Chapter Three: A Long Way back Home

As time came to the summer solstice in 1951, the lingering river, the branches swaying in the wind, and the lazy cats ... The summer in the Tuptin Monastery was so quiet and silent. The solemn halls were wreathed by the pleasant aura of pine incense, where the Little Norsok was ordained, who was now ten years old.

Little Norsok’s desire for the nectar of Buddhism to nourish his body and mind could no longer be suppressed. Driven by his own ambition to study and explore Buddhism as well as the support and high hopes of his family, Little Norsok resolutely embarked on the road of pursuit.

During this period, Little Norsok strictly abided by the Buddhist doctrines and the rules of the Monastery. In study, he was diligent in learning and thinking. Whenever he encountered something that he didn’t understand, he would endeavor to study hard and never hesitating to ask for guidance, even from someone whose knowledge seemed inferior to his. In the daily life, he maintained a kind heart, living true to his inner nature. The monks, no matter senior or junior, spoke very high of Little Norsok.

Within the first year in the Tuptin Monastery, Little Norsok managed to memorize all the rituals. When he studied there, he received the lineage and empowerments of many teachings such as Sakya’s Lamdre, The Path and Its Fruit, from Khongsar Larung Khenpo Ngawang Yonten Gyatso and others, which opened the path to Lamdre and Tri- Realms for Rinpoche.

In the year of 1956, fifteen-year-old Little Norsok was invited to recite Bardo Thodol, the Tibetan Book of the Dead, for a deceased man. From the sutra he then only knew a little about, he came into the understanding of the affliction of Samsara and the principle of living and dying for all. Looking at the tears-dripping patron and the cold corpse, Little Norsok was more than determined to seek a path leading to the relief of all suffering and the attainment of supreme joy.

A few days later, Little Norsok left the hometown with a little sack over his shoulder, traveled through thousands of miles to join his brother to study at the Sichuan Jiangma Buddhist Academy. He prostrated before Lamas who possessed wisdom, purity, as well as virtue, and studied diligently no matter day and night.

Tri-Aggregate Realms is unique to the Lamdre of Vajrayana. It is detailed in Sachen Kunga Nyingpo’s teachings on Lamdre. Tri-Aggregate Realms refer to three different aggregate realms, one being the natural aggregate realm surrounding those with wholesome roots, one being the blessed aggregate realm grouping the pious ones, and one being the aggregate realm enveloping the diligent practitioners. Blessing Induction happens within Tri-Aggregate Realms.

Chapter Three: A Long Way back Home