RYI STUDENT BLOG

All the Joy... Studying at RYI “All the joy the world contains has come through wishing happiness for others. All the misery the world contains has come through wanting pleasure for oneself.” [1] This is not the typical topic of discussion in any other institution in any part of the world. But it lies at the core of Buddhist practice of Mahayana to develop compassion towards limitless sentient beings. Therefore, at Rangjung Yeshe Institute, which I had the luck of attending this year, the curriculum is focused on cultivating values such as wisdom and compassion rather than simply teaching some skills for competing with others. The cultivation of bodhicitta — mind of enlightenment — is not just a topic, it is the necessary motivation to start a class. The moment you are inside the white walls of the traditional Tibetan monastery with the sounds of various pujas going around — all surroundings are conducive for study, contemplation, and meditation. This process happen...

The feeling is indescribable;  I have never studied in a Shedra before. The  atmosphere is so welcoming at the Shedra , it feels like home.  This is my first formal education in Buddhism and I cannot think of a  better place than RYI.  The whole Shedra experience has been and is very over whelming.  Personally, I feel that the classes are not just targeted to readings and  writing but on how one must practice the path too. And that totally makes  sense. And I remember, Chokyi Nyima Rimpoche mentions that we  should be both a practitioner and a scholar.  The way of the Bodhisattva text is very profound  and I feel everyone  must learn this text. The lessons in class help those who practice. As we  learn more and more, I am more aware about my intentions and actions.  Not that I was not aware of them before, but now I am more aware on  the importance of the aspirations, dedications , etc....

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'...

Hello to everyone on the Rangjung Yeshe Institute Student Blog. I am Raju Gurung and I am from Mustang which is the North Central Part of Nepal. Currently I am doing my BA at RYI. In the year 2011 I got to know about RYI and its Buddhist Studies Programme through one of my local friends from Boudhanath. I was really very interested to join RYI as I was also looking for some Colleges that offered Buddhist Studies.   Likewise, in the last year 2012, I had finished one of the Buddhist philosophy courses that had been offered by RYI. It was ' The Way of the Bodhisattva' by Śā ntideva and I really couldn't believe how amazing and how pleasant it was to study this amazing text. In fact, by reading this text, this amazing text, Śā ntideva has really become a guide for me in my personal life. Similarly, it is only because of this amazing text, 'The Way of the Bodhisattva' , that I have come to realize and truly know the meaning of what love and compassion is. ...

Bodhicaryavatara class 2008 (happy people) Reunion 2013 (still happy) In September 2008 assembled a motley group of people from all around world in Ch ö kyi  Nyima Rinpoche’s shrine room for a welcome reception. We had all made the excellent  decision to come to Nepal to do the BA in Buddhist studies here at RYI. Although we did  not know each other I sensed at that time a certain spirit of companionship in the room  that would increase over the coming months and years.  More than five years later a good  number of those people came together for a joyful reunion in the restaurant 'Flavors' (now  moved to a different place and prices more than tripled). We talked about the good old  times that have changed into good new times and we drank a lot of hot water against the  cold. Mark your calendar for our  10-year anniversary in  November 2018 to celebrate at Boudhanath!

Congratulations to Leonard Brouwer, who successfully defended his Master of Arts Thesis on Friday, July 22. Leo's Dissertation Titel is: 'The Bodhicaryāvatāra-Ṭippaṇī A Study and Edition of a Commentary on the Bodhicaryāvatāra'. The Dissertation Supervisor was Dr. David V. Fiordalis and the external Examiner was Dr. Harunaga Isaacson from University of Hamburg, Germany.  What are your plans now Leo?

A famous Zen master once said,  “while practicing in the path, initially the trees are trees, the mountains are mountains, and the oceans are oceans, but at some point the trees are no more trees, the mountains are no more mountains and the oceans are no more oceans... and finally at the end of the path, trees are once again trees, mountains are once again mountains and the oceans are once again oceans.” Studying Buddhism in RYI is a venture which will usher you to somewhat the same kind of experiences.  In the initial days of Shedra when one goes through the preliminary teachings of  the Bodhicharyavatara , The Thirty-Seven Bodhisattva Practices or Words of My Perfect Teacher and so forth, one starts gazing closely into the eyes of what we call life , one starts to enjoy life more, starts to be more mindful of phenomena around oneself.  Colors start becoming brighter, foods start becoming tastier.  Thus trees look more like trees and mountain...