Dr. Klaus-Dieter Mathes in Pharping

The first western Buddhist scholar to visit the Rigpa Shedra East, Dr. Klaus-Dieter Mathes from Germany gave a talk to the students here in Pharping last Sunday.

Mathes works as a Tibetologist at the University of Hamburg, but currently teaches at the Rangjung Yeshe Shedra of Chökyi Nyima Rinpoche in Kathmandu. For almost 30 years he has been studying Tibetan Buddhism, Tibetan and Sanskrit in Asia and Europe. His main interest lies in Yogacara and Madhyamika philosophy and he has been working extensively on Maitreya’s treatises Dharmadharmatavibhaga and the Uttara Tantra Shastra (Tib. Gyü Lama).

During his talk, Dr. Mathes mainly spoke about the Gyü Lama, with particular reference to Gö Lotsawa’s Shyönu Pal’s commentary, which is surveyed in his recently published book, A Direct Path to the Buddha Within. As the Gyü Lama is our focus this year, this was also a good opportunity to seek clarification on a number of points, all of which Dr. Mathes was able to illuminate through his expertise and humour.

Click here for the MP3 recordings, and here for more information about Klaus-Dieter Mathes.

Khenpo Namdrol Rinpoche and Rabjam Rinpoche during the Rabné

29th of December 2008: Rabjam Rinpoche visited the Khenpo Namdrol Rinpoche’s retreat centre in Pharping to perform a short Rabné ceremony. Afterwards he gave a short teaching to the Rigpa Shedra.

Khenchen Pema Sherab

27th of December 2008: Khenchen Pema Sherab visited the Rigpa Shedra in Pharping and gave a teaching on the importance of actually applying the teachings to one’s own mind. The teaching can be downloaded from the RigpaWiki MP3-Library.