Photo by Lesya Cheramova
Happy Birthday, Rinpoche
Written and presented by Steven Landsberg, the President of the International Dzogchen Community Gakyil, on the day of Chögyal Namkhai Norbu’s Birthday, December 8th, 2017.
On behalf of the International Dzogchen Community I would like to wish you, Rinpoche, a very happy birthday. Today is a special day and we are delighted to have the possibility to enjoy it together with you.
Many birthdays come and go but achieving 79* years of a life totally dedicated to the spiritual welfare of other beings is truly a landmark occasion. Your presence on this earth is so important to all of us 
as well as to infinite sentient beings, and knowing that, we pray that your life remains steadfast and firm within this human dimension. Every aspect of your body speech and mind intimately affects our lives and we are constantly aware of the importance of even the smallest details of what you say and do as well as to your program of activities. It is impossible for us to be otherwise.
First and foremost, we are grateful to you for having introduced us to our primordial condition. That is knowledge only you could have bestowed upon us. We could not have found that in any book. You are the very root of our knowledge and whatever has arisen in our experience is just a result of that presence you have awoken in us. To be together with you, even for a few moments, is similar to a shower of blessings…. In this sense you are the Jewel of the Buddha.
For the last forty years you have continually given all your time to teaching us the profound instructions of the three vehicles of Sutra, Tantra, and Dzogchen and have communicated to us how we can apply those instructions and integrate them in our lives. We have learned from you how to collaborate joyfully and create events that can benefit sentient beings. You are the jewel of the Dharma.
Having created a world-wide Community consisting of Gars and Lings, in which we can all practice collectively and relate to one another on a warm and intimate level, you have taught us what it means to be part of a lively and meaningful Sangha that can navigate its way into a challenging future. You have established a very dynamic cultural center in the Shang Shung Foundation, which will make it possible for the wisdom of the Tibetan culture to reach every corner of the globe in the form of courses focused upon Tibetan medicine, yoga, dance, and meditation. Your intention to establish links between the west and current development in Tibet as well as other eastern countries has fruitioned into the ASIA foundation which is providing concrete educational possibilities, improved infrastructure, and health care facilities to countless beings. Your clarity has pointed out to us the direction in which we should move so that the Dzogchen Community can flourish for generations to come. You are the Jewel of the Sangha.
Today is your birthday and we are rejoicing being in your presence knowing you are the essence of the three jewels, the jewel of the sky, Namkhai Norbu, and that we have an international community that will remain stable for generations to come.
*80 years in Tibetan calculation
