Tibetan shedra in Nepal: Karma Lekshey Ling

Due to Indian visa limitations, I had to relocate to Nepal. Although many Shedra's in Nepal have the habit of starting much later in the year, fortunately the Karma Lekshey Ling Shedra started straight after the Losar break. Most of the monks are nepalese, but they receive class in tibetan from a very young age and so their tibetan is very good (much better then mine). Normally you would think learning a language from non-native speakers (they're not tibetan after all) would not be a good idea, but actually it's not so bad because they speak tibetan in a very neat way. (that is unlike many Tibetans themselves, especially from our beloved rural Kham, who are pretty hard to understand)

The little monks eating with the Lama:

Currently i'm following classes on the Bodhicaryavatara, Uma gyan and tsema (logic). The Lopon's are Dargye, Ngawang and Donden:


The Shedra is on walking distance from the great Stupa of Swayambonath. View from the guesthouse, with on the right hill the new -work in progress- monastery of Trulshik Rinpoche:


Before the shedra started I joined the monks during the Nepalese version of the Kagyu Monlam, held in a big tent next to the big stupa at Boudha


Lekshey Ling is a very recommendable place to go. The guesthouse is very decent for nepalese standards, cheap, and you're also allowed to eat together with the monks.
For those interested in some tibetan texts and audio shoudl take a look here http://www.dharmadownload.net and for the website check http://www.leksheyling.net/

Pilgrimage to Sikkim with Orgyan Tobgyal Rinpoche and monks

Back in bir after two weeks of traveling, I did my best to write a short report about my experiences in Sikkim. Enjoy!


You can view it here: Pilgrimage to Sikkim with Orgyan Tobgyal Rinpoche and monks

Losar Tashi Delek

It seems Tibetans take every opportunity to have a party. Last few days have been pretty darn cold, heavy rainfall covering the surrounding mountains with big packs of snow. Therefore some fire to keep the outside of the body warm and some spirits to keep the inside of the body warm were much appreciated. Happy new year everyone!

Dani surrounded by one Japanese three Tibetan tanka painters

Visiting Dzongsar shedra

While visiting a friend who studies at Dzongsar Shedra I took the opportunity to take a closer look at this renowned institute.

When entering the main temple or tsuklhakhang, which is of considerable size, I immediatly stumbled upon a life like image of Jamyang Khyentse Chokyi Lodro. Quite impressive!

Inside the temple are huge Rime or non-sectarian tankas of all schools of Tibetan Buddhism. I took a picture of my favorite saint, the lord of all yogis Milarepa:


And then it was time to go and have diner!

Chime Phakma Nyingtik Drupchen Bir dec 2010

Yet again the CPN drupchen was held in Bir by the Choling and Tseringjong monks. It was held in a relatively small temple in OT's house [what would become the CPN shrine in the future], where about 50 monks, one nun (Ani Chokyi), and two laypersons (Dani and me) where seated together with OT. Because Sogyal Rinpoche had indicated he would like to have the drupchen held in Lerab Ling, the three of us made all the effort we could, trying to understand the complete ritual.

Orgyan Tobgyal Rinpoche also addressed the assembly, giving some mikpa (visualisation instructions), but mostly pep-talks to his monks and the agenda for his monks for the coming weeks.

See the video below for some impressions of the drupchen itself




Many of the monks had only 1 day of rest, if at all, after coming back from Taiwan, before the preparations for the drupchen had to be commenced. Monks preparing torma's:

Monk painting the firepit for the Fire puja or Jinsek

Orgyan Tobgyal Rinpoche doing the Jinsek


The Drupchen was to some extent for the long life of Khandro and Sogyal Rinpoche, and thus their longlife prayer was recited twice a day.

Work in a monastery

Besides reciting prayers, a lot more is being done in Bir and it's monastic centres.

Putting the mandala house together:

Making tables:

Painting tankas

Shooting movies:

Crafting Buddha statues and ornamentations:

And.. memorizing words:

Arrival in Bir

Due to some good fortune, the end of September 2010 i arrived in Bir, India, to learn spoken Tibetan. Upon arrival in Tseringjong, OT’s house/monastery, the monks where doing a Drupchen. When I heard all the monks chanting and playing the drums and trumpets I was very happy. I was very fortunate that a lot of the monks were at Lerab Ling the summer before, where I had been working closely with some of them to make sure the Westerners had some idea what the monks where doing during the Tukdrub Barche Kunsel Drupchen. Since they knew me it was a bit easier to make some friends.

As for learning Tibetan, it’s not so easy and at times quite frustrating. But I knew that was going to happen. In fact I had consciously chosen an environment where the only option is speaking Tibetan. Being quite lazy by nature, I thought that was the easiest way to force myself to study. After one month or so I’m able to have some simple conversations, but still more often then not, I haven’t got the slightest idea what they are talking about. Especially the old Khampas are difficult to understand. Imagine your old grandpa mumbling something; even in a language you know very well you have a hard time understanding.

In the beginning I didn’t have much program going on, which was a little bit though sometimes, having to make your own schedule for the whole day. But luckily I have a very good Tibetan teacher now, who helps me progress quickly. Just talking with the monks is good, but I also needed someone to correct me and help me with my basic grammar (which was and still is basically non-existent). I also realized the basis of roughly two years studying and reading written Tibetan is a great advantage, as it gave me some feeling for the language. Nonetheless for Tibetan you really need, as Trungpa Rinpoche one said, ‘another mind’.

Then the main attraction at Choling monastery and Tseringjong are the Drupchen’s, in which I gladly participated. In October we did the Ngakso Drupchen (rdo rje theg pa sngags kyi gso sbyong bdud rtsi'i rol mtsho), which is a combination of Guru Rinpoche and the twelve manifestations, and the Peaceful and Wrathful yidam’s. Then at the end of October and the beginning of November we did the Zabdun Phurba (zab bdun phur pa), which is a Vajrakilaya practice. At Choling monastery they are known for their complex rituals, but this last one was so complex that half the time all the newer monks also had no idea what was going on. Imagine sitting with a 400 page practice booklet, in which you constantly have to flip back and forth, in a language you only vaguely understand. Of course if my Tibetan was fluent, it would be a little bit easier. But ofcourse there was a lot to learn, and finally it was a great blessing that both Dzigar Kongtrul Rinpoche and Choling Rinpoche where present during the whole Drupchen

Another highlight was Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche visiting Deerpark, giving a Tara blessing, and teaching on tantra for two days (which he rarely does).

Video Sacred Dance in Bir (coming)

Ngakso Drupchen: monks chanting, little monks (poorly visible, sitting in the back) chanting the mantra’s in the break, and the descent of blessings.