Mindrolling Retreat with Jetsün Khandro Rinpoche

Contributed by: Mindrolling International News Staff
Published: 17 March 2011


Jetsün Khandro Rinpoche during one of the morning teaching sessions.

The Mindrolling retreat in India has been the request and aspiration of numerous students for many years. After repeatedly supplicating Her Eminence Mindrolling Jetsün Khandro Rinpoche for more than a decade to lead a teaching and practice retreat in India, Rinpoche kindly agreed to this request. On a sunny and beautiful day, the 10th of February, a two-week retreat began at Mindrolling Monastery in Clement Town, India. The retreat was so favorably received that registration had to be closed nearly a month before the retreat began in order to comfortably accommodate all the practitioners in private rooms.

The participants converged on Mindrolling Monastery in the days before the retreat from all parts of the globe; in fact, the nearly 100 participants represented more than 18 different nationalities. For many, it was their first trip to India, and with it came all the excitement and challenges of a new culture and surroundings.


Paticipants lining up for the delicious Indian and Tibetan cuisine.

Everyone received a warm welcome by the staff of the Mindrolling Monastery. The nuns and staff of Samten Tse and the senior monks and managers of Mindrolling worked hard for many months to ensure the participants' comfort and to organize all the program details. This included housing participants in three different guest houses at the Monastery, preparing delicious meals, and arranging transportation.

As the participants arrived, they were escorted to the Künzang Phodrang, the residence of His Holiness Mindrolling Trichen where they received the blessing of the Kudung and Sangyum Kushog. Rinpoche also personally greeted all the participants, guiding them from the beginning on the course of the retreat, the proper view for the next two weeks of the practice and what to expect during their stay at Mindrolling.

Touring the Great Peace Stupa

The day after registration and orientation, Rinpoche personally guided the participants through the five shrine rooms of the World Peace Stupa, beginning with the ground floor, the Padmasambhava shrine room. Rinpoche discussed in detail the exquisite murals on the walls that depict the life of Guru Padmasambhava in accordance with the terma of Ogyen Lingpa, Kathang Sheldragma (Crystal Cave Chronicles). Many of us who had been to the Stupa numerous times felt deeply honored and grateful for the detailed description Rinpoche provided especially about the dharmapalas or protectors of the dharma which are so beautifully depicted on the front wall of this shrine room. Also of great interest were the eight manifestations of Guru Rinpoche in each corner along with detailed murals of all the Guru Rinpoche prayers such as The Seven Chapters Supplication (le'u dünma) and The Supplication which Spontaneously Accomplishes Wishes (sampa lhün drub ma).


During the interior tour of the stupa, participants visit the Padmasambhava Shrine Room and gaze up at the murals depicting the biography of Guru Rinpoche.

Rinpoche then took the group upstairs to the second floor Buddha Shakyamuni shrine room which also served as the shrine room for the retreat. Everyone was quite awed by the towering gold Shakyamuni Buddha gazing upon them and a bit intimidated by the cushions so perfectly placed for their meditation sessions. The focus of the retreat was the First Turning of the Wheel and of course there was no place more fitting for the meditation and prayer sessions than this inspiring room. The retreatants were surrounded by the murals depicting the Jataka Stories which describe the previous lives of the Buddha. The Sixteen Arhats, the Seven Entrusted with the Teachings and the Seventeen Panditas of Glorious Nalanda are also depicted on the pillars. There was no need to really do much visualization, as it was all there in perfect detail and glorious color.

The tour continued upward into the Lineage shrine room which contains the three dimensional mandala of Lochen Zhithro, the statues of all the Trichens and Khenchens as well as paintings of various lineage masters. In the vase enclosure of the stupa are the painted images of the thousand buddhas of the Good Kalpa. This room also contains the life-force tree of the stupa with the statues of the field of accumulation of the Minling Dorsem (Vajrasattva). The top-most level, or the Dzogchen shrine room, contains the paintings of the Twelve Teachers of the Dzogchen lineage.

