“Choeken Gyalpo (Yama – the Lord of Death) is calling me for a meeting,”. Togden Jigme Chogyel, popularly known as Rangshikhar Rimpoche, tells me with a mischievous smile. 

“It seems Guru Rimpoche has submitted a complaint that I have been living off people’s wealth and hard work for far too long,” he adds.

“I think Guru has a point,” I tell him.

We laugh. He blesses me.

I have always loved being in the presence of this holiest of men, who is our family lama for four generations. The first time I met him was 40 years ago, freshly out of school. In between his classic humours, in all these years, he has taught me many things. Once he explained to me the meaning of OM AH HUNG. It took a whole afternoon. And I forgot most of the things he said.

Another time he elaborated on the word, Lama, after which I use this word more than “rimpoche” (Precious One) to address Buddhist masters I respect.

He has also been very precise with divinations. In 1983 he told me to be careful in the month of February. That month I fell off a speeding truck, only to miraculously remain clinging with one hand, and stay alive. My paternal uncle wasn’t as lucky, or he didn’t take seriously to the words of this lama. He died.

This time, with his joke on the Meeting Call by Yamaraj, I guess he is subtly reminding me, and everybody, to earn what we consume, and not to live on someone’s hard work. It is a strong Bhutanese belief that seems to be waning.

His jokes are always a words of wisdom, if one can care to take them seriously.

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