Buddhist Studies Institute

Happy New Year!

Wishing you a very Happy New Year from Pema Khandro and the Buddhist Studies Institute!

If you resolved to practice more this year, we are here to support you with many exciting events, starting today! We hope you will take advantage of this wonderful and FREE opportunity to practice meditation with us for the next 40-days. Read on to learn more…

FREE 40-Day Meditation Marathon Starts Today!

January 1st is the kick-off to our 40-day meditation marathon. This is an invitation to practice every single day for 40 days from January 1st to Losar (Tibetan New Year) on February 10th. It’s so wonderful to be able to share this commitment with others and we invite you to join us every day for our free Daily Meditation sessions. Each 30-minute session is led by a Certified Meditation Instructor from the Buddhist Studies Institute. Whether you practice on your own time or join us live, we will celebrate all those who complete the 40-day marathon at our Losar Event on February 12.

Buddhist Fasting Retreat

Online with Pema Khandro

January 26 – January 28, 2024
9am – 12pm PST | 12pm – 3pm EST | 5pm – 8pm GMT

Join Pema Khandro and the Buddhist Studies Institute for a weekend of fasting, purification, and re-envisioning ones life.

A profound cleansing of body and mind, the Buddhist Fasting practice, “Nyungne” is a practice of disintegrating previous ways of being to re-emerge within the ground of one’s own intrinsic liberation. The fasting practice includes vows, mantras, Avalokiteshvara meditation, and silent practice to purify karma and heal body and mind.

This Buddhist fasting tradition comes from a Tibetan nun, Gelongma Palmo, from the eleventh century, who used fasting for liberation in the face of extreme illness. The online retreat will follow the journey of Palmo and by engaging in the meditation of the Buddha of Compassion, Chenrezig. The weekend will include instructions on Buddhist Fasting practice, along with supportive instructions for nutrition and detoxification according to Tibetan Medicine and Ayurveda to support those both new to fasting and those whose bodies are familiar with it.

Worried about fasting? Fasting can be done in ways that are helpful or harmful to the body. Let our experts in Tibetan Medicine, Chinese Medicine, and Ayurveda guide you in fasting safely for your body.

Ngondro Training
Heart of the Vast Expanse with Pema Khandro

Module 1 begins January 29, 2024

Mondays Online

5pm – 6:30pm PT San Francisco

8pm – 9:30pm ET New York

12pm- 1:30pm AEDT Sydney

Ngondro presents the core practices of Buddhist psychology, working with core needs in identity, relationality, forgiveness and repair, resources and the sense of empowerment. Join Pema Khandro and the Buddhist Studies Institute for a journey into Ngongro, the core practice of Buddhist tantra.

Ngondro meditation is the foundation of a solid experience of spiritual growth. Ngondro refers to a series of meditation practices for purifying, training and empowering the mind & body. 

“There are different approaches to Ngondro, for some schools of Tibetan Buddhism it is reserved for much later. But for the Nyingma tradition we open the door to Ngondro meditations sooner, because for us it is the core or nucleus of spiritual training.”  – Pema Khandro on Ngondro

Losar ~ Tibetan New Year Celebration
with Pema Khandro and the Buddhist Studies Institute
Online – February 12th, 2024

5pm – 7pm PT San Francisco

8pm – 10pm ET New York

12pm- 2pm AEDT Sydney

Tibetan New Year Celebration

All are welcome to join Pema Khandro for our annual Tibetan Lunar New Year Celebration This is a free online program; open to the public.

• Vajrakilaya Dances Performed

• Losar Address with Pema Khandro

• Celebration of 40-Day Meditation Marathoners

• Dedications of Merit

• Year of the Wood Dragon Begins!

Donate below any amount to celebrate The Buddhist Studies Institute’s mission to help the Buddhist Teachings flourish.

Meditation Instructor Training 2024

February 19 – August 5

People all over the world have turned to Buddhist meditation as a source of wisdom. Meditation offers a powerful method to access a sense of spaciousness, peace and authentic presence. The practical benefits of meditation are well documented. Research shows it improves mood, reduces stress (Brown & Warren 2003), it improves memory, visuospatial reasoning, sustained attention and executive brain function (Zeidan et al. 2010). It reduces sub-clinical depression and anxiety (Schreiner and Malcolm 2012).

From a Buddhist point of view, when we know how to meditate, we learn how to work with mind and emotions. We have a practice for unraveling conditioned scripts and unconscious habits. Meditation is a pathway to discovering human goodness by making peace with our mind. Ultimately it is a method for getting free from dissatisfaction, resolving confusion and waking up to see reality more clearly.

