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PROMOTING LEADERSHIP SKILLS IN A MONASTIC SETTING
KF
supports the study and practice of all traditions of the Buddhadharma,
all over the world, for monks and nuns and lay people alike. This issue
focuses on KF's work to preserve the tradition of excellence
in monastic institutions by helping monastic leaders develop
modern management and teaching skills.
 VIDEO: 2015 21st Century Classroom Skills, an eye-opening week with Mrs. Das in Chauntra
VIDEO: 2014 Excellence in Leadership and Management Workshop in Nepal
 PDF: Downloadable Leadership Training Exercise: The Egg Bridge
Stories:
Banner
Images: Khyentse Foundation's logo based on the Ashoka pillar; Rinpoche
attending the Excellence in Leadership and Management Workshop,
February 2014, by Stacey Stein; Avakirta Rinpoche and Ratna Vajra
Rinpoche participating in the 21st Century Teacher Training in
Chauntra, April, 2015; Logo for the Excellence in Leadership and
Management Workshop in Nepal, designed by Maryann Lipaj, photo by
Stacey Stein; Ratna Vajra Rinpoche's artwork, by Noa Jones.
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WORDS FROM RINPOCHE
"We
are trying to offer not just training, but leadership awareness,
necessary in this day and age. The small progress we made in
Kathmandu seemed to create a very positive reaction, not just from
the training itself, but also the awareness of how the rest
of the world is ruled and led. I think for the younger generation lamas
and rinpoches, knowing that such things exist is so important.”
WORDS FROM OUR TEAM
“Of
all the material we presented, the monks seemed to respond the most
eagerly to some models of basic intercultural differences that we
presented in the first year. Using their fine-tuned analytical skills
and natural curiosity, they showed a genuine thirst for all of the
material we presented.”
— Sydney Jay, pictured second from left with Edouard Janssen, Chris
Jay, Anja Hartmann, and James Hopkins, the facilitators for the 2014 KF
Excellence in Leadership and Management Workshop at Shechen,
Nepal.
BECOME A PATRON
It
is said that the patron and the practitioner ascend to Tushita heaven
together. KF's system of patronage offers a way to double the
amount of your contribution through the matching funds program,
increase your donation through the activity of the KF investment
committee, and channel it to carefully selected recipients endorsed by
Rinpoche.
To become a monthly donor at any level (even $5 per month is appreciated), go to our website. Another great way for you to support Kh yentse Foundation is to become knowledgeable about our activities — to read the Communiqué, ask questions, make connections.
Muchas gracias,
With our warmest wishes,
The KF Team
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FACES OF THE FOUNDATION
 Meet Dr. Sydney Jay, our dynamic project director for the KF Leadership Training Program for Khenpos and Tulkus. This "Faces of the Foundation" is from the August, 2013 Communique on Academia. |
2015 DEADLINES
Applications for KF Buddhist Studies Scholarship and KF Individual Practice Grant will be accepted from June 15 to July 15, 2015.
KF INCREASES SPENDING ON LEADERSHIP AND DEVELOPMENT
At
the recent KF Board Meeting (June 16-17, 2015), the Executive Committee
reported a significant increase in grant amounts in the area of
leadership and development from 2013/2014 to 2015/16. The
increase is mainly in Training for the Future programs and effectively
doubles the amount the foundation will spend on programs such as
training in leadership and management, language instruction, and
infrastructure.
RINPOCHE ON NEPAL
As
we all know, a major earthquake hit Nepal just before noon on April 25,
2015. The earth shook with such intensity that Rinpoche felt it all the
way in Delhi where he was preparing for the DKCLI teacher training.
During that week he spent a lot of time thinking and asking questions
and finally composing this message about what we can do to help the
people of Nepal, which you can read on the SI website.
"At
this time of great suffering and difficulty in Nepal, when many are
feeling uncertainty and fear and experiencing the loss of loved ones,
one of the best things we can all do is offer our prayers and good
wishes. For those following the Buddhadharma, as Kyabje Sakya Trizin
Rinpoche has so profoundly advised us, we can think of Guru Rinpoche
and supplicate him fervently so that outer, inner, and secret
obstacles will be dispelled, and so that the myriad wishes of those
affected will be swiftly fulfilled..."
VARA: A BLESSING
TO BE RELEASED
Stay tuned. Rinpoche's third feature film, Vara: A Blessing will be released online in the next few months. Visit the film's website for more information. Photo of Shahana Goswami by EMily Avery Crow.
