25.03.2020

Kalmykia Shazhin Lama Telo Tulku Rinpoche's on new coronavirus infection

Kalmykia Shazhin Lama Telo Tulku Rinpoche addressed Kalmykia residents. The address reads as follows:

“Dear friends! I am sure that all of you are closely following the news about the global pandemic of a new COVID-19 coronavirus infection that has spread across our precious planet and has affected thousands of people. The number of those who have fallen ill and died is increasing day by day. World medicine luminaries have no power to predict when a pandemic will come to naught, or to come up with a reliable solution to combat the disease.


The pandemic has dealt a powerful blow to the world community, changing the course of our daily lives and depriving us of any confidence in tomorrow. It generated fear, anxiety, stress and all the imaginable and unimaginable destructive emotions that have flooded our hearts. We have finally seen the volatility of our futures and how quickly and irrevocably life can change.

Let me share my personal feelings with you without going into details. The last year and a half has been difficult for me. Many events, many emotions. But I try to be optimistic and believe that we should not lose hope and confidence in our abilities. It is necessary to believe that we will be able to overcome all the difficulties that have fallen on our lot, whether now or in the future. Such an optimistic mood can unite people regardless of their gender, nationality or religion.
One of my hobbies is watching news about the situation in the world, and I have been watching the development of the coronavirus pandemic since its inception. At one point, I suddenly caught myself panicking as does everyone today. That’s interesting. In my own entire life, I did not experience fear of a pandemic. Rather, I thought, "I'll pick up the virus, so I'll die. That’s the way it is going to be." Then another thought hit me: "If I get sick, I will not only endanger my life but also the lives of other people."
How many innocent people will I pass on to this disease? What will they have to go through? What emotional and psychological suffering will I deliver to the people I love? How many human lives will be threatened by my carelessness?
Thinking so, I made the decision to fight the pandemic, based on the law of cause and effect, the law of karma. In fact, a pandemic can be fought by a weapon of awareness, memory, love for life, understanding the value of what we have, and caring for our common planet.
How can we prevent the spread of a pandemic? You need to follow the recommendations that are heard around the world. Remember to wash your hands with soap more often;, close your mouth and nose with a tissue when you sneeze or use a handkerchief or an elbow. Avoid close contact with people and observe the recommended distance. Instead of shaking hands - a widespread tradition in Russia - fold your palms in a gesture of prayer and silently read a prayer with good wishes.
That is the only way we can stop a pandemic. If we follow these basic measures that CAUSE the disease, we will be able to get the EFFECT - getting rid of the virus.
I'm a realist or, at least, striving to be like that. Many have asked me what prayers and mantras to read to prevent coronavirus infection. I answer them: it does not matter how many mantras and prayers we have to read. We can still get sick if we do not follow His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s recommendations: in order to purify the body, speech and mind to defeat the virus one should recite the Green Tara mantra "OM TARE TUTTARE TURE SOHA".
Finally, I would like to ask you to take care of yourself, cultivating love, kindness and showing compassion for all living beings and for yourself.
All of the above encouraged me to try my best to continue living a full life for the benefit of all sentient beings. Many times before, I have taken the bodhisattva vow, and now is the best time to generate bodhicitta. If I could come to that conclusion, so can you.
OM MUNI MUNI MAHA MINIYE SOHA
With prayers,
Telo Tulku Rinpoche