Korgnyer Lama & the Tale of a Bodhisattva Bee
Adventures of Attu & Rattu
In the early summer morning in Manali, sunlight streamed through the rusted steel mesh of the rickety window, casting a warm glow on the bed where Attu lay sleeping. The soft hum of his Ama la’s prayers, especially the rhythmic chant of “Oṃ Maṇi Padme Hūṃ,” gently coaxed him from his dreams. Peeking out from beneath his blankets, he murmured, “Morning, Rattu! Did you dream about today’s adventure too?” Rattu, with his eyes half-closed, wagged his tail lazily and curled up beside the bed, offering a sleepy but contented smile.
Ama la placed half a cup of tea and their favourite biscuits from the local bakery, fondly called Dus Numbri, on the table beside the bed. She kissed Attu warmly on the forehead and gave Rattu a gentle pat on the head. Still snug under his blanket, Attu reached for the newspaper-wrapped biscuits, broke one in half, and handed a piece to Rattu. The other half he dipped quickly into his hot tea before gulping it down.
After their little ritual of biscuits and tea, Attu tossed off the blanket and jumped out of bed. He slipped into his favourite red tracksuit, complete with a bright red collared t-shirt, a trunga draped over his left shoulder, red socks, and trainers with faded white stripes. Rattu, his dark golden fur streaked with a black line down his back, sprang onto all fours, ready for the day's adventure. Attu remembered what his father had once told him: “Rattu is the son of a wild dog from the high mountain jungles and a domestic pet from our neighbour's house.” Feeling proud of his intelligent, brave, and kind dog, Attu smiled. “You know, Rattu,” he said, “you’re like my brother. Your parents come from the highlands, just like mine.”
“What’s the plan today?” Ama la asked with a hint of curiosity. “I hope you won’t cause trouble for the neighbours with your adventures.”
“No, Ama la, we’re just exploring new places and hoping to hear some interesting stories from the people around,” Attu replied quickly. Rattu raised an eyebrow, as if he wasn't entirely convinced.
Ama la handed him a piece of bagleb stuffed with butter and sugar. “Eat it all, and no crumbs, please,” she said firmly. Rattu, content with leftover bones and thuklhak from yesterday, sat beside Attu by the wood stove. They quickly finished their breakfast and hurried to the door, Attu grabbing his chakkar as they set off for the day's adventure.
“So, what shall we explore today, Rattu?” Attu asked as they stepped out of the house. He quickly peeked through the window of the adjacent lhakhang, which belonged to Nyingma Gompa, just a few steps away from home. An elderly monk, Korgnyer la, with a sturdy build and a kind, radiant face, greeted the two mischievous adventurers. “What are you both up to today?” he asked.
“Well, Korgnyer la, we’re just starting our day. We hope to find some exciting stories!” said Attu, with Rattu wagging his tail in enthusiastic agreement.
“If it’s stories you want, I have a few in store,” Korgnyer la replied, a twinkle dancing in his eye. Attu and Rattu exchanged excited glances. “But first, you need to go around the gompa three times. When you’re done, come back to me, and I’ll tell you a story,” he added, a knowing smile on his face.
Reluctantly, Attu and Rattu stood up—on two legs and four paws, respectively—and made their way towards the gompa, just a few metres away. As they walked, Attu began spinning his chakkar, with Rattu trotting eagerly behind. “I wonder why Korgnyer la wants us to go around the gompa three times,” Attu mused, his imagination buzzing with possibilities. Rattu followed quietly, trusting that Korgyen la had something special planned.
They meandered along the old, worn path that circled the gompa, passing by the doors of their neighbours, including Agu Kekey. “Ngadro Delek! Starting a new adventure today, eh?” Agu Kekey called out, his voice warm and inviting. Attu and Rattu grinned back, excitement bubbling inside them.
As they reached the inner circle of the gompa, they began their kora. They spotted many elderly grandpas and grandmas already making their rounds, with trengya and khorlo in hand, softly chanting their mantras. “It’s lovely to see you both joining us today!” one of the grandpas remarked, a twinkle in his eye. “I hope your intentions are as good as your actions,” added a grandma with a kind smile. Attu and Rattu exchanged puzzled looks. “What do they mean?” Attu wondered aloud; his curiosity piqued.
With the chakkar creaking in his hand, Attu pressed on, Rattu bounding beside him, his tail wagging like a little flag of excitement. “We did it, Rattu! That was the third round, right?” Attu exclaimed, a grin stretching across his face. Rattu flopped down on the grass, panting happily, his golden fur glistening in the sunlight. “Shall we go back to Korgyen la now?” Attu asked, glancing back at his friend. With a burst of energy, Rattu sprang up, and together they made their way back to the lhakhang.
