RYI STUDENT BLOG

Faxian and Us Faxian was one righteous dude. As a Buddhist monk in China during the fourth century, he was concerned that the monastic community did not have a complete set of Vinaya texts (the texts that explain the code of conduct for Buddhist monks). Determined to correct this situation, Faxian decided to travel to India himself and bring back these precious texts. So in the year 399 CE, when he was 65 years old, Faxian set out for India with a small group of companions. He would not return to China until fifteen years later. According to the famous account of his journey, he traveled overland, following the silk road routes through Western China, across desert of Dunhang,   through Central Asia, and finally over the snow and ice-covered mountains of the Himalayas, before finally reaching the holy land of India. One of his companions died on the passage to India, and another would die during their travels within the sub-continent. The Journey of the Eminent M...

Good News from Here Unfortunately is quite well known that the lack of appropriate infrastructure for selective garbage collection and recycling is a serious problem in Nepal. However, what maybe you don’t know is that there are some very important actions happening here along with the Rangjung Yeshe Institute – RYI . In the spring of 2017 the Environment Committee Ka-Nying Shedrub Ling - 3R Group was founded . This group was born from the aspiration of people connected to both Ka-Nying Shedrub Ling monastery and Rangjung Yeshe Institute . The committee is composed of monks, students and staff of RYI, lay practitioners, monastery’s workers and different professionals. Several projects and activities have already been implemented, for example: New bins for selective garbage; Recycle station; A large compost; Special cleaning day for the monastery area and its surrounding; Waste management training for local monks, nuns from Nagi Gompa, RYI’s restaurant ...

RYI: A Place Understood Only Through Direct Experience There is nothing ordinary about studying at Rangjung Yeshe Institute compared to a typical university anywhere in the world. Even here in Nepal, it’s difficult to explain to other Nepalis that I go to a school connected to a monastery, but am not a monk, and many of the students are not necessarily Buddhist. Needless to say, it is impossible for my friends and family back home to imagine how a fully accredited university can operate within a Tibetan Buddhist monastery. Since most Americans are geographically challenged, it’s even harder to explain that this “Tibetan” monastery is founded by Tibetan lamas, but not actually in Tibet, though still near the Himalayas. When asked what language they speak, it adds even more confusion to tell them that, while Tibetan is used in classes at the monastery, the local language, Nepali, has virtually nothing to do with Tibetan. Finally, when I’m asked what language my classes are con...

A F ulfilling Experience It is said that the Stupa at Boudhanath, Kathmandu, has the power of fulfilling all the wishes and aspirations one makes in front of it. However, for me the mere fact of living here, next to the stupa, somehow represents already an accomplishment of my wishes of having a meaningful life. Here, the environment is pervaded by the spiritual life of the people, with their gestures and expressions. For instance, every single day there are hundreds of people circumambulating the stupa. People from all over the world join together in venerating this holy place. Some of them come from foreign countries excited about seeing this monument for the first time; some others arrive walking from the Himalayas, after a long pilgrimage, just to see the Stupa once in their lives; others spend the whole day doing prostrations in front or around the Stupa; and even others just want to live nearby to be blessed every day. Not only that, but also the whole area has pl...

A local girl moves out of her family home  to learn a lot more It was not easy. Not at all, for her to go through that phase when she was breaking a traditional value, social appearance, going against decisions of her family, going against what is “normal” but going for what she wanted, what she needed, what was exactly conducive for her and her studies at that time. To be glared at to be going against their decisions, to be looked down for listening to her heart, to be not listened to, to not be allowed to change the traditional values, to be stopped using reasonings that were nothing but guilt-trips, to need to close oneself inside the cocoon because everything was becoming a little too much. Yes, beginning of this academic year was a tough one. She was breaking a tradition - she decided to move out from her family home for a year due to various reasons. In the society where families are mostly joint families with almost every family member living under one roof...

            On a Saturday morning, the ten or so of us who were able to brave the February cold got on the bus and reached Swayambhunath promptly. Just after entering we encircled Father Greg who was our gracious guide and listened to him talk about the history of Swayambhunath Temple and its importance in Newari Buddhism. Swayambhupuraṇa is the Sanskrit text in which is written the story of the origin of Swayambhunath Temple. Swayambhupuraṇa is unique; it is the only puraṇa text associated with Buddhism. The rest of the puraṇa texts concern Hindu gods. The story goes: Where the Kathmandu valley is today, there used to be a lake filled with Nagas (snakes). In this lake, a Buddha called Bipaswi Tathāgata planted a lotus with one thousand petals. This lotus flower emanated a bright light signifying the Buddha nature. According to legend, Mañjuśri who was called by a Buddha cut a gorge and drained the lake, leading to the creation of the valley. Then...

What is your religion status? It is the most asked question when meet with foreign people, new friends or fill out the official forms. I used to tick or reply ignorantly that I am a Buddhist without knowing much about it, besides its founder. I had the idea of Buddhism as being proficient in ritual and recite some ancient scriptures. I have never thought it could be a combo of philosophy, religion and science. I came to my senses and could comprehend the Buddhism at a broader perspective only after accessing with RYI.  My conservative outlook of Buddhism and Buddhist practitioner is changed drastically. In Nepal, Dharma is the generalized term or cliché that every activity which we perform under the rubric of religion is Dharma, for instance, doing prostration, generosity, circumambulation around stupa, reciting sutras, counting rosary and so forth. Previously, I was unmotivated towards practicing Buddhism because for me to cultivate Buddhism is to perform the rituals. But, j...