Buddha in Suburbia

This is the story of a man who lives a simple life in not much

more than a garden shed. He is no ordinary man. But Lelung Rinpoche,

a Tibetan high Lama or teacher. At the age of 14, he was recognised by

His Holiness the Dalai Lama as the 11th reincarnation of one of

Tibet's most senior teacher. Lelung is one of the three famous

reincarnated Lamas in Tibet, we call it "Pokyi Tulku Nam Sum". That

means the three famous Tulkus of Tibet. He is a man on an

extraordinary mission. To rescue his previous incarnation's

teachings, lost through the political upheavals of the 20th

century. Tibetan Buddhists believe these teachings provide a step by

step guide on how to reach enlightenment. Whilst some are lost,

the path remains incomplete. And it's not only the teachings that

Lelung Rinpoche must find, but the teachers themselves who hold the

And he finds himself here, in north-west London, with a daunting

task ahead and many responsibilities to juggle. From

his worldwide quest to his local Since the Chinese occupation of

Tibet, Tibetan exiles have settled all over the world. Lelung Rinpoche

came to the UK as teacher seven years ago. He ended up staying and,

It's not easy but I'm trying to combine between the two cultures.

Wearing the Western-style clothes and saying the Western way of

Every moment "thank you", "very For the last four years he's lived

in the garden of his student, reflexologist Connie Dusek, and her

The jokes do come of Connie with her lama in her garden. Connie and

Phil have got a lama living in their garden. I think people would

be less surprised if it was an alpaca-type animal and sometimes I

do let them think that. If the explanation's going to go on too

long. I can imagine it was quite intimidating coming here at first.

He's probably come out of his shell quite a bit since then. A lot of

the old clothes that I've passed on, handed down, he's happy to pick

them up. The next thing I know, he's wearing

them. He's got the full outfit on. Timberland boots or whatever.

Sometimes I remember like I came downstairs once, he was wearing a

pair of my brother's old jeans, a T-shit, that was quite jazzy. And a

pair of his trainers. I was a bit like, oh! Hi! Look what you're

wearing! I can see now that the Buddhist teachings are very

important and that they've got to be saved and that if I can help

Rinpoche make his life a bit easier here, and he can get on with that

work and not have to worry about just living, trying to survive here,

The previous Lelungs' teachings have spread far across South East

Asia from Tibet. Lelung Rinpoche is focussing his search on India and

Mongolia and trying to gain access It is the teachings of the 5th

Lelung, who lived in the 1700s, that he is most interested in. His

46 volumes contain instruction on everything from health, to deep

tantric practice. With clearly written steps on meditation and

unparalleled descriptions of It's a lot to digest, but like

everyone else, Lelung Rinpoche has still got to eat. It's not always

easy having a high lama in your midst, something that Lelung is

He's generally very respectful of us in terms of, he'll get up from a

chair and say "please sit down". I'm like, "no, I'm fine". He's very

aware that it's our house and to get up and stuff, which is

obviously hard because he's definitely not used to that. If he

was in India, he's a high Lama. He's very important. I feel very

luck that I met Connie and her husband and her family here. It's a

good example of English people. So I just pray or share my merit with

them. It's not just the Dusek family that he has a connection

with, but also with their two dogs, three cats, guinea pigs and pet

rabbits. Our animals love him always have. Even the ones that

aren't that friendly. When our cat was 19 and she was getting really

ill and starting to go. He literally put his hands on her, and

that was it. Gone. He went in to see her and that was it. Over. Gone.

"She's gone". That was it. So that was the one thing that we were like,

"That's the best way to knock em off then". Get Rinpoche to go near

them. Out like a light. That the 11th Lelung Rinpoche has

adapted so well to his life with the Dushek family is no surprise to

leading Tibetan scholar, Robert The human mind is so amazing and

the reincarnation process is where the Buddha goes among the ordinary

people as an ordinary person in some sense. And then they retain

what I call selflessness in action. It doesn't mean you're not there.

