RYI STUDENT BLOG

This year (2017), on September, RYI Students along with the Staffs went to  Sankhu for pilgrimage trip. It was an amazing experience for all of us. Sankhu is  an ancient Newar town located in the North-Eastern corner of Kathmandu valley. Sankhu was once an important stop on the old trade route from Kathmandu to  Lhasa (Tibet), but this historic settlement was severely damaged by the  2015 earthquake, so it is under renovation process. The temple of Vajrayogini is one of identity of Sankhu. It is situated on the middle of hill. The goddesses are  worshiped with high beliefs, by both Hindu and Buddhist. This place is also known as the Eighty Siddhas as there are four caves where the  Siddhas of India are said to have stayed. The oldest inscription found in Sankhu is  dated 538 AD. There was a myth which says the Vajrayogini temple was built by  King Prakash Malla in 1655. It is one of the best attractions of Sankhu for national  and in...

A team of RYI students has just finished a translation of the history of the precious Boudha Stūpa and it was published on the Lotsawa House website. It is with great joy that we announce that the full English translation of the History of the Jarung Kashor Stūpa , otherwise known as the Boudhanath Stupa, is now available. Auspiciously, the release of this translation coincides with the Tibetan Year of the Bird – the same year in which, generations ago, the precious Jarung Kashor was first completed and consecrated. The story of this stupa has been told in myriad ways, but one of the best loved and most authoritative is the version first discovered by Khandro Lhatsün Ngönmo and later rediscovered by Yolmowa Shakya Zangpo (15 th century), on his pilgrimage to Samye monastery in Tibet. Having deciphered the text, Shakya Zangpo travelled to the Kathmandu valley in search of this unique and precious stupa. Discovering upon arrival that it had been reduced to rubble, he imm...

Once a small bud asked : Bhagwan, why & when does a Buddha gives initiation ? The brightest flower said, Intellect is the starting point of Dharma , not the end point. This is why there is initiation. This is why there is invitation. But this invitation is not just for anybody, only for those who have gone beyond refusal and rejection. For anybody who comes, they are given analysis and explanations. Then those starts to  infer, explain, searches every nook of all the scriptures and finds that they are just completely useless, and they say “you’re absolutely right!!! Dharma is not tradition ( parampara ); Dharma is rebellion ( vidroha ); we thought and thought, and now all our thoughts are finished, Now what? Now lead us further…” Then the Buddha gives initiation. To the one who is beyond inference, completely devoid of inference, standing outside the net of inference, receives initiation. One who out of fear, chants Buddha, Buddha and count beads, never chante...

Studying at RYI has been the most precious time of my life. Philosophy classes at RYI taught by learned Khenpos (holders of the high monastic degree) enriched my view of Mahayana Buddhism. Other classes on Buddhist Ethics, History and Culture, Buddhism and Modernity, the Fundamentalism of Buddhism, Methodology of Buddhist Studies, and so forth, instructed by Western professors taught me about the formation of my own Buddhist cultural identity as well as the power of dharma.  Historically, the teaching of the Buddha traveled almost the entire Southeast Asian region and contextually it reached Tibet at a late stage. In my knowledge, after the advent of Buddhism, Tibet politically and economically became ravaged yet literaturally and spiritually prosperous. Thousand monasteries were built and almost the entire population became pious Buddhist. Tibet was led by religious leaders for many centuries and it established itself a knowledgeable dharma preceptor both to Tibetan themselv...

If you live with a family with grandparents, your grandparents may spend quite a lot of the time telling old stories. It will not be different in Nepali families. There are countless stories in Nepal. Some stories are true and some are not. No matter those stories are true or not, those stories are trying to teach people something. In here, I would like to share one of a Nepali story with you. Long time ago, there was a couple demons living in Nepal. Their names were Unmantak Bhairav and Harati. They had 500 children in their family. Because of many children, Harati had to catch many human children from the village and feed their own children. After a while, the villagers suffered very much from losing their children. The people went to their king with their suffering and asked protection from the king.  However, because Harati was very powerful, the king could not do anything to protect the children from Hatati’s attract. At the end, the king went to the Buddha and request...

Hello, I’m Pemba,  a 3rd year BA student. Having been brought up in a multi-cultured community, I grew up learning and being most familiarized in our national language, ‘Nepali’, which is the common language for all ethnics and communities of Nepal. I had my schooling in English medium school, so I ended up getting used to Nepali and English language only, rather than my own mother tongue.  Since my parents were from different castes so neither of them communicated to me and my siblings through their respective mother tongues. We were socialized as typical city’s children.  As a result, I ended up being alienated to my own family languages, ‘Sherpa’ and ‘Tamang’ which has very close relation with Tibetan language since both languages were originated from Tibet.  As I grew up becoming more aware and enthusiastic about my family religion, ‘Buddhism’ and its profound philosophy, I realized how important it was for me learn ‘Tibetan’ to be able to understand the t...

For those are in search of dharma teachings, Nepal is the right place to be.  Since this land is an ancient Buddhist country, various teachings from different Buddhist traditions are still preserved well. The most influential is Tibetan Buddhism and wherever one goes in Nepal, one will see monks and nuns from the Tibetan Buddhist tradition. The masters from that lineage are kind and easily accessible. One will encounter the precious teachings being given to the public without any charge almost everyday around the Boudhanath Stupa.  Importantly, most of those who give teachings are very experienced and always ready to bestow blessings to anyone. They attract not only local Tibetan and Nepalese but also thousand people from the west and other part of the east. Regarding the masters, Tsonyi Rinpoche is a great example of a master from the Tibetan tradition.  His teaching which took place a few days ago was one of most penetrating teachings I have ever had. His word...