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Interview with Khenpo Ratsa Geshe Tenzin Dargye: Living in Kindness & Compassion
by Anne M. Hamilton
Ghenpo Ratsa Geshe Tenzin Dargye was born in Jomsom, Mustang, which is now part of Nepal. At 14, he decided to become a monk. He studied in the Bon dialectic school and achieved his Doctor of Philosophy from Menri monastery in 1996. Afterward, he worked as the organizer of the Bon Children Welfare Center and the dispensary for 6 years. In 2002, he was transferred to Dhorpatan in Western Nepal. Among other good works, he has established a Tibetan medicine center to provide good health services in rural areas. Khenpo gives Bon teachings to Westerners and Asians alike. He is teaching a series of programs across the country for the rest of 2009. Please visit his website at www.khyungding.org
AH: It is it said that perhaps one of life’s most important decisions is choosing to be kind.
KRGTD: Kindness is important. We remember the kindness shown to us by our parents, especially our mother who carried us for nine months. In past lives, any of the sentient beings were our parents. We cannot fully comprehend this, but they all showed us kindness then. Therefore, we show kindness and compassion to other sentient beings. We help others in any way we can. If I think not about myself, but of how I can help all sentient beings, there is a benefit for my life. Our bodies dissolve in the earth. Consciousness never dies.You need to think, "How can I make the suffering scatter?" If there is suffering and fear, we ask, "How can happiness come?" We need to be compassionate in order to be happy. It’s very important to keep your mind peaceful, kind, and clear. Then any good thing you do to help other people has a good motivation and a good intention. It’s good for this life, good for sentient beings, and good for your future life. Generate kindness and affection. By doing so we solve the problems of all sentient beings.
AH: How do we live with compassion?
KRGTD: It isn’t easy to be born into a human body, but you can come back as a healthy human. In this world, there is Samsara – suffering. Samsara is anger, desire, ignorance, pride, and jealousy. They are the five poisons which grow inside of you. Samsara and Liberation – they are opposites.
Separate the worry, scatter it, and generate kindness and affection. We must practice the Ten Virtues: Stop killing, Stop stealing, Do not commit sexual misconduct, Stop lying, Stop slandering, Stop using rough words, Stop indulging in idle gossip, Stop coveting, Stop harming others, and Do not have the wrong view (Do not be a hypocrite). If a person is not kind, he can’t become reborn in human body. A person who does things like this doesn’t understand about kharma. His future comes and it’s a pity and a shame. In a future life, he won’t be reborn as a human.
Anne Hamilton is an author and the founder of Hamilton Dramaturgy. www.hamiltonlit.com
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