Namgyal Longyang talks about being at Chapagaon Gompa and joining in the second year of the ‘Nine Yanas’ retreat with Rinpoche.
Before I came to Pal Do-Nyak Nyida Zungdrel Mindrol Norbu Ling Monastery I was already a monk in my village – I had even done the three years retreat – but I was so young I didn’t know what the practice was. In my village there is no teaching as there is here. My family are all Tibetan traditional doctors – for generations back.
A lot of villagers said ‘go and learn medicine, keep the family tradition’ so I came with, with my uncle who is a monk and a doctor to the Kathmandu Valley. My uncle contacted Phakchok Rinpoche because they know each other. Then one day before Tibetan Lhosar in 2007 I came here.
When I came here I didn’t feel good – for two years I thought how can I escape, how can I go: even in my dreams I dreamt I was leaving this monastery. I dreamt often that I left and went to my village and when I reached there a lot of villagers said ‘ shame on you, even though you went to Kathmandu you have learnt no languages’. In my dreams I returned here, and acted as if I had never been away….
After two years we started the intermaediate class and I studied “The 37 Practicesof The Bodhisattva” with Lopen Childru Sangpo and I realized how important the Dharma is. I used to act very strangely at that time, not respecting the monastery rules – I played and ran a lot with my body, I didn’t speak good words and in my mind my thoughts were not good.
In the “37 practices of a Bodhisattva” they say that being a monk one should abandon ones home and there are a lot of benefits about the monks vows and hearing the Buddhist speech.
My father and my uncle both said I need to study medicine – I don’t know how the change happened….I had the chance to learn Tibetan medicine at Riwoche gompa but I didn’t go: I only had two years left until I completed the intermediate class, so I thought it was better to complete that first. The medicine training takes seven years and I thought if I did not complete it, then I would have nothing.
The Nine Yanas retreat was great – Phakchok Rinpoches’ plan is very wonderful, learning from the very beginning, step by step, it is very important. It isn’t so good to start in the middle, learning about Bodhicitta and going back to the Shravakayana. If you practice the higher things without knowing anything about the Shravakayana / Pratyekayana we might later become attracted to those lesser teachings when we hear about them, not realizing they are the foundation of higher teachings, not themselves more precious.
Studying the Nine Yanas it is very important to understand view, conduct and fruition of each Yana. Rinpoche makes sure we know this, and his teaching will
go all the way up to Ati yoga,
I remember one of the teachings, simple but very important: even if we cannot uphold the Buddha dharma or make it flourish we should not try to damage it in any way. This is the one teaching I practice most, trying not to harm others and trying to act more like a monk. I don’t wear shorts, just the monks’ robes unless there is a very important reason, like carrying cement. At that time the robes can get torn or dirty. The reason why we should not be without robes is that they protect us and wearing them feels very good and relaxed. It has the blessing of Buddha – and negative emotions are less, we are protected. The negative emotions, the Mara cannot harm us, really. This is what Rinpoche said.
All practices are to reduce our negative emotions. Last year, after the Shravakyana teaching, my practice should be to reduce my desires – skeleton practice but I didn’t do so well at that. This year I chant mantras and chants from the Pratyeka practice. I do this regularly, every day. I do sitting meditation, Shamatha. It is very important but not to do only shamatha: I add the Four Mind Changings, impermanence, how important this precious human life is.
Here we have a rule to do meditation every day from 6-7pm (all monks together in the Lakhang) except at weekends. I also do practice on my own, in the morning or evening, when I do the same as the afternoon but add the Four Mind Changings and Loving Kindness, or whatever comes to mind and seems important at that time. I make a specific time for each part, as well as trying to find the Self.
One thing that made me happy with KPCRS teaching is that he always tells stories when he teaches. In my life when I heard a lot of stories this is helpful. When we do something that is not so good, and then we hear that a lot of other people have done that then it’s really helpful! Coz we can also know what is good and bad.
Presently my friends and I are hearing dharma contemplating, and meditating - and looking forward very much to next years’ retreat!
The exams were actually three weeks ago, before Lhosar; they were followed by a much needed holiday when quite a few of the monks went to homes and relatives for a few days. But last week the day finally came for the results to be announced and presentations made.
Kyabje Chokling Rinpoche and Dechen Paldron very kindly came to Pal Do-ngak Nyida Zungdrel Mindrol Norbu Ling Monastery to hand out wise words and encouragement along with prizes to those who had done really well. Rinpoche was delighted at the results this year and looked really happy! During the presentation Lopen-la offered prayers for the long life of Chokling Rinpoche and continued faith and devotion of his students.
Subjects examined are maths, English and Tibetan culture, language and grammar, and Nepali for monks up to intermediate level. Intermediate level students study Buddhist philosophy and meditation (more details in previous posts!)
Marks in all exams are awarded as follows: all papers are marked out of a total of 100. 61 - 100 means a first division pass, 51 – 60 is second division, 40-50 is third division. The pass mark is either 35 or 40 depending on the subject. Teachers can award an extra 5 marks in a subject if the student has been working hard or has shown a particularly good example in the monastery. This may or may not bring a student up to a pass mark!
For the intermediate level, the Buddhist philosophy class, exams are set in Boudhanath, at the mother monastery, Seto Gompa. Below intermediate level, teachers set the exams. We are aiming to have the space and teachers to enable the monks to take the Nepali State examination (SLC) in maths, English, Nepali and one day in science and other subjects.
First was the LKG – preparatory class for very young monks – Garap Shinou has always been in this class following his incidence of hydrocephalus. He is free to do as he pleases and really enjoys the class. He comes, sits, writes and draws and is peacefully occupied.
Sherab Gyatso, who is a new monk from India has been at the gompa for only six months but he came top in the first class. Next year he will go straight up to third class!
Dangzong Thogyal, named after the twelveth century Buddha, headed the list in class two - there was no third class this year! Of those about to begin their final fifth year of study before moving up to do philosophy, Urgen Gyatso did really well.
In the fifth and final class Nawang Gyaltsen lead: he, and his classmates will go up to the intermediate class when studies resume next week.
In the first year intermediate class Garap Jugne was top : this means that he scored the top marks totalled over the nine subjects of study. It was a very unexpected result as he is the youngest in the class, aged 14. Pema Pawo, aged 17 came second: he is going to be in charge of looking after sick young monks this year and bringing them to clinic having been ‘second in command’ to Pema Tenzin this year.
There is only one other group of intermediate monks: they will start their fourth and penultimate year of philosophy study next week. Their star was Tsultrim Namgyal. He spent his non-study time during the year as ‘geko’ – monks disciplinarian. This is effectively ‘head monk’ and is a position of great responsibility and no little stress! Second place went to Ratna Mangalam – who has taken over as ‘geko’ for this year and so will be inspired by Tsultrims example!
To end, we must offer our very grateful thanks to our wise and compassionate teacher, Lopen Yeshe Phuntsok. His teaching has inspired us to study and practice and is responsible for the excellent results of the philopsphy students.
Monks warming newly shaved heads by the fire! - shaved on the 8th day of the Tibetan calendar during Puja.