Lastly, Rinpoche took everyone to the outdoor observation decks where Rinpoche shared many stories about the humble beginnings of Mindrolling Monastery in India (four monks living in one tent with no buildings or infrastructure) and the hard work and efforts of all of the monks involved in making the Monastery a reality. It was truly an auspicious beginning to this special retreat. People were so moved and inspired by the hardship the monks were willing to endure for the dharma with what must have seemed like little chance for positive outcomes. They maintained incredible devotion under very difficult circumstances.

A Glimpse of the Monks

After the stupa tour was complete, Rinpoche treated everyone to tea and soft drinks in the cafe at Devaloka Guest House and then continued the tour of the Mindrolling campus with a visit to the youngest monks. We witnessed the traditional style of Tibetan recitation class which these monks begin as soon as they are admitted to the monastery and which they continue until they reach the point of having completely memorized all their practices and prayers. The young monks tried very hard to continue with their recitation but it was difficult as they were so busy smiling and waving at us through the window of their classrooms.

Rinpoche then took everyone to the main shrine room of the monastery where the monks were doing their evening prayers. The group was permitted to enter the shrine room which is normally closed to visitors during the prayers and were ably assisted and escorted by the Gekö (head of discipline) of Samten Tse Retreat Centre, Ani Yönten Zangmo la. Yönten Zangmo la also attended all the practice and prayer sessions where she corrected any violations of protocol and assisted with proper sitting posture and shrine room etiquette.


Meal time at the Mahayana Guest House dining room.

An International Flavor

Rinpoche’s teachings and the entire retreat was translated into French and Spanish by our hardworking translators Ani Drolma Chödron and Cinthia Font. One could also hear the occasional German, Polish or Czech phrase being quietly whispered by a retreat friend eager to assist someone who might not fully understand the English. It was impossible to ignore the international flavor of the retreat and yet after a few days into the program there was a great deal of mixing, especially at meal times, when everyone made a concerted effort to be friendly and open.

The Retreat Schedule


Participants listening to a teaching by Jetsün Khandro Rinpoche during the program.

The retreat program was based on three individual and two group practice sessions which took place in the beautiful Shakyamuni Buddha shrine room of The World Peace Stupa. The two group sessions were attended by Rinpoche and all of the senior nuns of the Samten Tse Retreat Centre. The Umze and Lopön of Samten Tse, Ani Karma Wozer la was the umze for the program and head of practice and study. All of the participants did the morning and evening prayers in Tibetan or phonetics and were also provided translations in three languages for purposes of comprehension and visualization.


Morning (left) and evening (right) prayer sessions in the Buddha Shakyamuni shrine room.

Rinpoche gave lay vows for the duration of the retreat to all who wished and a shawl or zen was given to each participant to wear during the group sessions as a symbol and reminder—helping to bind them to their vow. All of the sessions were rooted in one or two daily teachings from Rinpoche.


Participants wrapped in their meditation shawls given as a gift from Mindrolling Monastery.

The first teaching described how to work with our minds during the retreat (and after), and the importance of observing our actions of body, speech and mind, taking time to become familiar with them before we try to change them. Patience is key to walking the path. Rinpoche also spent time reviewing the chants or prayers to make sure that we all understood their meaning and significance.

In the second teaching, Rinpoche discussed the importance of the proper motivation for Dharma practice. She encouraged us to look honestly at the motivation for our practice and to see if it matches our hopes or aspirations. Rinpoche also began relating the life of the Buddha, and encouraged us to look at how our own lives parallel the Buddha's, and where they differ, and to use that as a basis of contemplation.

A Visit to Samten Tse

A few days into the retreat Rinpoche felt it best to have an excursion. So all the participants boarded buses and headed for Samten Tse Retreat Centre for a tour and visit with the nuns who reside there. The participants were excited about this trip as most of them had never had the opportunity to see Samten Tse but had heard so much about it. After eating many wonderful cakes and croissants and visiting the shrine rooms and gardens of Samten Tse, the participants went further up the foothills into the hill station town of Mussoorie. Although the weather was a bit drizzly and cool, no one seemed to mind and everyone enjoyed many hours, just wandering the streets and visiting the shops.

