RYI STUDENT BLOG

We always hear about the three aspects of taking a teaching into experience:  listening, contemplating and meditating.  The first two aspects seemed pretty self-explanatory to me, but I didn't really understand how contemplation and meditation related to one another until Trolpa Tulku and Anya's short course on mind-training this spring.  Meditation has two aspects, discursive and resting, so when meditating on a topic--for example impermanence--there comes a point in the discursive meditation where one says, "ah-ha, that's really how it IS." Its a small realization in the very ordinary sense of the word, but the problem is that I usually gloss over that part. I'm so into the mode of discursive meditation that I don't normally take the opportunity to rest in that certainty which arises in that "oh, it's actually true" moment. Resting in that certainty is the resting aspect of meditation (of course, that's probably quite ob...

I would like to congratulate the organizers of  our third student talent show this year!  It was a really impressive event. Not only did it reveal many hidden student talents, but it also inspired various local Nepali people to prove their abilities in front of a microphone.  The highlight of the evening was definitely the mixed Nepali/Shedra-student dance performance in traditional Nepali costumes.  Some of the musical acts were really professional and those that were not, were at least very authentic and performed in a good spirit.  For the more intellectually inclined there was also some literature and poetry reading.   All in all it was a very entertaining evening.   Gerd from Germany

Sergio Rodrigues de Senna Corrêa of Brazil just defended his MA thesis on May 31, 2010.  His thesis is entitled:  ' The Suhṛlleka According to Ācārya Mahāmati'.  The Thesis supervisor was Dr. Andreas Doctor.   We are all so proud of you! Congratulations : )

One of my main goals coming to Nepal was to learn Tibetan, both classical and modern colloquial Tibetan.  Given my experience learning Japanese starting as an exchange student in high school (a very long time ago...) I knew it was important to live with a host family again.  I started with the summer 2009 intensive course in beginning colloquial Tibetan. This two month course covers an entire year of Tibetan language. It was a real challenge, but living with a host family gave me extra opportunity to practice.  It was mostly just me and my host brother, Kunga (my host mother went to Tibet for five weeks), but I'm certain I wouldn't have learned so much in such a short time with out a native speaker to talk with every evening. I then moved in with Drolkar and her son Tenzin for the 2009 - 2010 academic year. Drolkar is from Lhasa and has been a language partner with the institute for several years, so she was a great help throughout my stay with them. H...

What is called Dasain in Nepal, is one of the biggest and longest Hindu festivals celebrated all across the country and by all casts in Nepal. It is a two-week long celebration that symbolizes the triumph of virtue over evil or victory of god over the devil. This festival derives from the Hindu mythology where According to Hindu scriptures, goddess Durga slew the ferocious demon Mahisasura (Mahis + Asura), a demon in the form of a water buffalo, which terrorized people on different parts of the Earth. The almighty Durga in her various manifestations, names and forms is widely celebrated with pujas or worships for freeing mankind from the terror. Various kinds of activities take place at the household during the Dasain period. A predominant activity that marks Dasain usually is the 8 th day of the Maha Astami, the day of great sacrifice. Each family sacrifices a goat at a Durga temple, but chickens and ducks are slaughtered as well. The reason is that the ani...

My first visit to Nepal was for a pilgrimage to the Great Stupa of Boudhanath. I like to travel, and spending leisure time exploring all the facets of Nepal was a great experience. This time however, it is different. This time I have met a challenge. I have begun studying at the Rangjung Yeshe Institute. It happened somewhat spontaneously to me. I was interested in learning Tibetan language, but I didn’t know where and how. I didn’t know much about the shedra my fist time in Kathmandu, but had heard about it in Russia . When I first arrived I didn’t know what to expect about the education system in Nepal . But after studying just one month of classical Tibetan we were translating Tibetan texts. I was very surprised! The method of teaching here is very fast and it takes a lot of studying and effort, but the results have been amazing. Besides language classes we take philosophy classes taught by khenpos in the traditional Tibetan style. ...

The 2008-2009 R.Y.I. Student Society utilized $140 from their yearly budget to sponsor Washna Phelwar in Grade School, Class I. The sponsorship will cover her school fees, uniform, books, and other school supplies for one year. Washna lives in the beggar village south of Boudha and this is the first time she has ever been able to attend school. James Hopkins, the creator of the Quilts for Kids project that made sponsoring Washna possible, says she is very excited to begin school. Washna’s little brother is now very curious about school and would like to attend as well.  If you know anyone who would like to sponsor him or another child from the Boudha begging village, please email either StudentServices@shedra.org or James Hopkins at lookingforjames@yahoo.com.