At noon of September 9th, 2009, His Eminence Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche received Master Noritake Shuunan (the Abbot of Reiun-in Temple of the Myōshin-ji of Rinzai Zen Buddhism in Kyoto, Japan), Minamikei Okajima (the nun from the Honko-ji of the Myōshin-ji of Rinzai Zen Buddhism), the Master Xuan Shu (one of Abbot Noritake Shuunan’s disciples in Taiwan), and the accompanying dignitaries at the Glorious Jewel Buddhist Center in Taipei. Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche instructed that all the ordained disciples to receive Master Noritake Shuunan and the accompanying dignitaries at the main entrance of the Glorious Jewel Buddhist Center. First of all, Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche extended a welcome to Master Noritake Shuunan, the Abbot of Reiun-in Temple, to the Glorious Jewel Buddhist Center and bestowed the following teachings upon the 200 present disciples of the Glorious Jewel Buddhist Center: Master Noritake Shuunan is the abbot of Reiun-in Temple, which is a very important and very old Buddhist monastery in Kyoto. This time, Master Noritake Shuunan traveled to Taiwan for the flooding disaster at special request of a Buddhist group in southern Taiwan. Since even a master in Japan, a place which is far away from here, concerns for Taiwan so much, we Buddhists in Taiwan should thereby make more efforts. It is immensely admirable that Abbot Noritake Shuunan, who is already in his seventies, still makes efforts for some of his beliefs with perseverance.

Next, Master Noritake Shuunan addressed: I’m very glad to come here to visit Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche. I’m also grateful for this grand welcome meeting as well. In addition to attending the prayer ceremony in Linkou held for the 10th anniversary of the 921 disaster and for the 88 flooding disaster, the most important purpose of visiting Taiwan this time is to meet Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche today.

Master Noritake Shuunan was born in Tainan, Taiwan; therefore, Master Noritake Shuunan just felt as familiar with Taiwan as he was coming back to his hometown. Master Noritake Shuunan said with a sense of humor: “My temperature taken at the main entrance of the building was 40 degrees centigrade. It must be due to the passion from you all! However, the person who took my temperature still let me in. I don’t have the flu, so don’t worry!”

Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche enlightened: “Taking the temperature is to comply with the government’s regulations. This is a place where Buddhas and Bodhisattvas dwell. There will be no problem.”

Master Noritake Shuunan highly praised, “Tibetan Buddhism is extraordinarily marvelous!”

Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche enlightened that Tibetan Buddhism comprises exoteric teachings and esoteric teachings. In Tibetan Buddhism, usually one has to practice exoteric teachings for at least ten years as well as perform retreat practices. It is not until one, being observed by his Guru, achieves the attainment of a certain state that Guru will impart the tantras to him. Tibetan Buddhism also emphasizes the learning of Flower Adornment Sutra, Diamond Sutra and Heart Sutra. It’s been depicted in the history that Master Milarepa, one of the lineage gurus of Drikung Kagyu, ever met Bodhidharma to together delve into the meditation practices. Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche also began his learning of Buddhism with exoteric teachings, mainly those of Zen and the Pure Land Sect. Although Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche has comprehended Buddhist Sutras, Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche still had not been able to achieve what is depicted in the Buddhist Sutras. It was not until Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche took refuge under His Holiness Chetsang Rinpoche and started to learn Esoteric Buddhism did Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche realize that Exoteric Buddhism is about the theories and principles of Buddha Dharma practices, whereas Esoteric Buddhism is about the methods to carry out the Buddha Dharma practices. The meditation practice of Drikung Kagyu Lineage is Mahamudra, which also comprises exoteric and esoteric teachings. There are four stages in the practice of Mahamudra and each stage can be divided into three levels; totally it is made of twelve levels. The highest level is to attain Buddhahood. Therefore, the ultimate attainment of practicing Zen, Pure Land Buddhism, and Mahamudra is all the same: attaining Buddhahood.

Guru Rinpoche had transmitted tantras to Tibet. Guru Rinpoche once enlightened that the karma of all sentient beings in the Dharma-Ending age are particularly severe; if not using more mighty ways, a guru could not subdue obstinate sentient beings; so tantras are needed for this purpose. Tantras comprise teachings of Hinayana, Mahayana, and Vajrayana. The dharma text of Mahamudra has stated the reason why it is more difficult to attain achievements by the methods of Zen practice. One needs to have a healthy body to practice Buddha Dharma. However, one’s body is a body of karmic retribution, resulted from both good and evil karmas. The evil karma will hinder us from attaining Buddhahood, and so will good karma. But in tantras, there are very special Dharmas of practices that can help to eliminate our karma and to remove the obstacles from attaining Buddhahood. So it is faster to practice the tantric teachings. In 2007, Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche conducted a retreat in the sacred mountains of Lapchi at 4500 meters in height, where the Great Milarepa had performed retreat practices. One night, Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche was suddenly unable to take a breath in and his heart beat stopped. Having been through such an experience of death, Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche was resuscitated so as to continue to benefit the sentient beings because of his tantric practices and the blessing of the Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, and the Dharma protectors. The extraordinary and incredibly powerful tantric practices made the present dignitaries gasp in admiration.

Although the dialogue lasted less than an hour, Master Noritake Shuunan looked concentrated and listened attentively, occasionally lowering his head to make notes, smiling from heart at insightful moments, or bringing his palms together to express his reverence and admiration to Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche.

Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche also asked Master Noritake Shuunan to take good care of his health while giving Master Noritake Shuunan precious Pu’er tea and gifts. This Pu’er tea, a national treasure in China, is very rare and extremely efficacious for preserving one’s health.

Following Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche’s enlightenment, Master Noritake Shuunan said to the disciples of the Glorious Jewel Buddhist Center, “You are very fortunate! You should all look forward to more teachings from Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche about the ways of attaining Buddhahood?”

Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche enlightened: “All phenomena in the three realms are of one’s own mind; one will attain Buddhahood when one’s mind realizes the true void.” Then Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche personally wrote these 14 Chinese characters with a calligraphy brush on the spot, and gave the treasured piece of calligraphy to Master Noritake Shuunan in person. Master Noritake Shuunan joyfully raised high the treasured piece of calligraphy presented by Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche. In return, Master Noritake Shuunan also presented Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche some gifts. Moreover, Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche especially enthroned the Dharma seat and personally conducted the rituals of Dharma Protector Achi for Master Noritake Shuunan so as to protect Master Noritake Shuunan.

Finally, Master Noritake Shuunan invited Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche to visit Reiun-in Temple when Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche arrives in Kyoto next time. This short meeting, which was also an exchange between Tibetan Buddhism and Japanese Buddhism, ended in a sublime and joyful atmosphere.

Updated on September 11, 2009