The Wise Words of our Kind Teachers

An Interview with Traleg Rinpoche
By Sue Stovall

On the first day of autumn on a glorious day in New York City, Traleg Rinpoche sat for an interview. His presence radiated serenity and kindness. His smile was beautiful. Two years after he was born, he was recognized as the ninth incarnation of the Traleg line of realized teachers. He was then enthroned as the Abbot of the Thrangu Monastery. The surroundings of the monastery were very beautiful with broad, well-watered pastures in the high valleys of Tibet surrounded by mountains with snowy peaks. In 1959, Traleg Rinpoche was taken to safety in Bhutan, when the Communist Chinese invaded Tibet. He was four years old. He continued the rigorous training prescribed for tulkus born with the responsibilities as major lineage holders. In 1980, he went to Australia as the official representative for the Kagyu Lineage of Tibetan Buddhism and established Kagyu E-Vam Buddhist Institute in Melbourne. In 1989, Rinpoche taught extensively at Karma Triyana Dharmachra (KTD) in Woodstock, NY. Now, he has come to Chatham, NY to establish E-Vam Buddhist Institute in New York.



Sue Stovall: What should I call you?

Traleg Rinpoche: Rinpoche is usually what people call me.



S.S.: What does the term ‘Rinpoche’ mean?

T.R.: It is a Tibetan word that means ‘precious one’, but there are many, many Rinpoches.



S.S.: What is the focus and purpose of E-Vam and what does the name of the Institute mean?

T.R.: E-Vam is a Sanskrit word meaning Compassion and Wisdom. At E-Vam in New York, we wish to preserve the original, authentic teachings of the Buddhist tradition while at the same time addressing the pressing issues of the contemporary Western world. We are approaching this effort in a three-tier system: Interfaith/interdisciplinary dialogue that promotes greater understanding among the world’s great religions; Intrafaith dialogue that promotes better relationships among the various schools of Buddhism, and Traditional dialogue that promotes and preserves the philosophy and practices of two of the oldest lineages of Tibetan Buddhism, namely Kagyu and Nyingma.



S.S.: Please describe to us what the property and surroundings of the E-Vam Institute in Chatham, NY are like.

T.R.: It was an old Quaker Meeting House and then a Steiner School before we purchased it. So I would say that the place has a contemplative energy and a peacefulness about it. There is a bio-dynamic garden and creeks and a lake and rolling hills. It is a very welcoming place.



S.S.: Would you expound on Buddhism in general and your lineage, the Kagyu Lineage, in particular?

T.R.: Buddhism is a non-theistic religion. Buddhism teaches that life is imbued with sufferings caused by our ignorance of the true nature of reality and that it is possible to end this state of suffering by taking the path to enlightenment. The Kagyu lineage, one of the four traditions of Tibetan Buddhism, originated during the eleventh century with the Indian saint or mahasiddha, Tilopa. He directly realized his own true nature and this state of enlightenment is expressed through the symbolism of Vajradhara. The realization of enlightenment is also known as Mahamudra or the ‘great seal,’ which points out that the fundamental or sacred nature is expressed through the unadorned reality of everyday life. Buddha put emphasis on the enlightened nature of every human being—that every single human being is fundamentally enlightened. Ignorance or confusion is incidental and not at all intrinsic to human nature. The three basic trainings involved in this path of enlightenment are ethics, meditation and the cultivation of wisdom.

S.S.: To you, what are some of the core instructions of Buddhism?

T.R.: I think usually in the West people associate Buddhism with meditation and the cultivation of mindfulness. That is very important and then that has to be combined with mind training of ‘lojong’ type as well as the practice of Loving Kindness and the Ten Paramitas—generosity, virtue, renunciation, discernment, patience, truthfulness, vigor, good will, determination and equanimity.

S.S: It seems that Tibetan Buddhism is flourishing in America. How do you perceive this phenomenon?

T.R.: When I first came here on an extensive teaching tour in 1988, there were very few centers of Tibetan Buddhism or lamas living here. Now, I would say, there are hundreds of centers around the country. Because it is still new in this country, of course, there are difficulties in transplanting Buddhism. Some think we should secularize it and get rid of all the sacred images and that studies should be kept to the very minimum and to only train in Buddhist meditation, and mindfulness and awareness type of practice. Then there is a traditional kind of camp who thinks we should keep everything as it was back in Tibet or whatever country it came from. Personally, I think both have problems. If we have watered down the teachings, we have gone too far, but if we are keeping all of the cultural creations, then we are keeping too much in.



S.S.: Since Interfaith discussion among the world’s great religions is one of the main purposes of E-Vam Institute, what would you say that Jesus was?

T.R.: Different Buddhists give different answers to that. Some would say Jesus was a bodhisattva, which means that Jesus was an enlightened being. Others may, in fact, go along with Christians and say he was the Messiah. My position on this is that it isn’t very good to say Jesus was a bodhisattva. I think it is best to think he was the Messiah because one should afford Christians that respect. When a Buddhist says Jesus was a bodhisattva then that is trying to incorporate Jesus into a Buddhist model of what an evolved human being is. He was not just an enlightened being. According to Christians, Jesus was the Son of God and we, as Buddhists, should respect that.



S.S.: That is a valuable teaching. Thank you, Rinpoche.



Under the name of Traleg Kyabgon, Rinpoche is the author of several comprehensive books that are easily accessible to readers in the West, including The Essence of Buddhism and Mind at Ease published by Shambhala Publications. E-Vam Buddhist Institute is open to visitors who are welcome between the Institute’s office hours of ten and five, but it would be good to call first. On Saturday and Sunday mornings at 10:30, there is basic meditation practice open to the public free of charge. Saturday morning also includes a Buddhist Study group and audio lecture. All are welcome—Buddhists and non-Buddhists alike. E-Vam is also open to individuals for private short retreats of one day to a weeklong.



Please see the Web site (www.evam.org) for the winter programs. There is a full program planned for next summer that includes a 5-day Buddhist Summer school that will host prominent teachers from the various traditions including Theravada, Zen and the Tibetan Buddhist tradition. Traleg Rinpoche will be in residence at E-Vam Institute for much of the spring and summer, 2006. E-Vam Buddhist Institute is located at 171 Water Street in Chatham, NY. For more information, please call 518 392 6900 or send e-mail to office@evam.org.