It means you have tremendous resiliency of identity. In a

certain context, you're perfectly normal and you treat other people

with great respect. You have a feeling of equality with them. And

then in some contexts, in a ritual context or where you're confirming

initiation or giving some teaching, then you're acting as a teacher and

you act with a certain self- confidence but you don't rigidly

Lelung Rinpoche was first asked to the UK by a meditation group, and

leading one in Ruislip remains a big part of his practice, alongside

his mission to find texts. Once a week they gather in a rented local

hall, and after a short discourse on Buddhism, the students simply

Old age has made me feel a little bit lethargic but I have noticed

the difference if I don't mediate. If I meditate, there's goodness and

Generally I think I'm just happy. What can I say? I think if you

think about all the things that Buddhism You know, you try to avoid

anger and greed and hatred. And I think it makes you happy. I know it

hurts, it's like seeing yourself in a mirror. And I don't like the

reflection. The previous group was very easy and very nice but not

much benefit. This is not very nice, very hard, but great benefit.

now, his British students will have to manage without him, as Lelung

Rinpoche must travel to south India to host a once in a lifetime

These monks fled from the Lelung Valley in Tibet and ever since,

Rinpoche has provided for them, Since the 1959 exodus of Tibet,

over 100,000 Tibetans now live in India. It's a long way from the

Himalayan mountains but for many Tibetans, this has come to feel

We call this yak when they haven't got any hair, you know when he came

to India, they lost all their hairs. This is Dre-pung. Population 20,000,

and home to more than 7000 monks. Rinpoche lived here, for 14 years

whilst he studied as a full time monk. He was given this 12 room

house by His Holiness the Dalai Lama himself. It is a far cry from

It means a great deal to Rinpoche coming here, as these monks are the

future of the Lelung lineage. It is to them first that he will transmit

the teachings that he strives so When he first become a monk, he was

Lelung and his students belong in the Gelugpa tradition of Tibetan

Buddhism, which centres on scholastic excellence and

intellectual rigour. It also relies heavily on oral transmission.

Tibetan Buddhists believe that it is only by hearing a teaching from

its true lineage holder that the student becomes ready for the

realisation that is based on it. The monks are encouraged to be

sceptical. And every day, after dark, they are invited to debate on

the "Dharma", or Buddhist teaching, The standing philosopher poses

questions of the seated monk, who Each clap acts as a rhetorical

punctuation mark. Be afraid the The young monks' training continues

It couldn't be more different from the level of study that Lelung

expects from his British students. In the UK, I don't know that I can

say they are my proper student. However, they follow me and I give

them teaching but I can't tell them thoroughly because in order to

explain this method, you should have a basic understanding of

Preparations are under way for the Geshe Dango ceremony, which marks

the final stage in the Lelung monks' long journey to become

Geshes or spiritual teachers. But first, Lelung Rinpoche has been

summoned. To meet his great guru, Buddhist Master Dema Lochoe

Rinpoche. To tell him about his The Master has some intimidating

Of course, if you have miracle powers. If you do it, maybe it's

very useful. But... Person like me, I don't have any power. Lelung has

no time to be daunted by the prospect of performing miracles, as

he must fulfil his duty as the host of today's important ceremony.

4,000 monks are gathering, while Lelung makes his last-minute

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The basis of the Geshe Tongo ceremony is giving thanks. And, on

the Lelung monk's behalf, food, tea and money will be offered to the

all the monks and teachers who have In Tibetan Buddhism, food is imbued

with great sanctity. And eating food communally is a way to connect

with all those whose lives are At last, the young Geshe in waiting

makes his way up on stage to Lelung Rinpoche had to sell

property in Dharamsala to pay for this day for his monks. It is a big

moment, and his prayers are not just with his student, but for

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every last person and animal who For the next hour, monks will pass

through Lelung Rinpoche's house, offering their congratulations in

Back in Ruislip, Buddhist Connie is busy hosting a therapy day to raise

money for Rinpoche's work. Despite Somebody's handing out leaflets in

the high street, it's in the newspaper. So I hope that people

will hear all about it and just come along. New people, to find out

For two nights before the day she works on it at home, papers

None of them are being paid. They're willing to do it, but some

people are coming half a day, some people are coming for three hours.