The Meditation Instructor Training supplies the fundamental knowledge and experience necessary to lead meditation classes and one-day meditation intensives.

3 Modules

Traditional Meditation

Teaching Practicum

Teaching Ethics

This training is a pre-requisite for the Chaplaincy Certificate offered summer of 2024.

The Freedom of Being: The Choying Dzod Retreat

Online with Khenpo Yeshi & Pema Khandro

February 23 – February 25

9am – 12pm PST | 12pm – 3pm EST | 5pm – 8pmGMT

Beyond effort and achievement is the state of natural ease, the basic space of being. How to breakthrough to find this innate expanse is the focus of a profound Buddhist meditation manual known as The Treasury of Basic Space, The Choying Dzod (chos dbyings rin po che’i mdzod). It presents the essence of esoteric Tibetan Buddhism, known as Great Perfection, or Dzogchen (rdzogs chen) in verse form. Venerated as a manifestation of the expanse of reality itself,  is the quintessential Dzogchen text by the fourteenth century master, Longchenpa.  It refers to the expanse of reality and pure experience of meaningfulness as the revelation of the ground of being.

The Treasury of Basic Space is a manual for meditation and liberation, as well as being a text that one reads to a dying person to introduce them to the nature of mind at death. Read during dying, it offers the crucial support at the most important time, by guiding the dying person to realize the nature of mind. Indeed, The Treasury of Basic Space has been read at the time of death of many great Dzogchen masters.

The Treasury of Basic Space details the elements of breakthrough meditation (trek cho), instructions which cut through misunderstandings of emptiness and point to the vivid wakefulness of sublime knowing.

Join Buddhist Studies Institute for this special program taught online by Khenpo Yeshi, Dzogchen Nyingthig scholar and Drikung Kagyu teacher and Dr. Pema Khandro, Dzogchen scholar, lama and lineage holder of the Nyingma tradition. The three days of online classes will include the lung, the oral initiation into this profound text by Khenpo Yeshi, study, and practice led by Khenpo Yeshi and Dr. Pema Khandro.

One Nun’s Hardship & Beauty
The Story of Gelongma Palmo

by Pema Khandro

Our upcoming Buddhist Fasting Retreat in January will feature practices based on the founder of this fasting tradition, Gelongma Palmo. Read what Dr. Pema Khandro shares about her fascinating story.

Are you interested in helping us spread the dharma?

The Buddhist Studies Institute is actively seeking a Manager to be available for 5-10 hours a week. This is a volunteer position.

Manager Responsibilities Include:

• Create clear project plans and goals.

• Establish a work plan at each stage of the project, and allocate resources accordingly.

• Create and manage project budgets.

• Review project plan to determine time frames

• Remind team members of deadlines and keep team members on deadlines

• Identify and remove any obstacles that might hinder the team’s ability to meet deadlines.

• Effectively communicate project-relevant details throughout the organization.

• Facilitate project-related team meetings.

• Share project reports with governance committee

• Collaborate on the Organization’s plans and priority

• Design and launch evaluation surveys among team and community members.

• Be the main point of contact for projects.

For more information, please email info@buddhiststudiesinstitute.org or simply click the box below.

2024 Schedule of Events

ONGOING MONTHLY TRAINING

Daily Meditation Online
Vajrayana Training – 1st & 2nd Wednesday of each month
Ngakpa Training – 3rd Wednesday of each month

JANUARY

Buddhist Fasting Retreat – January 26 – January 28

Ngondro Training – January 29 – October 28

FEBRUARY

Losar Celebration – February 12

Meditation Instructor Training – February 19 – August 9
Choying Dzod: The Freedom of Being – February 23- 25

APRIL

Touching Earth: Buddhism and the Environment – April 5- April 7

APRIL

Vajrayogini Retreat – May 31 – June 2

*All Times are noted in Pacific Time (PT) – Check your Timezone

Buddhist Studies Institute

Dear Friends,

Making a donation to support the Buddha’s teaching would be an auspicious way to bring 2023 to a close.

The goal of funding a long overdue technology remodel of the websites, digital libraries and software of the Buddhist Studies Institute could still use your help.

Your donation makes a difference to everyone on the staff who have to do twice as much work to run out of date technology and everyone who benefits from the Buddhist teachings will have continued, improved and expanded access.

Why not make a statement on what matters to you by making a donation today?

