A few blocks down the street from me is Kagyu Droden Kunchab, a "Center for the Study and Practice of Mahayana and Vajrayana Buddhism," according to their site. I often see Lama Lodru Kinpoche and other monks in burgundy robes walking by on Fell Street.
They recently painted the center orange (ORANGE!), and moved their prayer flags from the roof to the front of the building, which I suppose is as close as Buddhists get to proselytising.
The new visibility made me want to learn a bit more about them, so I discovered and explored their site the other day. The lama's bio is amazing--Parts One, Two, Four, Five and Six are online, but Part Three seems to be missing. Still a great read:
I was born in 1942 in the small village of
Martam in Sikkim, which was at that time an independent kingdom,
located in the foothills of the Himalayas between India and Tibet......from about the age of 13 to 16. I was experiencing the pain and suffering that must be what an animal feels, without understanding or any sense of meaning. I had gone in a very short time from what seemed like the life of a prince to what felt like the life of a dog...
I began preparations to leave for Bhutan, where Kalu Rinpoche was conducting traditional three-year retreats close to the Tibetan border. I sold the only things of value that I owned: a Tibetan carpet, a silver bowl, and the retreat hut that I had built. These brought in about 50 rupees-not much!
...After completing six months of preparatory training at Bhutia Busty Monastery in Darjeeling, I began the next leg of my journey in the company of about 20 Bhutanese monks who, like me, were headed for the three-year retreat that was to take place at Chang Chub Ling in Bhutan...
My Bhutanese companions had made this journey before and were used to rigorous travel. They would start out before dawn, rest and eat lunch at mid-day, walk until evening, stop for dinner, then continue on until well after midnight, making the most progress at night. For me, it was an ordeal. Even in the best of health, I would have found it difficult to keep up with these swift-footed mountaineers, but because I had been weakened by tuberculosis, I constantly fell behind, especially at night, and had to struggle to catch up...
What took me two days of travel and every ounce of strength I had left took the Bhutanese monks only a few hours. Several of them made the trip to Chang Chub Ling and back several times, visiting with friends and family, and then taking turns to come back and help me through the remaining mountainous miles...
When I finally arrived, there was a festival honoring and welcoming my group to the monastery. There was abundant food and a wonderful atmosphere of homecoming. I remember feeling amazed that I, a complete stranger to these people, could be welcomed like a family member. Of course this was because I came with the recommendation and blessings of His Holiness Karmapa and His Eminence Kalu Rinpoche.
Even though I was greatly enjoying our happy arrival, throughout those festive days there was really only one thing on my mind: the three-year retreat. I felt I could hardly wait another day.
Unfortunately, that's where it ends. It's a Buddhist cliffhanger! The suspense is killing me. How'd the retreat go? And how'd he get to the States? I'll either have to wait for the next installment, or stop him on the street next time I see him.
2 Responses
Ed--
I am a long time member of KDK. I live in Portland, OR, but often work in SF. When I am in town working, I stay at KDK.
Lama Lodu loves to talk to people! Do stop him on the street and visit with him--he usually walks an hour a day, for exercise.
You can also call the dharma center and make an appointment to visit with him one on one.
I know--I, too, was surprised to hear that the building was painted orange--must look like typical neighborhood Victorians did during the Summer of Love, 1967---psychedelisized! Really, the Haight is stuck in 1967--I still wear my 8th grade tie dyed tank tops and bell bottomed jeans when I am visiting and staying there (and I turn 52 this week...)
Hi Stephanie--and thanks for the info. I will stop the Lama to say hi the next time I see him. I found his bio fascinating (although incomplete--I need to hear the rest of the story!)
I think the orange looks great--I hope you the photos do it justice. It's a refreshing contrast with a number of dull buildings in the vicinity, and a nice visual boost for the neighborhood. I expect you'll like it when you see it in person.