BEGINNINGS
October-November 2007
Manjushri Institute : bone-chillingly cold in the English winter.
Lama Thubten Yeshe is remembered by students in Australia and England as a master chef, a linguist – and a psychologist. Lama Zopa Rinpoche makes a memorable impact on a student. Adele Hulse’s tales of the life and times of Lama Yeshe continue …
In July 1977 Lama Yeshe flew to Melbourne, where he and Peter Kedge were guests of Bea Ribush, Nick and Dorian Ribush’s mother. Bonnie Rothenberg (Ven. Konchog Donma) had moved Tara House into a large rented bungalow, and Dorian Ribush opened an organic food shop nearby. This was the very first shopfront business to operate on behalf of a center anywhere, and although some students worked very hard to make it a success, it lasted just one year. However, in that time it provided food for Tara House, half the costs of a large Shakyamuni Buddha statue, and paid for some solid antique library furniture for the center.
There was time for another meeting with Tibetologist David Templeman, this time at his house. “When Lama said he wanted to visit, I asked what we would do,” said David. “He said: ‘Oh, we’ll sit, talk, cook and make some tea,’ which was all we ever did. Lama was very helpful with my Tibetan language, going through texts meticulously with me. His pronunciation was just superb. He treated my efforts at classical Tibetan with great dignity and respect, and never glossed over anything.
“When we left the kitchen we walked into my little study where I had a collection of Buddhist statues, mostly unremarkable except for one that I had always treasured. It is just a misshapen lump of bronze about two inches high, but there is a shape to it, and with half an eye you can just make out Green Tara. I bought it in Nepal in 1969 after seeing it in a shop many times. Lama walked past my bookshelves and suddenly stopped in front of this statue. He immediately threw back his zen and prostrated on the floor many times. Then he said: ‘This is a very ancient and beautiful statue of Tara. You must always treasure it.’ And of course I always have, but it was as though the statue had called out and spoken to him,” said David. …
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