Monday, October 26, 2009

7th Annual Symposium on Buddhist Studies

RYI is pleased to announce the 7th Annual Symposium on Buddhist Studies

Buddhist Ethics

Speakers:
Dr. Jose Cabezon, University of California at Santa Barbara
Dr. Stephen Jenkins, Humboldt University
Dr. Tom Tillemans, Lausanne University
Chökyi Nyima Rinpoche, Ka-Nying Shedrub Ling Monastery

Venue:
Hyatt Regency Hotel, Boudhanath, Kathmandu, Nepal

Time:
1.00 pm - 5.00 pm
Saturday, December 12, 2009
The Symposium includes a Silent Auction of many exciting items to benefit the Centre for Buddhist Studies.

The symposium is free of charge, everyone is welcome!

Monday, September 21, 2009

The Bridge: Article on Studying at RYI


In January 2009 the Jesuit School of Theology at Berkeley visited RYI to learn about Buddhism and share their own experience of Christianity with faculty and students at RYI.

Following the visit, the JSTB journal, The Bridge, published an article about this visit, which can be read here:

http://www.jstb.edu/publications/bridge_spring09.pdf

Meditation Seminar with Khenpo Jampa Donden


Rangjung Yeshe Institute is pleased to announce a short course on Buddhist Meditation by Khenpo Jampa Donden.

Venue: Ka-Nying Shedrub Ling Monastery.

Time:
Saturday, October 10: 2.00 - 3.30 pm
Sunday, October 11: 10.00 - 12.00 am

Tuition:
International: Nrs. 500
Local: Nrs. 200

Registration should be done in person at the RYI office at the monastery.

Monday, September 14, 2009

A Survey of Buddhist Ethics

RYI is pleased to announce a seminar on Buddhist Ethics by Dr. Stephen Jenkins (Humboldt University).

The course will explore the Buddhist ethics of compassion from a variety of perspectives and in terms of some basic ethical categories. While addressing definitions and philosophical underpinnings of loving kindness and compassion the seminar will also consider historical and hermeneutical issues in the interpretation of compassion in abhidharmic, Mahāyānist, and tantric modes of Buddhist thought.

Dates: Nov. 2 – Dec. 4, 2009.

Time: Tuesday and Friday, 1.00 - 2.30 pm

The seminar is open to the public. However, preregistration at the RYI offices is required.

Monday, August 31, 2009

Guest Lecture: Dr. Per K. Sorensen

Rangjung Yeshe Institute is pleased to announce a guest lecture by Dr. Per K. Sorensen (University of Leipzig).

Title: Studying Tibetan History

Time: Friday, September 4, 9.15-10.15 am

Venue: Ka-Nying Shedrub Ling Monastery, Boudhanath, Nepal

The lecture is open to the public and free of charge

Wednesday, August 26, 2009

RYI Online Learning Course Begins

This year’s Online Learning course at Rangjung Yeshe Institute starts on Monday 31st August 2009 so you now have only a few days left to register! To help you decide whether the course is for you, we have provided a week’s trial of materials on the website at www.shedra.org/moodle (follow the links for Trial Course).

On the homepage you will also find a video of Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche talking about Online Learning and explaining the significance of the inaugural text, the Mūlamadhyamakakārikā by Nāgārjuna.
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Follow Rangjung Yeshe Institute Online Learning (RYI Online) on:

YouTube http://www.youtube.com/RYIonline and Twitter http://twitter.com/RYI_Online

Friday, June 05, 2009

New Book: Mipham's Luminous Essence


Luminous Essence by Jamgon Mipham

Foreword by H.H. the Dalai Lama

Translated by Dharmachakra Translation Committee, Snow Lion Publications

I have no doubt that interested and initiated practitioners of the Guhyagarbha Tantra cycle of practices will derive great benefit from reading and relying on this explanatory text. – From the foreword by His Holiness the Dalai Lama.

The Luminous Essence (gsang snying spyi don ’od gsal snying po) is a complete introduction to the world of tantric thought and practice. Composed by the renowned Tibetan master, Jamgon Mipham (1846-1912), the text provides an overview of the theory and experiential assimilation of a seminal tantric scripture, the Tantra of the Secret Essence (Guhyagarbha-tantra). Embodying the essence of tantric practice, this text has been a central scripture in Tibetan Buddhism for well over a thousand years. Mipham’s explanation of this text, here translated for the first time, is one of the most celebrated commentaries on the Tantra of the Secret Essence, which today occupies an important place in the tantric curriculum of Tibetan monastic colleges.

The Luminous Essence is a specialized guide meant for initiated tantric practitioners. To fully appreciate and assimilate its message, it should be studied under the guidance of a qualified teacher by those who have received the appropriate empowerments, reading transmissions, and oral instructions.

Thursday, June 04, 2009

Online Learning to begin at Rangjung Yeshe Institute!

