A Story narrated by Gyatrul Rinpoche
By Sri Kamakoti Mandali on Mar 3, 2012 | In Oriental/New Age
Those who decide to practice in burial grounds may do so in
order to train in the illusory nature of the manifestations of gods
and demons. One attempts to eliminate the inner delusions through
this method. There is a well-known account of a practitioner of
chod (exorcism of grasping to appearances). While a lama was in the
burial ground practicing, deeply engrossed in his meditation,
mantra and use of ritual instruments, along came a thief who tried
to steal his bag and some other possessions. While attempting to do
so, the thief became very frightened. Overcome by fear, he took out
his knife and sliced off the head of the practitioner while he was
deeply absorbed in practice. When the head dropped off and hit the
ground, he thief became horrified and ran far away. This chod
practitioner, who was deeply involved in the unity of appearances
and emptiness, thought that this was just a false apparition
manifesting as an obstacle. Without a second thought he just
reached down, picked up his head and placed it back in position
while he continued on with his practice. To him this was just part
of practice. When his meditation was complete, he put his
instruments away and went back home.
A few days later, he was out circumambulating at the stupa
nearby and the same thief saw him there and recognized him as the
very yogin whose head he had sliced off, he was overcome with
remorse and terror to see him alive and well. If he hadn’t said
anything, it would have been just fine; but, unfortunately, he went
up to the yogin, and prostrated himself, confessing what he had
done. The yogin immediately got doubt about it and he said, “Oh, so
you’re the one who really came and cut off my head.” With that
thought, his head fell off and he died.