RYI STUDENT BLOG

Nagi Gompa is a small nunnery situated above the Kathmandu valley in the Shivapuri National Park. It was home to one of the greatest meditation masters of recent times, Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche. He lived, practiced and taught in Nagi Gompa for more than 20 years. These days around 100 nuns live in Nagi Gompa, and about half of them stay in long-term retreat, dedicating their life solely to practice and deepening their meditation experience. Furthermore it is also home to the young reincarnation of Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche, who currently is deeply involved in his studies, education and training. Every year Chökyi Nyima Rinpoche, Chokling Rinpoche and Phakchok Rinopche travel to Nagi Gompa for the annual Ngakso Drupchen, two weeks before the Tibetan New Year (Losar). This year for the first time also the young incarnation of Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche joined and participated in the drupchen fully. The Tibetan term Drupchen is usually translated as “great or vast accomplishment”. A Drupc...

While studying at RYI I learned from the beginning that there is a big difference between understanding something and realizing something. Understanding can help, but realizing a fact that one was already persuaded about before can give a whole new perspective to everything. Even if it's only a tiny realization. This came to me while I was in the hospital a few weeks ago. I realized something I have been taught over and over in the Bodhicharyavatara class (and many other teachings) - that clinging to the body is stupid. The body is so fragile and also quite unreliable when it comes to working properly, regarding health and "staying alive". Plus it defines a great part of our experience of moments in life. So much depends on the circumstances of our body, that there's not much left that could depend on other outer circumstances. For example, when one is at one's dream place, a beautiful beach maybe, and one is sick at the same time, the body is in between one'...