KF LEADERSHIP AND DEVELOPMENT TEAM
Leadership Training Program for Khenpos and Tulkus
Chris Jay, Project Director
Sydney Jay, Project Director
Monastic Support and Education
Amelia Chow 周熙玲, Coordinator
Toni Whittaker
Helena Wang 汪海澜
Jennifer Yo 游欣慈, Languages Department, DKCLI
See a complete KF team list on the website.
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Visit www.khyentse.org for descriptions of the primary organizations founded by Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche.
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Siddhartha's Intent
Siddhartha's Intent supports
Rinpoche’s Buddhadharma activities worldwide, through organizing
teachings and retreats, transcribing, distributing, and archiving
recorded teachings, translating manuscripts and practice texts, and
establishing a community committed to continual study and practice.
RINPOCHE'S TEACHING SCHEDULE
12 July, 2015
16 July, 2015
Pema Osel Ling, Corralitos, CA
19 July, 2015
Is There Buddhism Without Rebirth?
Berkeley, California
CHINESE SITE
Chinese speakers are encouraged to visit the KF Chinese Language website. 歡迎瀏覽欽哲基金會中文網站。
AND THEN...
Please join our Facebook group for regular announcements and updates on our activities.
 MAILING LIST
If you are not receiving the Communiqué directly from Khyentse Foundation, please sign up on the Khyentse Mandala Mailing List. If you have moved or changed your address, or if any other contact details have changed, be sure to update your information.
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 OUR LOGO
Khyentse
Foundation’s logo is Ashoka’s lion. Below is "Ashoka," a painting
by Catherine Kaercher, commissioned by KF.
Artist's Statement:
"The
painting can be interpreted on a number of levels, depending on your
view. Conventionally, Ashoka is pictured with his queen. No one acts
alone in this world, and this is a tribute to interdependence. The
queen represents the unseen elements that brought Ashoka to the
renunciation of violence, and noble actions that brought peace and
protection to the people and animals in the India of his time. She
holds a blazing white lotus, a symbol of purity arising from the mud of
samsara. He holds aloft the dharma wheel, whose turning he enabled.
They are flanked by the lion pillars we associate with his rule. Those
enjoying peaceful protection of free expression during his reign
surround him."
If you are interested in purchasing this original Ashoka painting, contact us. It will go to the highest bidder. Simply send an email with
your bid, starting at $750. The painting was done in acryla-gouache and
watercolor on canvas (10.5x 15.75 inches). Auction closes August 1. All
profits go to KF.
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Preparing Buddhist Leaders and Teachers for the 21st Century Onward
The
future of Buddhist institutions lies with a handful of young tulkus and
khenpos, and Khyentse Foundation wants to help them succeed.
The
next generation of Buddhist teachers, tulkus, lamas, and scholars (lay
and monastic, eastern and western, male and female) has a historic
opportunity to make a positive impact on society, as well as a
tremendous responsibility to serve and nurture the Buddha’s wisdom
tradition. Therefore the importance of rigorous training cannot be
overstated. Khyentse Foundation has initiated and supported a number of
leadership and teacher training programs and youth development programs
that have triggered a wave of new activity in the field of monastic
support.
The following young Buddhist teachers have invited the KF Leadership Team to conduct future trainings:
- Khyentse Yangsi Rinpoche, Shechen Monastery, Kathmandu, Nepal
- Ratna Vajra Rinpoche, Sakya Monastery, Dehradun, India
- His Eminence Gyalwa Dokhampa (Khamtrul Rinpoche), Druk Thupten Sangag Choling Monastery, Darjeeling, India
- Khenpo Choying Dorjee, DKCLI
Also,
Khenpo Choying Dorjee at DKCLI would like to offer an annual workshop
for graduating students as they move into institutions of their own
lineages, where they will assume leadership and management
responsibilities.
Read
the articles below to learn more about how KF is working with the
monastic communities to introduce innovation and leadership to ancient
institutions.
