After we graduate from shedra we serve the lineage for three years. This is my third year. I haven’t started teaching the texts I’ve been assigned, so I have some time to get ready (thank Buddha!). Last year I was asked to teach Uttaratantra. Something I found phenomenally useful was listening to and transcribing Khen… Continue reading A restless ramble about writing
Looks like coming back to Namdroling after a 10 month absence is what it takes to get me writing again! Being here, now, feels very special. It is clear to me that this is a blessed place, where practice and Dharma life arise naturally. I feel lucky to be here, and determined to spend my… Continue reading Back at the Mother Monastery!
I wrote my last shedra exam on December 26th. My original plan was to travel to Bodhgaya with my classmates, celebrate our graduation and make prayers for world peace at the Nyingma Monlam Chenmo. That’s the thing about plans, I guess, sometimes karma takes us in another direction. On December 28th, I was asked to… Continue reading Life after graduation
Here is something that I’ve been thinking about lately: There are no other international students studying in our shedra program. (shedra, for those of you just tuning in, is what we call our college of Buddhist philosophy) Usually, every year or so, I get a query about studying here at Namdroling. Not this year. Nonetheless,… Continue reading Westerners in shedra – where are you guys?
A little while ago, Venerable R. D. asked me: A bit of curiosity as to what shedra classes “look like.” Do you memorize the texts, study them, them go to class for commentary and teachings? Make notes in the text? Or is it anything like in the West with students trying to write down most… Continue reading Inside the classroom
damchoe's nun sense 