November 2006
November 29, 2006WINTER COMMUNIQUE PUBLISHED
The Kheyntse Foundation Winter 2006 Communiqué contains important information and updates about all five of the Foundation's projects as well as Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche's 2007 teaching schedule. See how your contributions are making a difference around the world. The Communiqué is a seasonal publication of Khyentse Foundation. Subscribers periodically receive the latest news from the Foundation and interesting stories about Foundation activity. Each issue also contains an installment of the Patron King Series. Please help us save communication costs by providing your email address and updated contact information. Your information will not be shared with other organizations. Make sure that your spam blocker is set to receive bulk mail from khyentsefoundation.org addresses. If you would like to recieve a print version of the Communiqué, please send an email to communique@khyentsefoundation.org.
INSTEAD OF BUILDING MONASTERIES, WE BUILD PEOPLE
Khyentse Foundation Sets Five-Year Goals: An Exciting Look Ahead
Khyentse Foundation celebrated its fifth anniversary in November 2006. During the first five years of operation, the Foundation concentrated on supporting Tibetan Buddhism. That was our number one priority. Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche, founder and Chair of the Board of Directors of Khyentse Foundation, explained, “Among many Buddhist lineages, Theravadin, Sri Lankan, everywhere, Tibetan Buddhism seems to be the only institution where there is actually the tradition of training a kid from four years old to be just a Buddhist teacher. That kind of vigorous systematic training, I don’t think even Theravadins in Thailand have. So I feel some kind of urgency to support the Tibetan tradition.”
Thanks to all of our donors and supporters, Khyentse Foundation has met that goal, and through its Endowment for Monastic Education will continue to support Tibetan Buddhism.
“Now,” says Rinpoche, “I am thinking that we should put more emphasis on scholarship as the primary goal for the next phase. As I mentioned before, beyond Tibetans, beyond monks and nuns, I think supporting western students for their practice and study is quite important.”
Rinpoche’s aspiration to support students of the Buddhadharma in all traditions and all areas of the world has placed the Scholarship Fund as the first priority of Khyentse Foundation in the coming five years. (See related article elsewhere in current news.)
Guiding Principles
Rinpoche’s vision of establishing a system of patronage to support the study and practice of Buddhism to benefit all sentient beings is the guiding light of Khyentse Foundation.
The mission of Khyentse Foundation is to be an effective vehicle to translate Rinpoche’s vision into active programs. Our guiding principles, based on Rinpoche’s guidelines, will set our direction in the coming years.
1. The main objective of Khyentse Foundation is to preserve and support the Buddhadharma in all traditions, not just the Tibetan tradition. “I like to see Khyentse Foundation really supporting Buddhadharma in all kinds of forms and all kinds of lineages.” We support all Buddhist traditions, nonsectarian and rimé in the broadest sense of the word.
2. “Instead of building monasteries, we build people.” We emphasize support for the study and practice of Buddhism. As a corollary, we do not support capital or infrastructure building.
3. We value planning and aim at establishing long-term support systems to benefit all sentient beings—the kind of support that was practiced by King Ashoka, Sudatta, and others who have the intention to “plan for further benefit for more people.”
4. We collaborate rather than duplicate efforts or compete with other organizations. Where possible, we support the efforts of others in supporting the Buddhadharma.
Five-Year Goals
On an operational level, our Five Projects provide the basic structure of the KF support system and will continue to serve as the framework to deliver our services.
During a series of planning meetings, Rinpoche and the Board of Directors set the following long-term goals for the Foundation:
1. Through the Scholarship Fund, support non-Tibetan and lay students in study and practice in all Buddhist traditions worldwide.
2. Through the Endowment for Monastic Education, produce Buddhist teachers and scholars to influence the world.
3. Through the Publications Fund, make Buddhist teachings readily available to all who wish to study.
4. Through the Endowed Chairs of Buddhist Studies, promote Buddhist studies in major universities.
5. Through Buddhist Education for Children, support Buddhist education for second-generation Buddhists where such studies are not readily available.
Where Will Our Projects Be in 2011?
The Foundation also set high financial goals in order to have the necessary capital to realize our goals. Our total endowment will be increased to US $9 million by 2011 (from $5 million in 2006), primarily to fund the scholarship, monastic education, and publication projects. Endowed chairs of Buddhist studies will be funded separately, and Buddhist education will be funded on a project and need basis. We also identified communications, fundraising, and community involvement as three main challenges in the coming years.
