A Gift of Dharma for 11.21.09
Today’s quote comes to us from another of my former Naropa University professors: Ringu Tulku Rinpoche.
Though he is master in the Kagyu School, Rinpoche studied Tibetan Buddhism under many great teachers from across the four major schools. Among his main teachers were His Holiness the 16th Gyalwa Karmapa and His Holiness Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche.
His scholarly training was completed at the Namgyal Institute of Tibetology in Gangtok, Sikkim, and Sampurnananda Sanskrit University in Varanasi, India. In Gangtok, he has served as Professor of Tibetology for over seventeen years.
His books include The Ri-me Philosophy of Jamgon Kongtrul the Great: A Study of the Buddhist Lineages of Tibet, Daring Steps Toward Fearlessness: The Three Vehicles of Buddhism, Path to Buddhahood: Teachings on Gampopa’s Jewel Ornament of Liberation, The Ngöndro, Mind Training, and the recently-released From Milk to Yoghurt: A Recipe for Living and Dying.
Rinpoche is also the founder of Bodhicharya, “an international organization that coordinates the worldwide activities to preserve and transmit Buddhist teachings, to promote intercultural dialogues and educational & social projects.”
In addition, his official bio page for Bodhicarya reports that “since 1990 he has been traveling and teaching Buddhism and Meditation at more than 50 Universities, Institutes and Buddhist Centers in Europe, USA, Canada, Australia and Asia. He also participates in various interfaith dialogues.”
I remember him as a wise, patient, and very humble presence, and an excellent professor.
Here’s the quote–a poem by Rinpoche entitled “It is a Pleasure to Be a Student”:
I am a student.
I have been a student as long as I remember
And it is a pleasure to be a student. It is a pleasure to learn that I don’t know.
It is a pleasure to learn that I already know.
It is a pleasure to learn that I was mistaken. It is a joy to learn from Great Masters.
It is a joy to learn by sharing what I learnt.
It is a joy to learn how to be what I am. I seek to learn about the world around me.
I seek to learn about what I actually am.
I seek to learn how to be a proper human being. Clouds show me the nature of my world.
Rivers show me the nature of myself.
Babies show me how to be more human. I am a student.
I will be a student as long as I live.
And it is a pleasure to be a student.
