2009’s 10 Day Retreat on Parting From the Four Attachments Comes to a Close June 12, 2009
Posted by redde in IBA news.add a comment
The 2009 10-day retreat, Parting from the Four Attachments, led by Dzongsar Jamyang Khyentse Rinpoche and Lama Chodak Rinpoche, was an amazing experience this year. From June 2 – 10th, over 300 students from over 45 different countries gathered at the International Buddhist Academy for the teachings.
Please check back soon for an update and additional photo galleries!
Help Needed For Book Transportation March 15, 2009
Posted by Karen in IBA news, International Buddhist Academy.add a comment
At the request of H.H. Sakya Trizin, and in accordance with the wishes of Khenchen Appey Rinpoche, Dr. Khenpo Ngawang Jorden, IBA’s inspiring teacher and respected scholar, will be leaving his professionally paid post at the University of Chicago to serve as Headmaster of IBA, in charge of IBA’s full range of year-round educational programs.
In order for Khenpo Jorden to bring his entire library to IBA, to share with other scholars and researchers, he will need some assistance from patrons who understand the potential value of his collection as a resource for IBA.
This library of unbound Tibetan pechas, bound books in Tibetan, and books in English contains some irreplaceable volumes, as well as others that are unobtainable in Nepal, and some which, although obtainable, would be far more costly to replace than to transport.
A small fund of $825. US was raised by some of Khenpo Jorden’s students to help with the library moving costs before an estimate was obtained. Now, an international relocation company has given Khenpo Jorden a detailed estimate of approximately $3500. US for the cost of packing the books into a container, conveying it by sea to Calcutta, and transporting it by ground from the seaport to the IBA, where the library will be unpacked. The books are estimated to weigh approx. 1,500 pounds, and to take up over 200 cubic feet, after packing.
It would be a considerable gain for IBA to have these well-chosen and highly relevant books, both for Philosophy study and for Translation resources. But without help, it would be a heavy expense for Khenpo Jorden to bear, when he is already forgoing a professional’s Western salary in order to donate all of his personal talents, abilities and specialized experience for the rest of his teaching career, for the sake of IBA’s students.
If you can help or if you know someone who is willing to help with these shipping costs, please contact Khenpo Jorden : <njorden(insert “at” symbol)uchicago.edu>, or follow our website’s links to a PayPal donation form, and specify that your donation is to be applied towards Khenpo Jorden’s Book Transportation Fund.
There is some urgency in this request for assistance, since Khenpo Jorden has a very limited amount of time to finalize the book transport along with so many other arrangements before he relocates to IBA in June.
Your assistance in finding this help is greatly appreciated and will indeed benefit many.
New Book November 24, 2008
Posted by Rinchen in IBA news, Sakyapa Writings.Tags: dharma sakya pandita
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We have published a new edition of Teachings on Sakya Pandita’s Clarifying the Sage’s Intent. The text is drawn from teachings Khenchen Appey Rinpoche gave on Sakya Pandita’s classic, Clarifying the Sage’s Intent. This book is published here in Nepal by Vajra Publications but it will be available worldwide through Amazon.com and other distributors.
From the Introduction:
Clarifying the Sage’s Intent describes the stages of the bodhisattva path from the very beginning right up to full and perfect enlightenment, following the teaching tradition of the great early Kadampas. The teachings are based on two verses from Maitreya’s Mahayanasutralamkara (Ornament of the Sutras), which cover the entire Mahayana teachings of the Buddha. Mahayanasutralamkara expounds ten stages of practice. The first is spiritual propensity; the second is convinced adherence to religion; the third is generating the enlightenment thought; the fourth is accomplishing the perfections of generosity and the remaining perfections; the fifth is maturing sentient beings; the sixth is entering upon the stainless paths; the seventh is thoroughly purifying the realms, the eighth is nonabiding nirvana; the ninth is the highest awakening and the tenth is demonstration.
10 day retreat 2008 – Triple Vision July 15, 2008
Posted by anandbk in Courses, IBA news.Tags: meditation, retreat
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We just finished the annual 10-day meditation retreat at the IBA in Kathmandu. In the Buddhist tradition, the complete learning experience begins with teachings, which are then contemplated and finally put into practice. Meditation encompasses the many methods to familiarize oneself with the contemplated topic. As Buddha said, “Do not believe only because I have said it, experience the reality for yourself”. To train the mind we need to learn how to stop it from wandering.
IBA retreat 2008 - group pic
In this 10-day retreat the topic of meditation was the Three Visions, a teaching from the Sakya school of Buddhism which flourished in Tibet. We covered the 1st part or the impure vision which describes our false perception of phenomena and how our afflictions lead us to suffering.
