Guidelines
What is a Shedra
Studying with the Bodhicharya Online Shedra
What is the right attitude for attending the teachings
Frequently asked questions
- Other languages
- Is a special software required?
- Where can I get the study books?
- Do I have to debate?
- Do I have to register?
Shedra is part of the educational system in Tibetan monasteries and nunneries. The main foundational texts of the Buddhist canon are studied in the shedra, first focusing on the sutras and then tantras. Traditionally the main methods of learning are receiving teachings, memorization, contemplation and debate. The curriculum and duration of the studies may vary according to the four different schools of Tibetan Buddhism. Usually the monks and nuns attending shedra are in their teen and young adult years.
Studying with the Bodhicharya Online Shedra
If you wish to study in Bodhicharya Online Shedra, you are very lucky. You are warmly welcome to join in, no matter if you are young or old, new to dharma or have been a student for many years. No registration is required. The teachings of Ringu Tulku Rinpoche can be followed on this website without even leaving your home. Teaching language is English. There are no defined study times. New teachings will be posted online almost every week and you can watch them any time on the Teachings page. A reference text can be downloaded from the Library and studied at your own pace. You are not required to memorize the outline or the stanzas unless you wish to do so.
What is asked of the students is a commitment to study all the teachings without skipping any.
The study program is four-fold:
- Video teachings
Rinpoche has very kindly offered to give detailed explanations on the Bodhicharyavatara stanzas approximately once a week or in every two weeks. These video teachings are posted on the Teachings section and if you prefer, you can also listen to them in audio. They are approximately 15-20 minutes long. To start from the beginning, please go to Chapter 1. - Questions and Answers
Rinpoche has also offered to answer students’ questions regarding the previous teaching on a regular basis. A timeline for leaving questions to Rinpoche will be given with each new teaching and there will usually be a few days time for leaving them. You can leave your question as a comment to the teaching post. To leave comments you will need to register and log in as a member of the website. If you find this difficult, please don’t hesitate to contact us for instructions. Alternatively, you can send your question by email to studyquestions[at]bodhicharya.org. However, it would be very nice if you could leave your question as a comment so that others can read it too. The questions answered will also be included in the transcript of the Questions and Answers video. Please be concise and use one short paragraph no more than 80 words, if possible. Longer questions may have to be edited. – If your native language is not English and you find writing in English difficult, you are also welcome to send your question in your native language and it will be translated to English by one of our translators. - Reference texts and books
In addition to Rinpoche’s video teachings, we are studying a transcript of Rinpoche’s teachings on the Bodhicharyavatara given in Rigpa centers during the years 1997-2001. The transcript is available for downloading in the Library. In those teachings Rinpoche taught according to the famous commentary by Khenpo Kunpal (Kunzang Palden) which has now been translated into English by Padmakara Translation Group as The Nectar of Manjushri’s Speech. This book can be used as a reference.The English translation of the Bodhicharyavatara root text recommended for the study group is The Way of the Bodhisattva, translated by the Padmakara Translation Group and published by Shambhala Publications. There are two editions of this book, the first edition is from the year 1997, and the revised edition is from 2008. They are not similar. Rinpoche was referring to the first edition in the transcript that is used as a reference text in the Shedra. In his new teachings he will refer to the revised edition. - Self study questions
After the completion of each chapter of the Bodhicharyavatara, a set of self study questions will be provided which you can use to self assess your knowledge and understanding of the teachings and reference material. If you like, you can take some time and find out the answers to some or all of the questions, either from your memory or from Rinpoche’s talks or the reference texts. It’s up to you whether you use any of these questions or not, and how much time and effort you put into answering them, but we hope they are useful.
We have also set up a community for the Online Shedra on the new Bodhicharya Communities website. Please register with the community website and get in touch with other students there.
What is the right attitude for attending the teachings
All instruction necessary for the study will be given in Rinpoche’s teachings. As a general reminder we would like to offer here The Four Attitudes from Gandavyuha sutra, as quoted by Khenpo Kunpal in The Nectar of Manjushri’s Speech:
“Son of my lineage, you should consider yourself as a sick man and the Dharma as your medicine. You should consider your assiduous practice as a medicinal cure, and your spiritual guide as a wise physician.”
- Other languages
Teachings will be originally given in English and the teaching transcript is in English only. However, the Bodhicharyavatara as well as The Nectar of Manjushri’s Speech have been translated into many other languages, and those translations can be consulted. A list of book translations can be found on Rigpa Wiki. Audio translations of Rinpoche’s video teachings will be provided by volunteers into several languages, including French, German, Spanish, Portuguese, Russian and Finnish. More audio translations will be added gradually. If you can translate and would like to contribute in this, please contact us at shedra[at]bodhicharya.org. - Is a special software required?
No special software is needed for following the teachings online with your computer. You will only need a usual web browser with an updated flash plugin. An email address is needed for registering as a member on this website. You don’t have to register in order to have access to the online shedra teachings. But as a registered member you will be subscribed to the website news feed and you can leave comments and questions on these pages. - Where can I get the study books?
The transcript of Rinpoche’s commentary on the Bodhicharyavatara will be freely available in the Library chapter by chapter. The translation of the Bodhicharyavatara root text and the commentary by Kunzang Pelden you may try to find through your local bookstore or through an online bookstore. –There is an English translation of the root text and the commentary, up to Chapter 5, available on the internet as well: http://www.kunpal.com. - Do I have to debate?
You don’t have to debate! But you are warmly invited to join in the discussion on our community page where all students of the Online Shedra can post messages concerning specific and more general topics.
- Do I have to register?
You don’t have to register as a user on this website to follow the teachings. But it is very useful to do so, as we will send a link to new video teachings in a weekly mail-out to all registered users. As a registered user you are also able to leave comments and questions on the website.
If you have questions, suggestions or any other feedback regarding the Online Shedra, please send email to shedra[at]bodhicharya.org or use the contact form in the top navigation bar.