Scholarships
Support 100 students and practitioners in full-time Buddhist study and practice.
Establish an endowment of U.S. $3 million to generate an annual income at 5% of $150,000 for disbursements.
Monastic Education
Help the Khyentse Buddhist Institutes to maintain traditional academic excellence and be recognized internationally.
Produce 20 teacher-scholars who can speak English and Chinese and who are computer literate.
Increase the present endowment to $5 million to support programs, resources, and facilities.
Publications
Preserve Buddhist texts through collaboration with other organizations.
Support translation of Buddhist texts and training of translators, and improve translation standards.
Continue publication and distribution of Buddhist texts.
Establish an endowment of $1 million and provide funding for the Digital Library of Tibetan Archives, translation projects, and other projects.
Endowed Chairs
Explore and establish endowed chairs of Buddhist studies in Asia, Europe, and Australia.
Establish exchange programs between traditional Buddhist institutes and major universities.
Education Programs
To reflect the possibility of using different educational models in different areas, the “Buddhist Schools for Children” project is being renamed “Buddhist Education Programs.”
Create “Sunday School” education models, youth programs, and parent-child camps.
Create Buddhist courses for public school systems.
In conclusion, Rinpoche encourages continued support for Khyentse Foundation, which he says “will not only help temporarily, it will help in the long term. It will help not a few people, but lots of people. And not just certain people, but all kinds of people.”
The Foundation continues to operate as an all-volunteer organization. We invite you to contact us if you are able to contribute your time, knowledge, and expertise to further the mission of the Foundation.
SCHOLARSHIPS BECOME KF'S TOP PRIORITY
Florence Koh, Chair of the KF Scholarship Committee, shares some great news for dharma students and institutions. Khyentse Foundation plans to substantially increase its funding for scholarships in the next five years.
“We have been concentrating so hard on the Tibetans, on the monks and nuns, mainly the renunciants. I think the goal is very narrow, we do not think beyond monks and nuns. We do not go beyond Tibetans. It breaks my heart when I go to France and see these people from the Czech Republic, dharma students who drive all the way from the Czech Republic to Dordogne. With very little money they have saved, they sleep in their car for months, eat one meal a day, and receive teachings. They don’t have any support.”
— Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche
KF Asia Planning Meeting, Taipei, Taiwan, 10 May 2006
With these words, Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche explained his reasons for making the Scholarship Fund the highest priority among the five core projects supported by Khyentse Foundation. At present, there is practically no support system of any kind for Buddhist study and practice, especially in countries where Buddhism is relatively new, such as Europe, the United States, and Australia. Khyentse Foundation plans to provide financial assistance to students and practitioners of the Buddhadharma all over the world, in all Buddhist traditions.
Khyentse Foundation plans to substantially increase its funding for scholarships in the next five years. Rinpoche hopes that by 2011, Khyentse Foundation will be able to support 30 people in three-year retreat and 70 more in full-time Buddhist study or practice.
The Khyentse Foundation Scholarship Committee was established in April, 2005. The members of the Committee, who were appointed by Rinpoche, are Chair Florence Koh, United States; Ann Marie Huck, Canada; Doris Wolter, Germany; and Stuart MacFarlane, United Kingdom. The first task of the Committee was to define policy and guidelines. Working closely with the KF Executive Committee, the beneficiary coordinators, and the KF treasurer, the Scholarship Committee has successfully processed two rounds of open applications and has supported many individuals and institutions in the study and practice of the Buddhadharma. In evaluating the applications, the Committee gives priority to individuals who have worked to save part of the funds required for their period of study or practice. The Committee also works with Isaiah Seret, Director of Project Development, to identify individuals, group, and institutions that are worthy of support. (See “KF Partners with KEAP to Support Theravadin Tradition in Cambodia” in the web archive.)
We have a long way to go to raise the necessary endowment funds to support the students, practitioners, and institutions that apply for assistance. However, with Rinpoche’s guidance and blessings, and with so many patrons rejoicing in the diligent study and practice of others, we are hopeful that Rinpoche’s wish will be fulfilled by 2011, or sooner.
We welcome applications for KF scholarships from individuals as well as from Buddhist institutions that provide study or retreat programs. There are two yearly application periods, with deadlines of January 15 and July 15. For the coming round, please submit applications to the Scholarship Committee between December 15, 2006 and January 15, 2007.
Applications can be dowloaded here.