Gratitude for Rinpoche's Teaching


Jetsün Khandro Rinpoche during one of the morning teaching sessions.

The participants returned that evening and really began to settle into their retreat schedule. Everyone was quite diligent, starting their practice sessions on time and getting to all the prayers and teachings. It was an intense schedule, and at times everyone was a bit challenged by wet weather. But, if Rinpoche was teaching at the top of Devaloka at 7:30pm and the rain was coming down while it was pitch dark outside, even if you lived all the way over at the Mahayana Guest House– it just didn’t really matter. Everyone was always happy, waiting on every word Rinpoche had to say. The participants came a long way to receive Rinpoche’s teachings, and of course, Rinpoche is Rinpoche. Unbelievable. Wonderful. Tough on us sometimes, but always because we need it and because it seems Rinpoche truly wants the best for all of us. Everyone seemed to know and feel how blessed we were with the teacher and the teachings, in such a perfect place.

Gratitude to the Retreat Organizers

A few days into the retreat, all of the participants had arrived and expressed their deep gratitude to Ani Chönyid Chödron la for the wonderful organization and communication. All correspondence was done in three languages with all materials being translated and sent out prior to arrival of the participants. Of course, none of this could have occurred without the assistance of all the monks of Mindrolling but in particular the managers, Lama Rigala, Lama Phuntsok Namgyal la and Lama Tenkyab la who organized everything at Mindrolling prior to the arrival of the participants. They were also very ably assisted by Ani Tsultrim Dechen la who was in charge of administration and coordinated all the transportation for the participants and Lama Kunga Gyatso who is the secretary for the Mindrolling Monastery and coordinates all the participants' prayer requests. The Samten Tse staff was of great assistance to the monks with Zuzana Dankova, Jigme Chödrön and Drolma Chödrön assisting with all the pre-arrival organization.

Gifts for the Young Monks

On the auspicious full moon day, Rinpoche arranged for the participants to earn a bit of merit and exercise the paramita of generosity by making an offering to the young monks of Mindrolling. Everyone met at the residence and happily carried bags of goodies over to the young monks' dorms. The young monks were very shy but showed appreciation for their gift and for many days afterwards they were sweetly thanking all the westerners they passed on the paths around the monastery.


Participants bringing gift bags of treats to the school for young monks at Mindrolling (left). Monks thanking the participants. (right)

A Lecture Tour of the Stupas


Participants learn of the symbolism of the exterior elements of the stupa.

Although Rinpoche had given a detailed tour of the inside of the Stupa, there had not been sufficient time for information concerning the outside and surrounding stupas. Luckily, Andre Csapo had been working on a new pamphlet for the monastery regarding the symbolism and design of stupas and was therefore able to give a detailed lecture and tour of the exterior of the World Peace Stupa and the eight smaller stupas to the left and right. Everyone found this interesting, as only a few people had really noted the differences in all the stupas and most had no idea or understanding of the complexity involved in the designs.

Participants learn about the significance of the steps below the vase. (left). Andre Csapo explains the eight kinds of stupas (right).

Visit to Rishikesh

The weekend before the close of the program Rinpoche made arrangements for the participants to visit one of the holiest sights of India, Rishikesh and the holy river Ganges. It was a beautiful day for the trip and everyone seemed to appreciate it a great deal. All the visitors took a blessing from the holy river, and some immersed their whole bodies even though it was rather chilly. All were happy to have had the opportunity to visit such a special place, do prayers by the Ganges, have a nice lunch and shop for crystals and conch shells for their shrines which Rinpoche had said were the specialties of the area.

The Final Days—Profound Gratitude, a Banquet, Site-Seeing and Final Prayers


The end of the program banquet.

