The Name Says It All
In January 2021, Dolpo Tulku Rinpoche started his Shedra program, in which his students can systematically study the profound knowledge of the Tibetan Nyingma school. Not only did Rinpoche kindly agree to teach everything himself, but he also gives his teachings in English and online so that they can be received by students around the world.
I have been studying Tibetan Buddhism intensively for more than 30 years and have already completed a number of study programs, but none of them has inspired and impressed me as deeply as this Shedra by Dolpo Tulku Rinpoche. In this way, Rinpoche not only succeeds in presenting basic views of Buddhist history, philosophy, epistemology and practice based on the main works of the great Nyingma scholars, but he does so with such freshness and ease that one never loses the thread despite the difficult topics.
As a result, in the first few hours he clarified many questions for me, to which I had been looking for answers for years. Although the topics are very traditional, Dolpo Tulku Rinpoche is able to convey them so vividly that you can feel their great spiritual wisdom and depth at any time.
So, it was deeply moving for me when, in a brief but very solemn moment, Rinpoche named his study program Longchen-Shedra. This name is not only reminiscent of the great Nyingma scholar, Longchen Rabjam, whose philosophical work we are studying, but it is also describing the spiritual character of our Shedra; “Longchen” can also be translated as “great openness and expanse”.
Dr. Wolfgang H.
Dear honorable Rinpoche and Sangha,
There are a lot of aspects from my point of view in the SHEDRA teachings. I will try to describe the benefits in a short way:
- Very interesting is the historical aspect of the person of Buddha; this expands sophistication and education and encourages my motivation to step onto the path of the Shedra, because I’m a normal person and struggle to integrate endless compassion and love in everyday life.
- The difference between Nyingma and the other sects in Buddhism make the direction clear and bright and give an open mind.
- It helps to improve my English; and to look for the right definition in Sanskrit and Tibetan is very good to understand thebackground of other cultures and their way of understanding. The old sound of the Tibetan language is working without words in my soul and so on.
- The mind training “Lo Jong” gives my mind more structure; with the SHEDRA a small enlightened step arises in my head, the recognition and the result to work and integrate the recognition. It helps so much!
- To always stay connected with the Dharma and have less so- called Dukha (a minimum of dissatisfaction in samsara)
That’s all my precious teacher, palden lama, the experience of your German disciple.
Thank you for being with us 🙂
Martina P.
A rare and precious opportunity
I would like to thank Dolpo Tulku Rinpoche for designing and starting the Longchen Shedra program especially for those of us who do not have the opportunity to sit and study in a traditional setting. I feel very fortunate to be a part of this wonderful program based on such a precious and profound text the ‘Drubtha Dzo’ (treasury of Philosophical systems) by the Omniscient Longchenpa. I feel it is really important to understand the views of all the different philosophies within and also outside the Buddhist teachings, so we know where we are and also to get a clear picture of what progression to aspire and work towards on the path.
There would be no other text than this which would explain the different views and philosophies in depth. I had attempted to read the text before but it was extremely difficult to comprehend. Rinpoche’s precise and, to the point explanation of the text has made such a difficult and formidable text very enjoyable, easy and enriching. I have had the wonderful opportunity to receive many teachings from Rinpoche. Time and again I am filled with awe as to how Rinpoche is a gifted master in explaining with utmost clarity the most crucial and difficult points in the simplest manner and, his sharp intellect and ability to cut right through in clearing doubts.
I look forward to completing the program over the course of four years and all the study sessions in between. Once again, I would like to thank Rinpoche, Arne, Carmen and everyone involved in making this Shedra possible for us. It really is a rare and precious opportunity that we have been blessed with.
Kinga T.
How fortunate we are!
I, Egle P., participated 2021- 2022 in the Buddhist online study programme with Dolpo Tulku Rinpoche (in cooperation with Buddhismus in Berlin). Dolpo Tulku Rinpoche named the programme “Longchen Shedra”. I found the announcement in the internet and honestly, I had no idea how it will be. During the first year we studied the Longchen Rabjam text “The precious Treasury of Philosophical Systems”. Rinpoche helped us to understand it, gave us teachings and we could ask questions. Each line of the text can be understood differently, it is not so easy for me, but it was very interesting.
