About the International Drikung Kagyu Council

The main feature of the foundation is its impartiality of not falling into any subject of extremes or distinctions. Its purpose is to only serve the teachings of Buddha, particularly of the Drikung Kagyu lineage. Just as Bodhisattva Shantideva said:

“One medicine to dispel the suffering of all beings, the source of all happiness, the medicine for dispelling the suffering of all beings, is the teaching of the Buddha. May it remain for a long time. Again, just as the earth elements, space, and so on are being used to serve the well-being and purpose of limitless beings, so too may I offer myself to accomplish their purpose.”

All of our future activities will be based on holding to the principle of not falling into any subject of extremes or distinctions to a region or particular monastery, and our intent is extremely appropriate, as our objective is to look after the entire Drikung Kagyu lineage worldwide.

In regards to speech, we will speak only that which will be beneficial to the Drikung Kagyu lineage. In regards to action, we will never engage in any activity that will be harmful, and we are offering ourselves in service to the Drikung Kagyu lineage. Our aim is neither for gain nor for position, name, or fame, but solely to offer our body, speech, and mind to be served to the great, victorious Drikung Kagyu.

This society will serve the wishes of the two Holiness’ with humble minds and sincere aspiration. At the same time, we are not wealthy powerful leaders but rather very ordinary people who listen to the instructions of the guru and serve our lineage.

The life force and stability of the newly formed society will be through the guidance of the root gurus and encouragements from the Dharma friends and nurtured through the full support from the patrons and devotees. The principal responsibility before us now is to work to change the aspects of poverty in our society. Normally, when we speak of poverty, we refer to the poverty of wealth. But if we think carefully, there are several kinds of poverty: the poverty of material wealth, knowledge, and moral codes of conduct.

When we speak in terms of religious points of view, we can divide the poverty of basic materials for offerings, the poverty of monastic discipline, the poverty of skill and sincerity, and the poverty of realization and relinquishment of defilements. Therefore, step-by-step we must overcome those challenges and try to walk the wealthy path.

Our first step would be to work to change the aspects of poverty of basic material offerings or material wealth, as well as finding ways to overcome the poverty of discipline, moral codes of conduct, talents, and knowledge. These forms of poverty coexist because they are two interdependent phenomena. The main point to consider here is that we must encourage and train the people who are sincere, talented, disciplined, and knowledgeable. This is an extremely crucial point.

Individuals who are to be involved in the International Drikung Kagyu Welfare Council should be Buddhist and more specifically, followers of the Drikung Kagyu lineage. They should have sincere interest and faith in the lineage and the ability to take part in society without holding judgment that is nation- or gender-based. Their involvement in society is voluntary, and they have the right to resign as well.

The first volunteered Central Administration of the Society members will establish branches of the Drikung Kagyu Welfare Council in different countries. The society will be formed based on volunteers and/or specially requested individuals who have been invited to society as members. The branch societies will initially be established in countries where the conditions are available, and it is our goal to form societies in countries where there are followers of the Drikung Kagyu lineage. We will try to extend our membership around the world as much as we can.

In relation to ways to work on solving the poverty of basic material offerings or material wealth, there are several methods and aims. The primary aim of collecting wealth is not fulfilling this life’s desires. Rather, the foundation of this council serves to acquire the wealth of sustaining and upholding the teachings of Buddha, which are the sources of all happiness. The society will be a source of opportunities for all devoted, sentient beings to accumulate merit in a way that, with little cause, can bear great results.

If one is poor, it is very important to accumulate merit, and we should have a greater appreciation for those who offer their sincere intentions than the rich, who with ease are able to offer thousands and thousands of dollars. Whatever we do, our pure intention is crucial, and our actions should not be separated from it. If everyone acts with genuine intention, our society members will grow from one to ten, ten to a hundred, a hundred to a thousand, and so on. This kind of method is like the accumulation of drops of water becoming a vast ocean, which is good in theory. This way, we can motivate others by illustrating that with little cause they can create great amounts of merit for the future, creating a field for devotees to accumulate more merit. To further our work to ease the poverty of material needs, we will seek donations from different organizations that will enable us to assist the poor and support our work of protecting environments around the world.

Each regional chapter around the world would have its own bank account, and each society will collect funds from within its own region. Every month, a regional society will submit an accurate and transparent accounting of their collected donations to the central administration society, and the central administration must be informed of, and have access to, all accounts and accounting concerning each society’s fiscal status.

Only the central administration will manage the funds and make the decisions on how to use them. It is crucial that all bank accounts and accounting be completely transparent and that attention regarding the use of those funds going to projects without any waste is maintained.

In order to establish strong and stable authoritative chapters and central councils, it is necessary that we seek to employ the assistance of someone with the knowledge and past experience in the areas of management, law, and code to write authentic rules and regulations for the International Drikung Kagyu Welfare Council.

With the right causes and conditions, we will also arrange an International Drikung Kagyu meeting consisting of representatives from all the Drikung Kagyu monasteries and Dharma centers from around the world. At the meeting, the actual election of the second term of International Drikung Kagyu Welfare Council members will take place.

The purpose of the International Drikung Kagyu Welfare Council is to uphold, preserve, and promote the teachings of Buddha, particularly of the great Drikung Kagyu lineage. Whoever is part of this lineage, whether lay or monastic ordained, has an obligation to help the clan. This especially applies to our monastic communities who are residing in foreign countries such as Lamas, Rinpoches, Khenpos, retreat masters, and Vajra masters who must take part in this work. We request all of you to give us your guidance, participation, and full support of our work.

We are all doing service for sentient beings in accordance with the teachings of Buddha. Therefore, we will not take part in any activities based on accomplishing our own interest or purpose, and our work will not fall into any extremes. Rather, our actions and activities will only be based on serving the purposes of the Drikung Kagyu lineage. If we do anything beyond our promise, the Dharma Protectors will regard this with retribution. If we sincerely serve our lineage with pure intention and without hesitation, all of the Dharma Protectors will perform their activities towards our wholesome acts.

The International Drikung Kagyu Council was formed on a volunteer and democratic system and is a new seed. It is a seed which can grow only through the warmth of the rays of our two Holiness, who are the sun and moon from above, their nectar like a rain of advice and guidance from the Dharma friends with pure Samaya in the middle, and the spaciousness of the courageous and faithful patrons and devotees from below. We believe that if these independent causes and conditions arise, the perfect wish-fulfilling tree that accomplishes the beings’ purpose will grow. Whether we are able to accomplish this positive result or not, it all depends on our collective efforts and work. Briefly, a crucial point here is that we all must get along together harmoniously and cooperatively. We should engage in less idle chatter and apply ourselves to accomplish actual work. Before difficulties like those of the strong winds of a tornado, we should remain steadfast with unrelenting courage.

Just as space will never be destroyed, likewise the core teaching of the majestic Drikung Kagyu lineage will remain. One who is preaching that tradition, life after life, may they never separate from it.