[The world known spiritual leader Dalai Lama having learnt from a Senior Sangha Member is said once to have called Guru Dharma Sangha as the Guru of his Gurus. For political reason, Dalai Lama cannot travel to Nepal. Yet his nearest spiritual seniors like His Eminence Tsona Rimpoche, His Eminence Lobsang Tulku Rimpoche and Geshe Nyima Rimpoche visited Nepal to pay darshan of Guruji during 2011.]
By Kishore Sherchand PhD *
On the first day I
was able to catch the first hand glimpse of Guruji’s arrival to Puja Venue at
about noon time. He looked bright and appealing but calm and seated in a lotus
position with a 25-30 feet large Thanka of Maitrya Nath Guru (His main Guru)
behind on the left and other Gurus behind his seat. It sounded to me, this is something
I never came across in the past and thousands lining up to receive blessing from
Guruji. He gave about a 10 minute Dharma Discourse (Dharma Deshana). While
hearing the discourse, it gave me an incredible feeling how a boy with barely 4th
grade education in a village school could speak extempore and non-stop without
any repetition otherwise a person is assumed to be well educated, well versed,
and having gained maturity with enough experience. During his complete 5 hours
stay, he was not moving his major
body parts at
all from his position except his head and hands while to offer blessing.
The Sour Side:
Later, during the day
while I was trying to help the Sangha to translate Guruji’s Dharma
Deshana into English, I noticed some sort of disturbing noise. Later I
discovered that some photographers and other media people were not allowed to
take his pictures. Despite this, some of them were taking pictures. It learnt that the media people were not invited and none were allowed to
take pictures except for those few in-house photographers because those media people were
not publishing true picture of Guruji. One of the senior Sangha members
said, the media always tried to send wrong messages in the past.
From the whole
incidents that occurred in Halkhoria, it gave me some kind of suspicion that
there could be somebody within the local Sangha who might be functioning not in
line with the true nature of Dharma. The request for the Halkhoria jungle be
declared a Dharmic forest, issuance of Guruji’s passport in the name of Dharma
Sangha was made to the Government. The Government was not responding to those
requests. The other issue was holding a Czecho-Slovakia woman by the name Marichi in captivity.
The passport issue in
Guruji’s new name became a sour episode as the mediamania continued to lash
out alleging him - how can Ram Bomjon’s name be Dharma Sangha ? It is a
procedural issue that could have been resolved through a proper channel. I
believe one can change his/her name through a proper Government procedure. Yet,
there should be no or little reason why the media should question time and
again on the status of his name. Guruji obtained this name during his
meditation from his own Guru and was revealed in the past speech he gave. The
government should have taken positively because we have witnessed some people
having name some other name and, if that is possible, why Dharma Sangha
not? Dalai Lama’s real name, for instance, is Tenzin Gyatso but he is known worldwide by
the name Dalai Lama. He travels by the name Dalai Lama. If the
Government has concerned about the validity of his new name, they could further find
out why this name became so important to him.
Through the Google
Group, I often did put my opinion on the Sangha people’s incompetence to follow
the government regulation for whatsoever reason. Despite the Central Committee
warning, some of the local Sangha members went staging street protest to demand of Guruji’s citizenship certificate in his new name. That was a turning point for Guruji
to decide leaving Halkhoria to Sindhuli and then to Patharkot and for the
Government to dismantle some of buildings in the jungle. The weakness remained
when the Sangha did not have a kind of legal advisory to deal with the
Government. That perhaps did not happen. Those people acted on their own
despite Guruji had not approved.
Guruji’s Divine Power
Guruji’s main
strength remains in showing the world at large, not only his uninterrupted
meditational strength without food and water which he did, but also his continued
spiritual discourse. Surprisingly, he has been able by writing his Dharma
teachings Pranidhan in Ratanpuri, The prayers of seven deities
of Dharma Sangha in Halkhoria, the coming one in Patharkot and many
others. His meditation and writings of his teachings had been disturbed several
times. He has been cornered to a situation under which it would be difficult to
continue to be constantly engaged in any further write ups. Khenpos who remained near to
him had to give up under those difficult circumstances.