“We’re back, Korgnyer la!” Attu shouted as they reached the doorstep. Inside, Korgnyer la was busy offering water bowls and incense to the deities, including the serene statue of Buddha Shakyamuni. “Come in, both of you,” he called, waving them inside. “Just leave your shoes at the door—though that doesn’t apply to Rattu!”
Attu and Rattu crossed the small veranda and entered the lhakhang. Korgnyer la stood behind a giant prayer wheel that dominated the space inside the lhakhang. After completing his ritual, he turned to them, a knowing smile on his face. “So, did you do the kora with good intentions?” he asked, his eyes twinkling.
“One of the grandmas asked us the same thing,” Attu replied, furrowing his brow. “What does ‘good intention’ mean?” Rattu, too, appeared to ponder the question, his ears perked up in curiosity.
“Well, my friend,” Korgyen la said, chuckling softly, “let me share a story with you.”
Before Korgnyer la could finish his thought, Attu and Rattu had already darted over to his chair, plopping down with wide-eyed anticipation. “Well, gather around! This is a story of a humble little bee, and it took place long ago in a forest not too different from our own in Manali. But this wasn’t just any ordinary bee. You see, this little creature was, in fact, a Bodhisattva—a being on the noble path to becoming the kindest person on earth, dedicating its life to helping all sentient beings. But here’s the twist: he didn’t even know it! He just buzzed around, doing what bees do best.”
Attu leaned in closer, his eyes sparkling with curiosity, while Rattu tilted his head, as if trying to grasp the idea of a bee holding such an important role.
“One day,” Korgnyer la continued, “after a heavy rain had scrubbed the forest clean, the bee set out just like any other day, buzzing about in search of nectar from the fresh blooms. As he flitted from flower to flower, a delightful scent wafted through the air, drawing him closer to a chorten. Now, do you know what a chorten is?” Korgnyer la asked, glancing at the eager faces in front of him.
Attu nodded quickly, his eyes shining with enthusiasm. “A sacred place, right?”
“Exactly! A sacred structure that holds the relics of the Buddha. Well, this little bee was so enchanted by the flowers blooming near the stupa that he zipped over, excitement buzzing in his tiny wings. But,” Korgnyer la chuckled softly, “he got a bit too carried away and, without a second thought, landed smack dab on… cow dung!”
Both Attu and Rattu wrinkled their noses, clearly unimpressed by the bee’s rather unfortunate choice of landing spot.
“Yes, cow dung,” Korgnyer la chuckled, “and before he knew it, the dung—loosened by the rain—began to drift down a small stream. The bee, still sitting atop it, found himself embarking on an unexpected journey. As the dung floated along, it started to circle the chorten—yes, you heard that right—round and round!”
Attu giggled at the thought of the bee joyfully riding its rather unorthodox vehicle, while Rattu wagged his tail, sensing that something significant was about to unfold.
“Now, here’s where it gets truly interesting,” Korgnyer la said, lowering his voice conspiratorially. “As the bee perched on that piece of dung, something stirred deep within him. While they circled the chorten, he felt a wave of respect and reverence wash over him. Without even realising it, he began to hum softly, vibrating his little wings as if offering homage to this sacred place.”
Attu's eyes sparkled with delight, his imagination soaring, while Rattu let out a soft woof, seemingly approving of the bee’s instinctive devotion.
“Each time the bee circled the stupa, he accumulated merit—much like how we gather good karma through our positive actions. And do you know what the bee’s most powerful tool was?” Korgnyer la asked, eyes twinkling with mischief.
“His wings?” Attu ventured.
“Well, yes,” Korgnyer la smiled, “but even more than that—it was his intention. You see, even though the bee hadn’t planned to be there, his genuine reverence and the purity of his heart transformed that simple act into something profound. With every round he made, celestial beings looked down upon him, deeply touched by his dedication. They realised that even a tiny bee could play a part in the grand tapestry of enlightenment.”
Attu's mouth fell open in wonder. “So… did the bee become a Buddha?”
“Not just yet,” Korgnyer la chuckled, “but in future lifetimes, that merit helped him evolve. He was reborn as a noble being—sometimes a wise sage—always learning, always inching closer to enlightenment.”
Attu's eyes widened in awe. “So… did the bee become enlightened?” he asked, his voice a mix of excitement and curiosity.
“Ah, dear Attu, in a way, yes! The bee became a symbol, not just of hard work and persistence, but also of humility and respect for everything sacred. Even the simplest actions, when done with the right intention, can create ripples of positive energy in the world.”