Thank you for your support!

Gifts can also be made by check, payable to Ngakpa International, and mailed to Dakini Mountain, P.O. Box 2396, Nevada City, California 95959, USA.

Ngakpa International is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit EIN 68-0529687 and all gifts are tax-deductible as allowed by law.

Dakini Mountain Retreat Center

P.O. Box 2396
Nevada City, California 95946
USA

May we all be more powerful in the most kind way.

Wishing you the best,

Janak

Janak Kimmel
Director of Fundraising
Ngakpa International
Buddhist Studies Institute
www.buddhiststudiesinstitute.org
P.O. Box 2396
Nevada City, California 95946
USA

Buddhist Studies Institute

40-Day Meditation Marathon

January 1 – February 10

Daily Online

12pm Los Angeles PT  | 3pm New York ET  | 8pm London GMT

January 1st is the kick-off to our 40 day meditation marathon. This is an invitation to practice every single day for 40 days from January 1st to Losar on February 10th. It’s so wonderful to be able to share this commitment with others and we invite you to join us every day for our free Daily Meditation sessions. Each 30 minute session is lead by an Certified Meditation Instructor from the Buddhist Studies Institute. Whether you practice on your own time or join us live, we will celebrate all those who complete the 40 day marathon at our Losar Event on February 12.

Buddhist Studies Institute

Dear Friends,

If you care about the Buddhist Studies Institute, now is a great time to make a donation.  

Why not give a gift to something you love?

Pema Khandro and the Buddhist Studies Institute provide classes, retreats, trainings, meditations and more.

But it can’t be accomplished without a functional infrastructure and right now your donation is needed to fund a long overdue technology remodel of the websites, digital libraries and software.

Your donation matters and will make a difference to everyone on the staff who have to do twice as much work to run out of date technology and everyone who benefits from the Buddhist teachings will have continued, improved and expanded access.

Thank you for your support!

Gifts can also be made by check, payable to Ngakpa International, and mailed to Dakini Mountain, P.O. Box 2396, Nevada City, California 95959, USA.

Ngakpa International is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit EIN 68-0529687 and all gifts are tax-deductible as allowed by law.

Dakini Mountain Retreat Center

P.O. Box 2396
Nevada City, California 95946
USA

Thank you!

Janak

Janak Kimmel
Director of Fundraising
Ngakpa International
Buddhist Studies Institute
www.buddhiststudiesinstitute.org
P.O. Box 2396
Nevada City, California 95946
USA

Buddhist Studies Institute

Dear Friends,

If you care about the Buddhist Studies Institute, now is an important time to step up and make a donation.  

It’s going to take each and every one of us.

Why does it matter?

Because like any cause, calling or noble activity, it takes effort and sacrifice to keep it going.

Pema Khandro and the Buddhist Studies Institute cannot provide the classes, retreats, trainings and meditations without a functional infrastructure.

Acts of service by many people are involved in making that happen.  

Right now the need is financial.

Please make a donation to fund a much needed technology remodel of the websites, digital libraries and software.

Thank you!

Gifts can also be made by check, payable to Ngakpa International, and mailed to Dakini Mountain, P.O. Box 2396, Nevada City, California 95959, USA.

Ngakpa International is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit EIN 68-0529687 and all gifts are tax-deductible as allowed by law.

Ngakpa International

P.O. Box 2396
Nevada City, California 95946
USA

Thank you!

Janak

Janak Kimmel
Director of Fundraising
Ngakpa International
Buddhist Studies Institute
www.buddhiststudiesinstitute.org
P.O. Box 2396
Nevada City, California 95946
USA

Buddhist Studies Institute

Dear Friends,

How do you feel about technology – Smartphones, Laptops, Apps, Websites, Social Media, Email?  Love it?  Hate it?  Love it and Hate it?

If you’re like me, you have mixed feelings, but it’s hard to deny the pervasive and powerful presence of technology in our lives today.

One use of technology that I have zero qualms about, that I have, in fact, seen help many people in a beautiful way is the Buddhist Studies Institute.

Here technology makes possible for the Buddhist teachings to be shared via online classes, retreats and trainings to people living around the world.

Right now, a major upgrade is needed to keep the teachings possible in this way.  The old systems are too cumbersome, out of date and not in sync with one another.  It can’t continue.

Won’t you help? $50,000 will fund a major, much needed upgrade of the digital infrastructure.  Both large and small donations will help this goal be reached.

Please donate today.