Rangjung Yeshe Institute is pleased to announce the launch of its Online Buddhist Studies program - making the Buddhist classics available to anyone, wherever they live.

The inaugural course provides students with traditional teachings on Nagarjuna’s Knowledge—Root of the Middle Way (Mūlamadhyamakakārikā); perhaps the most important Buddhist philosophical scripture of the Indian tradition. Additional lectures and discussion groups provide a broader historical and cultural context for assimilating the teachings in today’s world.

Registration for the fall semester 2009 is open from June 15! Lectures can be taken on an individual basis or for academic credit.


To learn more, go to www.shedra.org

Sunday, April 12, 2009

Guest Lecture by Dr. Giacomella Orofino

Rangjung Yeshe Institute announces a guest lecture by Prof. Dr. Giacomella Orofino, University of Napoli.

Topic: The Early History of the Kalacakra Tradition

Date: Wednesday, April 15
Time: 4.15 - 5.15 pm
Venue: The Big Classroom, Rangjung Yeshe Institute, Boudhanath

The talk is free and open to the public!

Tuesday, February 24, 2009

Buddhism and Cognitive Science (postponed)

(Note: this seminar has been postponed until further notice due to a scheduling conflict)

CBS is honored to announce a time intensive seminar with Dr. Georges Dreyfus (Williams College) from October 12-23, 2009.

What Can Buddhism Contribute to Cognitive Science?

The course examines some of the ideas and practices that buddhism might contribute to the contemporary discussions about the mind among mind scientists. We will start by examining some of the assumptions and main views of contemporary cognitive sciences. Then we will examine a few topics such as consciousness, the self, embodiment and emotions, and discuss the standpoint that modern buddhist thinkers might adopt on these difficult topics. In doing so, we will examine some of the buddhist ideas but we will mostly focus on the contemporary discussions and see to which degree some modern views, particularly those belonging to husserl's phenomenological tradition and varela's enactive approach, might be compatible with Buddhist views.

Georges Dreyfus was a monk in the Tibetan Buddhist tradition for many years, and eventually became the first Westerner to obtain the degree of Geshey Lharampa. He currently teaches at Williams College in Williamstown, Massachusetts, USA.

For more information and to register, contact: admin@shedra.org

Friday, January 23, 2009

RYI Short Courses Spring 2009

Four Stakes that Bind the Life Force by Patrul Rinpoche
March 9-20 (Monday to Friday)

The Four Stakes that Bind the Life-Force is Patrul Rinpoche‘s explanation on one of the core concepts found in the development stage literature of the Nyingma tradition. Despite its condensed nature, this treatise addresses all aspects of the development stage, distilling the key points of this difficult subject into four main points, or “stakes,” that capture the essence of this stage of practice. Although the “four stakes” concept presented here is unique to the Nyingma School, in terms of content, Patrul‘s explanation is relevant to all forms of development stage meditation.


Seven Points of Mind Training by Langri Tangpa
March 30 - April 10 (Monday to Friday)

The Seven Points of Mind Training is one of the earliest and most beautiful Tibetan teachings on the practice of mind training. In seven pithy pieces of advice, this text shows how to transform ordinary samsaric experience into the heroic way of awakening of the bodhisattva. This classic teaching of the Great Vehicle has been a cherished instruction at the heart of Tibetan Buddhism for many centuries, inspiring practitioners to the actualization of compassion and wisdom.

All courses will be offered at the Ka-Nying Shedrub Ling Monastery, 
Kathmandu, Nepal, and translated into English.

Registration for All Courses should be done in person at the RYI office 
in the Monastery during the week before the start of the course in question.

Fees:
International – 1,000 NRs.
Local – 500 NRs.

Wednesday, January 21, 2009

Catherine Dalton from CBS Wins Prestigious Award


On November 19 more than 1,700 students from various faculties at Kathmandu University graduated. In addition to the many Nepalese students, a total of 351 students from various countries including Austria, Bangladesh, Canada, Japan, Norway, Tanzania, United Kingdom, United States of America, Zambia, Srilanka and India obtained their degrees.

Among all the graduate students, CBS MA student Catherine Dalton won the prestigious Chancellor Gold Medal award for obtaining the highest grade average at the post-graduate level. The award was given to Catherine Dalton by the Chancellor of Kathmandu University, the Prime Minister of Nepal, Mr. Pushpa Kamal Dahal.

Lectures on Interreligious Dialogue

Ka-Nying Shedrub Ling Monastery, Friday January 23rd

2:15 – 3:15 pm

Father Robert W. McChesney, S.J., The coordinator of Cross Cultural Initiatives at The Jesuit School of Theology at Berkeley will be presenting a lecture on Jesuit Religious Vision & Spiritual Practice.

3:30 – 4:30 pm

Dr. Thomas Cattoi, Assistant Professor of Christology and Cultures at The Jesuit School of Theology at Berkeley will be lecturing on his book entitled “Divine Contingency: Towards a Comparative Theology of Divine Embodiment.”