News: Meeting the Buddha on the Road

The Venerable Kyabje Yongyal Rinpoche, master of the Gelugpa lineage of Tibetan Buddhism, comes to Cincinnati Thursday through Monday to share his perspective on world events. His visit also marks the beginning of a new phase of growth for the monastery that hosts him, Gaden Samdrup­Ling (GSL) Monastery.

Currently located in a house in Winton Place, GSL has announced plans to build a new, expanded Tibetan Buddhist Monastery and Cultural Center in Colerain Township. The goal is to provide extensive Buddhist resources for body, speech and mind, according to Venerable Jamyang Lama, the resident interpreter for monks who teach Buddhist texts in Tibetan.

A teacher himself, Jamyang says the multi-phase building project includes the construction of a new meditation hall or gompa and a traditional monastery and meeting facilities.

New center, ancient teaching
The Tibetan Buddhist monks began offering programs in Cincinnati in 2000. At the new center, the public will be able to attend free classes given by visiting teachers, such as Yongal Rinpoche, and by local practitioners. Individuals, organizations and businesses will be able to host meetings or retreats on the eight-acre grounds.

The center will house an extensive display of traditional Tibetan artifacts such as textiles and thangka paintings. Interviewed in Bloomington, Ind., Rinpoche explains the benefits the project will bring.

“These days we place value on the antique objects, paintings and so forth,” he says. “We can understand how important it is to preserve American architecture and heritage and antiques. … What we’re talking about here is preserving the ancient wisdom that has been passed down for 2,500 years until now. All the teachings have passed down from Buddha Shakyamuni until now. We have an unbroken lineage.

“The ancient wisdom is really important because the core of human problems remain the same from the beginning until now — anger, hatred and attachment. It’s important to convey that ancient wisdom and save the foundation so they can be integrated and made relevant to people at any time.”

Making this information available doesn’t mean the monks are missionaries with the goal of increasing the number of practicing Buddhists. Individuals are invited to pick and choose what works for them at any given time.

“The foundation of the Buddhist practice and teaching is to be compassionate and helpful to others,” Rinpoche says. “The focus and teaching of Buddhism is not to convert people, rather to provide an opportunity for people to ask questions, and we have a responsibility to provide teachings and tools … to help other beings achieve happiness.

“In the same way there are different medicines. You have Chinese herbal medicine, Western medicine, Tibetan medicine. All of them cure the same sickness. There are many paths to help human beings cure sickness and achieve happiness.”

When conflicts arise between those different approaches, people frequently focus on the differences. Rinpoche suggests that a return to fundamentals is a better approach.

“Focusing on peace is more important,” he says. “Staying in harmony is more important than trying to break the wall of polarization. Having many groups isn’t bad, as long as they remain focused on their objectives and activities and not say negative things about other groups or be jealous. … Groups always talk about compassion, love and peace. Their actions need to follow their speech. If they do, then everything will be harmonious. Everybody needs to help each other to create a more harmonious human society.”

Taking the medicine
Speaking in Tibetan translated by Jamyang, Rinpoche says respect for other people, as much as other religions, is essential in a pluralistic society.

Empowering individuals to create that harmony, among other Buddhist precepts, is what it’s all about for these Tibetan monks and the Venerable Kuten Lama, GSL’s resident teacher. Whether approaching Buddhism as a philosophy or a religion, the monks of the Gelugpa lineage welcome anyone who has questions, and willingly respond to inquiries about religious conflict.

“These days there are a lot of people blaming other religions, saying, ‘This religion is bad, that religion is bad,’ ” Rinpoche says. “In reality, it’s not the religion itself, the spirituality; it is rather the shortcomings of the people who are practicing these religions. Because of their ignorance, anger or attachment and thinking, ‘My path or my religion is the best and the other religions are not that important,’ that kind of attitude is the cause of this trouble. The three delusions — attachment, anger, hatred — are the causes for all suffering in our lives.

“Have you ever met a doctor who said, ‘Take this medicine, this will cure your … anger or your hatred’? They can cure your headache or stomachache or fever. … If you have a lot of medicines but you don’t take them, they will not cure your sickness. You need to take the medicine.”

Noting that modernization has done more to increase stress and suffering when compared to simpler times, Rinpoche says people have become more self-focused and isolated. That disconnection leads to more misery.

“The cause of all the conflicts and suffering in the world is self-cherishing,” he says. “We want all the advantages for ourselves, and we don’t care about other people. We don’t cherish other people. The causes of war and conflict are losing something or a disadvantage. ‘I’m losing something. You are taking all of this power or fame.’

“The foundation for peace is understanding that this other person deserves to be happy and wants peace just as I want to be happy and deserve to have peace. Signing a piece of paper isn’t going to bring about peace and happiness. Everybody needs to practice those beliefs, to put them into action. If everybody works for the benefits of other beings, for the happiness of other beings and thinks about other people, there will be happiness for oneself. This is the foundation.”

