Building KKTC a personal view by David Cull
Going to India July 8th 1972
Sitting in Canada with thoughts toward the building of temples.
Form sometimes has to give way to the need to get it all down; and the immediate impossibility of complete
accuracy because the mind moves with the breath; too fast.
The breaks and changes are interruptions of continuity, impositions of word order, forced rhyme to lead me
further into a forest of my own opinions. Horror of their familiar faces enclosed in darkness - - - language
unknown, history forgotten.
the very stone turns
inward/ eye of
flesh/ gaze fixed in the imagination
of a public vision, independent of the words we utter
but this dream of temples reoccurs - - -
an offering by those who build
for what they seek to enter
doorway out of suffering
a ferry-ghat or landing place
for crossing over . . .
the perfect gesture of compassion
empty, unpremeditated and completely beautiful
to let some grace
knit back these broken passions
and reveal the next step;
words reflect/
a flash of order in the pattern.
pattern.
By September of 1972 I had been given a year in India courtesy of the Canada Council who graciously agreed to finance my plan to complete gNundro practices in traditional Buddhist pilgrimage locations, and write about the experiences.
There was also a strong intention to shift the focus of the search for a piece of rural land with enough self-sufficiency potential to support a Dharma Centre, from British Columbia to New Zealand. My long time friend, Virginia, had already moved to that country, looking for land to build a centre for Sazaki Roshi on, and urging me to get there quickly so that we could work together.
20 Nov/72
Full moon tonight. H H Karmapa should be in Bodh Gaya by now. Or maybe its tomorrow night. Anyway, soon. It would be a great blessing to meet His Holiness again and ask about the plan to go to New Zealand and bring Lama Karma Thinley there. He would no doubt see the inside of my head a lot more clearly than I can.
6 Dec/72
The Karmapa came yesterday. Quietly, in a Bihar Transport Corp. bus with a party of 12. I was sitting in the temple and didn't see the arrival. Perhaps possible to see him today. Last night, or rather the night before he came, a very clear dream of talking with him, in a western place and manner, say on a hill above Vancouver, or somewhere like that, suburban; with lawns and houses. But he was explaining about dakinis, and was accompanied by several.
Interview this morning. Many blessings. He looked through my Pe Cha and said 'very good'. I sat dumbfounded, not asking any questions, while several other Westerners prattled on about their meditations.
9 Dec/72
Finally went to see H H Karmapa. Afternoon. Wandering around the Tourist Corp Hotel after a 2 hour session in the temple, I found myself in the 'waiting room' where H.H. was dealing with westerners who had managed to get that close. After a few moments, he motioned me into his private quarters for a long discussion. I explained my options fully and he decided NZ was the best possible idea. Gave full blessings and predictions that the temple would blossom like the bowl of yellow and red flowers the mali (gardener) at that moment brought into the room as an offering.
He gave me a letter with his seal authorizing me as his 'spiritual representative' to NZ. Also 2 photos of himself and 2 of the refuge tree, signed and sealed; one set for the temple, one for my personal shrine.
One of the young tulkus came in (about 6 years old ?) with a fistful of snail-shells from the river and gave me one -- very auspicious, the doctor pointed out. And he also stressed that when I came into the view of H H earlier that evening, here, the Dr. had said, this is someone looking for the gate, but H H said 'no, show him in, this is an important matter that can be solved in a couple of hours'.
He says to go soon, as soon as may be possible, since Dharma projects of this kind attract opposing energies very easily. But the predictions are for success. And a photocopy of the letter is to be sent to LKT as soon as possible.
Arriving in New Zealand |
