Four Amazing Sons!!!!

Our last post ended with Tulku Urgyen's vision of the dakini. 
​"When he woke from the 'dream' he was surprised to see the dakini still visible at a slight distance. But as he gazed at her, she slowly disappeared. "

Why tell the story of Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche?

Tulku Urgyen was father to four sons (being a householder yogi rather than a celibate monastic).


Each son, as gifted as their father in learning and meditation, shared a ready sense of humour.



1

Son Number One, Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche was born in Tibet and escaped with his father and family, aged eight.
A student once asked Chokyi if he could read minds.


“No, no… I just watch your faces. They tell me everything.”  Then he added, “If you want privacy, relax your forehead.”



2

 Sadly, after a productive life overseeing monasteries, nunneries, and practice centres in Tibet, India, Bhutan, and Sikkim, the second son Tsikey Chokling Rinpoche died from a stroke-related illness in 2020, aged 68.


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3

Son Number Three, Tsoknyi, was born in Nepal in 1966.

Once during a retreat, a woman told Tsoknyi Rinpoche she felt tense, tight, and spiritually “not good enough.” He listened, nodded, and replied:

“First thing: eat more chocolate. Then meditate."

She burst out laughing, just as he intended. Then he explained:
“When the body relaxes, the mind stops attacking itself.”



4

Son Number Four is Mingyur Rinpoche, born 1975. 

An airport security officer once asked Mingyur, a robed monastic, what he did for a living.

Mingyur Rinpoche replied, smiling: “I teach people to do nothing, very well.” The officer stared, confused, and waved him through without further questions.


An interesting detail about Mingyur Rinpoche is that he suffered debilitating panic attacks from childhood until a young teen. 


Surprising, eh? Wouldn't you consider someone from a long line of meditators to be above such things? Aren't panic attacks for common folk such as us?


What's that all about?


Find out in the next post!