In Appreciation of Dzongsar Jamyang Khyentse Rinpoche

HOW ZEN MASTERS FEED SHARKS

So few become full grown
And how necessary all the others
Gifts to the food chain
Feeding another universe

These big ones feed sharks

-GARY SNYDER


I remembered having read this Gary Snyder poem many years ago. Yesterday it popped up as a short comment in my mind, when an acquaintance of mine had expressed her displeasure about seeing so much of DJKR plastered all over FB. It's okay to be displeased, in so far as opinions are okay as merely opinions.  We don't need to make other peoples opinions our problems. If we do we will soon cease living our own life.

However, in some corner of my heart I felt hurt, not in a personal way.   I respect this precious teacher. And I likewise want to express my appreciation of his many activities. Why? Because he is not shying from giving himself away as shark feed, day in and day out.  You just need to watch the body language on the many videos, especially when he covers topics such as 'the role of the vajrayana in today's world'.  When I watch these videos, and I am sure it's a very personal reaction that few will share or need to agree with, I see him presenting himself and his words as if making an offering to hungry sharks.
 
And who are the sharks? We are. The immature 'dharma ending epoch' students who can't sit still, who can't shut up and be silent, who don't know how to listen... and who form opinions about a million things we don't understand, and then blabber them out, without even thinking.

By the way, when I talk about him making an offering, please do not misunderstand as if I wanted to paint him as victim.  Far from it.  Victims cannot make offerings, only sovereign beings can.