Do you ‘deserve’ a gift?
Today I went to buy gifts. Took Ethan, Bryan, Seng Piow, Paris, Su Ming, Jean Mei, William and Karen together to help me. They drove, parked, help me to pack, bring it to the counter, load it up into the car and transport it back to my place… and they did it fast… They did a great job to help… it’s easy to call them as they arrange themselves to always be ready whenever I need them… Thank you!!
I purchased lots of Dharma books in English and Chinese, thangkas, statues, tsatsas, Buddha pendants, Buddha laminates, wallet Buddha pictures, incense, incense burners, etc, etc etc… it was fun. Every few month if I can, I will go to get items to give away to students who work hard, or students who really practice or friends from around the world I think would benefit from having these holy items and it’s not easy for them to obtain for whatever reasons. Dharma gifts to others are the most meaningful.
We even went to Kinokuniya Bookstore in KLCC shopping mall which is huge. It is a Japanese originated bookstore… it is fabulous. I like it a lot. They have a large Buddhist section there for Books… and bought alot from there too… I recommend Kinokuniya for Buddhist books.
After the gift buying spree, we went to eat… and at the end of the meal Jean Mei surprised us and say she wants to offer dinner. Very thoughtful and sweet as she is 23 years old!! Generous when young is a good sign..
Well gotta sort out everything now… Tsem Rinpoche
Look at this unique 16″ porcelain statue of Dzambala I found today… nice gift for someone later… hmmm… who??
I practice four times a day every day. I study and work hard. Although I love beautiful Dharma things, I cannot afford them. It doesn’t matter. The practice, the opportunity to learn from my own guru while I still can. tThat is my reward.
Hey Patricia…that is beautiful. Well you got the best gift in the world which is your guru..and if you gain attainments, everything will be at your feet….no better gift to oneself than attainments. Thanks for sharing…TR
Thank you, Rinpoche
Right
One’s Guru is the most precious thing in all the World. All good things come from there.
Dear Rinpoche: Though I’ve never met you in person, you’ve given me the greatest gift I’ve ever received. Thank you!
Recently I feel that everything is a gift! Whether I deserve it is a up for debate. I think that as long as I continue to move forward with my practice I will be able to see even more “gifts” around myself. More importantly I hope I will be able to see the unique gifts of others and help them cultivate them.
I take my every day gift from your youtube channel!
It is so difficult to find Dzambhala statues here in the U.S. – do you have any suggestions where they might be found??? This one is LOVELY, like the twenty-something version of Dzambhala! Be well, Rinpoche!
Hi Pamela,
FPMT.org has one: http://shop.fpmt.org/Dzambhala-Polymarble-Statue-4_p_493.html
Usually they have more, or snowlionpub.org does, maybe they’re out of stock.
Thank you Rinpoche! This sharing is already a gift to me in this beautiful morning when i open my eyes.
Looks like some incredible Dharma items, but what are they doing lying on the floor? Aii yii yii!!!
How do we ‘win’ these items? hehe. i already was fortunate enough to receive a Lord Tsongkhapa poster from you…which I admire regularly. I bow before it and petition Lord Tsongkhapa to protect my apartment and the entire apartment complex whenever i am leaving town. I have complete faith that it will be so. I put it in my bedroom, which is very colorful and somewhat Tibetan. I love that room. Just an hour and a half ago i received a nice asian style plant stand for a beautiful bamboo/reed palm for one corner. I have an altar with jade buddha and paper lanterns, one with Buddha eyes (Nepali or Tibetan style), and one with a cutout traced image of my jade Buddha, which i glued onto it. i want to get a Himalyan salt crystal lamp and some more Buddhist and Tibetan items. –Thank you again Rinpoche for your contribution to my colorful room.
I received some gifts from Rinpoche over a year ago and found his generosity so very inspiring. I was inspired to not only continue my formal meditation practices, but also to practice generosity with dharma. I don’t have much to give, but I find it wonderful to help my fellow practiconers by giving them dharma books and pictures of enlightened beings. I realize that as much of a blessing as the holy objects Rinpoche sent were, the greatest blessing was in his concern for my spiritual life, a concern born of compassion that knows no border or boundary. I am, as always, inspired by Rinpoche and rejoice in what he and his students are doing in Malaysia and around the world
Hahahaha….I can’t say I deserve a gift…but if a Chenrezig poster should find it’s way into my mailbox I’d see he got an excellent home:D
I like to call myself the “poor practicing buddhist”. I do not have a fancy alter, fancy items for that alter ect. However, I listen to my guru and practice the best that I can, with what I have. It might not be much, but I am giving my all and to me that is all that matters. To me life doesn’t revolve around material possessions but what you learn and how you apply it to your life (to better yourself and others).
thank you rinpoche that send my mun a wooden craft buddha shakyamuni and send me a manjushri tangkah as a great blessing.My parents have already set up an altar for buddha.May rinpoche longevity.
Rinpoche, thank you for the beautiful Heruka card. I received it from Jamie this morning, just before my swearing-in ceremony and I had it with me throughout. First thing Jamie said to me was, “I KNOW this card is like SUPER Chinese and it’s so not your style but look! It’s Heruka!” and she was totally right…super China-Chinese might not be my style but Heruka totally is, thank you Rinpoche!
So the beautiful Heruka card will have alot of significance for you and meaning. Keep it and remember Heruka and Mother Vajra Yogini was with you when you took on your Liaison’s oath to benefit many others tirelessly. TR
Like Patricia happily said, “The opportunity to learn from my guru while I still can. That is my reward.” A well commented response was given by our rinpoche to Patricia, “No better gift to oneself than attainments. If you gain attainments everything will be at your feet. Well you got the best gift in the world which is your guru…” It is the devotional relationship to the guru that makes real spiritual growth possible. It has been said that no matter how well equipped with disciplines and techniques, the ego, on its own cannot realize the truth, only the guru can grant you such realisation, as a gift of grace. Thus, to grant your attention to the guru is to receive the guru’s grace and to realise the guru’s condition, in order to achieve your ultimate attainment to benefit all beings.
wow the dzambala statute is so amazing, this version is so different from what i usually thought he is fat and cute. But this is so beautiful
Dear Rinpoche,
Very interesting title…
Actually, if we look at it, we can’t really “deserve” a gift. If yes, then we acted to have the gift. But if the gift if gave with love, just love and kindness from someone, then we can’t say “I do not deserve your love”. Making a gift is a way to show love, when we want to express it in a other manner than just words.
I think, after much reflection, that it is our pride that says “I don’t deserve” “I’m not worth it”… because pride has two sides : to think we are so important that or to think we are not important enough for. I am the kind of second person, and actually I work on it.
But it can be as well a way to show respect to the giver, to show her or him that we hold them in our heart and that we do not need gifts to felt loved by them.
So we deserve a gift, as soon as it’s free. Your gift was free in a way… Thank you.
Thank you Rinpoche, I hope you are in better health and you received my letter.
I rejoice for those who receive gifts from Rinpoche.The gifts are blessed which makes them very special.
All of us had gifts from Rinpoche.What matters most is for us to learn,practice and transform.That applies to me too.