Every zoom study meeting with Dolpo Tulku Rinpoche is a continuous “WOW! Eureka! That is how it all is!” experience for me. Rinpoche literally put a light in my mind, and is helping me to understand the things that I had no idea that it could even be like this. The Longchen Rabjam text then starts to have another meaning and so also my life. With Rinpoche’s help the Buddhist methods in general and the theory and philosophy that I am interested in, is much clearer and understandable to me.
I cannot wait for every new meeting and feel very fortunate that Rinpoche so generously offered us these Longchenpa studies online. I highly recommend this programme to everybody who is interested to know how our mind, our life is functioning, and who are interested in Buddhism, especially in Dzogchen, to join these classes. Special thanks to all organisers, tutors, translators who are making this wonderful program even more complete, like Arne Schelling and many others. I myself believe that this program is a wonderful, rare opportunity for the fortunate ones.
Egle P.
In this few sentences, I will try to describe the great value for me of the Longchen Shedra in particular and the teachings in general, as offered by Dolpo Tulku Rinpoche. When I learned about Dzogchen for the first time – several years ago-, I responded in two very different ways. On the one hand, I really felt drawn to it. I became interested, started reading and following workshops and teachings, and so on. On the other hand, I was also “kind of overwhelmed”.
Many questions arose, for example questions like: How is it possible what Dzogchen promises us to offer? Realizing, swiftly and spontaneously, such profound insights in one lifetime? Therefore, an important question for me was (and still is, of course): How can I “come to grips with” the view, meditation and conduct of the Great Perfection, Dzogpa Chenpo?
This four-year study program – named Longchen Shedra – offered by Dolpo Tulku Rinpoche, is a wonderful and very helpful opportunity to learn these profound teachings in an authentic way. Rinpoche gives us the opportunity to learn authentic Vajrayana Buddhism in a four-year systematic program. Thereby it gives us the opportunity to meet essential conditions to genuinely approach the path and hopefully pave the way to become “a stream-enterer”.
Root text for this program is Longchenpa’s “Drubtha Dzo”, in English translation: “The precious treasury of Philosophical Systems”. This complex work is not easily accessible, but Dolpo Tulku Rinpoche makes it accessible for us. The teachings are profound and clear. In the teachings given by Rinpoche there is no “watering down”: in the presentation of the core understandings there is no compromising. The teachings are presented pure and unadulterated. But, with Rinpoche’s great ability in teaching he clarifies the meaning of Longchenpa’s teachings with wit and much patience.
We are fortunate to have such a wonderful lama! So: the guidance and teachings of Dolpo Tulku Rinpoche are really precious gifts for me (maybe I can say: for us participants, members of the Sangha). It is not easy to describe the depth, influence and impact. To characterize it in a few words: the teachings are very clear, inspiring, encouraging and in the end -excuse me for these strong words-: transformative and “life-changing”. I feel very fortunate to have met Rinpoche, now years ago (in 2016). In the beginning I was just very curious and happy with his nice way of leading meditations and exercizing. Soon I became more deeply interested. After reading “Eine kleine Buddhistische Lebensberater”, I started following more teachings.
In 2017 and 2019 I had the wonderful opportunity to join two Pilgrimages guided by Tulku, in India, Nepal and Bhutan. Ever since, I follow his teachings with growing enthusiasm, and more and more faith and reverence. Now I really can say: he is very generous for us, students in the West.
If you feel drawn to it, consider taking the opportunity to join.
Peter H.
The Longchen Shedra study is a change; it is your own chance to change.
One evening when I was thinking about why I can’t remember the 7 points for the greatness of the Mahayana path, I realised – maybe I’m not living one point correctly. My compassion is not as big as I always thought; it is also full of ego – that I would like the loggers in the rainforest to stop “doing evil” etc, instead of having compassion for all beings. Some beings can’t stop – doing harm – because they are caught up in greed – we can pray for world peace and also offer our help where we can. But we must leave ‘the outcome’ open and have compassion for those who cannot yet change and give beings time – on their long journey – because change takes time. So- I realised that the study is no longer about ‘learning concepts’, it is about transformation or as Rinpoche said ‘we start thinking and meditating on the words’. We give them space within us and we change with them. I have realised that the great opportunity of Longchen Shedra study lies in ‘giving time to the study and contemplating on the words’, because just as every seed needs time, the knowledge of this study also needs time. The WORDS of this study must become our words, otherwise they are just empty paper and the point is – that we let them work in us and understand them at our own level.
Eva H.