The best thing about this retreat was the varied format which included:
- Teachings on the given topics
- Contemplations
- Question and answer sessions
- Individual meditations
- Guided group meditations
This format and the supportive conditions at the IBA offered me a real opportunity to learn, contemplate and meditate. Both teachers, Khenpo Lungrik Senge and Khenpo Ngawang Jorden, were very learned and friendly. The teachings were translated into English and Spanish. A separate retreat was held for Mandarin speakers. People with many different backgrounds from all around the globe attended the retreat making it feel just like a ”global village”. It was nice to see young Nepalis and Indian people in an international institute studying Buddhism. I’m happy the IBA helped make Dharma more accessible by offering discounts to local people.
My job was the gong ringer, waking retreatants at 6 and again throughout the day. A meditation in itself, ringing the gong reigned in my mind and kept all the retreatants on time and in the zone. No retreat would be complete without it.
The facilities and the food were of high standard. The helpful and cheerful staff made this retreat very comfortable. Now the IBA is starting a 2 month teaching on Vasubandhu’s Abhidharma Kosha which is considered an encyclopedia of Buddhism. After an inspiring retreat experience, I am looking forward to joining the next course. What you are doing?
IBA’s Post-Graduate Leadership Training Program March 1, 2008
Posted by Karen in Courses, IBA news, International Buddhist Academy, Studies.Tags: IBA, leadership program, monk sponsorship, post-graduate training
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Beginning in late September of this year, the IBA will be expanding its educational role to offer a three-year Post-Graduate training program for a very dedicated group of young monks. Participants in the program will already have completed their monastic training and attained a high academic standing in Buddhist Philosophy. These young monks will also be highly motivated to serve others through their development of leadership skills.
Each participating monk will choose to study either Mandarin Chinese or the English language. Training in oral and written Translation and courses in Computer Literacy and Accounting will also advance their capabilities in Communication and Administration. The skilled mentoring of their teachers will be both example and guide for the monks’ Leadership learning experiences.
This specialized training will take place for three consecutive years during the eight months in which International students are not in residence at the IBA for their program of Buddhist Philosophy and study of the Tibetan language. The IBA summer courses will continue to occupy the Academy’s focus during the months of June, July, August and half of September. During those months when students from around the world are in residence at the IBA, the monks in the three-year Post-Graduate training program will be visiting their families, friends, or their home monasteries.
Many of the student monks will be from Tibetan refugee families. Most of those entering this program will have no funding at all for their studies, and need to rely on sponsors for their tuition and their room and board expenses, which total approximately $40. US dollars per month. It is hoped that some sponsors will be able to make a full three-year commitment of support. Shorter commitments and group sponsorships are also important ways of accumulating the resources needed by the monks in order to complete this intensive program.
Supporters of the IBA can help to welcome the new Post-Graduate program by assisting in organizing sponsorships. Though these monks are without financial resources, their determination, focus, Dharma knowledge and personal qualities have earned them a place in this educational initiative.
It is extremely important for the bright and capable young monks of the next generation to receive opportunities such as this in order to enable them to make the fullest possible contribution to their communities.
Helping just one of these future leaders will result in bringing benefit to so many others!
Our web-site will be updated over the next few months to give some background information on individual monks requiring sponsorship, and more information on the Post-Graduate Leadership Training program. If you wish to donate now, please go to our “How To Help” section for information on bank transfers, and, eventually, other payment methods.
Khenpo Jorden’s visit to Victoria, Canada December 27, 2007
Posted by Karen in IBA news, International Buddhist Academy, Personal Perspectives, Sakya.add a comment
The IBA’s Khenpo Jorden recently made a five-day visit to Victoria, British Columbia, Canada, from Chicago, Illinois, U.S.A., where the Khenpo teaches at the University of Chicago. The visit was sponsored by Geshe Tashi Namgyal’s Victoria Dharma Centre, and was greatly enjoyed by those members (of Sakya Thubten Kunga Choling), whose beloved teacher, Geshe-la, is 85 years old, and is still teaching (and teasing) his students.
In addition to informal meetings with Geshe-la and members of the Centre, Khenpo Jorden translated for two of Geshe-la’s teachings: Chandrakirti’s Seven-Part Reasoning on the Selflessness of Persons,and The Wisdom of Hearing & The Four Seals of Buddhist Practice.
In addition to answering his students’ questions, through Khenpo Jorden’s translations, Geshe-la also directed questions towards his students, as is his custom, to see if his teachings had been understood. There was a lot of laughter as well as learning, and Geshe-la really enjoyed Khenpo Jorden’s presence.
The Khenpo also gave a public Dharma teaching at the University of Victoria, titled “The Basis, the Path, and the Result of Buddhist Practice”, with the Two Truths as the Basis, the Two Accumulations as the Path and the Two Kayas as the Result. There were many interesting questions which allowed additional mini-teachings by the Khenpo. As a special treat for his audience of approximately 65 people, Khenpo Jorden offered a very moving recitation of a prayer, in English translation, (usually titled “The Tibetan Prayer for Peace”) followed by a most exquisite and subtle chant of the same prayer in Tibetan, a truly memorable gift to the audience of practitioners.
