She is called Khadro-la. Her title is Rangjung Neljorma – self-arisen dakini. She is also the state oracle of Tsering Chenga, the goddess protector of Tibet.
When I met with Khadro-la, the first thing that struck me was how kind, humble and beautiful that she is. As you can see from her picture, she glows. When she giggles, which she does frequently (similar to HH The Dalai Lama), it is an impish giggle, like she is sharing a private joke with you. Her channeled messages are cherished by HH The Dalai Lama and many of the high lamas in Tibetan Buddhism, including Lama Zopa Rinpoche. She is a sought-after speaker around the world for her wisdom, compassion, light and love.
Khadro-la, the State Oracle of Tibet. Photo (c) Piero Sirianni POMAIA (PISA) – Italy. Used with permission.
However, Khadro-la is one of the most humble VIPs you’ll ever meet. On January 14, 2018, when she walked a crowded pathway with Richard Gere in Bodhgaya, India, to celebrate the 30th anniversary of Root Institute, Khadro-la stepped onto the dirt to allow Gere and the others to walk on the sidewalk. Richard Gere stopped the procession, and politely gestured for Khadro-la to please walk in front of him. Bodhicitta (the desire to realize enlightenment for the sake of others) is not just a word or a mindset to Khadro-la. Putting others before herself is evident in the footsteps Khadro-la takes when no one is looking, in the breath and words that flow from her lips, even in private company. Her eyes are piercing, pointed and knowing, but warm, and accompanied with a smile.
When I met with Khadro-la on January 9, 2018, I didn’t know if I would be granted an audience for 5 minutes or 50 minutes. (It turned out that I was to be blessed with a 90-minute teaching, which I’m still in a bliss bubble about.) Here are a few nuggets of wisdom from that teaching.
Dealing with Unimaginable Loss
Khadro-la, I asked, “How does someone deal with a great loss, of unimaginable grief, such as when a parent loses a child?”
After acknowledging the loss, and saying that her heart was filled with compassion for whomever would experience such a loss, Khadro-la said that one thing that might be beneficial in the healing is to “dedicate your life to altruism, to serving others, to developing love, compassion and warmheartedness.” She continued, “This is so wholesome that it will create the natural result of more happiness.”
Actions Mean More Than Words
Khadro-la, I asked, “I see people who claim to know so much about compassion, dharma, Tibetan Buddhism and bodhicitta. Yet, after the teachings in Bodhgaya, when they meet a beggar child on the street, they push them aside and speak unpleasantly to them. I see no compassion in these actions.”
Khadro-la: “We can know all about the dharma, and explain all about the dharma. However, if we never actually put it into practice, then whatever we do and however long that we do it, it does not transform our minds. Basically, it remains useless. Actually, quite the opposite happens. Our mind can become very stiff, and our ego grasping and self-cherishing becomes even bigger.”
Standing Up to Aggression
Khadro-la, I asked, “How do we meet people who are trying to harm us, or who are being nasty to us, with compassion? Don’t we have a right to defend ourselves?”
Khadro-la: “If we do not have this very useful wisdom or precious mind of bodhicitta, if someone comes up to us and is very angry or insults us, our natural immediate answer will be to answer with anger. We engage in negative behavior. We say harsh words. We make wrong decisions. On top of this, because of our exaggerating thoughts that build up things, we exaggerate the faults of the person and fuel our anger. In this way, we are harming our minds and we are also harming our body. We get higher blood pressure. We create more suffering for the other person and for oneself.”
Khadro-la, I asked, “So what is the better response to this kind of aggression?”
Khadro-la: “Just as we suffer and we do not want to suffer, other sentient beings are exactly the same. They are overwhelmed by suffering that they do not want. When we see this and understand this, it immediately eradicates all violence and aggressiveness. Instead, we feel love and compassion. If someone fights with us, even if we did not do anything wrong, if we are endowed with this very precious mind, we can use our wisdom. We can understand their point of view. We can feel that this person is very upset. This person is very angry. They are unhappy. They are suffering. By using our wisdom in such circumstances, we can feel more love and compassion, be more honest and be more truthful. We can be more tolerant and patient. We see the reality. We can have more universal responsibility, even in the face of hardships and anger.”
The Value of a Kind Heart
Khadro-la, I asked, “What is the most important thing that we can do to achieve greater enlightenment?”
Khadro-la: “People try spiritually to achieve realization. The true realization is to achieve a kind heart. Other than that, there is nothing really that is useful. Nothing else. Realistically, there is good and bad. The things that we can completely trust, that will never betray us or fail us, are kindheartedness and bodhicitta.”
Tips for Meditation
Khadro-la, I asked, “Is meditation helpful in achieving a kind heart? Do you have any tips for meditation?”
Khadro-la: “Many people like meditation. Many people think of it as single-pointed concentration. In my opinion, meditation is to cultivate a habit of an honest mindset and a kind heart. If we develop and increase our qualities of kindness and honesty, we can get rid of so many different kinds of suffering. Otherwise, if we think we want to meditate, and we just sit still and we don’t think about anything in particular, then what we are doing is actually resting our mind, giving our minds a little break. But it is not very constructive or useful. It does not decrease our negative mindsets of anger, attachments, etc. It does not increase our qualities of kindness, truthfulness and wisdom. So, we might be able to sit still single-pointedly for four or five hours, but what’s the point? It’s like a pigeon!”
I wish that I could share all of Khadro-la’s teaching. Here I’ve only given a few tidbits. However, I hope that these snacks whet your appetite sufficiently to seek out opportunities to hear Khadro-la, the State Oracle of Tibet, speak in person. Whether you become a bodhisattva or just lower your own blood pressure and reduce the amount of arguments you have, Khadro-la has a lot of personal experience and lessons to help you get there. You don’t have to believe in Buddhism or oracles to appreciate the profound insights of Khadro-la. In fact, Khado-la stresses that kindheartedness has no religion, gender, or race.
Khadro-la doesn’t have a website yet. It’s coming soon. However, there are interviews with her in Mandala Magazine, and other features if you check around online. And if you’re committed to inviting her to offering a teaching to your group, I’m sure that karma will find a way to put the two of you in touch.