“Love and compassion, it’s called the universal religion,” says Geshe Phuntsho, explaining the concept of Buddhism. “You don’t have to be Buddhist or Christian or Hindu or Jewish. Anyone want to have a good heart, they want to generate that good heart.”
Phuntsho is part of a group of Tibetan monks from the Gaden Shartse monastery in South India who are touring Cleveland now through June 30, hosting public events and offering individual services like blessings, spiritual counseling, guided meditations and teachings.
Attendees to the public events will hear lectures on topics such as “Maintaining Peace In Difficult Times” and “Karma: Cause And Effect.” You can also watch the monks build mandalas, attend a group guided meditation, or even request individual services from them. Most of the public events are free to attend but $20 donations to the monastery are requested.
Phuntsho said the money will be used to build a new education facility for the thousands of monks who attend the monastery. It costs 50 cents to buy a monk a cup of tea, according to Phuntsho, “the best chai in the world.”
Listen in as Geshe Phuntsho chants a Buddhist prayer:
A Tibetan monk’s words of wisdom
People of all faiths can practice Buddhism, Phuntsho says.
“Buddhist is not, like, you follow some Buddha, no,” he explains. “Buddhist means as long as you have a good heart, you try to help others as much as you can. And if you cannot, don’t harm others. This is the call of a Buddhist. Not like, ‘I follow Buddhism, I’m Buddhist.’ No, it’s like, Buddhist means, you have to have the compassionate heart, loving and caring without any discriminations. That’s why you don’t make any distinction.”
Several of the lectures will focus on “dharma,” the monks’ teachings, like removing your expectations when doing for others.
“You can’t please everybody,” says Phuntsho. “If I am trying to please this one person, I am not pleasing all of the other people around and behind me. I am just showing them my butt,” he says with a bright grin.
“If you try to help the one which is behind, then you may miss out [on] the most important part in front of you, because in front is more important. Behind is a secondary part. So that’s why you do your best, whatever you face and do wholeheartedly. Don’t worry, because if you keep on while you are doing in front of you, if you worry behind, then you may not be able to do your service properly. Your energy, your focus, will be minimized. You focus. Keep your focus completely towards whatever you are doing.”
Hear more from Geshe Phuntsho on the role of ego in challenging situations and how changing your own perception of yourself and your ego helps reduce conflict:
Local yoga instructor hosts Tibetan monks
Judith Eugene is hosting the Tibetan monks during their stay in her home in Cleveland Heights. She is a certified yoga instructor and Reiki Master Teacher and offers a variety of wellness programs in her studio.
Eugene said she first got involved with the monks from the Gaden Shartse monastery in 2014 and has hosted them four times.
“It happened quite by accident,” she said. “I was copied on a group email the monastery sent out, saying a group of monks was coming to Cleveland and needed a place to stay. I didn’t know the first thing about Buddhism at that time, but I raised my hand anyway.
“After that first hosting in 2014, I asked the monastery how they got my email and they said they didn’t know. I like to think it was divine intervention.”
Eugene said she understands her experience is something most people won’t ever have the chance to do.
“Waking up in my home to the sound of monks chanting is incredible,” she said. “The energy of it is beautiful and indescribable. I also really love getting to see them behind the scenes. They are truly as peaceful and happy in their private lives as they are in public. They’re also very generous with their time and wisdom, and have helped me heal some challenging issues in my own life. It’s truly inspirational and enlightening to have them here with me.”
