Visit of His Holiness, the 41st Sakya Trizin From the Editor, the Ven. Kunga Dondrup His Holiness recently left Nepal, where he consecrated the beautiful new temple of the Pokhara Monastic Institute, presided over the rites for the late Trulshik Rinpoche and tirelessly gave audiences, teachings and initiations to a huge number of people - from high lamas of other Buddhist lineages to ordinary residents from the many areas he visited, who flocked to see him. His Holiness was accompanied by Gyalyum Chenmo, HE Dhungsey Ratna Vajra Rinpoche, Their Eminences Dagmo Kalden la, Akasha Vajra Rinpoche, Jetsunma Thrinley Palter, and a brief visit from H.E. Dagmo Sonam, with the youngest Jetsunma, as well as Dhungseys Asanga and Abhaya Rinpoche from the Sakya Phuntsok Phodrang. His Holiness stayed at the IBA for a week. We were overjoyed to be in the presence of our Teacher and the Supreme Head of the Sakya lineage, and to be able to engage in the many activities he performed to benefit countless sentient beings. Our last mailing caused some confusion with an inadvertent name change - if you know of anyone who received the mail and unsubscribed as a result, please send our apologies, the error has now been amended!

An Audience With His Holiness for IBA Students and Staff His Holiness graciously found time in his demanding schedule to give a private interview for the students currently studying to be translators and also for the staff: "I am very happy to be here in the IBA. Generally speaking, we, as human beings, have different requirements but the most important thing is spiritual practice, because all the other worldly things are for the sake of this life. In the next life they do not benefit us.Spiritual practice, however, is not only for this life,  but for many other lives – and not only for ourselves but for all sentient beings, so it is very good that all of you have come from different parts of the world to Nepal to train as translators. Here it is very beautiful: Nepal has the highest mountain in the world and also the Great Stupa (of Boudhanath). There are many holy shrines (here) and great masters like Guru Rinpoche and others have visited and practiced here. Surely, this place is filled with great blessings. It is said that you can practice in other places for months and years, but only a week here is more beneficial. So this is a very beautiful and holy place. So, since you have come all the way here to Nepal, you have to spend your time in the most purposeful and most meaningful way: to study Dharma, to contemplate and meditate. The great Acharya, Vasubandhu, said that our study and practice must be based on sound moral conduct, good discipline. This is very important, because it is the foundation of all the positive qualities. If you don’t have good discipline but have knowledge it does not bring any benefit.  To benefit from wisdom one has to have sound moral conduct. Then, study, contemplation and meditation can follow. This pattern is common to all Buddhist traditions: Theravada, Mahayana and Vajrayana. Therefore you have come here. You have very good teachers and you have all the facilities necessary. My great teacher, Khenchen Appey Rinpoche was a great Bodhisattva who always thought first about other people’s needs and their wellbeing and also the teachings of the Buddha. So, for these reasons, he spent all his life teaching and helping others. He created the IBA specifically to benefit foreigners who are interested in learning Dharma but who have no chance to study, learn or to receive teachings. So he created the IBA and spent a lot of money to build and create these facilities you have around you. Now you here and are using them I am very happy - and now you must study! There are many different kinds of teachings. So many things are happening in the world. Whether you practice or not is up to you as individuals, nobody can force you to practice, but one has to think very carefully. If you practice , how does this benefit, how does this make a difference? Also, if you don’t practice, what kinds of consequences will you face? So, if we practice, it will help and benefit us but, in order to practice, you have to study. The ancient masters in their commentaries said that our discipline should be according to the Vinaya, which is the antidote to desire, and explains all the different levels of moral conduct, with different precepts for lay people and ordained monks and nuns. So our conduct should be according to the Vinaya. Meditation should be according to the Sutras, which are the antidote for anger, which is the most difficult thing to conquer, the most severe defilement. This we can conquer through meditation. To meditate we have to study and also we have to analyse. Through meditation we can eliminate the defilements. So, meditation should be according to the Sutras. Next the explanations, the teachings, should be according to the Abhidharma, which is the antidote to ignorance because it explains the wisdom which removes our ignorance.  If you want to practice the Mantrayana then this should be according to the great Tantras.  So if we practice in these ways, we are on the right path and it will be of great benefit to ourselves as well as to others. Nowadays, we see so many people in the world who are interested in Dharma. Therefore, I think it’s very important for us to try to help them. So we need to translate the great teachings into different languages. Of course, translating is a difficult task. I feel there are two different kinds of translators. Some people place a lot of emphasis on the actual words, and they just translate the exact words of the texts. In this way, although it may be a very good translation, it can be difficult to understand, especially for newcomers … I think that what is most important for translators is that they must understand the actual meaning of the texts. If you know the actual meaning then you can present it in a different way: though the words may be a little different, the actual meaning is still conveyed. So this, I feel, is more important…. If you don’t know the overall meaning, then whatever way you translate can be wrong, very confusing or difficult to understand. However, if you know the overall meaning then presenting it is easier. Many great scholars have said that the best practice in dealing with some very difficult subjects, is to make them easier to understand. If we try to be more scholarly and make it more difficult to understand, then it is of no use. The main thing is the overall meaning. What Tibetan, English, Chinese or translators from any language must do, before you translate word by word, is to know the overall meaning. Then, if you know the whole meaning, you can convey the translation in a suitable way." His Holiness, Dhungsey Ratna Vajra Rinpoche, Dhungsey Abhaya Rinpoche and Khenpo Vagindra Shila at the inauguration of the Pema Ts'al Monastic Institute Staff, students and the general public receiving the Manjushri initiation from His Holiness. His Holiness giving a teaching on Jetsun Drakpa Gyaltsen's Songs of Realisation following the Manjushri initiation. His Holiness conferring the Guru Rinpoche initiation from the terma cycle of his previous incarnation, Apong Terton, at Tharlam Monastery, Boudhanath. Students receiving a blessing from His Holiness following the Guru Rinpoche initiation. Apong Terton, HH the Sakya Trizin's previous incarnation, from whose terma cycle the Guru Rinpoche initiation was conferred. Khenpo Ngawang Jorden, Director of the International Buddhist Academy, receiving teachings with other khenpos, monks and students of His Holiness. Other News Khenpo Ngawang Jorden, Director of the International Buddhist Academy is presently in Taiwan for meetings with colleagues and friends of the IBA. We look forward to his return. Summer Courses and Retreat On-campus accommodation is still available: our retreat dates are now finalised (Monday 3rd September to Wednesday 12th September). Please follow this link to reserve your place.