On Monday 29 July we had the precious opportunity to meet Serkong Rinpoche, on the grounds of the Monastery, for a talk on "The value of having a Tibetan Buddhist Monastery in our country".
Rinpoche, who visited our hill in 2016, was amazed at the progress made in expanding the land available to the Monastery and considered it very auspicious
"The most important thing to create the conditions for this Monastery is the harmony of the Sangha, all other conditions are secondary” Rinpoche told us, recalling that the Buddha gave very precise rules for the harmonious coexistence of the Sangha in what is called the Vinaya, the “Basket of Discipline”.
“If a member of the Sangha abides in the Vinaya,” he added, “95% of the problems are solved.”
He asked us to commit ourselves to creating more and more opportunities to connect with the community: each member of the Sangha must strive not only in prayers, but to connect to the local community and also become a source of inspiration also for those who wish to take monastic vows.
One day, Rinpoche said, when the Monastery is built there will be three complete conditions: a place to study like at the Lama Tzong Khapa Institute, a place where it is possible to practise like the Monastery, with a harmonious monastic community within it and finally a wonderful environment to be in. “Therefore, nothing else will be missing for it to be a successful Monastery!”.
At the end of the teachings, Rinpoche answered some questions, the first referring to the Animal Sanctuary project, which we are planning to build precisely in this very olive grove, which is blessed with a natural water source, sharing what Lama Zopa Rinpoche himself, during his last visit to Pomaia in 2017, considered it important to build in addition to the Monastery.
Serkong Rinpoche confirmed that it is an excellent idea and that this activity will allow the Sangha, and those who want to dedicate themselves to it, not only to work to reduce their own mental afflictions but also to practise developing compassion for other beings.
Finally, to a question about the difficulty of cultivating harmony in a context where there are many problems, including mental ones, Rinpoche invited us to look inside each of us, remembering that our problems derive from mental afflictions, and that we can reduce them through the practice of the wisdom taught by Buddha.
In his great wisdom, Rinpoche reminded us of a passage from the fifth chapter of Shantideva's Bodhisattvacharyavatara:
"Where would I possibly find enough leather With which to cover the surface of the earth? But wearing leather just on the soles of my shoes Is equivalent to covering the earth with it." (st.13). "Likewise, it is not possible for me To restrain the external course of things; But should I restrain this mind of mine, What would be the need to restrain all else?" (st.14)
Rinpoche concluded his talk by reciting the prayer for the Flourishing of the Buddha's Teachingsand some dedication verses by Lama Tsongkhapa.
Finally, Rinpoche visited the olive grove and the natural spring, showing his pleasure in such a place and telling us that in India, they say that “if you have land and water, you are rich. And here you also have olives!”
May everything be auspicious! Sarva Mangalam!
The monks and nuns of the Sangha Foundation