Feature: Life of a Living Buddha

LHASA, Sept. 7 (Xinhua) -- On paper, Shabdrung Rinpoche is like any other man of 18: he studies, debates, loves music, plays basketball, microblogs, and learns English. He will not be seen at nightclubs, however, nor do his aspirations feature the trappings of an individualistic lifestyle, such as super cars or great riches. His motivation in life is to deliver all living creatures from torment. Shabdrung Rinpoche is a Living Buddha.

SOUL BOY, SOLE DUTY Born on June 28, 1997, inLhariCounty,Nagqu Prefecture,TibetAutonomous Region, Shabdrung Rinpoche is the son of a Tibetan doctor and a teacher. He was known as Sonam Dondrup until 2001. He was identified as the reincarnation of the 22nd Shabdrung Living Buddha when he was three years old and lived under the guidance of khenpos (senior monks) from this age. He remains in contact with his parents and still calls them two or three times a week. His formative years were average, and he attended kindergarten and primary school. When he was around 12, he realized he was not like his peers. "My responsibility is heavier than a mountain," he said. "Being a living buddha, I should offer salvation to sentient beings." Tibetan Buddhism has four main schools-- Nyingma, Sakya, Kagyu, and Geluk. Shabdrung Rinpoche belongs to Taklung Kagyu, asub-schoolofKagyu. TheKagyuSchoolintroduced the reincarnation ritual in the 13th Century. TheGelukSchooladopted it in mid-16th Century. Panchen and Dalai are lineage disciples of Tsongkhapa, founder of theGelukSchool. Today reincarnation is the most widely accepted inheritance right among various schools inTibet. There are currently 358 Living Buddhas inTibet. Taklung Kagyu followers are harsh disciplinarians. After graduating from primary school, Shabdrung Rinpoche began his full-time religious education under Khenpo Phuntsog Choying. In 2011, Shabdrung Rinpoche enrolled into to the then-newly opened Tibet College of Buddhism,Lhasa. He was the only Living Buddha in the Vajrayana class.

Traditionally, Tibetan monks undertake advanced study in three main monasteries -- Sera, Ganden, and Drepung -- all located inLhasa. Shabdrung Rinpoche continued his studies at Drepung Monastery. His traditional seat is Taklung Monastery inLhundrupCounty, about 87 miles northeast ofLhasa. Built in 1180, it is the ancestraltempleofTaklung Kagyuand home to around 80 monks. "I seldom go back since I am so busy with my studies," Shabdrung Rinpoche explained. There used to be three Living Buddhas in Taklung Monastery, but Shabdrung Rinpoche is the only one remaining after one moved overseas and the other died in 2006. The 835-year-old temple is undergoing renovation and expansion. Traditionally a Living Buddha is in charge of temple affairs. Shabdrung Rinpoche is no exception, even though he was only 15 when the project broke ground. It was initially planned that a summer palace would be built for the Living Buddha, but the project has since expanded to include a Buddhist academy, new dorms for monks, and a grand hall. The expansion is being supported by the local government, which split the 8 million yuan (about 1.25 million U.S. dollars) bill with the monastery. "I hope it will provide a place for monks to study Buddhism scriptures and learn aboutTibet," the Living Buddha explained. "It will also offer music, poetry, and English lessons."

TEACHER, PUPIL Most of Shabdrung Rinpoche's followers are from farm and pastoral areas in northernTibet. When he returns to Taklung Monastery, as many as 20,000 people attend his dharma assembly, hoping that he will bless them by touching their heads or breathing on them. When she heard the Living Buddha was back, Tsering Drolma, 67, was keen to receive a blessing from him. In her eyes, he can "predict everything". Supported by her granddaughter, she hobbled to meet Shabdrung Rinpoche and pray for peace and happiness. Sonam Tsomo, her granddaughter, said that although they are the same age, she idolizes the Living Buddha. To her, he is someone she can "pour out her heart" to. "I cannot imagine my life without the Living Buddha," she said. Ngawang Sherab, a 14-year-old monk in Taklung Monastery, feels "nervous" when he is in the presence of the Living Buddha because he is so "sharp and dignified". His admiration, however, quells his nerves. "Everyone holds him in the highest esteem," he said. "I'm an ordinary person bearing light from Buddha," says Shabdrung Rinpoche. "If I were asked to re-select my way of life, I would make the same choice because I know it would benefit all living creatures." Living Buddhas must study much harder than most monks. Shabdrung Rinpoche must study Buddhist scripture, literature, English and history, and attend sutra-debates, between 6:30 a.m. and 10:30 p.m. six days a week. As a Living Buddha, he receives one-on-one tuition on literature, English and history. "The living buddha is intelligent," said Phuntsog Choying, Shabdrung Rinpoche's khenpo. "He has mastered many unique approaches of theKagyuSchool, and studied a large quantity of scripture."

