Free Online Resources

RYI 10th International Symposium Talks
Transnational Buddhism: Philosophical, Historical, and Anthropological Perspectives

In his opening remarks for RYI’s 10^th  International Symposium in 2017, Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche speaks about the benefits of Buddhist practice throughout the ages, into the modern world.  Rinpoche highlights the importance of being a scholar-practitioner, and of studying and practicing Buddhism as a path that leads to liberation and awakening.  Rinpoche speaks about why he founded the Rangjung Yeshe Institute, in order to give students an opportunity to study in both a traditional and a modern fashion, while calling into question the barriers between the “traditional” and “academic” study of Buddhism. Most of the talk is delivered by Rinpoche in English, with some translation by RYI professor Dr. Catherine Dalton.

RYI has made the entire 2017 symposium—Transnational Buddhism: Philosophical, Historical, and Anthropological Perspectives—available online.  Click here to watch talks by a number of leading scholars of Buddhism from all over the world.  You will find talks by Dr. John Dunne, Dr. Ana Cristina Lopes,  Khenpo Urgyen Tenpel,  Dr. William Waldron, Dr. Karin Meyers, Dr. Klaus-Dieter Mathes, Dr. Gregory Sharkey, S.J., Dr. Alexander von Rospatt, Dr. Ong See Yew, Khenpo Tsondru Sangpo, Dr. Douglas Duckworth, Dr. Anne MacDonald, Dr. Jin Y. Park, and Dr. Jonardon Ganeri, as well as two panel discussions—one focused on philosophy and another focused on history and anthropology.

Khenpo Tokpa Tulku The Sublime Continuum

Thomas Doctor Mind Only & Middle Way

In this illuminating talk, given during the 38th annual RYI Fall seminar (2018) Dr. Thomas Doctor explains the central tenets of the Mind-Only school and explains their relevance within a wider framework of Buddhist philosophy. Then, Professor Doctor elaborates clearly on the Madhyamaka or Middle-Way School of thought, explaining its main philosophical orientation with reference to Indian and Tibetan sources. Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche has stated that Thomas Doctor is a true Madhyamaka expert, and is uniquely skilled in presenting Madhyamaka through succinctly and clearly providing the essential philosophical points to be grasped. Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche often says that once we have clarified the highest philosophical view through reasoning, we have opened up a wide road that we can speedily take to realization.

Catherine Dalton Unifying Academic Study and Traditional Practice

In this talk given during Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche’s teaching seminar at Gomde Austria, Dr. Catherine Dalton draws on her years of traditional study at Ka-Nying Shedrub Ling monastery and her experience as a PhD candidate at UC Berkeley, to dispel the notion that one must choose to either approach Buddhism from a critical academic perspective or maintain a faith-based practice of the Dharma. She describes how both approaches can synthesize and enhance each other. “What we are trying to approach through being Buddhist practitioners is the ultimate truth,” Catherine says, “but the ultimate appears in the conventional world inhabited by human beings participating in the tradition. Learning about Buddhism in that way is inspiring – to see the human fingerprints on the divine.” Furthermore, Catherine explains that studying academically in an environment alive with the tradition, such as Rangjung Yeshe Institute, offers a unique framework for the understanding of Buddhism to become clear, rich, and embodied.

Douglas Duckworth Mipham Rinpoche’s Approach to Study & Practice

In this talk, given as part of RYI’s 2019 Buddhist Studies Summer Program at Rangjung Yeshe Gomde Austria, Dr. Douglas Duckworth speaks about the Tibetan tradition of study and practice, and in particular the teachings of buddha nature, focusing on the views of one of the greatest Nyingma scholars of the last century, Ju Mipham Rinpoche. Douglas speaks to Mipham Rinpoche’s role in the development of modern monastic shedras, and his way of bringing the yogic tradition of the pith instructions of the Great Perfection into conversation with the intellectual tradition of monastic study and contemplation.

John Dunne Reflexive Awareness

In these talks, given as part of RYI’s 2019 Buddhist Studies Summer Program at Rangjung Yeshe Gomde Austria, Dr. John Dunne focuses primarily on the Indian Buddhist philosopher Dharmakīrti. He examines, in his very engaging and humorous style, the nature of perception, and in particular the way in which awareness operates in both dual and non-dual modes. He also discusses the philosophical developments of a number of different Buddhist schools and challenges our common assumptions regarding the way we know things, how we can ever reliably attain knowledge of even an ordinary kind, let alone knowledge about ultimate reality, how mind can validly know and experience outer objects and even itself, and what the ultimate nature of awareness might be like.

Guest lecture Series

RYI regularly hosts public guest lectures where visiting professors, teachers, khenpos and lopons give Buddhist related teachings and presentation on their area of expertise. You can access all of the audio teachings through RYI’s soundcloud profile.

The following is a selection of some of the topics presented:

Khenpo Pema Namgyal Eight Verses on Training the Mind by Geshe Langri Thangpa

In this talk given over a weekend, Khenpo Pema Namgyal presents the main points of this well know text on lojong (Wyl. blo sbyong) by Geshe Langri Tangpa. Lojong literally means training the mind, and Khenpo Pema Namgyal presents and explains the verses in this text that allow a practitioner to do so. The translation is by Kaleb Yaniger.

Day 1
Day 2

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John Makransky We are Already Held in the Qualities We Seek

In this workshop of five lectures, Dr. John Makransky’s presents the theory and practice of the Innate Compassion Training Model (ICT) that he has introduced to both Western Buddhists and to people in caring roles and professions. For Western Buddhists, these forms of practice can help energize and further inform their existing contemplative and ritual practices. Each session includes lecture, meditation exercises, and Q&A. 

Lecture 1
Lecture 2
Lecture 3
Lecture 4
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Jan Westerhoff  The Golden Age of Buddhist Philosophy in India

In this workshop of five lectures, Dr. Jan Westerhoff aims to acquaint the student with both the overview of the historical development of Buddhist philosophical thought in India from the time of the Abhidharma up to Diṅnāga and Dharmakīrti, as well as with the development of key philosophical ideas during this period.
The lectures will cover the following topics:

Lecture 1: Abhidharma
Lecture 2: Madhyamaka
Lecture 3: Madhyamaka & Yogācāra
Lecture 4: Yogācāra
Lecture 5: The logico-epistemological school of Diṅnāga and Dharmakīrti