It all has to be organised so we know exactly what everybody is

doing. But I do enjoy it. It's become part of my life now. And I

don't know what I'd do if I'm not While Connie and the students are

raising money, Lelung Rinpoche is being asked to spend it. A site has

been found for much needed new lodgings, as there are now more

monks than rooms to put them in. They invited me to view. Also, they

are hoping that I could help them, since I live in the UK. Maybe they

think that I am able to talk to I think they are asking me, it's

the right person. But who knows? I can't promise anything. I didn't

promise anything. If you promise, At the monastery, Lelung at last

has a chance to focus on his mission of finding the lost Lelung

teachings. He gets a lucky break. A friend has brought him a

handwritten manuscript of the Fifth These, I was looking for a long

Why I was so crazy about finding this copy was because the oral

transmission is also there. A master had this oral transmission

so we're going to ask him to give Happy that he's found this text,

Lelung has one last Tibetan elder to consult before he leaves. He is

also one of the most revered, a monk who even the Dalai Lama will

bow down to meet - His Holiness Rizong Rinpoche, head of the

Conversation soon turns to Tibet. His Holiness wants Lelung Rinpoche

Energised by his meeting, Lelung must get back England, where he

knows he has the best chance of What I did notice, he is very

determined. Once he has started, he carries on. This is a great quality

Back in England, while Rinpoche works on getting his Tibetan visa,

a place has been found for a permanent home for his work in

Ruislip. An old shop in a local high street has been rented and

work to convert it is well under way. It's not that big, but it's

designed the way the Tibetan It's quite exciting. Rinpoche

phoned me and said, "What are you doing?" I said, "I'm painting my

mum's house." He laughed and said, "That's good." I said, "Why?" He

said, "I want you to come and paint Over the following months, work on

the centre progresses rapidly and they open a charity shop in the

Unlike other spiritual leaders, Lelung does much of the manual work

Usually, as a Dharma Centre leader, they don't necessarily form

churches, usually, because of the overall idea of the Buddhists today,

led by the Dalai Lama, that people should not be competing to convert

But they have Dharma Centres and meditation centres. So, the Tibetan

Buddhists are doing that. They are having meditation centres without

enforcing a kind of religious, denominational, card-carrying

Which is why it's hard to count the Buddhists in the West. If you ask

someone if they're a Buddhist, they say, "Well, yeah, but I'm also

whatever my grandma was. Yes, I meditate and practice." But it's

not presented as a card-carrying denominational thing, where you

then have to join and then condemn everybody else. That's considered

very, very not good in a Buddhist This is the first shrine in the UK

But no sooner is the paint dry than Lelung Rinpoche, now a British

passport holder, gets his chance to It's very urgent to meet those old

Lamas in Tibet. Because the lineage which they uphold has to be passed

on before they die. That's why I'm so worried. It's time limited. So,

if we don't do it now, you can't do I think everyone in the group feels

that we're very lucky to have a lama here, in our midst. And that

he can come and teach us every week, we can talk to him. If people want

to talk to him, they can come and talk to him. I think there's a lot

of Sanghas who don't have that kind of opportunity. You know, we're

only just starting to appreciate it now. It won't be long, really,

Rinpoche is hoping to travel to both Tibet and Mongolia. He's

discovered that some of the rarest missing Tantra teachings can be

His immediate responsibility is to preserve and promote the Lelung

Mongolian Tibet is the only country where the Tantra teachings remain.

Lelung Rinpoche has the courage and responsibility to shoulder the

He can't be sure if he will get to Tibet, as he has to travel via

Beijing for final approval from the Chinese officials. If I get a visa,

I will also go to Tibet after that. And there is a good chance to get

the visa. Excited, but a little apprehensive, he boards his flight

to his first stop - Dharamsala, Dharamsala, home to the Dalai Lama

It's a place of pilgrimage and worship, where thousands from

around the world flock each year. When I arrived in India, I always

felt that I came back to home. I don't know if my friends are here

For Lelung Rinpoche it's a place to connect with both his people and

Here, in the foothills of the Himalayas, it's also where he comes

to think and dream about his true The previous Lelungs were great

practitioners. Their realisations are so high that I can't see or

understand how much or how far they Me, I'm not a great practitioner.

Improving my heart is the most difficult job. I hope before I am

Before he can set off on his quest, Rinpoche has a very important

meeting with the Tibetan Prime Minister, Professor Samdhong

The Prime Minister is enormously respected, and his support for

Lelung's mission could open many He receives the Prime Minister's

Each elevated and enlightened master has a unique teaching, a

unique technique of his or her own tradition. Buddha became Buddha

because of his teaching. They get there because of their teaching.

All of these are preserved in their writings. If they disappear and are

completely lost, it is a great loss for the entire community. In

Ruislip, Connie is already feeling the pressure of managing the centre

I did say at the beginning, please don't leave me with this to run on

my own. I never realised how much hard work was in a charity shop.

The amount of stuff that comes in and has to be sorted is

overwhelming. I don't think I'm a size 40. I don't think even Louise

is. Right. I won't let you not buy People want direction and I'm not a

manager or someone who can tell you what to do. A lot of these people

are friends who have volunteered and I don't want to be in a

situation where I boss them around. It was never going to be like that.