THE PATH TO ENLIGHTENMENT Although he has a busy schedule, Shabdrung Rinpoche has free time to explore his other interests. When he was younger he loved reading the fairy tales by Grimm and Andersen. He is now interested in poetry, especially works by Kahlil Gibran and Rabindranath Tagore. Driven by his love for poems and essays, he pens his own. "I enjoy writing about nature and people's feelings in both Tibetan and Mandarin," he said. Every fortnight, there is a basketball match in Drepung Monastery. Shabdrung Rinpoche will always join whenever he is free. "I'm the only Living Buddha who plays." Last year, he visitedShanghaiandZhejiangProvincein eastChinaas a member of theTibetyouth league. The huge, towering buildings impressed him most. When he was walking aroundShanghaiin his red robe, one passer-by called him "a man in skirt". "It's true," he said smiling, without the slightest sign of annoyance. Experiences like this strengthen his resolve to share the teachings of Tibetan Buddhism, as he believes it to be the perfect education. "Tibetan Buddhism can cure the anxiety of modern life," he said. Shabdrung Rinpoche studies traditional Tibetan medicine as well. "It is essential for all beings," he explained. "These are extraordinary paths to take -- either a doctor or a monk," he said. "Our society not only needs doctors but monks, too." He will continue studying for the next three to five years to obtain the geshe, the equivalent of a doctoral degree in Tibetan Buddhism. After that he will study the Buddhist scripture of his school, followed by five years, five months, and five days of meditation in a cave. "Only by doing so, can I lead fellow monks to enlightenment," he said. Enditem

（倒譯）特稿：一位活佛的生活

    拉薩，9月7日（新華）-- 夏仲仁波切看上去跟任何18歲的人沒什麼兩樣：學習、辯經、愛音樂、打籃球、發微博，還學英語。

    然而，他不會出沒於夜店，也不會讓自己的理想沾染利己主義的色彩，比如擁有豪車或是成為巨富。

    他生活的動力就是度化眾生。

    夏仲仁波切是一位活佛。

    獨當一面的靈童

    夏仲仁波切1997年6月28日生於西藏那曲地區嘉黎縣，父母是醫生和教師。在2001年之前，他名叫索朗頓珠。

    三歲時，他被認定為第二十二世夏仲活佛的轉世靈童，並從那時起在堪布（高僧）的教導下生活。他與父母保持着&&，每週會通兩三次電話。

    他的成長歲月與常人無異，上過幼兒園和小學。大約12歲時，他意識到自己與同齡人不同。

    “我的責任比泰山還重。”他説，“作為活佛，我要普度眾生。”

    藏傳佛教有四大主要派別——寧瑪、薩迦、噶舉和格魯。夏仲仁波切屬於噶舉派的一個支系達隆噶舉派。

    活佛轉世制度由噶舉派始創於13世紀，16世紀中葉被格魯派採納。班禪和達賴是格魯派創始人宗喀巴的世系傳人。

    如今，活佛轉世成為藏傳佛教各教派普遍採用的傳承方式。西藏現有活佛358名。

    達隆噶舉派信徒以戒律嚴苛著稱。小學畢業後，夏仲仁波切跟隨堪布平措曲映開始了全日制宗教學習。

    2011年，夏仲仁波切進入在拉薩剛創辦的西藏佛學院，成為首批密宗班學員，也是班上唯一的活佛。

    在色拉、甘丹、哲蚌三大寺繼續深造是藏傳佛教僧人的傳統。三大寺均位於拉薩。夏仲仁波切是在哲蚌寺繼續學經的。

    他的主寺達隆寺位於拉薩市東北約87英里的林周縣。達隆寺建於1180年，是藏傳佛教達隆噶舉派的祖寺，現有約80名僧人。 “因為功課很忙，我很少回去，”夏仲仁波切説。

