Visit of Lama Seunam of Mahamudra Ling, June 2005

When a practitioner who has spent 20 years of his life in retreat arrives at Dhagpo Kagyu Ling, one wonders what will be his vision of the situation he encounters.
Lama Seunam, a close disciple of Gendun Rinpoche, accomplished two three-year-retreats, and was then the first one, together with Lama Lekshe, to construct Mahamudra Ling, a long-term retreat centre. They spent 14 years years in meditation retreat.
Following the instructions of Gendun Rinpoche, which were confirmed by the 17th Karmapa, he makes a break now for several months.
He announced his visit to Dhagpo while the members of the community were in the middle of their annual week of summer retreat. On a splendid sunny Saturday, June 11, he arrived and spent two days with the community. As Jigme Rinpoche was absent, it was Lama Pourtsela and Lama Puntso who welcomed him, and together with the whole community he offered a mandala universe in front of the stupa. The elder Lama Pourtsela invited the two lamas of Mahamudra Ling for lunch, celebrating their happy reunion after all these years.
Lama Seunam repeatedly expressed his pleasure to be back « home » - the place where he had first met his master and had learned to appreciate Buddha's teaching.
He shared his time with the community by practising together, giving teachings and granting private meetings. Sunday morning he talked with the team of druplas and lamas of Dhagpo, exchanging opinions and experiences, and then met with the entire community for a teaching, where he extensively answered the numerous questions. See below for details.
Meeting with Lama Seunam was a remarkable experience in many different ways for everyone. The strong message given by his living example was that the Dharma has to be more than simple knowledge, it has to be a daily experience and practice – a lifestyle.
Lama Seunam left Dhagpo with the promising words: « see you soon! »

The enlightened attitude

• Whatever we do with the motivation of wanting to do good to others, whether it will be activity or formal practice, the fruit will be enlightenment.
• When we suffer along with others – this is not compassion. We have to look into our own mind. This will help us to understand others from within and have true compassion for them.
• Laziness indicates the lacking awareness of our own dissatisfying situation and of the suffering of others.
• Discouragement when faced with our difficulty to develop compassion: The suffering of others does not belong to us. But we have to develop an awareness of it and make efforts to bring forth the ability to help them.

Helping in a Dharma centre

• Everybody has to feel concerned by what is going on. That gives strength.
• Watch the efforts the masters have done in the past so that this centre can exist now . Be grateful and prepare for its futur.

The relationship with a lama

• Gyalwa Karmapa is aware of every single person and wants to help their spiritual development. There is no doubt about that
• The role of the lama is to act without responding to the expectation of people. The lama is compassionate, wants to help the student. The student has to open up, otherwise nothing is possible.
• The spiritual path is long, subtle and deep. That's why practitioners need a lama.

Advice for the practice

• Practice is something we live all day long, in activity or on the meditation cushion.
• Without daily practice, the mind cannot be stabilized.
• We have to go beyond our beliefs in order to get to know reality.
• Practice transforms our mind. But it is by our narrow-minded notion of practice that we impose limits to ourselves
• The Buddha's teaching is always there, always available. The teachings are not limited to the moment of formal meditation.
• If you want to renounce, you just need to understand that the only thing of value is the Dharma.
• Taking refuge is giving yourself a direction and ending up with another one.