Lama Yeshe Losal Rinpoche - Rebellious Youth

Rebellious Youth

Meeting young American Peace Corps volunteers, Jamdrak became curious about the West. With the help of Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche and Akong Rinpoche he obtained a visa and plane ticket to travel to Samye Ling Monastery in Scotland.

His arrival in 1960s Britain coincided with the peak of the hippie movement. Jamdrak was to mix with the young, rich and famous people flocking to Samye Ling and he shared their hedonistic lifestyle with enthusiasm. His brother, busy running the monastery, tolerated his excesses hoping that he would grow out of them eventually.>

The turning point for Jamdrak was a fishing trip to Orkney with a friend. With his Buddhist upbringing, he was uncomfortable with the idea of fishing but he went along with it to please his friend and soon caught many fish while his friend killed them with a blow to the head. His friend took a proud picture of all the dead fish and showed this to Akong Rinpoche on their return. Akong Rinpoche was deeply sad at seeing this picture and lamented how he had promised their parents he would look after his younger brother and felt that he had failed.

This turned the heart of the young rebel back to the Buddha Dharma. He heard that the Karmapa was going to America at the invitation of Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche, and requested that he be allowed to join him on a tour of the United States and Canada. On the tour a Chinese benefactor donated a large tract of land for a Buddhist centre in New York State. Jamdrak was appointed secretary and treasurer. With many visiting lamas, Jamdrak had the opportunity to establish the preliminary practises of the four foundations. Wishing to take his practise further he became a monk in 1980, and was ordained by the 16th Karmapa, and named Yeshe Losal.