GINSBERG AND GELEK

Allen Ginsberg became fast friends with a Tibetan Tulku named Gelek Rinpoche (Rim-po-shay). Tulku signifies that Gelek is a reincarnated holy man, the late abbot of an important monastery in Tibet. It was this man who tended to Allen as he lay dying of liver cancer. The extraordinary relationship between the two is best illustrated by this article excerpted from The Allen Ginsberg Project: An Allen Ginsberg Gallimaufry blog:

Wednesday, October 26, 2011
Gelek Rinpoche's Birthday! 

Gelek and Allen and Jewel Heart - Jon Kain in his piece for the Shambhala Sun, some years back, "Gelek Rinpoche's Remarkable Journey", notes "They [Gelek and Allen] met in the early 1990's, forming a fast friendship. Allen eventually became Gelek Rinpoche's student, with Rinpoche performing the ritual at Allen's death. "Allen never missed the opportunity to teach me about American culture and language, Rinpoche told me", (Kain recounts), "He pushed me all the time. He was really so kind. And then what little dharma I know I contributed to him".

Mutual respect. It was (always) sincere mutual respect, (notwithstanding the teacher-pupil relationship(s), notwithstanding Rinpoche's charming, disarming, modesty).

Here's Allen, from his 1996 Hot Wired interview with Steve Silberman:

"I've had a very good life, especially great luck with teachers particularly Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche and now Gelek Rinpoche. Both have great hearts. So there's a basic security to all that".

Continued:   http://ginsbergblog.blogspot.com/2011/10/gelek-rinpoches-birthday.html