Gifts can also be made by check, payable to Ngakpa International, and mailed to Dakini Mountain, P.O. Box 2396, Nevada City, California 95959, USA.

Ngakpa International is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit EIN 68-0529687 and all gifts are tax-deductible as allowed by law.

Dakini Mountain Retreat Center

P.O. Box 2396
Nevada City, California 95946
USA

May we all be more powerful in the most kind way.

Wishing you the best,

Janak

Janak Kimmel
Director of Fundraising
Ngakpa International
Buddhist Studies Institute
www.buddhiststudiesinstitute.org
P.O. Box 2396
Nevada City, California 95946
USA

Ngondro Training
Heart of the Vast Expanse with Pema Khandro

Module 1 begins January 29

Mondays Online

5pm Los Angeles PT  | 8pm New York ET  | 12pm Sydney AET

Ngondro presents the core practices of Buddhist psychology, working with core needs in identity, relationality, forgiveness and repair, resources and the sense of empowerment. Join Pema Khandro and the Buddhist Studies Institute for a journey into Ngongro, the core practice of Buddhist tantra.

Ngondro meditation is the foundation of a solid experience of spiritual growth. Ngondro refers to a series of meditation practices for purifying, training and empowering the mind & body. 

Ngondro means ‘before going.’ In traditional Vajrayana practice, it represents the cognitive, physical, emotional and philosophical components which are keys to the practice of liberation. It is the basis for all Vajrayana practice and thus it is used as a the pre-requisite for the great practices of the Vajrayana tradition. However, ngondro itself is a beloved meditation series for its own sake. It is often practiced many times throughout a life cycle by great yogis of the Nyingma tradition such as Patrul Rinpoche (eighteenth century). 

Without proper instruction ngondro can be incredibly complex and difficult. This course offers a simple, thorough, direct and supported experience of ngondro – making the heart essence of Vajrayana accessible for serious practitioners.

Meditation Instructor Training

Begins February 19th

Mondays – Online

1pm Los Angeles PT  | 4pm New York ET  | 9pm London GMT

People all over the world have turned to Buddhist meditation as a source of wisdom. Meditation offers a powerful method to access a sense of spaciousness, peace and authentic presence. The practical benefits of meditation are well documented. Research shows it improves mood, reduces stress (Brown & Warren 2003), it improves memory, visuospatial reasoning, sustained attention and executive brain function (Zeidan et al. 2010). It reduces sub-clinical depression and anxiety (Schreiner and Malcolm 2012).

From a Buddhist point of view, when we know how to meditate, we learn how to work with mind and emotions. We have a practice for unraveling conditioned scripts and unconscious habits. Meditation is a pathway to discovering human goodness by making peace with our mind. Ultimately it is a method for getting free from dissatisfaction, resolving confusion and waking up to see reality more clearly.

The Meditation Instructor Training supplies the fundamental knowledge and experience necessary to lead meditation classes and one-day meditation intensives.

3 Modules

Traditional Meditation

Teaching Practicum

Teaching Ethics

This training is a pre-requisite for the Chaplaincy Certificate offered summer of 2024.

40-Day Meditation Marathon

January 1 – February 10

Daily Online

12pm Los Angeles PT  | 3pm New York ET  | 8pm London GMT

January 1st is the kick-off to our 40 day meditation marathon. This is an invitation to practice every single day for 40 days from January 1st to Losar on February 10th. It’s so wonderful to be able to share this commitment with others and we invite you to join us every day for our free Daily Meditation sessions. Each 30 minute session is lead by an Certified Meditation Instructor from the Buddhist Studies Institute. Whether you practice on your own time or join us live, we will celebrate all those who complete the 40 day marathon at our Losar Event on February 12.

Buddhism & Technology –

Bringing the Teacher & Teachings to You

with Pema Khandro

Finish 2023 strong/start 2024 on a sure foot with accessible dharma study online.

“Ongoing study of Buddhism is a potent way to find inspiration, clarity and reset your mindset. Over the long term, dharma study has an extraordinary result – it changes the way we see our world and opens us to a sense of natural goodness. In the past access to such study has limited who can study Buddhism and when.

In the past serious study required learning a foreign language, quitting one’s job to do extended retreat, travel to foreign countries along with all its perils of illness, high expenses and dubious access.

But the power of modern technology breaks through these obstacles. Access to Buddhist philosophy and practice is more possible than ever – even for those with full busy lives. Tibet’s Buddhist Yogis have demonstrated the possibility of balancing spiritual development with commitment to family, work and society.” ~Pema Khandro

Are you interested in helping us spread the dharma?

