Samdrup's Mom

Here is a litle story about the mother of Samdrup, the caretaker of the guesthouse and a very friendly monk. Like the monastery's lama and many other monks, he and his mother are from a remote himalayan area high up in the mountains called Nishang. Once Samdrup told me about his mother.

Samdrup

When his mother was getting a litle bit older, a lot of her friends and relatives started dying. Frightened by the prospect that she would also die one day and not knowing what to do at the time of death, she decided she should really start practicing the Dharma.

Luckily a great lama, who spent a lot of years in retreat, was residing in the area. So she decided to ask for instructions on how to practice and go on retreat. Her family was very supportive, and they told her she would not have to worry about food and other things. Traditionally in Buddhist cultures, the kindness of the mother is used as the prime example of compassion, and thus one should do everything one can to repay her kindness. So they build a litle hut, with only a small opening through which they could give her food.

Not having received much Dharma education, it was very difficult in the beginning, and often she didn't understand the instructions on how to practice and meditate. She told Samdrup and others: 'Since I was quite old when I started retreat, it was very difficult for me. My channels [the energy channels in everyone's body] where all rusty. You guys are young, you should do retreat now while your channels are still flexible!". But she persevered and finally spend about 10 years in retreat. Now she's back home again, and always radiating with joy. And she is not afraid of dying anymore. That was the story of Samdrup's mom.