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

（倒译）特稿：一位活佛的生活

    拉萨，9月7日（新华）-- 夏仲仁波切看上去跟任何18岁的人没什么两样：学习、辩经、爱音乐、打篮球、发微博，还学英语。

    然而，他不会出没于夜店，也不会让自己的理想沾染利己主义的色彩，比如拥有豪车或是成为巨富。

    他生活的动力就是度化众生。

    夏仲仁波切是一位活佛。

    独当一面的灵童

    夏仲仁波切1997年6月28日生于西藏那曲地区嘉黎县，父母是医生和教师。在2001年之前，他名叫索朗顿珠。

    三岁时，他被认定为第二十二世夏仲活佛的转世灵童，并从那时起在堪布（高僧）的教导下生活。他与父母保持着联系，每周会通两三次电话。

    他的成长岁月与常人无异，上过幼儿园和小学。大约12岁时，他意识到自己与同龄人不同。

    “我的责任比泰山还重。”他说，“作为活佛，我要普度众生。”

    藏传佛教有四大主要派别——宁玛、萨迦、噶举和格鲁。夏仲仁波切属于噶举派的一个支系达隆噶举派。

    活佛转世制度由噶举派始创于13世纪，16世纪中叶被格鲁派采纳。班禅和达赖是格鲁派创始人宗喀巴的世系传人。

    如今，活佛转世成为藏传佛教各教派普遍采用的传承方式。西藏现有活佛358名。

    达隆噶举派信徒以戒律严苛著称。小学毕业后，夏仲仁波切跟随堪布平措曲映开始了全日制宗教学习。

    2011年，夏仲仁波切进入在拉萨刚创办的西藏佛学院，成为首批密宗班学员，也是班上唯一的活佛。

    在色拉、甘丹、哲蚌三大寺继续深造是藏传佛教僧人的传统。三大寺均位于拉萨。夏仲仁波切是在哲蚌寺继续学经的。

    他的主寺达隆寺位于拉萨市东北约87英里的林周县。达隆寺建于1180年，是藏传佛教达隆噶举派的祖寺，现有约80名僧人。 “因为功课很忙，我很少回去，”夏仲仁波切说。

    达隆寺曾有三位活佛。随着一位去了海外，一位于2006年圆寂，夏仲仁波切成了寺里唯一的活佛。

    这座有835年历史的寺院正在改扩建。通常，活佛负责管理寺院事务。夏仲仁波切也不例外，尽管工程开工时他年仅15岁。

    工程最初的设计是新建一座活佛寝宫，后来又增加了佛学院、僧舍和大殿。地方政府对扩建工程给予支持，与达隆寺分担800万元（约125万美元）的费用。

    “我希望这将为僧人提供一个学习佛经、了解西藏的地方，还可以提供音乐、诗歌和英语课程。”这位活佛说。

    师生

    夏仲活佛的信众主要来自藏北农牧区。当他回达隆寺开大法会时，来者可多达两万人，希望得到活佛摸顶或吹气的赐福。

    听说活佛回来了，67岁的次仁卓玛热切渴望得到活佛的庇佑。在她眼中，活佛“遍知一切”。

    在孙女索朗措姆的搀扶下，她蹒跚着来到活佛面前，祈祷平安与幸福。

    索朗措姆说，尽管自己跟活佛同岁，但很崇拜活佛。在她看来，活佛是“可以倾诉的人”。“我无法想象没有活佛的生活。”她说。

    14岁的达隆寺僧人阿旺西绕每次见到活佛都感到“紧张”，因为活佛看上去“很威严、很厉害“。不过，他对活佛的羡慕胜过了紧张。“大家那么恭敬他，”他说。

    “我只是一个有佛性的普通人。”夏仲仁波切说，“如果让我重新选择，我也会选这条路，因为我知道了这条路对众生的利益。”

    活佛们必须比绝大多数僧人更刻苦地学习。每周六天、每天从早上6：30到晚上10：30，夏仲仁波切要学习佛经、语文、英语和历史，并参加辩经。作为一名活佛，他有单独的老师教习语文、英语和历史。

    “活佛聪慧，已掌握了噶举派的多数独特法门，还闻习了大量经文。”夏仲仁波切的堪布平措曲映说。

    觉醒之道

    尽管日程安排紧张，夏仲仁波切仍有自由时间发展其他的兴趣爱好。小时候，他喜欢读格林童话和安徒生童话。现在他对诗歌，特别是纪伯伦和泰戈尔的作品很感兴趣。

    因为酷爱诗学，他也自己写。“我非常喜欢用藏文或汉文写抒发心情和描写大自然的诗文。”他说。

    哲蚌寺每两星期有篮球赛。只要有时间，夏仲仁波切都会参加。“打球的活佛只有我一个。”

    去年，作为西藏青联的一员，他参访了上海和浙江。那里的高楼大厦给他印象最深。

    当身着红色僧袍的活佛走在上海街头，一个路人管他叫“穿裙子的男人”。

    “也是啊！”他笑道，丝毫没有被冒犯的意思。类似这样的经历坚定了他传授佛法的决心，他视藏传佛教为一种至善圆满的教育。

    “藏传佛教可以解决现代社会人们的焦虑。”他说。

    夏仲仁波切还学习藏医药。“这对众生利益比较大。”他解释说。“当医生也好，当僧人也好，都是非常殊胜的事业。”他说，“我们这个社会既需要医生，也需要僧人。”

    他将继续学习3到5年以获得格西学位，这相当于藏传佛教的博士学位。随后，他将回本寺钻研本派经文，然后闭关5年5月零5天。

    “唯有如此，我才能引领僧众度化众生。”他说。