Zangdok Palri Institute
You need to open your wisdom eye and clarify your own path.
Patrul Rinpoche
The Zangdok Palri Insitute (ZPI) is one of the central projects in Patrul Rinpoche’s activity. It is an educational institute, situated both in Tibet and the West with the goal to propose Buddhist studies, seminars and retreats to all who want to research the Buddhist path.
First, it was an educational body in Tibet giving education to orphaned children and sometimes to lay people. Growing stronger it developed a branch in Europe offering education on buddhist philosophy to Western students. As a physical ornament of spiritual and intellectual development a temple was build in Tibet.
It is a representation of Zangdok Palri, the pure land of Guru Rinpoche.
It is one of the major monuments in Dzogchen Valley, Tibet.
It is a representation of Zangdok Palri, the pure land of Guru Rinpoche.
It is one of the major monuments in Dzogchen Valley, Tibet.
In the West
ZPI Study Programmes hold:
Shedra studies
long-term six years’ course, with yearly exams. It is a philosophy course for students who devote themselves to study and practice.
General Buddhist Studies
for the students to receive a proper foundation in the Buddhist teachings.
Drupchens
and many more activities.
In Tibet
The Zangdok Palri Lotus is a development aid programme. It is a non-profit organisation founded in Belgium 2000. Its purpose is to offer mental, material and finacial support to impoverished inhabitants of Dzogchen region in Tibet. Living conditions are hard there and many people are deprived of education and healthcare.
Zangdok Palri Programme seeks to eguip the population of Dzogchen, Kham, Tibet with the basic skills and knowledge to help them embrace all the benefits of modern life while continuing to preserve their unique heritage and share it with the world.
Contact Info:
www.zandokpalri.net
Alain Marcel tel. +32 478782853
info@zangdokpalri.net
Temple
Dzogchen Ranayak Patrul Rinpoche had the overall responsibility of this great task to build a temple since Venerable Kyabje Pea Kalzang Rinpoche placed the wooden stick at the site in 1999.
After years of building, the representation of Zangdok Palri was inaugurated 20th of July 2010. It is located beautifully in the area of meditation and accomplishment, “drupdra” in Tibetan, in the valley of Dzogchen. Today pujas are being held there with large assemblies for the whole community of Dzogchen valley, both lay and ordained people.
Dzogchen Ranyak Patrul Rinpoche talks about the meaning of Zangdok Palri Institute, 2021:
The basic idea of Zangdok Palri Institute (ZPI) is to give seminars and education.
First what we had was the ZPI in Tibet where we give education to the orphaned children. We especially wanted to give the chance of education to girls. So, we started the charity more than two decades ago and the ZPI program for children in Tibet was active for 17 years. It was very successful; however, as the situation has changed a little bit, we had to stop this specific activity for a while.
The second institute we created is in the west, in Europe, for the western students. The goal is to give education of the basic philosophy of Tibetan Buddhism. We intend to give the opportunity to study different traditions spiritually and worldly, which brings benefit for both oneself and others.
There are many different traditions of spirituality and of course each person has a choice of taking their own path. This is their own freedom but before you choose it’s very important to study.
And whichever path you choose, if you do not study, then it’s like you are following your path with stupid faith and devotion. Without studying there could come a lot of problems later.
Which kind of problems?
Let’s say that for many years you put faith, devotion and you practice but then, finally, you have a lot of doubts and hesitations. Without having studied you are at risk to give up your path. So firstly, it very important to study.
You need to open your wisdom eye and clarify your own path.
You need to open your wisdom eye and clarify your own path.
You need to look at different philosophies, different traditions, compare and investigate.
Finally, you need the certainty in your mind, determination in understanding what you are following. That is the main point.
Here at ZPI we are giving education for the Buddhists. The real and the main teacher is the Buddha from India, Siddharta. He expounded the 84,000 teachings on philosophy, science and also the relative truth and the absolute truth. It included geography, maths, chemistry… everything!
If you really study the Buddha’s teachings, it’s not only practice, prayers and meditations. Not like this. You study so many things and when you study Buddha’s teachings very well, you can really open your wisdom eye.
Then you are able to see what is correct and what is incorrect and as a result your mind will become more
and more clear.
Then you are able to see what is correct and what is incorrect and as a result your mind will become more and more clear.
Therefore, we opened Zangdok Palri Institute in the West.
Ha-ha! Still there are many things to tell but that is the very short resumé and many people asked me and urged me, then I said like this. Ha-ha!
Patrul Rinpoche’s message about the representation of Zankdok Palri. Interview from 2009 about the great monument in Tibet.
Article about the preservation of Tibetan culture and heritage. A part of the Zangdok Palri in Dzogchen, a program for education for orphaned children in Tibet.
“Today my life has given fruit.
This human state has now been well assumed.
Today I take my birth in Buddha’s line,
And have become the Buddha’s child and heir.”
Shantideva, The Way of The Bodhisattva
