Shedra East

New Website Online

2007-10-31T21:29:00.000+05:45

The new Rigpa Shedra Website is online here. It includes a news blog, so from now on that will be the place to look for up-to-date news from the shedra team.

Sorting the Canon

2007-08-17T00:24:00.001+05:45

Members of the shedra sorting through volumes of the Kangyur and Tengyur late one evening in the Lerab Ling temple.

Sogyal Rinpoche on Meditation

2007-05-04T13:01:00.001+05:45

The Rigpa Shedra East Video 2007

2007-04-15T03:47:00.000+05:45

On 4th of April we finished the teachings on Khenpo Kunpal's commentary "The Nectar of Manjushri's Speech" on the Bodhicharyavatara. The entire teachings are now online as MP3s on rigpawiki.org. This video shows how it is to be at the Shedra in Pharping / Nepal. Maybe you join us next year?

Happy Losar from Rigpa Shedra East

2007-02-17T14:22:00.000+05:45

Snow in Pharping

2007-02-15T10:39:00.000+05:45

For the benefit of those (fortunate) few who decided to take their losar break in Hawaii, Australia or India, here is a shot of Champadevi covered in snow, taken yesterday after snow had fallen throughout the valley--in some places for the first time in 62 years.

The quest for the Vajrasattva thangka - part II

2007-02-08T07:03:00.000+05:45

With support of the monks at Shechen and two combined ladders, Stefan managed to make close-up pictures of the beautiful thangka of Vajrasattva. Visit the Shechen Monastery entry of the Rigpawiki to download a higher resolution version of this thangka.

Chasing the dog around the stupa

2007-01-21T18:39:00.000+05:45

Working for the enlightenment of all beings, members of the shedra east chased two dogs and a chicken around the stupa at Namo Buddha, Kathmandu Valley.

Some Photos from the Kathmandu Valley Pilgrimage

2007-01-09T20:35:00.000+05:45

This was taken on the way to Namo Buddha, on the edge of the Kathmandu Valley, the site at which Buddha, in his previous life as Prince Mahasattva, offered his body to save the lives of a hungry tigress and her cubs.

The stupa at Namo Buddha, which is said to contain the the hair and bones of Prince Mahasattva. According to one account, the stupa was hidden underground and miraculously appeared when Buddha Shakyamuni clapped his hands.

The sacred stupa of Swayambhu, known to Tibetans as Pakpa Shingkun, in the golden twilight.

Shedra Students Meet Shechen Rabjam Rinpoche

2007-01-09T20:21:00.000+05:45

The shedra students went to Shechen Monastery in Boudha on Sunday to meet Rabjam Rinpoche, the grandson and Dharma heir of Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche, who kindly offered some precious words of advice on how to combine study and practice, and shared some entertaining and inspiring memories of his own experiences whilst studying with his incredible teachers.

The quest for the Vajrasattva thangka

2007-01-07T20:49:00.000+05:45

Stefan and David trying to get a photo of a beautiful Vajrasattva thangka at Shechen monastery in Kathmandu. Despite of all efforts, this day a good photo of this image could not be taken - but the quest will continue...

Follow the Shedra East teachings online

2006-12-21T08:37:00.000+05:45

It is now possible to follow the Shedra East teachings of Khenpo Sönam Tobden on Khenpo Kunpel's commentary on the Bodhicharyavatara online: The new Rigpa Wiki site, created during Shedra East, makes the MP3 recordings of all teachings available for download. There are already more than 25 hours of teachings online and they get updated on a daily basis.

The labourer is worthy of his hire

2006-12-12T20:44:00.000+05:45

Gathering for the first lunch of the year, members of our hard working crew test the cuisine of our new chef. The atmosphere of deep concentration witnesses to the appreciation for his work.

Our manager in full spate

2006-12-12T19:40:00.000+05:45

The Shedra 2007 has kicked off under the auspices of Davide, our manager who, as the mudras indicate is from Italy.

Shedra 2006-7

2006-10-18T14:37:00.000+05:45

This year's shedra will take place in Pharping, Kathmandu from 6th December 2006 to 6th April 2007. The teachings will be on Shantideva's Bodhicharyavatara, using the commentary of Khenpo Kunpal. For more details, see the shedra website.

Goodbye Pharping

2006-05-05T12:15:00.000+05:45

Shedra East 05-06 has finished and the boys and girls have all left Pharping for a while, but don't worry, we will continue to provide occasional news and photos on this site. If you would like to join us in Nepal next year, please email us at shedra_east@yahoo.com

Annual Champadevi Race and Smoke Offering

2006-04-19T01:00:00.000+05:45

This was taken shortly after the finish of the first annual Shedra East Leopard Handicap Hill Race to the summit of Champadevi, at a height of 2278 metres above sea level. We started from the shedra complex in Pharping, which is at a height of about 1375 metres, climbing past the Hatiban Resort restaurant and hotel, and out into open leopard territory, with great views of the snow-capped Himalaya, before the steep ascent to the finish. Competitors set off at intervals based on their estimated finish times. Stefan was the first to cross the line, beating me by about five seconds (although he did start 30 minutes before me). Lena, also in the 30 minutes group, was third.

At the summit, once we had recovered, we all performed a sang offering.

And then Christian read his newspaper.

And we all went to the Hatiban in search of more water, some shade and a big lunch.

Breaking News: Stefan's First Translation

2006-04-12T17:49:00.000+05:45

This item just in from our reporters in Pharping: With Gyurme stuck in Kathmandu due to the strikes and ongoing problems over there, Stefan was forced to step in as his replacement and do his very first bit of live translation, and the word is that he did very well. "My respect for good translators is further increased," he said afterwards. Let's hope this was the first of many translating experiences for the former electronics engineer from East Berlin.

Guru Padmasambhava Statue

2006-04-05T02:06:00.000+05:45

This is the thirteen-foot tall statue of Guru Padmasambhava in the temple at Shedra East, where we offer tsok every morning. To read more about this statue and the project to place many similar statues around the world, go to the Padmasambhava Global Project for World Peace website.

Scenic View of Shedra East

2006-04-04T01:42:00.000+05:45

The Shedra East building is in the background on the hill to the right.

Boudhanath Stupa at Dawn

2006-04-02T15:04:00.000+05:45

This photo of the famous Boudhanath stupa, known to Tibetans as Jarung Khashor, was taken recently by Davide. To read Jamyang Khyentse Chökyi Lodrö's prayer to the stupa follow this link.

Shedra East Group Photo, Hyatt

2006-04-01T14:56:00.000+05:45

Sogyal Rinpoche with Shedra East Teachers

2006-03-30T19:58:00.000+05:45

Left to right: Khenpo Pasang Tenzin, Sogyal Rinpoche, Sonam Tsewang

Davide on the walk to Hatiban

2006-03-30T12:45:00.000+05:45

Inside the Classroom

2006-03-29T19:31:00.000+05:45

Losar Group Photo with Khenpo Namdrol

2006-03-27T07:00:00.000+05:45