He did show his
spiritual miracle like overcoming the poisonous snake bite during meditation,
setting himself into a fire still unburnt, curing a woman to give birth while
she was being rejected by modern medical science, curing a girl to regain her
speech, curing a baby girl from death with heart defect to bring to a normal
life and many more. These are few I could learn. His discourse of first Ashtasheel
(Eight Precepts) and later Agharsheel (Eleven Precepts) are incredibly
powerful for peace, nonviolence, justice and human dignity.
The Eleven Maitreya
Precepts (given on 28 January 2012)
Precept 1. Never
discriminate on the basis of name, appearance, complexion, class, belief,
community, power, position, or qualification; even discard differentiating between
the concepts of material and spiritual.
Precept 2. Having
become acquainted with the Eternal Dharma, the Path, and the Guru, respect all
religions and beliefs.
Precept 3. Forsake
lying, allegations, counter-allegations, belittling and spreading falsehood
through baseless gossip.
Precept 4. Forsaking
philosophies or ways that make boundaries of divisiveness and difference of
opinion, take up The True Path.
Precept 5. Following
The True and Perfect Guru Path throughout life, renouncing evil actions, always
remain intent in union with The Guru Essence.
Precept 6. Not having
reached Enlightenment oneself, do not seek to prove what it is with clever
words; and, while still in confusion, do not make others confused.
Precept 7. Renouncing
such demonic conduct as killing sentient beings and violence, consume unwholesome
food.
Precept 8. Do not
hold narrow-minded opinions about people and countries on the basis of national
identity.
Precept 9. Engaging
oneself in the pursuit of The True and Perfect Guru Path perform actions that
benefit the Earth.
Precept 10. When one
realizes the Truth, The GuruPath takes form, so achieve Enlightenment for all
Sentient Beings.
Precept 11. Staying
in the highest and deepest state of Pure Awareness be free from all bondage by having
understood within the self many precepts.
It is worth noting, Guruji has a spiritual power to write in Maitreya language: The
Maitreya language does not exist in this world. He is the only Guru
who can read and write it. Attempt was also made to teach someone but due to
its complexity it could not be accomplished. However, it could be a good idea to
explore by someone (scholar, University academician) who is interested in and
do some research on it. Possibility may arise to sponsor the scholar to
accomplish and publish.
Guruji’s Message of
Maitreya Buddha
Two thousand six
hundred years back Shakya Muni Buddha had prophesized the next coming Buddha
would be Maitreya Buddha who according to all threads of Buddhism resides now
in Tusita Heaven awaiting a descend to this Earth. Guruji in his speech
recalls that Matreya Buddha has been in this world up to four times but he left
leaving only his voice for this world. Then, in the Sakya Clan, Siddhartha
Gautama Buddha was born as the result of the previous meditation. Two thousand
years ago from now, he was killed while meditating. Soon after rebirth from his
mother’s womb, Ram Bomjan would go into meditation again. This is not the thing
that could be verified instantly and proven also, however, Guruji’s spiritual
discourse suggest that he is meant to give message of the arrival of Matreya
Buddha although the Buddhist followers and experts may refute this saying that
coming of Matreya Buddha is not yet ready.
Guruji Prevails, A
Gift to Nepal
Despite
all this and departure from Halkhoria, Guruji still emphasizes his
determination to go back to Halkhoria because that was the site where he gained
his spiritual strength, enlightenment at the highest order of Bodhisattva. The
Government aperture has not done much to his favor and his security but to
ignore him to the extent possible. May be the government is just at “wait and
see” until some kind of overwhelming pressure develops, national as well as foreign. The media by and large seem to be trying to distort his presence as a Sambodhi Dharma Guru, Maitreya Guru or any other Guru Rimpoche fearing
his discourse, spiritual strength, meditation practices have become so far and
wide that it could be a growing threat to others - those who do not want true secularism
in Nepal or those who continue to practice animal sacrifices mercilessly in the
name of GOD (Gadhimai festival, Dassain festival) or those who enjoy illegal
wood logging in Halkhoria forest, because, he fearlessly spoke to all these.