RINPOCHE VISITS BERKELEY TO SEAL THE DEAL
Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche visited the University of California at Berkeley to celebrate the establishment of the Khyentse Foundation Distinguished Professorship in Tibetan Buddhism in August, 2006. He toasted the efforts of everyone involved saying, "I feel with this one contribution we've started the equivalent of 100 monasteries.”
Rinpoche, KF Advisers Gene Smith and Steven Goodman, Board Member Kris Yao, and Executive Director Cangioli Che received a warm welcome on the UC Berkeley campus. A reception was attended by Berkeley Executive Vice-Chancellor and Provost George Breslauer, Vice-Chancellor for University Relations Don McQuade, Dean Jane Broughton, and Buddhist Studies faculty, graduate students, and friends.
HIS HOLINESS THE DALAI LAMA BECOMES A PATRON OF DEER PARK INSTITUTE
Good News from Himachal Pradesh, India
From Deer Park Institute in Bir, India (see the articles in the KF Communiqué, Summer 2006), administrator Prashant Varma reports that His Holiness the Dalai Lama is now a patron of the Institute.
His Holiness’ secretary writes, “His Holiness is particularly pleased to learn of Rinpoche’s intention to restore the classical and sophisticated traditions of great institutions such as Nalanda and Vikramalashila to our Indian friends out of his tremendous appreciation for India.”
KF PARTNERS WITH KEAP TO SUPPORT THERAVADIN TRADITION IN CAMBODIA
Isaiah Seret reports on the history of Theravadin Buddhism in Cambodia and Khyentse Foundation's work to support its tradition.
Buddhism in Cambodia is lucky to be around, and I don’t say that lightly. It was nearly wiped out by the Khmer Rouge, a revolutionary socialist party that systematically executed everyone in Cambodia with an education, including monks. During the massive turmoil of the 1970s, the Cambodian Buddhist sangha was virtually annihilated.
With the overthrow of the Khmer Rouge in 1979, the country began to heal, and Buddhism was desperately needed as a support for the lay society. Buddhist temples in Cambodia and neighboring Theravadin lands for centuries served the community through spiritual and family guidance, established orphanages, and gave food to those in need. However, it was not until the late 1980s that the Buddhist community was free to practice and grow, and few were left to teach the new generation of monastics. Who was left to revive the Buddhist tradition? Only a handful of learned teachers, nearly all non-monastics, emerged from hiding, and with government support a monastic education system modeled after western-style education was slowly reestablished.
In the early 1990s, after a break of some 15 years, Dhamma-Vinaya and Pali (elementary) schools for monks reopened, and the first high school for monks reopened in Phnom Penh in 1993. In 1997, Preah Sihanouk Raj Buddhist University in Phnom Penh reopened with a pre-BA program. To date, although 15 to 20 monastics have graduated with BAs from this program since 2001, most disrobe upon completing their studies. It is estimated that there are fewer than 50 educated monastics in Cambodia today.
Due to societal pressures and lack of opportunity, many of the monks who have graduated from the Buddhist University have gone into business and lay life. Although this might be due in part to the lack of a viable monastic community, it is also possible that a 20-year-old monk may not be sure what to do with his life. And after graduation, there is no possibility for further education, because the Buddhist University is not equipped to offer master's and doctorate programs.
Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche visited Cambodia in 2004 and was greatly touched by the condition of monks living in makeshift structures. Rinpoche was deeply concerned that the Cambodian Theravadin tradition is in real danger of perishing if no effort is made to support and revive study and practice. He decided that Khyentse Foundation will help where possible, even if only in a small way.
To carry out this mandate, Khyentse Foundation explored various ways to establish a postgraduate scholarship program designated for Cambodian monks. One way to help is to offer financial assistance to Cambodian monks so that they can have the opportunity to study for an MA in the Buddhadhamma abroad, in countries where the Buddhist tradition is strong. The objective is for these monks to study and return to Cambodia to help restore Buddhism in their homeland.
With the advice and through the introduction of Professor Peter Skilling, a Buddhist scholar based in Thailand, Khyentse Foundation partnered with the Crestone, Colorado-based Khmer-Buddhist Education Assistance Project (KEAP) to offer a unique scholarship opportunity for outstanding monastics with a BA in Buddhist studies to further their studies.