    達隆寺曾有三位活佛。隨着一位去了海外，一位於2006年圓寂，夏仲仁波切成了寺裏唯一的活佛。

    這座有835年歷史的寺院正在改擴建。通常，活佛負責管理寺院事務。夏仲仁波切也不例外，儘管工程開工時他年僅15歲。

    工程最初的設計是新建一座活佛寢宮，後來又增加了佛學院、僧舍和大殿。地方政府對擴建工程給予支持，與達隆寺分擔800萬元（約125萬美元）的費用。

    “我希望這將為僧人提供一個學習佛經、了解西藏的地方，還可以提供音樂、詩歌和英語課程。”這位活佛説。

    師生

    夏仲活佛的信眾主要來自藏北農牧區。當他回達隆寺開大法會時，來者可多達兩萬人，希望得到活佛摸頂或吹氣的賜福。

    聽説活佛回來了，67歲的次仁卓瑪熱切渴望得到活佛的庇祐。在她眼中，活佛“遍知一切”。

    在孫女索朗措姆的攙扶下，她蹣跚着來到活佛面前，祈禱平安與幸福。

    索朗措姆説，儘管自己跟活佛同歲，但很崇拜活佛。在她看來，活佛是“可以傾訴的人”。“我無法想象沒有活佛的生活。”她説。

    14歲的達隆寺僧人阿旺西繞每次見到活佛都感到“緊張”，因為活佛看上去“很威嚴、很厲害“。不過，他對活佛的羨慕勝過了緊張。“大家那麼恭敬他，”他説。

    “我只是一個有佛性的普通人。”夏仲仁波切説，“如果讓我重新選擇，我也會選這條路，因為我知道了這條路對眾生的利益。”

    活佛們必須比絕大多數僧人更刻苦地學習。每週六天、每天從早上6：30到晚上10：30，夏仲仁波切要學習佛經、語文、英語和歷史，並參加辯經。作為一名活佛，他有單獨的老師教習語文、英語和歷史。

    “活佛聰慧，已掌握了噶舉派的多數獨特法門，還聞習了大量經文。”夏仲仁波切的堪布平措曲映説。

    覺醒之道

    儘管日程安排緊張，夏仲仁波切仍有自由時間發展其他的興趣愛好。小時候，他喜歡讀格林童話和安徒生童話。現在他對詩歌，特別是紀伯倫和泰戈爾的作品很感興趣。

    因為酷愛詩學，他也自己寫。“我非常喜歡用藏文或漢文寫抒發心情和描寫大自然的詩文。”他説。

    哲蚌寺每兩星期有籃球賽。只要有時間，夏仲仁波切都會參加。“打球的活佛只有我一個。”

    去年，作為西藏青聯的一員，他參訪了上海和浙江。那裏的高樓大廈給他印象最深。

    當身着紅色僧袍的活佛走在上海街頭，一個路人管他叫“穿裙子的男人”。

    “也是啊！”他笑道，絲毫沒有被冒犯的意思。類似這樣的經歷堅定了他傳授佛法的決心，他視藏傳佛教為一種至善圓滿的教育。

    “藏傳佛教可以解決現代社會人們的焦慮。”他説。

    夏仲仁波切還學習藏醫藥。“這對眾生利益比較大。”他解釋説。“當醫生也好，當僧人也好，都是非常殊勝的事業。”他説，“我們這個社會既需要醫生，也需要僧人。”

    他將繼續學習3到5年以獲得格西學位，這相當於藏傳佛教的博士學位。隨後，他將回本寺鑽研本派經文，然後閉關5年5月零5天。

    “唯有如此，我才能引領僧眾度化眾生。”他説。