The Buddhist Studies Institute is actively seeking a Manager to be available for 5-10 hours a week. This is a volunteer position.

Manager Responsibilities Include:

• Create clear project plans and goals.

• Establish a work plan at each stage of the project, and allocate resources accordingly.

• Create and manage project budgets.

• Review project plan to determine time frames

• Remind team members of deadlines and keep team members on deadlines

• Identify and remove any obstacles that might hinder the team’s ability to meet deadlines.

• Effectively communicate project-relevant details throughout the organization.

• Facilitate project-related team meetings.

• Share project reports with governance committee

• Collaborate on the Organization’s plans and priority

• Design and launch evaluation surveys among team and community members.

• Be the main point of contact for projects.

For more information, please email info@buddhiststudiesinstitute.org or simply click the box below.

2024 Schedule of Events

ONGOING MONTHLY TRAINING

Daily Meditation Online
Vajrayana Training – 1st & 2nd Wednesday of each month
Ngakpa Training – 3rd Wednesday of each month

UPCOMING EVENTS

JANUARY

Ngondro Training – January 29th – October 28

FEBRUARY

Meditation Instructor Training – February 19 – August 9
Losar Celebration – February 12

Click Here to view the BSI Calendar View
Click Here for Events List and Registration
*All Times are noted in Pacific Time (PT) – Check your Timezone

Buddhist Studies Institute

Ngondro Training
Heart of the Vast Expanse with Pema Khandro

Module 1 begins January 29

Mondays Online

5pm Los Angeles PT  | 8pm New York ET  | 12pm Sydney AET

Ngondro presents the core practices of Buddhist psychology, working with core needs in identity, relationality, forgiveness and repair, resources and the sense of empowerment. Join Pema Khandro and the Buddhist Studies Institute for a journey into Ngongro, the core practice of Buddhist tantra.

Ngondro meditation is the foundation of a solid experience of spiritual growth. Ngondro refers to a series of meditation practices for purifying, training and empowering the mind & body. 

Ngondro means ‘before going.’ In traditional Vajrayana practice, it represents the cognitive, physical, emotional and philosophical components which are keys to the practice of liberation. It is the basis for all Vajrayana practice and thus it is used as a the pre-requisite for the great practices of the Vajrayana tradition. However, ngondro itself is a beloved meditation series for its own sake. It is often practiced many times throughout a life cycle by great yogis of the Nyingma tradition such as Patrul Rinpoche (eighteenth century). 

Without proper instruction ngondro can be incredibly complex and difficult. This course offers a simple, thorough, direct and supported experience of ngondro – making the heart essence of Vajrayana accessible for serious practitioners.

Meditation Instructor Training

Begins February 19th

Mondays – Online

1pm Los Angeles PT  | 4pm New York ET  | 9pm London GMT

People all over the world have turned to Buddhist meditation as a source of wisdom. Meditation offers a powerful method to access a sense of spaciousness, peace and authentic presence. The practical benefits of meditation are well documented. Research shows it improves mood, reduces stress (Brown & Warren 2003), it improves memory, visuospatial reasoning, sustained attention and executive brain function (Zeidan et al. 2010). It reduces sub-clinical depression and anxiety (Schreiner and Malcolm 2012).

From a Buddhist point of view, when we know how to meditate, we learn how to work with mind and emotions. We have a practice for unraveling conditioned scripts and unconscious habits. Meditation is a pathway to discovering human goodness by making peace with our mind. Ultimately it is a method for getting free from dissatisfaction, resolving confusion and waking up to see reality more clearly.

The Meditation Instructor Training supplies the fundamental knowledge and experience necessary to lead meditation classes and one-day meditation intensives.

3 Modules

Traditional Meditation

Teaching Practicum

Teaching Ethics

This training is a pre-requisite for the Chaplaincy Certificate offered summer of 2024.

40-Day Meditation Marathon

January 1 – February 10

Daily Online

12pm Los Angeles PT  | 3pm New York ET  | 8pm London GMT

January 1st is the kick-off to our 40 day meditation marathon. This is an invitation to practice every single day for 40 days from January 1st to Losar on February 10th. It’s so wonderful to be able to share this commitment with others and we invite you to join us every day for our free Daily Meditation sessions. Each 30 minute session is lead by an Certified Meditation Instructor from the Buddhist Studies Institute. Whether you practice on your own time or join us live, we will celebrate all those who complete the 40 day marathon at our Losar Event on February 12.

