“How did Guruji encounter Buddhism?”, is a question that many people ask. At the age of 18 when he was still in the 1st semester at Udayana, a very strange thing happened.
He did not pass the Hindu subject test. After studying in Denpasar, Jakarta, England and France, Guruji remembers that it was the only subject that he did not pass. So the incident made an impression on his mind.
By not being accompanied by negative thoughts about Hinduism, Guruji’s sources of reading are mostly from the West, and most of his studies was also in the West. And as we know, in the rapidly developing intellect in the West, many people fall in love with Buddhism.
Understandably, because Buddhism provides a very wide space for the growth of the intellect. And a very bit of scary dogma. Guruji belongs to such a mainstream. In Hindu language, this is called jnana yoga.
The Bali bombings in 2002 then turned Guruji’s life upside down. From the material world to the spiritual world. From the outside world to the inside world. Guided by the grief of the Bali bombings, then starting to dig more towards the inner path.
An old sacred book in an ancient forest in Peru, which is located just behind the island of Bali, is right when it states: “There are no coincidences, only guidance”. At the beginning of learning to return to Bali after the Bali bombing, again there was a unique incident.
One of the former high school teachers sent messages many times for Guruji to come to his house. Upon arrival, it turns out that he is a psychic. As soon as he saw Guruji, he immediately spoke in a disjointed voice.
His esophagus is the size of a ping pong ball, but the message that comes out is bigger than any ball. Because it was not clear, this former math teacher took a paper and a pen. To write his sacred messages.
And asked Guruji to come to Borobudur in Central Java on the date, month, year, hour, minute and even seconds. It turned out to be true, at that second there was “SOMETHING” in Borobudur which was kept secret until now.
After that incident, Guruji often took the time to stay at the Manohara hotel, which is located right next to Borobudur. Strangely, I always meet Tibetan Masters there. Even though we never made an appointment.
One morning, there was a Tibetan monk doing Puja at the top of Borobudur. As the energy and vibrations feel so peaceful, Guruji joins in and sits in the back. It turns out that he is the chanting master of HH Dalai Lama. In other words, it was the ceremonial leader HH the Dalai Lama.
Because of this situation, Guruji joined a meditation retreat led by a Tibetan Master in Jakarta for 5 days. Still in the early 2000s. And for 5 nights in a row, always a dream of flying. Just like a childhood experience that often dreams of flying.
Guided by this curiosity, Guruji did dream yoga many times over the years, asking to be shown which living Guru should be respected and followed. And no other Master ever appeared. The same teacher always appears, namely HH Dalai Lama.
In a dream our relationship is getting closer, until one night Shivaratri he comes in a dream giving holy letters. On the night of Shivaratri the following year, again he came in a dream explaining the meaning behind the given holy letters.
Because his message was so clear, Guruji went to the Himalayas in 2008 to meet HH the Dalai Lama. The night before taking Dharma classes, something very secret happened. Which is usually experienced by Tantric Masters in ancient times.
Sure enough, when I saw HH the Dalai Lama in person, tears flowed profusely for more than an hour. And it caused Guruji’s shirt to be drenched with tears. As soon as Guruji got off the teaching site, HH the Dalai Lama walked towards Guruji.
Though HH Dalai Lama would meet somebody else, he actually touched Guruji’s head with a simple question: “Where are you from?”. When answered with an answer from Bali, the winner of the Nobel Peace Prize whispered softly into Guruji’s ear.
“You shouldn’t be here, because most Balinese are Hindus.” Guruji spontaneously replied back: “I dreamed of Your Holiness many times”. This time, the honorary citizens of the US and Canadian Senate answered spontaneously: “We have very strong karmic connections from the past”.
After returning from the Himalayas, Guruji explored the island of Bali slowly, imitating what Mahatma Gandhi did after returning from South Africa. Apparently, there are many temples that still keep traces of Mahayana Buddhism.
The most prominent is the Pegulingan Temple in Tampak Siring Bali. There the main pelinggih is Genta. A very sacred symbol in Buddhist Tantrayana. In Karangasem there are also a number of old temples with stupa shrines.
In Buddhist dharma language, Genta is the encounter of wisdom with compassion. It is a symbol of enlightenment. On the path of Shiva, it is the encounter of Shiva (consciousness) with Shakti (energy). Once every movement of energy is illuminated by consciousness, it is enlightenment.
Guided by the symbolic teacher, several times Guruji met the leaders and lecturers of Warmadewa University, Denpasar, they had deep respect. After opening historical records, in the 7th century when the archipelago was ruled by Sriwijaya, in Bali the leader was the Warmadewa dynasty, which had announced that the official religion of the island of Bali at that time was Mahayana Buddhism.
Invited by a Vihara in Jakarta, Guruji once attended Venerable Thich Nhat Hanh’s lectures in Jakarta. Sitting only less than 5 meters from where this Zen Master shares the Light. Again tears flowed profusely, soaking Guruji’s front shirt.
When Guruji was no longer young, there he understood one of Vivekananda’s messages: “Buddha is very intelligent when taking the essence of the Vedas”. It’s like taking honey from the essence of a flower, that’s what it feels like after studying and practicing Buddha Tantrayana for more than 20 years.
The results are very worthy of gratitude, the body is relatively healthy, the journey of the soul is relatively safe. Close family members are also healthy and safe. Later the family expanded into a spiritual family of Compassion whose loyalty was also amazing. Beyond words.
Refreshing the memory of close friends in particular, do not use this personal experience to change the title of religion. Because each person’s spiritual journey is unique. Can not be compared.
To borrow the advice of HH Dalai Lama to friends of the Church in the West: “Don’t be a second class Buddhist, be the first class Christian”. If a foreigner comes to the monastery, it is inevitable that he/she will become a second-class citizen. But if you carry out love perfectly, all christians friends will become first-class members of the Church.
Mahatma Gandhi gave the same advice. At a meeting in London, a foreigner asked this question: “Mahatma, can I become a Hindu like you?”.
This simple man with a very noble heart immediately replied: “Yes, but by becoming a member of the Church who has a very noble heart”. That’s why, close friends who asked permission to convert, whether to become Buddhist or become Hindu, were all given the same advice.
“Bloom where you are planted”. Bloom wherever life gave birth to you. Use the meditation teachings that flow through Guruji to beautify the inner garden of the soul. “Growing from a grumpy heart to a generous heart”, that was more than enough.
Happy Vesak Holy Day. May all beings be happy. May all beings be happy. May all beings be happy. May all beings be happy. May all beings be happy.
Photo: Buddha statues in the Ashram where Guruji lives in the hills in North Bali.
Music courtesy: Youtube Meditative Mind
