While this may seem like a repetition of my first post, I cannot help but wax poetic and utter superlative after superlative for what we are all experiencing here and now.
Our teachers are just amazing, that needs to be said, even if it goes without saying… perhaps I am getting lost in trying to avoid saying the obvious - I am blown away by the teachings and incredible Dharma being shared here. Karmapa is mesmerizing. Offering his unique and deep teachings, rich in texture and subtleties, humor and wit, never without a few examples of baking bread or Star Wars. He’s so funny! Sometimes the tangent he goes off on becomes its own magnum opus, and the whole room is reeling in laughter when he abruptly brings it back to the stanza he began with, giving us that smirk he does that makes the whole thing seem intentional. Such is the Karmapa, every word, every phrase is a teaching by itself, and his body language and physical presence are accents and highlights to his words.
Jamgon Kongtrul Rinpoche is something else too - his new found swagger and uniquely carefree demeanor are like a thunderbolt slashing through our concepts. He’s teaching Rangtong Madhyamaka, which is pretty heady stuff, and for this he prefers to speak in Tibetan with a translator. But he accents these teachings with English moments, when he wants something to be really clear, or he wants to make a funny analogy or story. He likened the myriad paths in Dharma practice to drinking Coca-Cola. Everywhere in the world, he said, Coke always tastes a bit different; more gas, less gas, more sugar or less etc. And this is like the different schools of Buddhism, the different lineages, the different vehicles - no matter what you practice, and how, it’s still the same Coke. “But this is not an endorsement for you all to drink coke, ok?” An enormous wave of laughter ensued, to the point that Rinpoche had a fit of giggles that went on, and on, and on. Such genuineness from a master as he, this I find to be perhaps the most impressive trait of all.
I can once again quote my intro here - Our teachers are just amazing. We can all take things for granted from time to time, but one thing certainly remains constant through all, our Teachers, and the Dharma itself, are truly incredible.
