue, accommodation and understanding. Consequently, they believe, it will be a century of peace and harmony. I pin my hope on this optimism and look forward to seeing a better world in years to come for my son, who will be four years old in April 2006.
This vision of optimism, is auspiciously coincided with the publication of a marvelous book, Ruling Your World - ancient strategies for modern life, a Buddhist way for peaceful and harmonious society by a renowned Tibetan Lama, Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche. He is a recognized re-incarnation - Tulku of Ju-Mepham, the Great, of nineteenth century Tibet. For a lay Buddhist like me, it is the guide for wholesome living - with simple, straightforward and honest life style - free from all the tricks of deceptions. The strategies laid out are as convincing as they inspire us to follow the author’s foot steps to conquer and rule the external world by first conquering our inner self and be peaceful within.
In this age of overcrowded wants, needs, and cut throat competitions, we are often confused and overwhelmed. We do not know how to prioritize and set things in order to realize peace and satisfaction for ourselves and for others. We worry about minor things and loose our mental and physical patience and peace; Consequently, we tend to lead a trivial and meaningless life. For those, who are like me, will learn a lot - how and why to set things in order; and how to synchronize our mind and body to enjoy optimum mental and physical peace, with minimum effort. Above all it teaches us to be big minded enough to endure minor irritations in our life for peace and harmony in our society.
Chapter one, "What about me" reminded me of a Tibetan Prayer that goes like "All sufferings emerge from Rang-Di Dod-ley - wanting self-satisfaction, while Zhog-pi Sangyal - Buddhahood, is realized from selfless compassion for others..." Though we may not be able to do this practically in this life time, but we can aspire and wish for it in our prayers, and gradually we will be habituated in thinking others before self.
For many of us it may be hard to imagine this way at first, and could still be harder to begin genuinely thinking it. It is an alien thought for many of us. We have never cultivated such thoughts and are never accustomed to it. But there are examples through personal experiences that Sakyong Mepham relates to, in cultivating the thought of others before self. I am sure, after reading the book, we will be inspired to emulate or at least to imitate him whenever we get spare time to think vacantly by ourselves.
For ordained monks or otherwise Buddhist practitioners, it is comparable to Lam-rim - the graded path and Kunsang Lamae Zhi-lung - words of the perfect teacher. Although, it deals with the four strategies of shambhala warrior’s lifestyle, symbolized by lion, tiger, garuda and dragon for building confidence for a better and peaceful society, and does not specifically mentions any particular practice, Buddhist themes like Lo-dhog Nam-Zhe - four turning of the Mind, six paramitas - perfections, interdependent origination and law of Karma are elucidated in a very simple, and understandable terms. Though it is in a book form, but with the above themes told in intimate and immediate level, it assumes the sacred stature of a Pe-cha.- Tibetan religious text, in English Language. Perhaps, it is one of those few books on Buddhism in English that has the air and feel of the language in which it is written. It is simply wonderful to realize that English language can be a vehicle for such profound communications.
I, therefore, write this piece to rejoice and celebrate that we have such young Buddhist master like Sakyong Mepham, who writes and teaches in English with native’s flair. Beside Mepham Rinpoche, I expect Gyetrul Jigmey Rinpoche, and other lamas of his age to do as Mepham Rinpoche is doing.
And of course, I expect and wish younger Tulkus, like Kalu Rinpoche, Ling Rinpoche, Khentse Rinpoche and many other renowned Rinpoches, who are being trained in their monasteries, to be proficient in English to benefit many more people than just Tibetans.
Then, I write this to say thank you, for the book, to my friend Ms Joy Reese, who gave me the book as a gift. She is an old member of Shambhala Center, and an initial member that sponsored Tibetans from India and Nepal in Chicago. She was and is a student of Trungpa Rinpoche and is one of those oldies that rejoices in every step Sakyong Mephan takes forward for Shambhala community.
I am enriched by "Ruling Your World" - the best gift I ever got, and I encourage others to read the book. May the merits by this, cause health and happiness for Joy and all beings for years and years to come.
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