As the program was coming to a conclusion, there were many questions from the participants regarding their meditations or liturgies, so Rinpoche would start the teaching each day by having a question and answer session. Many handouts were distributed with detailed charts and tables related to the 4 Noble Truths, the Aggregates and further elaborations on the First Turning of the Wheel which were all covered in detail through Rinpoche’s profound and practical teachings.


Participants offer a heartfelt thanks to Jetsun Khandro Rinpoche for the teachings and request that Rinpoche continue the retreat next year in Mindrolling.

The retreatants were further blessed near the end of the retreat with the arrival of Jetsün Dechen Paldrön. The participants were delighted to have the opportunity to offer khatags. For many it was the first opportunity to meet and get to know Jetsünla. As the Nyingma Monlam in Bodh Gaya had just drawn to a close, His Eminience Khochhen Rinpoche and many monks returned to the monastery and the participants were also able to visit and offer Khochhen Rinpoche a khatag and receive Rinpoche’s blessings.


Nuns and participants celebrate their birthdays with the cutting of a large birthday cake.

The last night, Rinpoche treated everyone to a lavish Indian buffet dinner at the nearby Softel.

The room was grand, with chandeliers sparkling from the high ceilings. All were in attendance including Rinpoche, Sangyum Kushog, Jetsün Dechen Paldrön, Britton Bosarge, the managers of Mindrolling, about 20 monks who had worked extremely hard behind the scenes, and 20 nuns of the Samten Tse Retreat Centre, including the senior nuns who had worked diligently to make the program a success. In addition, we were joined by the cooks, who had became the favorite personalities of the participants, and several workers from the Devaloka shops who always do so much to make the westerners feel welcome at Mindrolling.


Participants dancing a Scottish reel at the end of the program banquet.

Rinpoche personally thanked everyone and offered flowers, offerings and khatags to every staff member. The monks offered a thank you to all the participants with a gift of Mindrolling incense. Finally, the participants thanked Rinpoche and offered prayers for Rinpoche’s long life, good health and the flourishing of Rinpoche’s vast activities as well as a card with many supplications for Rinpoche to teach and hold the retreat at Mindrolling once again.


The final prayer session of the retreat attended by Jetsün Khandro Rinpoche, Sangyum Kushog, Jetsün Dechen Paldrön, and Britton Bosarge,

The speeches ended with a birthday celebration for all the birthdays that had occurred during the retreat, with an extremely large cake. Everyone took time to enjoy the wonderful buffet with numerous Indian delicacies and traditional foods. Perhaps what was most surprising for many was, that as the dinner concluded the dancing began. Though at first some were a bit shy, by the end of the night the joy of the program was evident in the fun everyone was having on the dance floor.

Everyone reluctantly departed from the hotel and arrived tired, but extremely happy back at the monastery. The next morning all gathered in the stupa for the final prayer session. On the 24th of February, the program concluded and the participants were honored by Sangyum Kushog, Jetsün Dechen Paldrön and Britton Bosarge joining the last session. It was hard for the participants to leave the shrine room at the end of the morning as nobody really wanted it all to end. Finally, everyone gathered on steps on the stupa for a group photo of the First Retreat at Mindrolling Monastery.


A group photo of all the participants on the last day of the program with Jetsün Khandro Rinpoche, Sangyum Kushog, Jetsün Dechen Paldrön, and Britton Bosarge.

That afternoon, tours were organized to the Drikung Kagyu Monastery, the Gelug Monastery, the standing Buddha Statue garden as well as final visits of the stupa and the Mindrolling Gompa. Taxis were arriving, packing was happening as well exchanging of email addresses, hugs and goodbyes. Some were returning to their homes in various locations around the world and some were venturing out for further pilgrimage but all were leaving with many supplications and wishes to return and to try to put these precious teachings so generously given by Rinpoche into real practice.

All photos ©2011 Mindrolling International