| Extract from: | ‘A Nepalese Lama Reincarnated in India.’ Personal experience of Mr Wong Kam Yik (verbally recorded in a village in central Taiwan on 21st January 2002). |
There was once a lama who was born in a village called “Chaklap” in Nepal. When he was thirty-six years old, he suddenly decided that he wanted to go on a pilgrimage to India for Buddhist scriptures. Although he was already married and an expectant father at the time, he left all these behind and departed on his pilgrimage to India. After a period of time, his wife heard that her husband had died of heart failure in India. That same year, she gave birth to their son with no medical complications.
Not long after the lama’s death in India, he was immediately reincarnated and was born in a small village called “Sikkim” in India. Nothing extraordinary happened during the first four years of this child’s life. However, one day during his fourth year, he suddenly told his father, “In my former life I was Nepalese. I lived in “Chaklap”. I was a lama. I had a wife and a son. It was when I subsequently went on a pilgrimage to India that I died there…” His father was absolutely shocked and said that he was talking nonsense. The child said, “No, I am not joking. I am telling the truth. I hope that you can take me back as I want to see my wife and my son.” His father was totally and utterly confused by this and said, “I don’t know where Nepal is! I have never been to Nepal and don’t even know how to get there!” His son replied, “Don’t worry about that, I will take you there!”
So, the father took the child to Nepal. Although the father found it all inconceivable, the child explained his former life so explicitly that he found it hard to totally disbelieve him. The child said, “I have already been a lama for two reincarnations and this is my third reincarnation as a lama! In this lifetime, I am yet again a lama!”
The father relied solely on the instructions given by his son and in due course, they both arrived safely at “Chaklap” in Nepal. Nevertheless, this place was so much bigger than the small village it was in the child’s former life. The news of their arrival created a sensation throughout the whole village. The child vividly described the village inhabitants, the daily events, and items with great precision; including the names of his grandfather, his wife and other family members. He also said that in his former life he had built a lama temple in the village (consequently, it was in this lama temple where we carried out our religious duties!).
When he returned home and saw his wife, he was extremely happy. However, when his wife realized what had happened and saw that her deceased husband was just a four year old child, she was totally shocked. However, after verify the facts, the child stayed in Nepal with his family. At that time, his son was already five years old and was actually taller than him.
Since this event created such a big sensation in the village, many people heard the news and came to see this so-called Living Buddha; they even accepted his empowerments and blessings. Later, this reincarnated lama travelled between India and Nepal; at times he lived in India and at other times in Nepal. When we were carrying out our religious duties in Nepal, he was in India. His whole family has already attained their enlightened path. Let’s hope that when this lama next returns to Nepal, there will be opportunities for us to receive his blessings and some precious doctrines.
Postscript：
Most people would not find themselves in such a situation; one would need to at least be an “enlightened being” with great accomplishments, or a Buddhist who has already achieved a deep meditative state of mind. Either of them would need to reach the wisdom of predestination of the great Six Supernatural Powers in the Buddha realm, then one can recognize one’s wife in a past life. Even so, one would choose not to verify this with one’s past wives as this would cause chaos and disharmony, and may even lead to disorder in society. These highly “enlightened beings” or Buddhists, who have achieved a deep meditative state of mind, possess high levels of concentration and stability (but their past wives are only common people after all and have no level of stability). Therefore, they will not verify this with their past wives when they meet them. What they can say in their hearts is “Bye-bye!” Fortunately, this lama is only a child. If he were a handsome young man, the consequences are beyond contemplation.