Rattu let out a joyful bark, and Attu clapped his hands in delight. “So, it’s all about our intentions, isn’t it?” he exclaimed, a rush of excitement coursing through him.
“Exactly! Remember, whether you’re exploring new places or lending a helping hand, always approach it with a pure heart. Now, off you go, my little adventurers! Make some good intentions and enjoy the day!”, said Korgnyer la and stood up to get back to his prayers and contemplations for the day.
Attu beamed, his mind buzzing with possibilities, while Rattu, still lying down but now wide awake, gave a satisfied bark, as if he too had grasped a valuable lesson.
In a moment of deep contemplation, Attu and Rattu slowly rose to their feet, the echoes of their adventure swirling in their minds like autumn leaves caught in a gentle breeze. As Attu knelt to lace up his shoes, the wise words of the grandmas and grandpas they had encountered during the kora floated back to him: “I hope your intentions are as good as your actions.” Inspired by the heartwarming tale of the Bodhisattva Bee, a spark of excitement ignited within him. “Shall we make another round of the gompa, Rattu?” he exclaimed, his eyes gleaming with enthusiasm. With a joyful wag of his tail, Rattu sprang to his paws, thinking, “Perhaps I, too, might become a Bodhisattva!”
As the evening sun dipped behind the majestic Himalayan peaks, painting the sky in shades of gold and crimson, Attu and Rattu felt a surge of excitement ripple through them. The scent of Bakthuk wafted through the air, wrapping around them like a warm blanket as they ambled homeward, their hearts light and spirits high.
Inside, Ama la’s voice bubbled with warmth as she asked, “How did your day go, my little adventurers?” Her eyes sparkled with curiosity.
Still lost in the wonders of their day, Attu replied, “Wake us up early tomorrow, Ama la. We want to join you on the kora around the gompa.” He glanced at Rattu, whose tail wagged in enthusiastic agreement, a bright glimmer in his eyes. “Every day will bring me closer to enlightenment, just like the bee!” he thought, dreaming of the adventures that awaited them.
As they settled in for the night, Attu couldn’t shake the feeling that each small act, each good intention, would ripple outward like the echoes of a gentle prayer. With that thought blooming in his heart, he drifted into sleep, envisioning new stories waiting just beyond the horizon, with Rattu by his side, ready to explore the world together.
Glossary:
- Gompa (དགོན་པ་): A Buddhist monastery or learning centre.
- Oṃ Maṇi Padme Hūṃ (ཨོཾ་མ་ཎི་པདྨེ་ཧཱུྃ།): A sacred six-syllable mantra, associated with Avalokiteshvara, the bodhisattva of compassion.
- Trung-gya (ཁྲུང་རྒྱ་): Blessed threads and substances in Tibetan Buddhist practice. They are considered protective amulets and are often worn around the neck or wrist.
- Bagleb: (བག་ལེབ་): A traditional Tibetan bread.
- Thuklhak (ཐུགས་ལྷག་): A leftover noodle soup from the previous day, supposed to be more delicious.
- Chakkar: A handmade toy, usually made with a thin iron steel rod with a knot at the end. A small wheel (often repurposed from a vehicle) is inserted into the knot. The toy is operated by pushing the rod, with the knotted part serving as the base for propelling the wheel forward.
- Korgnyer (སྐོར་གཉེར་ ): A monk who looks after the temple or shrine.
- Agu (ཨ་ཁུ་): A Tibetan term of respect for an elder or uncle.
- Ngadro Delek (ང་དྲོ་བདེ་ལེགས།): A Tibetan word for Good morning or Morning well-being.
- Kora (སྐོར་ར་): A circumambulation or pilgrimage around a sacred site, often done as a form of meditation or devotion.
- Trengya: (ཕྲེང་བ་): A Tibetan Word refers to mala or prayer beads used in Buddhist practice.
- Khorlo (འཁོར་ལོ་): A handheld prayer wheel, usually stuffed with mantras, most commonly the mantra of Avalokiteshvara: "Om Mani Padme Hum." Spinning the wheel is believed to have the same meritorious effect as orally reciting the prayers.
- Bodhisattva (བྱང་ཆུབ་སེམས་དཔའ་): An individual who has made a commitment to attain Buddhahood for the benefit of all sentient beings.
- Chorten (མཆོད་རྟེན་): A Buddhist shrine, similar to a stupa, often containing relics or sacred objects.
- Bakthuk (བག་ཐུག་): A traditional Tibetan noodle soup.To read the intent behind this post, click here.