Friday, 06 August 2010
Last midnight, a series of cloudbursts hit Ladakh and killed many living beings. As far as I can remember, we have never experienced cloudbursts in Ladakh. We have only managed to gather Rs 300,000 to Rs 500,000 among friends in a hurry to go to help the victims, whatever that is needed we have to do immediately. I was told that Choglamsar and Leh have been very badly affected and because we have never experienced this kind of disasters so we are not prepared. I wanted to go there immediately to see what could be done as soon as I received the news when it happened, but all the flights were cancelled and roads were blocked. Besides worrying and praying, I think we better act now, tomorrow is too late.
There is no point worrying, planning and budgeting. This is the time to act and to help. Saving lives is something that cannot be delayed. Since this morning, we were all so busy trying to find ways to help. But of course, the government, the army and the volunteers in Ladakh have already been very busy since the disasters happened.
I feel and strongly believe that Ladakh is my homeland because I have been spending a large part of my life and many lives in the past in Ladakh, therefore even though this is a natural disaster that we cannot seem to avoid, it is very sad and painful for me. Of course we believe in karma and maybe it’s due to our past negative actions that we are experiencing the suffering now, but that doesn’t mean that we cannot help. As I said, I have sent the monks and nuns to the flood areas this morning, I wish that I could be there too physically to help them. I have been sending a bit of funds to help them. Here, I am getting a lot of updated news by sms, telephones and through many means. Just a few hours ago, only 17 people were killed, and then just awhile ago 50 people died and now 100 people died, it is suspected more than 100 people were killed. So we have to help as quickly as posisble. That’s all I am sure about. I am not interested in knowing numbers, I am interested to help imemdiately.
This is the thing about us, ignorant beings. When we do bad or harmful things, we don’t have to plan, budget or consider the outcome or calculate how much damage we have done. We just act and do whatever things as what our ego tells us, without planning or budgeting. But when we want to do good and beneficial activites, then many committees will come and say many things and actually and eventually become obstacles. This is how sometimes we really miss the opportunities to help others and to accumulate merit and wisdom. We don’t know how to grab the rare opportunities of the fruits and seeds for future benefits. Anyway, I am proud my friends and students are always smart enough to catch the opportunities to do beneficial activities for the benefit of all other beings.
Earlier on, we have been helping with natural disasters happening in Gyekundo, Sichuan, Mymmar, Bhutan and different places and many of us never thought that Ladakh, considered to be one of the last Shangrilas on this earth, will suffer from this kind of disasters. We have never heard of cloudbursts. We know that there is a huge problem due to the melting of glaciers which is of course due to global warming. As I said, our Mother Earth is very sick and we don’t care. We have been carelessly and selfishly exploiting it and misusing it, this is the result of our exploitation. Don’t you ever think that what is happening elsewhere is independently the suffering of the people there. We are all interconnected. If glaciers melt faster, if these kinds of floods or whatever you call it, bursts or explosions of clouds, happen more often, those billions of beings below Himalayas will truly have a lot of difficulties. These photos tell a lot more than my own words.
Whoever is interested to help, they should contact Live to Love immediately at info@L2Love.org. This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . On behalf of my lineage and my monastic and lay communities in Ladakh, I am thanking all of you in advance. Besides the disasters, we should also be helping with the preventive measures, tree planting is very important to keep our environment healthy. I know that the Pad Yatra website has already done 1 page about this, you can feel free to support us through planting a tree as well.
I don’t have much news to share at the moment, because we are all very busy mobilising people on the ground in Ladakh right now. I want to thank Zangmola who had gone to Ladakh 2 weeks ago to help us organise the tree planting project, and now she is running everywhere to help the nuns. She just sent a message to me saying, “Please pray, as it is thundering again. Heavy dark clouds hovering.” We will all pray together that the nightmares will be gone soon from Ladakh. I want to especially thank Gen Odsel and more than 150 monks from Hemis, following my instructions immediately without any hesitation and without any doubts or fear for their own lives, they rushed to the affected areas and gave their help. This relief and aid effort could not have been possible without these monks of ours. I am so proud of my monks and I am so proud of Gen Odsel who is genuinely practising Bodhicitta without fear and without any doubt. With complete devotion, he followed. Many people talk about devotion and dedication to the lineage and some even cry to beg for my longevity, but when it comes to listening to my instructions, they argue, debate and try to fight for stupid reasons. Anyway, I should not say such things here but I have been very discouraged by some of the remarks. Fortunately, there are only a handful of these people. Majority of my friends and students follow, these are the people who passed the tests.
I can’t do anything except writing these little news, to encourage all of you to join and be involved to help. I am here just to raise attention. pray for those people who have died, and pray that those beloved ones left behind will not be suffering any more. Not only you can help by giving materially or sharing your sympathy, but please remember to share your sincere prayers. Many of the people we know are truly very much affected and devastated. I am leading nuns for a short Pad Yatra for 3 days to the holy sites in the Kathmandu valley, and we will dedicate virtues for the victims. I would like to invite all of you to join in the spirit, not physically. This is going to start in Nepali time tomorrow, at around 12pm.
Source : www.drukpa.org