The Venerable Kyabje Yongyal Rinpoche, master of the Gelugpa lineage of Tibetan Buddhism, comes to Cincinnati Thursday through Monday to share his perspective on world events. His visit also marks the beginning of a new phase of growth for the monastery that hosts him, Gaden Samdrup­Ling (GSL) Monastery.

Currently located in a house in Winton Place, GSL has announced plans to build a new, expanded Tibetan Buddhist Monastery and Cultural Center in Colerain Township. The goal is to provide extensive Buddhist resources for body, speech and mind, according to Venerable Jamyang Lama, the resident interpreter for monks who teach Buddhist texts in Tibetan.

A teacher himself, Jamyang says the multi-phase building project includes the construction of a new meditation hall or gompa and a traditional monastery and meeting facilities.

New center, ancient teaching
The Tibetan Buddhist monks began offering programs in Cincinnati in 2000. At the new center, the public will be able to attend free classes given by visiting teachers, such as Yongal Rinpoche, and by local practitioners. Individuals, organizations and businesses will be able to host meetings or retreats on the eight-acre grounds.

The center will house an extensive display of traditional Tibetan artifacts such as textiles and thangka paintings. Interviewed in Bloomington, Ind., Rinpoche explains the benefits the project will bring.

“These days we place value on the antique objects, paintings and so forth,” he says. “We can understand how important it is to preserve American architecture and heritage and antiques. … What we’re talking about here is preserving the ancient wisdom that has been passed down for 2,500 years until now. All the teachings have passed down from Buddha Shakyamuni until now. We have an unbroken lineage.

“The ancient wisdom is really important because the core of human problems remain the same from the beginning until now — anger, hatred and attachment. It’s important to convey that ancient wisdom and save the foundation so they can be integrated and made relevant to people at any time.”

Making this information available doesn’t mean the monks are missionaries with the goal of increasing the number of practicing Buddhists. Individuals are invited to pick and choose what works for them at any given time.

“The foundation of the Buddhist practice and teaching is to be compassionate and helpful to others,” Rinpoche says. “The focus and teaching of Buddhism is not to convert people, rather to provide an opportunity for people to ask questions, and we have a responsibility to provide teachings and tools … to help other beings achieve happiness.

“In the same way there are different medicines. You have Chinese herbal medicine, Western medicine, Tibetan medicine. All of them cure the same sickness. There are many paths to help human beings cure sickness and achieve happiness.”

When conflicts arise between those different approaches, people frequently focus on the differences. Rinpoche suggests that a return to fundamentals is a better approach.

“Focusing on peace is more important,” he says. “Staying in harmony is more important than trying to break the wall of polarization. Having many groups isn’t bad, as long as they remain focused on their objectives and activities and not say negative things about other groups or be jealous. … Groups always talk about compassion, love and peace. Their actions need to follow their speech. If they do, then everything will be harmonious. Everybody needs to help each other to create a more harmonious human society.”

Taking the medicine
Speaking in Tibetan translated by Jamyang, Rinpoche says respect for other people, as much as other religions, is essential in a pluralistic society.

Empowering individuals to create that harmony, among other Buddhist precepts, is what it’s all about for these Tibetan monks and the Venerable Kuten Lama, GSL’s resident teacher. Whether approaching Buddhism as a philosophy or a religion, the monks of the Gelugpa lineage welcome anyone who has questions, and willingly respond to inquiries about religious conflict.

“These days there are a lot of people blaming other religions, saying, ‘This religion is bad, that religion is bad,’ ” Rinpoche says. “In reality, it’s not the religion itself, the spirituality; it is rather the shortcomings of the people who are practicing these religions. Because of their ignorance, anger or attachment and thinking, ‘My path or my religion is the best and the other religions are not that important,’ that kind of attitude is the cause of this trouble. The three delusions — attachment, anger, hatred — are the causes for all suffering in our lives.

“Have you ever met a doctor who said, ‘Take this medicine, this will cure your … anger or your hatred’? They can cure your headache or stomachache or fever. … If you have a lot of medicines but you don’t take them, they will not cure your sickness. You need to take the medicine.”

Noting that modernization has done more to increase stress and suffering when compared to simpler times, Rinpoche says people have become more self-focused and isolated. That disconnection leads to more misery.

“The cause of all the conflicts and suffering in the world is self-cherishing,” he says. “We want all the advantages for ourselves, and we don’t care about other people. We don’t cherish other people. The causes of war and conflict are losing something or a disadvantage. ‘I’m losing something. You are taking all of this power or fame.’

“The foundation for peace is understanding that this other person deserves to be happy and wants peace just as I want to be happy and deserve to have peace. Signing a piece of paper isn’t going to bring about peace and happiness. Everybody needs to practice those beliefs, to put them into action. If everybody works for the benefits of other beings, for the happiness of other beings and thinks about other people, there will be happiness for oneself. This is the foundation.”

This article appears in Aug 23-29, 2006.