Rinpoche's good at bossing people It's the middle of the night when

Rinpoche arrives in Ulaanbaatar - the capital city of Mongolia. He is

met by local monk, Amar Jargal. He's been assigned to translate and

help Rinpoche in his search for the There are two million people in

Mongolia, and the national religion is Tibetan Buddhism. It has been

since Genghis Khan's grandson Kubla Khan became a Tibetan Buddhist in

In the 20th century, Buddhism in Mongolia was driven underground by

the Soviet Union. Since its disintegration in the 1990s,

Buddhism has enjoyed a renaissance. No-where more evident than here, at

the country's largest monastery, Ganden. This is where Lelung's hunt

Lelung Rinpoche has an appointment with one of Mongolia's most

influential practitioners - Kuntu Zangpoe. He's been the driving

force in revitalising the Buddhist Tibet and Monoglia who were once

known as conquest dynastic societies, and had huge empires.

The Mongolian one was even huger than the Tibetan one, as everybody

knows. Ghengis Khan is like a proverb. That they managed to

become vulnerable, understandably and unfortunately, but

demilitarised. It's hard to understand and blessedly, it's

amazing. We have something to learn from them. Kuntu Zangpoe has a very

special collection. Teachings that have recently been rescued from

secret hiding places all over the This collection is now safe but is

completely disorganised, and there is no index system. It will take

days, if not weeks, to get through it. But that's not all. Kuntu

Zangpoe is keen to show Rinpoche the monastery's ancient library,

where other precious works are kept Lelung Rinpoche finds a 300-year-

old book about the first Lelung, lost from the library of the 5th.

He realises he has found something Da means "I". That means "himself",

Reading this, it makes me feel very special that I'm touching the 5th

And also incredible, I saw in the The weather in Mongolia is extreme

and can quickly close roads. As snow and high winds move in,

Rinpoche decides to leave the capital city while he still can, to

The 5th Lelung's teachings spread throughout outer Mongolia but

records of exactly where are poor. Lelung Rinpoche is heading out to

the oldest surviving monastery in Mongolia, to see what clues he can

I feel like... I'm in my country, The monastery at Erdene Zuu was

built in 1586 from the stones of Genghis Khan's ruined capital city,

Karakorum. Once home to 1,000 monks, I'm praying that again, Buddhism, I

establish in Mongolia properly. Also they reach enlightenment as

fast as possible. Rinpoche is hoping that the library

here will provide him some answers. But it's oddly deserted. He finds

out where the old monks have gone. To perform a ceremony in a nearby

village. Lelung is unable to resist the chance to witness Buddhism in

action, here on the edge of the It's been a long time since

Buddhist ceremonies have been performed in rural Mongolia, and

for the elders here, today's events hark back to the golden days before

The monks perform a purification ritual. Their offerings to the

Buddha are a way to banish negative emotions and bless the crops.

Lelung Rinpoche is recognised by the monks and is immediately

It's good having he Dharma practised there and after having

like a picnic. Excellent! Having these kind of activities is very

heart, how much they're into Buddhism, however it helps their

intention. And motivation. And to For Lelung, it's funny to see the

gulf between a Lama's life in Mongolia, and in England. In the

past, I did some smoke offering. The person who I lived with, he

said "be careful". You know, worried what the neighbours would

think and made the ambulance come over! So it's a different

Halfway across the world, Connie is making progress. She's been using

this time without a teacher to This is the only quiet place round

I've noticed a marked difference in the way my mum is. She doesn't ever

lose her temper any more. I'm not saying that she did a massive

amount! But she definitely was fiery. I am also like that. She

just manages now, it's like it's gone out of her. She doesn't react

to things in the same way. She can let things go. All I try to do is

let my mind settle and really see what's happening in my mind when

the thoughts stop racing about. And that is the extent of my practice

at the moment. I can't say I've had any fantastic experiences. But all

I can say is I've had some moments of very nice peace. And it's helped

me over the years to just settle and to not get panicky. I think I

haven't had panicky moments for a long, long time and I think it's

Amar the guide is determined to show Rinpoche one more old

monastery. It's in a secret location and will be a whole day's

trek to get there and back. In its day, it was a big monastery and a

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very holy place. And Lelung is keen What a shame. It would've been a

They're shocked at what they find. Ruins are all that remain of this

once great monastery. Soviet troops destroyed what they found here, and

it is so remote, no attempts have Lelung is careful not to disturb

the ground, not knowing what may lie beneath. I don't want to go in

this way because it might be here, lots of spiritual books or statues

underneath. So it will be better not to walk. Before, there were

thousands of monks. But they are dead. So we pray on behalf of them.