The KF scholarships provide all expenses for the monks to attend a three-year MA program at recognized Buddhist universities in countries considered to have an extremely pure and unbroken lineage of Buddhist teachings. During the university summer break, the monks will practice meditation at retreats in the host country. A special English for Buddhist studies language crash course was recently completed at the Buddhist University in Phnom Penh that helped prepare the first two monk scholarship recipients, who will soon begin their studies in Sri Lanka.
KEAP is the only organization in Cambodia currently offering scholarship support for monastic education at the undergraduate level. The KF scholarship for postgraduate study is designed to supplement the KEAP program. Through this alliance, KEAP and Khyentse Foundation hope to produce a new generation of Buddhist scholars who will return to Cambodia as teachers and as the natural leaders that monks have always been in Cambodia.
With its network of more than 4,000 temples across a country that is more than 90 percent Buddhist, Theravadin Buddhism has been in the forefront of regenerative forces in the past. The rebirth of the Khmer culture and society will to a large extent depend on the renewal of standards in the Buddhist sangha. With planning and support from sympathetic friends, and the revival of the monastic community itself, Buddhism will again play a leading role in shaping a better future for Cambodia.
The KF-KEAP scholarship program for monastics in Cambodia is highly recommended and appreciated by Buddhist, government, and education leaders in Cambodia. The Foundation plans to gradually increase the number of awards from two to six scholarship recipients a year.
KF FIFTH ANNIVERSARY SOUVENIR PENDANT: THE ASHOKA LION
Lovely cut glass pendant available to commemorate first five years of Foundation. Available exclusively at the Benefits Gallery. Learn more about this important symbol.
The Khyentse Foundation logo is the lion of King Ashoka, which is a symbol of fearlessness. Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche speaks with admiration of the many legacies of Ashoka. “Through some of these kings like Ashoka, institutions such as Nalanda happened. I just cannot imagine if Nalanda did not exist, what would be the situation of Buddhism today. There would be nothing, basically.”
King Ashoka was one of the most important patrons of Buddhism, and Khyentse Foundation aspires to follow in his footsteps. By adopting King Ashoka’s emblematic lion, KF is raising Ashoka’s flag to support the Buddhadharma.
It is appropriate that the KF fifth anniversary souvenir is an Ashoka lion pendant, designed and produced by a sangha member in Hong Kong.
The pendant is made of art glass, equal in quality to Austrian crystal. The original clay mould was sculpted by an artist from Beijing who wrote many Buddhist poems in Chinese to accompany his sculptures. The pendant was sculpted with blessings from Khyentse Rinpoche. Production of the pendant was generously sponsored by many members of the Hong Kong sangha.
Each pendant comes with an elegant black and gold cord, in an original paper box from the workshop and a certificate of quality in Chinese. All proceeds benefit Khyentse Foundation. The pendants are available now at a special holiday discount of US$38. To see the pendants and other holiday gift ideas, go to the KF Benefits Gallery: http://www.merchantamerica.com/kfgallery/.
CHILDREN'S SCHOOLS PROJECT RENAMED
In order to more accurately describe the activities that fall under the umbrella of this important project, Children's Schools has been renamed "Education Programs." While the transition is being made, you may see both titles appear in various materials. We appreciate your patience and invite your ideas as this fifth project begins to take shape.
HAVE YOU SIGNED UP TO BE A MONTHLY DONOR?
The most effective and direct way to support Khyentse Foundation is to sign up as a monthly donor. Your regular giving will be matched dollar for dollar by a group of generous sponsors, literally doubling your contribution to support the work of the Foundation.
Our monthly donors and matching fund sponsors form the financial basis for Khyentse Foundation to provide long-term support to foster the study and practice of Buddhism. Like drops in the ocean, no amount is too small. A $20 monthly pledge can support the study of one monk in a Buddhist institute in India or Tibet. With the matching fund you are supporting two monks. $100 a month accumulates to $2,400 per year with the matching fund program, enough to support a western student in full-time Buddhist study in a shedra in Nepal, or to format over 50 volumes of Buddhist texts that are in danger of perishing.
Join the Khyentse Foundation sangha to support our priority projects for 2006-2007:
To join the Monthly Donations Matching Funds Program, you can download a donation form from www.khyentsefoundation.org . Or simply send us your name and email address, the amount of the monthly donation and the starting date, and a voided check (for automatic bank deduction). To pay by credit card, send the information (type of card, number, and expiration date) to Khyentse Foundation, PO Box 156648, San Francisco, CA 94115.
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