FOREWORD

JIGME KHYENTSE

Reading this book reminded me of the stories I used to hear as a child from my father, Kangyur Rinpoche, about his teachers, such as Jedrung Rinpoche. I heard similar stories from Kyabje Khyentse Rinpoche during the precious time I spent with him, and also from Nyoshul Khen Rinpoche when I was young. This book really brought these stories back to life for me. There is a little bit of Patrul Rinpoche in all my teachers. There is some of his uncompromising integrity in all of them.

I have known Matthieu since I was a child in Darjeeling when he first met my father, Kangyur Rinpoche. Later, during the time we spent together in the presence of Kyabje Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche, I remember him relentlessly gathering stories with a tape recorder. Some of the stories he sought were from nomadic teachers from far East Tibet whose accents were difficult to understand, even for Tibetans.

Through such efforts, he has collated these precious stories in order for people to gain some sense of what Patrul Rinpoche was really like. Even though we know of Patrul Rinpoche through The Words of My Perfect Teacher, these stories enable us to take a more in-depth look at this extraordinary master. In a way, Matthieu’s own history—that of a biologist from Paris who met Kangyur Rinpoche and then left his ordinary life behind to devote himself to following the same path illuminated in the stories he has gathered—is very much in keeping with the spirit of Patrul Rinpoche’s life.

Patrul Rinpoche is both a reference and an inspiration. I often wonder, “What would Patrul Rinpoche do in this situation?” or “What would he think?” Even though he is not alive, he is still able to make us feel uncomfortable and to cut through the hypocrisy or insecurities that we have as students. This can transform our lives. Even if we try to ignore this uncomfortableness, his compassionate activity continues to haunt us in spite of our thick-skinned ignorance. I also feel that this book is invaluable for those who are studying Patrul Rinpoche’s writings such as The Words of My Perfect Teacher. It will give us a greater understanding of what he is transmitting.

Kangyur Rinpoche Credit 6

Not every biography embodies the true meaning of “biography” in Tibetan, which is namthar, or complete liberation. I feel that this biography does, in the sense that, as we read it, it can liberate us from our confusion.