Journey to Sikkim

Contributed by: Mindrolling International News Staff
Published: 20 January 2011

Part 1 - Jetsün Khandro Rinpoche at the Science, Spirituality and
Education Conference in Gangtok, Sikkim

Jetsün Khandro Rinpoche recently spoke at the International Conference on Science, Spirituality and Education organized by the Namgyal Institute of Tibetology under the auspices of the Government of Sikkim. The conference was initially organized through the aspiration and request of His Holiness the Dalai Lama who taught and presided over the entire conference and provided not only immense blessings and inspiration to all the participants—as His Holiness does just through mere proximity and sound of the voice—but also through His Holiness’s great humour. His Holiness’s presence added an infectious joy to the four-day event making it a sheer pleasure for everyone in attendance.

Photo Credit: His Holiness the Dalai Lama at the opening of the Gangtok Conference on Science, Spirituality and Education ©2011 Mindrolling International

There were many eminent rinpoches as well great scholars and scientists from numerous disciplines who were there to present recent research findings as well as to open up discussions on how best to approach the education of all people in areas of neuroscience, cognitive science, ethics, spirituality and the use of methods of meditation as a secular tool to enhance and promote ethical human values. There were seven sessions on various topics, all with a panel of three to four speakers and then several respondents who added to or questioned each speaker's methodology and findings.

Just to provide a brief idea of what the conference was like, Jetsün Khandro Rinpoche spoke in the morning of December 23rd in the Art and Science of Meditation session. Professor Robert Thurman of Columbia University chaired the session with great joviality and wit. Rinpoche was the first speaker in this session and eloquently taught on the basic forms or techniques of meditation; the literal and specific origin of the word, the concept of ego and the process of differentiating incoming stimuli into likes and dislikes, along with the process of how one begins to watch and is there by capable of creating a stillness in both mental and verbal chatter. Rinpoche related these concepts to the Buddhist notions of suffering and also the intrinsic power of the mind—that the mind’s expressiveness lies in perceptions and that if we only recognize our own unique responsibility in the perceptions we produce, then, as the Buddha taught, liberation is in the palm of our hands.

"...if we only recognize our own unique responsibility in the perceptions we produce, then, as the Buddha taught, liberation is in the palm of our hands."
— Jetsün Khandro Rinpoche

The second speaker was Geshe Lobsang Tenzin Negi who reviewed the most recent research from the fields of neuroscience, psychology, anthropology and even economics, which supported the view that compassionate and altruistic thoughts and behaviours are not only beneficial to self and others but also necessary for survival.

The last speaker for the morning session was Venerable Dr. Khenpo Ngawang Jorden who presented part of a paper (soon to be published) postulating with the mediation on dependent-arising as an example, that meditation may be effective not only in achieving the short-term goal of mental stability, but more importantly, as the most skilful way of making the mind familiar with core Buddhist teachings vital to our long-term transformative potential as human beings on a spiritual path.

Photo Credit: Jetsün Khandro Rinpoche speaking at the conference with other presenters ©2011 Mindrolling International

Though Rinpoche was the first speaker, the teaching was so powerful and clear that many questions and a great deal of discussion flowed from one presentation after the other and after the session concluded Rinpoche was quite busy dealing with individual questions and requests for further teaching. In fact, His Eminence Ringu Tulku Rinpoche requested that Rinpoche give a separate teaching to the members of Sikkim Buddhist organization of Gangtok (the Capital city of Sikkim). That evening Rinpoche gave a profound and truly brilliant talk to a gathering of mostly local

Tibetan youths and though the room was quite chilly, being without any heating and December temperatures in Sikkim, we were all truly warmed and blessed by Rinpoche’s sincerity and great aspirations for us all.

Photo Credit: His Holiness the Dalai Lama with Jetsün Khandro Rinpoche ©2011 Mindrolling International

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