Our prayer dedicated for them. But sheep are not the only

witnesses to this kindly act, and their shepherd joins this impromptu

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I ask him how many sheeps he have. At the bottom of the mountain,

Lelung gets his chance to perform a miracle. The guardians of the

shrine have asked him to make rain. If there is a little bit of cloud,

then I can hope for more. But it is so clear air, blue sky, in order to

bring a huge cloud and have rain, it's quite a hard job. But I have

prayed. Hopefully, in a few days' Rinpoche returns to Ulaanbaatar,

keen to discover what has been dug He has to find his precious

manuscripts and he knows the more that he views the greater his

I don't know where I can find photocopiers for this textbook.

Hours become days and nights. Lelung quickly becomes a permanent

This morning I had been through all of this. And, also, yesterday I

gave it to the other monks, which are looking for the textbooks in

the other library. It in storage. I'm giving them all of the

And if his own workload was not enough, Lelung was asked to squeeze

in the occasional monastic duty, by giving out blessings to the members

After three days of searching, Lelung Rinpoche's patience is

rewarded. There are three or four different types of book size.

Yesterday, when I am looking into the library, I saw the size was

similar. I thought, it could be. I took one out and that was that. I

was very happy inside. Also, we found many small chapters here and

there. So, I'm quite happy. Maybe a little bit delighted! It's an

extraordinary find. A book about Avalokiteshvara, a day to that

represents that Buddha of compassion and the key to your

heart. A vital piece of the puzzle has been found that Rinpoche hopes

will bring him and the world a step Mainly why I am finding the

teachings is in order to practise them. Not trust to preserve, like

in a museum, where you keep statues and teachings. But you can't touch

them. Once I sorted out, finding the teachings, then I will try to

practise more and more of those teachings. I feel that the

teachings of Lelung will be very useful at this time and also in

future times. Still, if you read it today, it works for me. So I think

that it will also work for others, Going to Tibet is my aim. I am

working for it and I am now going to Beijing. From Beijing, Tibet is

not very far. So, the next step is Lelung Rinpoche is in Beijing to

meet with Chinese officials, hoping to get permission to finally travel

to Tibet. We are not able to film Lelung is back in rice slip. For

now, he has been refused permission to travel to his homeland. -- right

I'm a bit disappointed that I I'm doing my best from my side.

When I can't do what I want, by the circumstances, then that is karma.

Not only my karma, it is collective karma that everybody has created,

so much different karmas. consoles himself and having

returned safely with his precious But, as time passes, Lelung

realises that his home in London must give way to his worldwide

permission to find the teachings No, I am not worried about it. He

should try to get back to Tibet. If he is not able to get the

permission this year, he should try again, and over again. Some time,

he might get... The persistence effort should be there. He knows

this will be difficult for Connie It's hard worker. Not for me, I

can't run a Dharma centre. You are doing a pretty good job! No, I'm

not. I don't know how long he will be here, but he's definitely been a

chapter in our time in this house. One of the main things for mum is

that if there is only one other person that is as involved in this

project as she is, and that's Rinpoche. If he goes, she always

says, I hope he is close. You know, just for the effort it will take to

keep it going. That one person will be noticeably absent. Also, I know

that they are friends. So, she will miss his company. You know, they

are friends. They spend a lot of Jack is running the London Marathon

to raise money for the trust. However complicated it has been to

have a lama living in the garden, supporting his work has become a

He looks good! He looks really good. This is all for Rinpoche. I hope

Yeah, let's try and go back. Finally! I appreciate everybody

coming up, as well. I ran the whole Lelung Rinpoche has his own race to

run, as he strives to reunite the lost teachings and return to his

homeland, Tibet. He believes he will get there eventually. But, in

the meantime, he will focus on what he can control. His Buddhist

practice and the search for inner He is among these great masters.

He's still young and I know, from having known the Dalai Lama for 47

years, that when they are younger they seem more ordinary. As they

get older, then you begin to see that they have special qualities.

So, I think it is also important, if I may say so, that younger

incarnations continue their study and practice very intensely, take

retreats, Reed, study, Mirnyi English, and I think Rinpoche is

doing that. And I'm really delighted about that. If you look

on this planet, everybody is looking for something. Some people

are looking for fame, some people are looking for wealth. Some people

are looking for good health. Some people are looking for happiness.

So, which is the best? You can't say. Because people argue. If you