Father’s day was celebrated by Nepalese on Sept 9th, 2018. It is also known as KUSHE AUNSE or GOKARNA AUNSE. On this auspicious day, world-renowned Tibetan Buddhist teacher, Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche delivered a message to those celebrating KUSHE AUNSE.
Please turn on close captioning (CC) for English subtitle. Or you can also read the text (un edited) format below this video.
Text of the Closed captioning is below, and is not edited.
“Today is new moon day/night. Also called Father’s day. Likewise there is also Mother’s day and Teacher’s day. This tradition is very nice. On top of that we follow certain religions. In Nepal, there is Hinduism and Buddhism. Nepal is land of holy sacred sites. We are rich in these sites. Nepal is the birthplace of Buddha and there are many more of these sites. Words we used to communicate are also kind. Father, mother, sisters, brothers, grandparents, etc. Even if you are not closely related, you say that too others as well.
Main point for today is that many religious practitioners and followers came to visit me today (as it is Father’s day) with offerings of fruits and so on. I was touched by their gestures. They requested for blessings. Since we are chanting and performing rituals all day, I gave them blessings.
The utmost important thing to understand today is that our kind parents who love us the most, more than anyone else! Because of our mother and father, we grew up. Especially during our childhood, we played in their laps, then we needed clothes to wear and they provided us. Then we needed food, we were provided that by our parents. Later we required educations, they sent us to schools. Now those kids that is us have grown up. Our responsibility as practitioners is to making pilgrimage not only means to pay visit to the holy sites, it is not only about visiting monasteries of different kinds, it is not only about making butter-lamp offerings; there is one living deity. They accept what you offer, they eat what you feed them with, they wear what we provide; who are they? They are our parents (mother and father). So it is our responsibility to take care of our parents, spend quality time with them and feed them good food. Do not ever hurt their hearts. If you are able to do that and on top of that then your actions will be successful and fruitful. Then only you will receive blessings from your parents.
There is no subject worthy of your gratitude as much as your parents are. That’s why let’s serve our parents. One day when one of them passes away, crying for them will be for nothing. Even if you are hurt, it will still not make any difference. Even if you go to holy sites and remember your parents by imagining their reflection on holy water body, it is still not beneficial. Serve them while they are alive. Do not hurt them. Never make them feel sad. Then you will be actual practitioners. On top of that perform ritual acts. Then the love and kindness will flourish. Otherwise love, and kindness will not increase neither your knowledge will flourish. Therefore serve your parents as if they are living deity. Take care of them, be with them, spend quality time with them!
In this world who loves us the most? Who are kindest towards us? Whom shall we pay our gratitude to? Answer is our parents. There is no one like them. Therefore, recollect and remember their qualities. Do not ever hurt their hearts and make them sad. Then only engage in virtuous acts. Then only it will be fruitful. Otherwise, your acts will not bear the same fruit.
To be a good human being, you must always serve your parents very well. Otherwise your actions won’t be counted upon wholesome acts. That is because there is no one other than our parents who loves us the most, who are kindest to us and are most worthy of our gratitude. They have played utmost role in our upbringing. Those who don’t serve their parents well, they are not practicing genuinely. They don’t believe in Karma, they are liars; it is too difficult for them to be good. Therefore, remember qualities of your parents and serve them. Do not ever hurt them!
We took human birth. How did that happen? We spent 8-9 months in our mother’s womb. Our mothers were really kind and loving towards us. She went through so much suffering during that period. She took care of her baby more than herself. Thats how we were brought up. Once you are grown up and start making money. Once you are capable of taking care of yourself, if you start neglecting your parents, then there is nothing more unvirtuous act than that! No one is more stupid than you are! Such a person can never be a good human being, and they can not believe in Karma.
Therefore, we practitioners have three primary responsibilities. First to remember the precious loving-kind nature of your mother and your father. Remember their precious qualities! After them is your Guru (teacher). There are two kinds of Guru. The first kind are the teachers who taught you at schools-your educators. The next kind are the ones who taught/teach you Dharma. All three of them are supreme. Treat your parents as living deities!
If you have means to feed, then feed them good food. Give them good clothes (as per their liking) to wear. If your parents are aging, if they like wearing ornaments then provide them that. Not only your own family (partners and kids), also bring your parents with you to explore new places! If you do so, you will benefit in this life. Because of that, you will also benefit in next life. Here and now i show Dharmic activity should begin.
If we don’t learn to take care of our parents now, then those children will also not know how to take care of parents. Perhaps, might not want to do it. They might not understand this act of giving at all! That would really be unfortunate. Here in Nepal, most people are religious followers. Therefore, it is our major responsibility to not limit serving our parents only on specific days like Father’s day and Mother’s day. It is not enough to serve them and feed them good food just one of out all days. Serve them throughout your lifetime. Never hurt their feelings.
Therefore, firstly, remember your kind parents. Secondly, take care of your family (partners and kids). What is the way of bringing joy to your parents? One can not do so only by feeding them well. One can also do so by maintaining peace and harmony in the family. If a mother has a son and a daughter, it is also about maintaining good relationship with daughter-in-law and their children in case of the son and likewise with son-in-law and their children in case of the daughter.
If you all stick together, maintain peace, experience joy and love inside the family; that itself is Dharma. That happiness is worth more than money and prosperity! The rich are the ones who have this quality in their family. They are happy and they have harmony in their family! That is how we should live our lives. Please keep these in your hearts!
When anyone of your parents dies, shedding tears would have been too late by then. It would be also too late to visit pilgrimage sites like Gokarna and imagine seeing reflections of your parents in the holy water body! Therefore, maintain peace and harmony while your parents are alive!
If you are a practitioner and if you have obtained that peace in your family, it would be easier to engage in more Dharmic activities! If your family lacks peace and harmony, then if you want to engage in Samadhi (mental cultivation practice); it will not be fruitful. You will not be able to learn even if you intend to learn Prajnaparamita! Please keep this in your heart! Thank you! “