Before he left Sakya Thubten Kunga Choling, the Khenpo was presented with a videotape of his public teaching and with a set of three DVDs containing digital sound recordings of almost three hundred of Geshe-la’s teachings, from 1984 to 1997, for the IBA archives.
The Victoria Buddhist Dharma Society’s members look forward to a return visit from the Khenpo, whose kindness in accepting their invitation was greatly appreciated.
Mahayanasutralamkara September 14, 2007
Posted by Karen in IBA news.2 comments
In an intensive schedule over the last two months, Khenpo Dr. Ngawang Jorden has just completed bestowing the full transmission of Maitreya’s Mahayanasutralamkara, (including the “lung”), to a group of IBA students who consider themselves extremely fortunate to have received the blessing of hearing this highly inspiring work.
Our base text was a recently published English translation (from a committee headed by Dr. Robert Thurman) of Maitreya’s root text, accompanied by Vasubandhu’s commentary. The root text is compact and often cryptic, and at all times extremely profound. Since the use of more than one commentarial support proves to be highly beneficial, Khenpo Jorden kindly gave us a full English translation directly from a beautifully clear and detailed Tibetan commentary by Gyalsay Togme Sangpo. This excellent commentary was an invaluable resource throughout our study.
Among the five treatises of Maitreya, transmitted through Asanga, this one possesses the broadest range of topics, actually encompassing all aspects of the Mahayana teachings. The Mahayanasutralamkara “ornaments” the vast scriptures of the Mahayana sutras (approx. 30 vol.).
Among the vividly presented and extensive teachings recurring in the Mahayanasutralamkara, each time within a different context or from a new level, are clear explanations of ( just to name a few) The Six Perfections, The Five Paths of the Bodhisattva Vehicle, The Three Natures, The Kayas, Suchness, The Four Seals, and The Four Reliances.
Maitreya himself summed up the entire Path of the Higher Trainings in this verse from the root text (which was used as a guide by Sakya Pandita for his work on the Foundation, Path and Result aspects of the Mahayana teachings: Clarifying The Sage’s Intent. ):
“The Universal Vehicle is summarized as awakening the spiritual “gene”,
having faith in the Dharma, the conception of the spirit, the practice of
generosity and so forth, the advance to predetermination, the evolutionary
development of beings, the purification of the universe, the unlocated
Nirvana, the supreme enlightenment, and the manifestation of the Buddha deeds.”
Some student comments at the conclusion of this course:
“This text would be wonderful to study again and again, and with
different commentaries.”
“I think it’s incredibly important, as a student, to get these basics.
Without a foundation, a house can’t be built.”
“I was amazed at how motivating this whole course was. I thought it
might be pretty dry stuff, but I actually had tears in my eyes sometimes,
because it was so powerful and inspiring”
“By studying it, you realize that it is the basis and essence of the
Mahayana path, without which Tantra doesn’t make sense.
It (Tantra) has to be based on that. The MSA is so rich and complex
and beautiful all at the same time and it’s something I want to spend
years re-studying because I can really sink my teeth into it, with
subject matter that’s just beyond this world!”
“This teaching is a great treasure, I had no idea it even existed before!”
IBA Library receives large donation of books August 18, 2007
Posted by Karen in IBA news.add a comment
A recent donation of books from the estate of Kenneth L. Javonovich has made a significant contribution to the IBA’s library. Mrs. Javonovich, of Chicago, Illinois,U.S.A., arranged for this bequest to be given into the care of Khenpo Ngawang Jorden when he was in Chicago, earlier this year. 
Thanks to the financial support of an anonymous donor from Singapore who took care of the considerable costs of shipping, Khenpo Jorden was able to arrange for safe delivery of the books to the IBA. Student volunteers gave each of the hundreds of books the IBA stamp, and arranged them on shelves in each category. The IBA, in addition to its large selection of Tibetan “pechas” now has a wide selection of “codex” style books on General Buddhism, Philosophy, Buddhist Practice, Art and Iconography, Reference, Language Study, History, Biography, Theravada Tradition, Mahayana Tradition, Mantrayana, Tibetan Medicine, Culture, and others.
We have concluded Sage’s Intent August 12, 2007
Posted by Rinchen in IBA news.2 comments
We have recently completed our 10 day retreat and it went very well. It was more of a contemplation retreat that a strict meditation retreat. We had a full house for the retreat, 70+ students and over 300 monks who came every morning to listen to Khenchen Appey Rinpoche teach. Rinpoche taught one session per day; we had a review session in the afternoon, a guided group meditation in the evening and 3 individual meditation sessions in our rooms. It was an amazing teaching and experience. A 10 day summary of the whole path. We are very happy we were able to have 2 additional languages this year, Spanish and Mandarin.
