Definitely the unmistaken child

Recently I had the chance to visit the little Living Buddha, 9-year-old Tenzin Phuntsok Rinpoche. He is the reincarnation of the great saint-Mahasiddha, Geshe Lama Konchog, who manifested myriads of holy relics upon his passing in 2001. Little Phuntsok Rinpoche was born in Oct 2002.

Bright and cute Phuntsok Rinpoche with big round piercing eyes

This was the second time I met Phuntsok Rinpoche. The first time was when he visited Singapore in 2007 when he was only 5 years old. When the Little Buddha arrived, about 10,000 devotees thronged to see him to receive his blessings, among them also Christians and Hindus. Just a few months earlier, before Phuntsok Rinpoche's first visit to Singapore, I had a dream of his past life Geshe Lama Konchog. I have never met Lama Konchog before when he was alive and had no connection with him at all.

Geshe Lama Konchog

In the dream I was in a very crowded temple. Every worshipper there was kneeling, praying, doing prostrations and making offerings. The offerings were very unusual offerings. They have huge flower offerings and huge food offerings which I have never seen before. I followed suit by making these offerings. Then a man appeared and told me I must definitely meet his master and that he would bring me to see his master. Then he took out and showed me the photograph of Geshe Lama Konchog!

So when Phuntsok Rinpoche came to Singapore a few months later, I knew I had to pay him a visit to receive his blessings.

This time round, I was very fortunate to be able to see Phuntsok Rinpoche up close and personal. He has grown up quite a bit and is quite mature for a 9-year-old boy. When I met him earlier in the gompa, there were many people coming up to greet him. He was so shy he turned his head and faced the wall. When I called him,"Rinpoche..." he turned around and quickly tapped my head (to bless me) and then he turned his head to face the wall again, and then within seconds, he ran off to hide.

When I met him again later, this time alone, he was totally different, more relaxed. He even said cheerfully, "Gooooooood morniiiiiiing!!". As he climbed up his throne seat, he was serious, polite and soft spoken. I think it is when he is with his peers playing, then he becomes like them, a kid. He blessed me with khata, gave me the blessed red string, chocolate and a pack of incense sticks. I apologised for taking up his time (he was supposed to be having breakfast before going for class), he said "it's ok" meekly. i asked if he needed any books or particular toys, he shook his head repeatedly and said, "no no no..." with a gentle smile. When my friend asked him to bless a particular special deity's photo, he did so and he could even chant the mantra, much to our amazement. I felt so blessed to have made the connection with him.

Here are the clips (10 minutes each) of his entire movie, "The Unmistaken Child", which was about how Geshe Tenzin Zopa (personal attendant of Geshe Lama Konchog) found the reincarnation of his master. Geshe Zopa described the boy as "fatty fatty". Haha! It is so touching that I have watched it a few times. Oh, and a few of my gurus are all inside this movie; His Holiness the Dalai Lama, Lama Zopa Rinpoche, Khensur Rinpoche Lama Lhundrup, and Dagri Rinpoche.

May Phuntsok Rinpoche grow up quickly so that he can continue to turn the Wheel of Dharma by teaching and benefiting his disciples, students and all sentient beings.