Are you interested in helping us spread the dharma?

The Buddhist Studies Institute is actively seeking a volunteer manager to be available for 5-10 hours a week.

Manager Responsibilities Include:

• Create clear project plans and goals.

• Establish a work plan at each stage of the project, and allocate resources accordingly.

• Create and manage project budgets.

• Review project plan to determine time frames

• Remind team members of deadlines and keep team members on deadlines

• Identify and remove any obstacles that might hinder the team’s ability to meet deadlines.

• Effectively communicate project-relevant details throughout the organization.

• Facilitate project-related team meetings.

• Share project reports with governance committee

• Collaborate on the Organization’s plans and priority

• Design and launch evaluation surveys among team and community members.

• Be the main point of contact for projects.

For more information, please email info@buddhiststudiesinstitute.org or simply click the box below.

Why Pema Khandro Rinpoche Loves Bruce Lee Movies

By Lion’s Roar Staff

Pema Khandro Rinpoche says Bruce Lee films are filled with images of power and energy, “and that’s what Buddhist tantra is all about.”

2024 Schedule of Events

ONGOING MONTHLY TRAINING

Daily Meditation Online
Vajrayana Training – 1st & 2nd Wednesday of each month
Ngakpa Training – 3rd Wednesday of each month

UPCOMING EVENTS

JANUARY

Ngondro Training – January 29th – October 28

FEBRUARY

Meditation Instructor Training – February 19 – August 9
Losar Celebration – February 12

Click Here to view the BSI Calendar View
Click Here for Events List and Registration
*All Times are noted in Pacific Time (PT) – Check your Timezone

Buddhist Studies Institute

Dear Dharma Friends,

I have been studying Buddhism for a long time, first when I was a girl and then as I grew up I ended up dedicating my whole life to Buddhist service. So when the questions about transmissions online where raised I also was swept into the doubts. For some the core issue is – can Vajrayana empowerments happen online? Empowerments are the most sacred, intimate, and personal aspect of Vajrayana education. The represent a ritual, oral, and explanatory introduction to the practices of entering buddha-nature. In empowerments, the Lama does the yidam practice themselves. So if it is a Troma empowerment, then we are receiving the empowerment from the Troma aspect of the Lama. That is something very sensitive, especially because Lamas stake their lives on these practices, they have used their whole life to understand the meaning of that Troma practice. They have put their feelings and experiences on that altar. I know first hand, because of course, I am a Lama and a long time Troma practitioner.

So the question stood for me what makes transmission possible? For some people it is a question that is not really interrogated intellectually, because it is in the domain of sacred experience beyond concepts. Also, because it relates to something that has been happening in a certain way for more than a thousand years. However, you should know that empowerments happen differently in different contexts. I remember many times in Nepal or Tibet, being in an empowerment that was so large that I was sitting outside in an overflowing crowd. Sometimes none of us could hear even though there were loud speakers, sometimes none of us could see even though there were tv screens outside, because we were positioned so far away in a huge crowd. And this was still considered transmission. I compare this to when Drupon Rinchen Dorje Rinpoche came to give us the Vajrayogini empowerment online. We could see him so close up. When he meditated, we saw when his eyes fell closed in feeling. When could hear every word he said. He could see every one of our faces as we came on screen and made offering prayers in our beautiful robes. And afterwards, in the private meetings I do with retreatants after most retreats, I talked to every one of the students. The direct contact with the Lamas was palpable. And for me, in that moment, I knew for the first time with total conviction, that yes, transmissions can happen online.

When I first came around to this idea it had been with Garchen Rinpoche, witnessing how radically generous he is with the dharma. I was at a Mahamudra teaching with him and he had printed these little Mahamudra books and was passing them around, saying – give these away to your friends. Like he actually wanted people to realize the nature of mind. Without any fear, greed, elitism or exclusion. He just wants everyone to be liberated. And of course since that time all of us have seen so many of his generous teachings online. That has been a model for me. It changed what I thought was possible. And I remember him saying to us, it depends on the motivation, if the student has bodhichitta (the altruistic enlightened intent) then it can be even stronger online.

