What Ordinary
Beings See

In 1986 and 1/2 of 87 I was treated for depression with a strong medication used for ‘treatment resistant depression.’ In March of 1987 I received meditation instructions from a student of Trungpa Rinpoche. She led a small group of us and I found Trungpa Rinpoche’s books and teachings very helpful. I got off the medication and stopped seeing the psychiatrist, partially due to listening and hearing, contemplation and meditation. By the winter of 1988 I was ready for taking refuge vows. A friend in the meditation group, who was a student of Trungpa Rinpoche’s, suggested I go to Chicago when Khenpo Karthar Rinpoche would be at the Chicago KTC giving the vows.

I went and just showed up unannounced. I put my name on the refuge list. When, during the ceremony I went up to receive my name, Rinpoche looked at 3-4 cards before giving me my card and name. The name is “Diligent Loving Kindness/Jampa Tsondru.” Over the years it has helped me see that depression has two aspects: anger toward yourself and laziness. The remedy for anger is loving kindness and the remedy for laziness is diligence…….Two years later Rinpoche’s book “Dharma Paths” is published. I had a beard for 17 years, shaving it off about 6 months before the refuge ceremony. My given name is John. On page 223 this paragraph jumped out at me. Rinpoche is talking about experiencing emptiness for the first time.

“To illustrate this, suppose I am told about a person named John. I have never seen John before, but ever since I heard about him, I have imagined he had a beard. The moment I see John and notice that he has no beard-even if I have just a glimpse of him-the confusion in my mind of thinking John has a beard is simply eliminated. I do not have to use any other force to eliminate it; I now know John has no beard. Similarly, we overcome 112 confusions by realizing emptiness for one kechik.”…If he is referring to me, he had no ordinary way of hearing about me.