Lhundrup Dhechen (Great Blessing)

Synopsis of the screenplay

Lhundrup Dhechen (Great Blessing) by Elisabetta Errani Emaldi

The experience of three friends exploring Kathmandu and its charming temples In contact with mysterious Tibetan monks and paranormal events, In the monastery of Kopan on the hill of the sun, looking for enlightenment. When Dharma transforms itself into a diamond sword able to open the hearts and transmit light.

The above mentioned title, is the Tibetan surname that I received from Lama Lhundrup Rigsel after my initiation happened in Nepal, in the monastery of Kopan, on November 2001.Where Dhechen means Great Blessing. The story begins when my friends Serena Silvestri (a doctor) and Franco Cascini (a judge retired) ask me to go with them to Nepal, in the above mentioned monastery, in order to meditate. Very interested on that, I decide to leave with them and enrol for the One Month Lama Rim Course November 5 – December 5, 2001.

This story is a real experience in contact with the extraordinary and mysterious world of the paranormal, lived by me, by the famous Lama Yeshe (reincarnation of Lama Tenzin Osel Rimpoche), Lama Zopa Rimpoche, Geshe Lama Konchok, Lama Charo (the monk-child able to remember his previous life: he found his previous family) and by Zina Rachevsky (daughter of the Prince Romanov run away from Russia during the Revolution. Her mother was a rich American heiress and Zina lived in Hollywood; she became a famous actress and when she decided to become Buddhist she gave Lama Yeshe Kopan hill as a present. The place where the monks built the monastery).

After the enrol, I decide to become vegetarian. Some months before I leave, I dream Jesus Christ, the Virgin Mary and Padre Pio: they send me messages. Remembering other dreams, I perceive that Christ is leading me, through friends who invite me to enrol to Buddhist courses, to strengthen that all religions, when they teach love and brotherhood, lead to the same source. In the first day in the monastery I have a dream, and days later, during a meditation, an extraordinary experience with Jesus Christ. In October, at home, I was half-asleep and I saw some Buddhist monks flying away from me towards the ceiling, and they smiled. That happens many times and each time I feel that they have taught me something. It happens also in Kathmandu in the hotel Manaslu where I stay with my friends before leaving for the monastery.

In Kathmandu Serena and Franco introduce me to Gopal, one friend of them. Gopal is a Nepalese lawyer who fights for the rights of Nepalese people, risking his life. He talks about the Maoist guerrilla warfare and all the problems linked to the King’s uncle, after the Royal Family was killed off. Gopal says that the Nepalese political situation is heavy and he thinks that peace won’t last long. Gopal and Franco talk about their plans about the orphan children that must be approved. Gopal tells us that he also wrote a book about human rights and it will be distributed to people by the end of the month. Nepalese government has forbidden that, but he contacted the most important worldwide humanitarian organizations in order to intervene if he is arrested and beated. My friends and me visit the fantastic Durbar Square and the Kumari Devi Palace, the famous living Goddess, and my friends tell me its story, explaining that Hinduism and Buddhism are an extraordinary example of permeation and tolerance.

Last night in Kathmandu I wake up and I remember an image: a group of people smiling at me, among which I see a Buddhist monk and a young man, tall and with long black hair. On November the 4th, we reach the monastery of Kopan. In the afternoon, we visit a village at the bottom of the hill, where there is the famous Stupa Boudhanath. In the evening, when we come back to the monastery, we meet Jolanda; a Spanish woman who will be our room-mate. When Serena and me enter the bedroom, we realize that Jolanda has just finished to cry. Later, she tells us she lost her 16 years old son in a terrible car accident: in the collision one of his knees has run through his heart, killing him. Jolanda falls depressed many times, but Serena and me will be able to help her and become real friends.

On November the 5th we reach the gompa for our first meeting with the Worshipful Master Neil, and I am struck by a group of French people: six women and five men, among which there is the Buddhist monk Jean François and Willy, with his long hair. I gaze at them, I think I already know them. Unexpectedly, a flash back: I remember my dream, the last day in Manaslu Hotel in Kathmandu. As Serena, Franco and I speak French, in accordance with Karen (the woman monk who will lead meditations), are accepted in the French group in order to talk over the Master’s teachings every day at 2 p.m.. From that time on, there will be a special relationship between the French group and us. In the screenplay I describe teachings about Dharma and the life of Buddha by our Worshipful Master Neil. In the monastery there are 167 guests, coming from all over the world. Karen invites us to “Karma Yoga�?: each person should volunteer and work together on common good. Serena volunteers as doctor for the monks and possible patients, and I, with her permission, volunteer as her assistant.

We become part of the monastery life: every day we wake up at 5 a.m., with the sound of cymbals, songs, horns, mantras and prayers. Soon the Lotus position causes problems to our knees and silence and fast make life hard. Many guests fall ill and during our turn in infirmary there is always a queue of patients waiting to be cured. During a meditation I ask to my inner master if I will be able to find a film producer for my screenplays; the answer is a vision of a group of monks with guns who fire against the sky. I understand I have to ask for a prayer. After having seen the charming monks’ ceremony, I go and meditate and pray they can be Buddha quickly, in order to help mankind to leave samsara. Immediately I have another vision of a beautiful shining white Lotus flower, whirling over my heart. Nights later, in my dreams I receive the answer to my question: a group of monks with a sharp log break down a door.

That dream makes me understand that one door will open for me and I find a producer, but it takes time and hard work. During meditations leaded by Karen, I have extraordinary visions: Dalai Lama embracing me, Buddha asking me to work hard to become Buddha myself, and when I tell him that I don’t know if I ever will be able to, I see a tear-drop running down his face. Touched, I promise him to do my best to be like him and help mankind to leave samsara. Many other experiences are described in the screenplay. Franco tells me about his unique experience with Tara (mother of all the Past and Future Buddhas), happened years before in Tibet and also Serena tells me about her unique experience regarding reincarnation happened in this same monastery seven years ago.

Unfortunately, the peace of the monastery is broken by the Maoist war. Maoist guerrilla explodes some buildings even one TV station. Monks worried cancel the following course. Night and day we listen to the sound of machine-guns in the valley. Maoist guerrilla is approaching monastery. Our staying in that place finishes with rituals and initiations made by monks dressed with their Tibetan religious costumes. In Kathmandu we cannot leave the hotel for two days because of strike and brawling. We spend our last days visiting the city. The very last day Gopal leads us to Patan, he has just started to distribute his book (at least, he reaches out without problems with the Nepalese government). While we are leaving, they tell us that there has been fires from an helicopter: 100 people injured and ten people killed. Franco will reach out in one of his plan to help orphan children. Jolanda leaves her job in Spain and moves to India, to the monastery of Dharamsala, to study the Tibetan language in order to act as an interpreter for the Dalai Lama.