Emeritus
Prof. Dr. Joan Stanley–Baker from Tainan National University, Taiwan has dared
to come forward to refute in response to what she sees being chased by some who
don’t want to see Guruji’s widespread influence (Kathmandu Post, April 13,
2013):
“Guru’s devotees extend
far and wide, with many having become acquainted with his teachings on his
website. Often, his followers have the dramatic stories to tell. Beside his
broader base of supporters, Guru has his regular core devotees—made up of
Nepalis as well as foreigners—who say they have been singled out to form his
vanguard or Sangha, an entity charged with spreading Dharma.”
The world known spiritual
leader Dalai Lama having learnt from a Senior Sangha Member is said once
to have called Guru Dharma Sangha as the Guru of his Gurus. For political
reason, Dalai Lama cannot travel to Nepal. Yet his nearest spiritual seniors
like His Eminence Tsona Rimpoche, His Eminence Lobsang Tulku Rimpoche and
Geshe Nyima Rimpoche visited Nepal to pay darshan of Guruji during 2011.
One of the most
adherents of Guruji, A Korean - Canadian Dr. Moon Kim writes this way in a
local paper about Guruji,
“There are seven
Buddhas. First Buddha is Bipasipull, Second Sigipull, Third Bishapull, Fourth
Krushanpull, Fifth Krohamonupull, Sixth Gashapull, Seventh Shakyamuni Buddha
and the coming one is Maitreya Buddha. Guru Ram Bahadur Bomjon is Maitreya
Buddha. Many scientists, many spiritual and religious leaders are amazed at
Guruji’s ability of meditating years without drinking or eating. Out of
curiosity they make visit to Nepal to meet Guru Dharma Sangha.”
Rev. Junsei Terasawa
influenced by Leo Tolstoy and Mahatma Gandhi is a Japanese Nichiren Buddhist monk.
His sole purpose in life is to save the world from a great conflagration, and
so he has journeyed many places and led many peace marches around the globe
starting from Vietnam war to the present Iraq war. He travels every year
to visit Guruji in Nepal. He is popularly known by the name Peace Monk. In
October 19, 2010 he led representing Dharma Sangha along with others from
Nepal, India and China to Asanta, Kazakhstan and presented a documentary on Guru Dharma Sangha. He expresses
on Palden Dorje like this:
Namumyohorengekyo!
My heart is not ready to express publicly on Palden Dorje. I pledged to return
to his forests with some of my closest Dharma students from India, China,
Russia, Central Asia soon.
I am fully committed and ready to giving my life for realizing his vision for
World Peace. As he is silent and only gives his life example, I also want to act without much
word. Some profound preparations are taking place for now and we should be ready for
any moment of deepest world transformation ever in history.
- Jimsei Terasawa
Recently, one of the
devotees by the name Ramani Karin Luescher from Purna Ashram of Switzerland
writes this way:
“In
Nepal we witnessed the indescribable blessings of Maha Sambodhi Dharma Sangha
Guru to celebrate the 5 days of Puja in the village of Patharkot near Lalbandi.
About 30 hours we sat close together in the presence of Guru Dharma Sangha and
received 1 – 3 blessings per day. During these days about 270,000 Nepalis
requested his blessing. The people were standing in line for kilometers in the
blistering heat with babies on their arms. During the blessings Dharma Sangha
Guru remained seated in the same position for hours without drinking or eating
a bit. He treats every person in exactly the same manner …”
Despite many hurdles
he faced and scorching heat during Puja time or without adequate arrangement
for drinking water, food and shelter, the number of visitors for getting
blessing has always been overwhelming, domestic or foreign. It is said to have
noted that over six million (60 lakhs) devotees have so far requested his
blessing.
I would see
Mahasambodhi Guru Dharma Sangha, alias Ram Bomjon, Palden Dorje, could be
contemplated as a gift to Nepal, the mankind desperately needs in the face of
growing threats of war, violence, discrimination and many more, to project
Nepal as the Land of Buddhas that may have far and wide influence across the
globe.
* The author is an agricultural scientist trained at University of Cansas, United States and a social activist in Sacramento, California. He extensively writes on Buddhism and its importance to the world.
Related link: ‘THE BUDDHA BOY’ IS NEPAL’S GREATEST GIFT TO HUMANITY IN 2500 YEARS
Related link: ‘THE BUDDHA BOY’ IS NEPAL’S GREATEST GIFT TO HUMANITY IN 2500 YEARS