In Vajrayana we have the paradigm of the five certainties. This is the notion that for a transmission to properly take place it depends on the teacher, the teaching, the audience, the time, and the place. All of these factors need to be right for a transmission to properly happen. That day, with Drupon Rinpoche was the same time that the horrible events surrounding George Flyod, the murder, and the following week of the video circulating and the eruption of protests. One of the students that took that Vajrayogini empowerment did the whole retreat with a helicopter flying outside her window while hundreds of people had flooded the streets below her apartment shouting. Another was in a tent in her back yard. Others far far away from the chaos. But the teacher, the teaching, the audience, the time, and the place were all only fortified, because we were together and with the Lamas. We prayed together, we practiced together, and we became Vajrayogini together, even while our nations greatest wounds were ripped open. That timing had a deep personal meaning for me, being an indigenous woman, as a direct experience of refuge. And I wasn’t alone. I remember the overwhelming feedback of transformation that people experienced and I remember that the people who attended that empowerment told me they had waited for years, some for decades,  to receive Vajrayogini empowerment.

And it was true for me personally as well, the five certainties were there. I remember during that empowerment hearing the words like I had never heard them before. “The buddhas do not wash away peoples karma with their hands. They do not transfer their enlightenment to others. Beings are released through the teachings of the truth, the final reality. Therefore I will liberate those not liberated. I will release those not released. I will relieve those not relieved and set living beings in nirvana.”

And so it was that transmission happened. If transmission refers to a conferral of the understanding of practice, insight into the nature of mind and reality, if it refers to a pure connection with the Lamas and sangha, if it refers to the making of vows, and changing of minds, and the passing on of Vajrayana traditions, then yes, transmission can absolutely happen online. Empowerments are so righteously powerful, technology only amplifies that for those who know how to use the platform in that way.

Yet I believe we are all correct, that there is more than one right way. Diversity is beautiful. I respect each of us finding our different ways into the future of dharma. For people who hold the conviction that Vajrayana empowerments should never be online – they never should be. For people who know how to make use of those platforms they should do it – for the benefit of beings. We should all follow the highest integrity of dharma service that we can. We come up with different answers, but the intention, of bodhichitta is what matters the most.

For me these questions are about the generative exploration of how online technology can help bring Buddhist resources into people’s lives. How can we use technology, phones, computers, and whatever tools come just like that prayer? “… to liberate those not liberated, to relieve those not relieved and set living beings in nirvana….?”

It is a question that me and my team are deeply embroiled in and one that we hope to answer in better and better ways with your help. This year our fundraiser is aimed at our wish to revamp and uplevel our technology. We can’t do this alone, we will rely, as we always have, on individual donations. Any amount helps, and every donation makes a huge difference as an encouragement, as a sense of camaraderie and support and as the practical help that is the crucial key to making this next step possible.

Our goal is to raise $50,000 by December 31st, 2023.

We have currently raised $8,000! Thank you to all who donated!

Please help us reach our goal. To donate, you can click the donate button below or mail your check to the address listed below. No amount is too small or too large. Every gift counts and makes a difference.

My very best to you always,

Thank you for your support! We are a small grassroots organization, completely dependent upon individual generosity to continue.

Gifts can also be made by check, payable to

Ngakpa International

P.O. Box 2396

Nevada City, California 95959, USA.

Ngakpa International is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit EIN 68-0529687 and all gifts are tax-deductible as allowed by law.

Buddhist Studies Institute

Dear Friends,

First of all, I would like to express gratitude to those of you who have donated to the Fall 2023 Buddhist Studies Institute Fundraiser.  Each friend, each sangha member who has donated is helping make the Buddhist teachings more vital.

Do you ever think about power?  It’s a provocative subject.  

One of the ways I like to think about it is “What can I do to make a difference?  What’s my power to do that?”

Honestly, at times I find it frustrating, not to speak of heartbreaking, to look out at the world and see the tremendous amount of suffering.  So much of it seems completely unnecessary, like “Can’t you all think of a better way to do this?”

What’s a Buddhist person to do?  There’s probably many ways to answer that question.  I like the saying of the Dalai Lama, “My religion is kindness.”   I ask myself how can I be a little more kind to the people I meet casually through the day, the people I am intimate with and even the people I happen to think of, whether I know them or not.

I think it’s a great place to start.

Another powerful thing to do is make a donation right here, right now to support these teachings.

Each dollar, each gift helps make possible classes, retreat and trainings for people like you and me to learn how to be more kind and have less suffering in our personal lives.  And it always extends out to others.

This was the Buddha’s teaching, how to relieve suffering.

Please support this campaign with your donation today.  If it’s just a few dollars, wonderful.  If you can afford more, so much the better.  If it’s your second or third time giving to this campaign, thank you!  Large or small, your donation means a lot to all of us who care about Pema Khandro’s teaching and the Buddhist Studies Institute and want to see it grow.  Thank you!

