A Sangha Sharing Tribute

For His Holiness Lungtok Dawa Dhargyal Rinpoche

In the last hours before putting together this issue, VOCL asked a handful of sangha members to share a sentence or two about what first came to mind regarding their own experience of being with His Holiness, the 34th Menri Trizin. Please enjoy the montage of voices below.

We invite YOU if you're inspired to send us a few words of your personal experience to be shared with everyone in the next issue of the Voice. Just This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .


Blessed to have been taught by the 33rd Menri Trizin and now continuing with the 34th, I felt a renewed and reinforced commitment to the teachings and the practice of Bön.
                                                                                    —Michael A. Riley, Chatham, New Jersey

The visit of His Holiness was truly an exceptional event. As one of the organizers [of his visit to Poland] I had my hands full. However, all of the work was done with extraordinary ease and I myself felt like floating in clouds, feeling truly happy and blessed all through this incredible time. The atmosphere in the center was remarkable, too, as if we were all in a beautiful dream. It is only now that I’m slowly realizing that I was in fact there and that I am a part of this wonderful family.
                                                                               —Barbara (Basia) Baczynska, Szczecin, Poland

Meeting His Holiness at the summer retreat was . . . as peaceful as the sky, as special as a rainbow, as natural as seeing our teachers walking from the gompa after teachings.
                                                                                           —Aline Fisher, Fredericksburg, Virginia

When listening to His Holiness the 34th Menri Trizen and Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche teach side-by-side for two weeks at Serenity Ridge, the opening line of the Refuge Prayer came to me often: “I take refuge in my kind and knowledgeable lamas.” This is it! The blessings of the Bön lineage overflowing in the 21st century, borderless across languages, time and space. 
                                                                                             —Bob Clark, Charlottesville, Viriginia

I met His Holiness in Berlin shortly after my mother had passed. I told him about it and offered him a peony, fruit and grains from my garden, which seemed to give him joy. He said he would do some prayers for my mother, which still fills me with gratitude. It was beautiful that he then taught on Sherap Chamma, the mother of wisdom and love, in Berlin.
                                                                                                  —Anja Benesch, Berlin, Germany

It means so much to me that he trusted our capacity to understand even when we may have appeared lost and confused, giving us teachings and blessings with full and abundant generosity. And I will not forget that he asked us to be kind.
                                                                                     —Kathleen Michel, Charlottesville, Virginia

Diving into the wisdom of Longevity Practice of Lama Tsewang Rigdzin from His Holiness sparked a unique experience of my mind. I also had an opportunity to meet His Holiness in person – I was astonished by his great kindness, openness and a unique ability to connect with people instantly. The event gathered over 350 people. When reciting the longevity mantra, one could feel the power and qualities of the Bön sangha. I went back home with new energy and dedication and a better understanding of how important it is to connect with the real teacher.
                                                                                            -Tomek Stuczynski, Pszczyna, Poland

I was moved deeply many times throughout the two-week retreat at Serenity Ridge. There was sweetness and a strength that filled the room when His Holiness entered the gompa each day. So much wisdom and shared generously when he taught the Three Heart Mantras to us. His laughter was genuine and infectious. I smile when I think of his smile. It was beautiful to witness His Holiness and Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche working together to translate and bring these teachings to us because as they did this I could feel their connection deepen. Remembering this visit fills me with joy. 
                                                                                   —Kathy Hayden, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Lungtok Dawa Dargyal Rinpoche, a beautiful Bön geshe whose life changed drastically overnight,  appeared to wear this new mantle of Menri Trizin with such grace and kindness that I had the sense that he is more than up to the immense task of devoting the rest of his life to ensuring the preservation and flourishing of this timeless stream of love and wisdom of Bön that has been passed down uninterrupted through the ages. 
                                                                                            —Jeff Fisher, Fredericksburg, Virginia