Leadership and Management Training: Modern Techniques for Ancient Monasteries
VIDEO: Kathmandu
Leadership Training Workshop
In 2010, Rinpoche asked Chris and Sydney Jay to design a leadership and management program to “bring the monks into the 21st century.” Based on their work with a large global consulting firm, Chris and Sydney designed a leadership program at
Dzongsar Khyentse Chökyi Lodrö Institute in Chauntra (DKCLI) with three
broad elements: structured problem solving, relationship skills, and
self-awareness. Khyentse Foundation then sponsored three 10-day
workshops for the khenpos and tulkus at Dzongsar Institute (2011, 2012,
and 2013). Rinpoche
then invited 32 participants to the 2014 workshop at Shechen Monastery
in Kathmandu, “Excellence in Leadership and Management: Core Concepts
and Best Practices.” Attendees included Khyentse Yangsi Rinpoche,
Dudjom Yangsi Rinpoche, Thartse Khen Rinpoche, and many other
rinpoches, tulkus, and khenpos and a select group of lay people.
The
workshop was led by Chris Jay, Sydney Jay, Edouard Janssen, Anja
Hartmann, and James Hopkins, who generously donated their time and
energy. The workshop participants learned about and had the opportunity
to train practically in a broad range of core concepts and best
practices, such as...
"This
Leadership Training program is very much in line with the aspiration of
Khyentse Foundation to create the favorable conditions for Buddha’s
teachings to flourish through education.”—KF Executive Director
Cangioli Che
Participants at the 2014 Excellence in Leadership and Management workshop, Shechen Monastery, Nepal. Photo by Stacey Stein.
Teacher Training for a 21st Century Monastic Classroom
VIDEO: Learning with Mrs. Das
From
April 30 to May 4, 2015, DKCLI hosted a 5-day training, “Bringing 21st
Century Methods into the Monastic Classroom,” led by Mrs. Jaya Das of
Singapore with the assistance of her sister Mala. The training was
attended by more than 40 rinpoches, lamas, tulkus, and khenpos, from
all over India and Bhutan, including DKCLI, Sakya College, and Chökyi
Gyatso Institute in Dewathang. Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche also attended
the entire workshop.
At
first it seemed like just fun and games, but over the days it became
clear to everyone that Mrs. Das meant business. She wanted each
participant to clearly state how they would use her modern, interactive
methods in their traditional monasteries. After some hesitation, they
began to warm to the idea. For example, many khenpos agreed to try to
introduce the concept of guided reviews in the afternoons instead of
leaving the shedra students to study on their own. Dzongsar Khyentse
Rinpoche's team created a strategy of "One hour of no Mrs. Das
[meaning her strategies] and the rest of the day is all Mrs. Das."
"The
pedagogy is already there, and I like the way you merge it with modern
training," said Mrs. Das. "Just one hour of engaged, interactive group
work will help them understand the content, to make it meaningful to
them, instead of just memorizing the words."
Mrs. Das is a highly experienced educator from Singapore, where she taught for 35 years...
Participants in Mrs. Das's workshop at DKCLI, Chauntra, India in May, 2015. Photo by Pawo Choying Dorji.
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First Person:
A Participant's Perspective on KF Leadership Training Workshops
by Wamgon Tulku, Wamgon Monastery and Nunnery, Derge
 After the 2014 Leadership and Management workshop in Kathmandu, the team received this eloquent first-person account from Wamgon Tulku, who is currently studying at DKCLI.
I
was born in India and was raised in an average class family. Growing up
far from the Tibetan community in an Indian colony helped me be more
open and learn more about people. Yet visiting my relatives in Tibetan
community often also helped me stay in touch with the Tibetan culture
and belief.
I
was recognized by the H.H Sakya Trizin at the age of 9 and started
studying in a monastery. Unlike many of the tulkus and rinpoches, my
life was not so glamorous and high class. I have no complaints
financially or food, but I had really tough training from my previous
teacher! Well I'm not here to tell you my story, but the reason I
mentioned this is to let you know my background wasn’t so fancy and
spoiled growing up.
The
reason why I went to the workshop is mainly because I have
a monastery and nunnery to look after back in Derge, Tibet and
also a few big projects on improvement in societies and flourish
dharma, hoping that I could learn something which can be helpful in
future. I didn’t have much clue since I have never been in any similar
kind of workshop, so I didn’t have specific expectation. But I did have
big expectations since it was organized by Dzongsar Khyentse since he
is one of the smartest person, perfect teacher, well educated in
Buddhism and at the same time updated to the modern world.
I worked with a group with the right balance of types; we had the super
TJ [Thinking/Judging types in the Myers-Briggs system] who were really
outgoing and also ones who were really introvert, quiet and shy, and
also ...
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The Egg Bridge:
A Leadership Training Exercise
A
key component of successful leadership and management workshops is
conducting the exercises in a manner that demonstrates the principles
being taught.
