Khenchen Pema Sherab Rinpoche, one of the most respected teachers of the Nyingma school of Tibetan Buddhism and a senior government official Khenchen* from Namdroling Monastery in southern India made his first visit to Bulgaria in September.
This visit took place at the invitation of the Palyul Center of Bulgaria and its founder, Khen Rinpoche Pema Chophel. Khenchen Rinpoche was accompanied by his translator, the renowned scholar Khenpo Sonam Tsewang, and his assistant, Ani Pema. Together, they participated in a week-long program, along with Pema Rinpoche and Khenpo Dawa, resident teacher at the Palyul Center of Germany.
The program began on September 13 with a ceremony on the occasion of Guru Rinpoche Day, led by Khenpo Dawa. This was followed by a meeting of the Bulgarian Palyul Sangha with its main teacher, Pema Rinpoche, at the Palyul Center in Sofia.
On September 14, Khenchen Rinpoche gave a lecture entitled “How to Transform Adversity into Our Allies,” based on the Mind Training text Eight Verses to Train the Mind (Tib. lojong tshig gye ma zhugs so) by Geshe Langri Thangpa (1054–1123). On September 15, the eminent master Palyul granted a Green Tara initiation (Tib. doljan wang) from The Deep Essence of Tara (Tib. funny joke), a popular practice revealed as a spirit hot springs by Chokgyur Dechen Lingpa (1829-1870). Both events attracted over 200 people and generated considerable interest among Buddhist and non-Buddhist participants.
The program continued at the Palul Bulgaria Center on September 16, when Khenpo Sonam Tsewang gave a teaching on the Four Noble Truths (Tib. phage denpa shi). From September 17 to 19, Khenchen Rinpoche taught two texts related to the practice of Rigdzin Dupa (the Vidyadhara Assembly), the practice of the inner lama of the Nyingma cycle. Longchen Nyngtikle hot springs revelation of Rigdzin Jigme Lingpa (1730–1798), The Siddhi Box: A Recitation Manual for the Vidyadhara Assemblyet A Glimpse of the Crucial Points: The Hidden Instruction Manual of the Vidyadhara.
During his stay in Bulgaria, Khenchen Rinpoche kindly agreed to speak with BDG.
BDG: How is Buddhism evolving and adapting to our globalized world?
Khenchen Pema Sherab Rinpoche: When the Buddha gave his teachings, the main goal was to bring about a transformation of the mind. When it comes to transformation of the mind, it is important to know how to present the teaching in the context of today and modern sensibilities. The teachings themselves remain immutable, but how to they are presented can change. That's how it is and that's how it should be.
Historically, when we look back at how the teachings evolved, we see that according to the Nyingma tradition, the Buddha's teachings are divided into nine vehicles (Tib. tekpa-gu). The first three vehicles are the vehicles of renunciation, where the teachings of the shravakas, Pratyekabuddhaset Bodhisattva are taught. Then we have the three outer tantras (craft, Shariaand yoga), and above these are the three inner tantras (Mahayoga, anuyogaet atiyoga). These three levels of teaching are provided according to the interests, faculties and different capacities of beings.
As we enter the 21st century, people's reactions, their thought processes, and the way the Buddha's teachings are presented have changed, although the essence remains intact. The way we present the teachings must change, because that is how people, their value systems, and everything else evolve. That is why Buddhist teachings must be presented in this way, otherwise they risk becoming obsolete.
BDG: In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic and global conflicts, people are increasingly suffering from anxiety, depression, and panic disorders. How can Buddhadharma help calm their minds?
KPSR: One of the fundamental teachings of Buddhism is to train our minds to become familiar with the nature of samsara and the reason for our existence. Is this cyclical existence, the world we live in, inherently a happy place or not? This contemplation is considered very important in Buddhist practice. It can actually help us not to be unrealistic about what is happening and what is destined to happen.
When we train our minds in the nature of samsara, what really helps us is to accept everything that is happening around us. That is where the difficulty lies. If we are not trained in that, we are shocked if a tragedy occurs. It could be an epidemic, a war, or a personal loss. Everyone, individually or collectively, goes through certain things that we normally consider impossible, and we wonder: How could this happen to me? How could this happen to humanity? These kinds of shocking experiences happen because we are not trained in the reality of what constitutes samsara. Because of that, we think that what is happening cannot happen to us as individuals or as a group. And that leads to a lot of fear, anxiety, stress, and whatever you want to call it.
