In March 2003, Harvey Feldstein and I travelled to Southern India to spend time with Ayang Rinpoche at his Bylakuppe monastery. The reason for the visit was to photograph and document some of his projects for a “How to” booklet we were intending to write for Rinpoche about fundraising.
It was 8pm and we had been called to Rinpoche’s quarters for our final meeting. We met him in the main room of his modest, three-roomed apartment, then situated above the temple. We sat at a large wooden table drinking sweet tea and asking questions and listening — fascinated to hear Rinpoche’s animated answers and elaborations.
Here was a modest man, quietly yet passionately explaining the myriad of projects the Drikung Charitable Society had undertaken and completed and I couldn’t help wondering if he was telling us a tenth of what he had actually achieved over the years.
This was a true secular approach, a cross-lineage, cross-sectarian view that basically said:
I will help people of all beliefs anywhere I can. This is Samsara. We must try…
What he explained was impressive, wide-ranging and even for a non-Buddhist like me, spiritually uplifting.
What Ayang Rinpoche was saying, was that helping people (the active implementation of loving-kindness) in a straightforward and tangible sense, was the most important Dharma practice a person could undertake.
If you feel you are able to help Rinpoche fund any of his many charitable projects please send us an email.