PDF Download: Instructions for the Egg Bridge Exercise
By Chris and Sydney Jay
Games
are a great teaching tool, so we often use them in our leadership and
management workshops. We usually kick off each day with a game such as
the Egg Bridge, and the theme of the day unfolds from there. The
participants really love to learn this way. “More games!” they tell us
enthusiastically. "We learn the most from the games."
See Run Do
is a very popular exercise that we used at the Excellence in Leadership
and Management workshops in Kathmandu and at DKCLI in Chauntra. At the
end of the session, one of the khenpos, who is a member of the Tibetan
Parliament, stood up and said, "Every Tibetan should have to go through
this exercise!" Participants laughed, shouted, debated, stole ideas
from other teams, and were more competitive than even modern hotshot
business people. The barely concealed gleeful child came out in each of
them, even the sternest khenpos. Suddenly, the holy site of Kyabje
Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche's reliquary stupa and the library became like a
noisy playground, with rinpoches running up and down the stairs,
yelling instructions to each other as if debating. The jaws of the few
laypeople visiting the stupa dropped in astonishment, watching the
rinpoches and tulkus acting this way.
We
used the Egg Bridge game in both workshops as well. Without revealing
too much here, in case our readers want to try this exercise, we can
say that the Kathmandu group constructed some really long bridges. Most
groups, particularly groups of modern engineering-minded business
people, keep their thinking small and build short bridges with
elaborate construction, even knowing that the longest bridge wins. Not
the rinpoches, tulkus, and khenpos, though. Their bridges, as you can
see in the photo, approached the record length.
The
value of these exercises becomes apparent during the group debriefings
at the end, which can take more than an hour. Participants look for
parallels in their experiences with their various organizations. One
rinpoche said, "Now I understand how the monks feel when I say
'tomorrow we will do an Ushnishavijaya Puja' and they have to stay up
all night making a thousand tormas."
The PDF link contains instructions for the Egg Bridge exercise so that others can give it a try.
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Leadership training in action, from apprentice to executive committee and board member in a few short years.
We
are very fortunate to have Wyatt Arnold as part of the KF team. Several
years ago, Rinpoche selected Wyatt to serve on the Junior Executive
Committee, a pilot project that trains future leaders by learning
from the professionals who volunteer in various foundation
roles. He quickly excelled and began taking on greater
responsibilities. He is on a number of committees and spearheaded the
impact measurement initiative. In 2015, Rinpoche appointed him to the
Executive Committee. He is the also the youngest member of the KF Board
of Directors.
Wyatt
studied under Chagdud Tulku Rinpoche from a very young age. In 2006 he
moved to India to continue studying under Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche.
In India for 6 years, he studied philosophy and Tibetan language with
Dzongsar khenpos as well as at the Sarah Tibetan College near
Dharamsala. In 2012, Wyatt and his wife Elise De Grande moved to
California, where he is currently pursuing a bachelor of science degree
in civil engineering. Before joining the KF Executive Committee, he
served as an executive apprentice for 3 years.
In Wyatt's Own Words:
Of
all the things I am thankful for in my life, being a part of Khyentse
Foundation is very high up there. Working for KF has given me a chance
to practice generosity, the internal effect of which has been to open
my eyes to the incredible knowledge, skills, and vision of Buddhist
traditions and communities around the world. I joined KF’s volunteer
base at a very young age without any prior experience in business or
nonprofit. As an Executive Committee apprentice, I could watch the
inner workings of the foundation—the leadership roles and the
operational maneuvers—without having to jump in immaturely. Becoming an
executive committee member would be unthinkable without those prior
years of acclimation, and so I feel very fortunate to have had the
opportunity to train within the foundation itself.
The
most rewarding aspect of working in KF is translating the
organization's vast vision into actionable programs - in other words,
the targeting of who to support, and how to support them. It has been
amazing to watch and participate in this process with the Executive
Committee over the past year. We see definite outcomes from
grants to new and continuing institutions like TBRC, UC Berkeley, the
Scholarships Program, and many others. It's really quite astonishing to
witness the early seeding of people and organizations that will
preserve, protect, and spread the Buddhist teachings in the years to
come.
Dzongsar
Khyentse Rinpoche at the annual meeting of Khyentse Foundation's
board of directors at Sea to Sky Retreat Center, Daisy Lake, BC. June,
2015. Photo by Pawo Choying Dorji.
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