Gifts can also be made by check, payable to:

Ngakpa International
P.O. Box 2396
Nevada City, California, 95959
USA

Ngakpa International is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit EIN 68-0529687 and all gifts are tax-deductible as allowed by law.

May we all be more powerful in the most kind way.

Wishing you the best,
Janak

Janak Kimmel
Director of Fundraising
Ngakpa International
Buddhist Studies Institute
www.buddhiststudiesinstitute.org
P.O. Box 2396
Nevada City, California 95946
USA

Buddhist Studies Institute

Ngondro Training
Heart of the Vast Expanse with Pema Khandro

Module 1 begins January 29

Mondays Online

5pm Los Angeles PT  | 8pm New York ET  | 12pm Sydney AET

Ngondro presents the core practices of Buddhist psychology, working with core needs in identity, relationality, forgiveness and repair, resources and the sense of empowerment. Join Pema Khandro and the Buddhist Studies Institute for a journey into Ngongro, the core practice of Buddhist tantra.

Ngondro meditation is the foundation of a solid experience of spiritual growth. Ngondro refers to a series of meditation practices for purifying, training and empowering the mind & body. 

Ngondro means ‘before going.’ In traditional Vajrayana practice, it represents the cognitive, physical, emotional and philosophical components which are keys to the practice of liberation. It is the basis for all Vajrayana practice and thus it is used as a the pre-requisite for the great practices of the Vajrayana tradition. However, ngondro itself is a beloved meditation series for its own sake. It is often practiced many times throughout a life cycle by great yogis of the Nyingma tradition such as Patrul Rinpoche (eighteenth century). 

Without proper instruction ngondro can be incredibly complex and difficult. This course offers a simple, thorough, direct and supported experience of ngondro – making the heart essence of Vajrayana accessible for serious practitioners.

Meditation Instructor Training

Begins February 19th

Mondays – Online

1pm Los Angeles PT  | 4pm New York ET  | 9pm London GMT

People all over the world have turned to Buddhist meditation as a source of wisdom. Meditation offers a powerful method to access a sense of spaciousness, peace and authentic presence. The practical benefits of meditation are well documented. Research shows it improves mood, reduces stress (Brown & Warren 2003), it improves memory, visuospatial reasoning, sustained attention and executive brain function (Zeidan et al. 2010). It reduces sub-clinical depression and anxiety (Schreiner and Malcolm 2012).

From a Buddhist point of view, when we know how to meditate, we learn how to work with mind and emotions. We have a practice for unraveling conditioned scripts and unconscious habits. Meditation is a pathway to discovering human goodness by making peace with our mind. Ultimately it is a method for getting free from dissatisfaction, resolving confusion and waking up to see reality more clearly.

The Meditation Instructor Training supplies the fundamental knowledge and experience necessary to lead meditation classes and one-day meditation intensives.

3 Modules

Traditional Meditation

Teaching Practicum

Teaching Ethics

This training is a pre-requisite for the Chaplaincy Certificate offered summer of 2024.

40-Day Meditation Marathon

January 1 – February 10

Daily Online

12pm Los Angeles PT  | 3pm New York ET  | 8pm London GMT

January 1st is the kick-off to our 40 day meditation marathon. This is an invitation to practice every single day for 40 days from January 1st to Losar on February 10th. It’s so wonderful to be able to share this commitment with others and we invite you to join us every day for our free Daily Meditation sessions. Each 30 minute session is lead by an Certified Meditation Instructor from the Buddhist Studies Institute. Whether you practice on your own time or join us live, we will celebrate all those who complete the 40 day marathon at our Losar Event on February 12.

Pema Khandro for Lion’s Roar
When we have no choice

Sometimes there’s no way out. It’s at those times that we can discover the depth and resilience of the mind. Read what Pema Khandro says about When We Have No Choice, in Lion’s Roar.

2024 Schedule of Events

ONGOING MONTHLY TRAINING

Daily Meditation Online
Vajrayana Training – 1st & 2nd Wednesday of each month
Ngakpa Training – 3rd Wednesday of each month

UPCOMING EVENTS

JANUARY

Ngondro Training – January 29th – October 28

FEBRUARY

Meditation Instructor Training – February 19 – August 9
Losar Celebration – February 12

Click Here to view the BSI Calendar View
Click Here for Events List and Registration
*All Times are noted in Pacific Time (PT) – Check your Timezone