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46 EASTERN HORIZON | FEATURES

Thai Theravāda tradition, could Vajrayāna Buddhism be
The two things a little too exotic and esoteric for a typical Malaysian?

all Buddhists Losang Dragba Centre, where the interview was
taking place, was an epitome of the rich and complex
derivation of Tibetan Buddhism. The prayer wheels at
need to know the porch, the sand mandala at the door step, various

deities and protector Bodhisattvas inside the main
By Lim K. Fong hall, the lotus flowers, conch shells, golden fish, victory

banners, endless knots etc outlined the gamut of colors
Along the pathways leading and symbolism which could easily overwhelm the
to the staging room where senses of a neophyte.
His Holiness the 104th
Ganden Tripa Lobsang There seems to be so much to know and to learn.
Tenzin Rinpoche, supreme Where to start? Why Vajrayāna Buddhism need to be
head of the Gelugpa this complicated?
tradition was waiting, were
lined by great protectors of And therein lies my dichotomy: Amidst all these chaos
Tibetan Buddhism. of symbolism, could there be some simple sound bytes
which define what it means to be a Buddhist? I asked
There was Tara, the “mother of liberation” and Rinpoche if he could give me just two things that would
Nagarjuna the founder of the Madhyamika (“Middle encapsulate the essence of Buddhism.
Way”) school from which Je Tsongkhapa would use as
platform to propel the Gelug school as one of the four With that soft smile of his, he turned and said, “Non-
major traditions of Vajrayana Buddhism. violent conduct and a correct view of dependent
origination.”
Between these powerful protectors laid the stairways
leading to the room where HH Ganden Tripa Rinpoche “These are excellent things to remember all the time.
was waiting. The staging room was regal. A small throne Dependent origination should not be viewed from the
was enshrined specially for Rinpoche. As I walked into aspect of abstract philosophy but in the understanding
the room, he was the first person that caught my eye. that everything is dependent on each other, for the sake
of harmonious existence. All things are dependent. Ever
The traditional ceremonial scarf khata was handed to more so in a multiracial and multi religious society like
me as I kneeled on my knees making the obligatory Malaysia. These teachings are not just for Buddhists.
prostration to a Buddhist teacher. As I moved towards They benefit everyone”, Rinpoche further elaborated.
Rinpoche, he put the khata around my neck. What he did
next caught me by surprise - he placed his palms on my As for non-violent conduct, which was pretty self-
cheeks as a loving grandfather would to his grandson. explanatory, Rinpoche linked it to the spirit of
He looked me into the eyes and let off a smile with love Bodhicitta. He says:
and kindness written all over it.
“We start by understanding that all beings - not just
There and then, a compassionate awakening beckoned. humans - want the same thing. We all want happiness
So this is how it felt to be embraced by the loving and not suffering. We need to equalize ourselves with
kindness of a guru from the Himalayas. others, seeing that we ourselves are the same with all
sentient beings in wanting these very same things.
Rinpoche’s simple act rendered any preconceived ideas “When you view yourself as one person and others are
that I had of Tibetan Buddhism moot. Coming from a countless, you can easily see that the benefits of helping