RYI STUDENT BLOG

Sometimes in my study, although I am filled with interest in the teachings of the Buddha, I find myself with resistance towards it. In my fourth semester at RYI, I learned to see this resistance as nourishing ground for my self-study. What I call ‘self-study’ is something we indirectly sign up for when engaging the Buddhas teaching. It is the consequent watching of the movements of our minds, the study of our self as it manifests from moment to moment.  It is the awareness of the mind ground, onto which all the Dharma teachings are to be applied. So when I saw my resistance to study, I learned that behind it was the mere painful sensation of growing pains. Studying Buddha dharma does change our way of thinking. It is often an invitation to letting go of cherishing beliefs and habit patterns. Especially if one has held something for a long time, to then let it go initially is very painful - like letting go physically of a (luggage) handle that one held on for a long time. ...

Here in Nepal, there are perhaps less entertainment options than in the West. But quality entertainment can be found in Nepal, sometimes free, especially for those curious and appreciative of the realities of a culture different than one’s own. I am not Nepali, nor am I Tibetan, but it is possible and a healthy endeavor to feel curiosity for other cultures and systems of thought, despite modern culture in general might consider them as inferior. These days, only economic development seems to be the mark of progress, a way of thinking which unfortunately is also propagating to non-westerners. As traditional cultures become absorbed into the global economy, it is a luxury to still have access to wonderful concerts of Indian music, ragas, in a traditional setting, free to all. This happens here in Kathmandu, in one of the temples at Pashupatinath. At which date and at what time? On full moon days, when the sun sets, where the sky is still both clock and calendar. Getting there ...