This is why in Buddhist training, meditation and contemplation on the nature of samsara are fundamental practices for training our minds. This helps us to make space in our hearts and minds for the reality that any tragedy can happen at any time in our lives. Therefore, we are always ready. When we are ready, we are not shocked, because acceptance is there.
And why so much fear? It’s because we don’t have the space in our hearts to accept reality. That’s why Buddhist training can really help – whether you’re a Buddhist or not – to train your mind in the nature of samsara: how the nature of samsara is transcendent, constantly changing, doesn’t stay in one place, and how samsara is a very unsafe place. Why is it not realistic to find safety in samsara? What can we expect from samsara? All of these questions are important in Buddhist practice and can really help people, whether they’re Buddhist or not.
Having the ability to accept the truth, the reality of the situation, and to move forward, to see that this existence we have is not permanent but subject to change: every aspect of our life is bound to change at any moment. When we develop this space in our heart, then nothing will shock us. In this regard, it is essential to train our minds in the ephemeral and changing nature of things. Whether it is our body or our mind, the people around us, society or the world we live in, all these aspects are conditions and are subject to change. When we are not ready to accept this change, it brings us a lot of suffering.
BDG: Do you see any dangers in the increasing use of AI? How can we preserve human values in the age of technology?
KPSR: From a Buddhist perspective, the danger actually lies in how humans perceive AI, how they perceive and use it. Ultimately, AI is created by humans. Therefore, humans should be wise enough to use this technology in an intelligent, constructive and positive way. Otherwise, humanity will certainly be in danger. If humans are careful in their handling of AI, it can be controlled.
Ultimately, AI itself is created and monitored by humans. How it is created and how we use it depends on our intelligence. Therefore, we must be wise and use AI constructively to bring about positive change. Otherwise, it can be destructive, just as human intelligence can be destructive. . . . It is clear that humans have a responsibility to monitor and verify the quality of AI and how it is used, whether it is effective or not, constructive or not.
This kind of discriminating consciousness, this wisdom, we have to develop it, because it is a new reality in today's world. Sometimes when we are fascinated by AI, it does even more than humans. Sometimes we feel that AI has an ultimate potential, but it does not have the ultimate potential to awaken, to free itself from all suffering, to develop compassion, love, all these human values that are essential for the survival of the human species. This is something that AI cannot do. We humans have this potential and we do not have to fear that our capacity, our potential will be destroyed. Not at all.
It all depends on our ability to distinguish between what is good and what is bad, what is positive and what is negative, what is good in the long run and what is harmful in the long run. The human mind and intelligence possess this kind of factor and potential for deference.
In Buddhism, we say that if one can practice wholeheartedly, using one's own intelligence, relying on an authentic teacher, then one can attain enlightenment in one lifetime. This is part of human intelligence. On the other hand, if this intelligence is used in a negative way, for a destructive purpose, then it can destroy everything, the entire planet – just as the nuclear bomb was also created by human intelligence. Therefore, artificial intelligence has the capacity to be both constructive and destructive. Therefore, making the right choices – using intelligence in a positive way so that it brings happiness to oneself and others – depends entirely on human intelligence.
BDG: Khenchen Rinpoche, thank you very much for sharing your wisdom with us.
Khenchen Pema Sherab Rinpoche was born in Riphu, in the traditional Tibetan region of Kham, in 1936. In 1953, Shechen Kongtrul Rinpoche (1901-1959) granted him novice vows. In 1959, he fled to India, where he met Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche (1910-1991), from whom he received most of his teachings. On various occasions, Khenchen Rinpoche received many teachings and oral transmissions from Dudjom Rinpoche (1904-1987) and Penor Rinpoche (1932-2009). In 1968, Penor Rinpoche invited him to come and teach the Dharma in Namdroling. Since the establishment of the Ngagyur Nyingma Institute in 1978, Khenchen Rinpoche has taught with great compassion and kindness. He has traveled extensively in India, Nepal and Europe, visiting many Dharma centers and sharing Buddhist wisdom with thousands of practitioners.
* A title of special distinction awarded to highly respected individuals khenpo.
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The article Distinguished Palyul Khenchen Teacher Pema Sherab Rinpoche Visits Bulgaria appeared first on Buddhist News Global.
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