Once in A Lifetime

Yesterday Jenn, Dawa Norbu (Khenchen Tsewang's Shapju) and I headed to Sera Jey Monastery trying our best to see the Dalai Lama, we had no "pass", no real hope of getting anywhere near His Holiness with the crowds of thousands that had flocked to receive His Holiness's Hayagriva empowerment. When we arrived there were already thousands and thousands of people present and a line just to enter the monastery that seemed to stretch forever. This was going to be impossible. Just the monks at Sera alone (the monastery where the empowerment was being given were more than 7,000 strong), how could we ever hope to end up in the temple (the only way to actually see the Dalai Lama)?
Dawa Norbu decided to leverage our Inji (English) complexions to our advantage and pleaded at every possible gate of the monastery to let these poor Injis into the compound as we had traveled so far to see His Holiness. It took several visits to several different gates but we finally did it. I thought that's it we are as good as sitting in front of the Dalai Lama, wrong. Inside the monastery gate we found thousands of Tibetan families camped on the grounds surrounding the main temple which remained tightly locked.
We spoke to several differnet security officials about entering the temple for the empowerement and were continually told, "no way". Only monks would be allowed in the temple and even then not all the monks would be able to fit inside. I surveyed the scene outside and it looked grim, sitting outside without seeing the Dalai Lama, with no video feed and only speakers blaring a language I barely understand was not going to suffice for receiving an empowerment.
We waited for a few hours and just before the Dalai Lama arrived the temple was opened for monks only. Dressed in our Ngakpa Regalia we attempted to enter with the monks from the east, no such luck, we again tried from the back, denied, once more from the west, success, so we thought. We made it just inside the temple and were swiftly escorted back out, asking for passes, permits, ID--everything we didn't have.
After a lot of walkie-talkie chatter we were swept into the huge temple where more than 5,000 monks were gathered. I said, I'll just sit here at the back, but security had other plans. They swept us through row after row of monks, past children, adolescents, adults, aging monks, up and up and up until we were placed in the front row no more than 30 or 40ft from the Dalai Lama's throne, the only people closer than us were high Tulku's and the Abbott of the monastery who sat on the stage at the foot of the throne.
I was in total shock and feeling really guilty for sitting where we were sitting. But I wasn't going to look a gift horse in the mouth, if this is my karma what can I do I thought. Dawa Norbu was giddy, he said in all his times coming to see the Dalai Lama he was never even allowed in the temple and could never have imagined sitting in the front row so close, it seemed impossible.
After some time, the Dalai Lama arrived, I wasn't sure where he would enter from, probably from back stage for security purposes. To my surprise he came in through the front doors and walked right down the middle of the huge congregation and then right in front of us, not two arm lengths away, he paused, smiled and bowed to everyone as he slowly made his way to his throne. We were in shock, and ecstatic.
The Dalai Lama began to give a talk on world religions and the preciousness of Buddhism in general and Tibetan Buddhism in particular. It quickly became clear that this was a case of water everywhere without a drop to drink, seeing as I understand about every 10th word. A monk came by and asked if we had a radio as a translation was being given in english over the radio. No such luck, I don't usually carry a radio to empowerments and if I had, security probably would have tackled me before I ever got in the temple.
A few minutes later a monk who was one of the chief translators came and sat with us, directly on my right side and began translating everything word for word right into my right ear. This was unbelievable, we had made it in against all odds, we were sitting in the front row, we were only feet away from the Dalai Lama and now I had a personal running translation. I just tried to be grateful for whatever merit I had accrued to find myself in this situation and dedicate it to the happiness of all sentient beings.
The Dalai Lama gave a general Dharma talk eloquently and extensively covering the entire path and all nine yanas, pausing for appropriate meditations at each stage, such as Bodhicitta and Emptiness meditations, he explained the progession of views all the way up to the highest Dzogchen Atiyoga view and meditation of the union of Awareness and Emptiness.
He then explained that the empowerment we would be given would be a Nyingma pure vision terma, revealed directly by Guru Rinpoche to the Great 5th Dalai Lama. What?? A Nyingma empowerment from the head of the Gelugpa tradition, this seemed tailored just for us, probably the only three Nyingmapas sitting in the temple. His Holiness gave an extensive empowerment, the Vase containing: bumpa, crown, vajra, bell, name. The Secret, the Wisdom and the Word empowerment, complete with clear and direct pointing out instructions.
He explained everything every step of the way so that all vows, Pratimoksha, Bodhisattva, and Samaya were understood and taken by those wishing to truly receive the empowerment and not by those who wished only for a blessing, each ritual was explained and the profound meaning of highest yoga tantra and specificially Dzogchen was elucidated. We spent more than 5 hrs there receiving these teachings, engaging in meditation together and receiving the empowerment.
It truly was a once in a lifetime experience, we have seen the Dalai Lama before, several times, but to receive such clear and profound instructions on our very own Nyingma tradition, from teachings he himself received from Dilgo Khyentse and Dudjom Rinpoche, the rarity of it is inexpressible.