Dharamsala: As per the invitation by the Ngagyur Nyingma Nunnery Shugseb Institute, Speaker of the Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile, Ven. Khenpo Sonam Tenphel attended the 2017 Annual Result Declaration program as its ‘chief-guest’ at the said nunnery, which is based at Garoh, Himachal Pradesh today.
After the presentation of prizes and certificates to the nuns, the Speaker addressed the nuns on the importance of education after the formally greeting the teachers and nuns. He congratulated the nuns who had done well and to those who couldn’t, he said, ‘it is very important to promise oneself to study diligently and strive for better performances, without being disheartened.’
Expounding on the sameness of every human being, Speaker of the Tibetan Parliament said, ‘We are all same human beings. Except for the difference in our gender, we are all human being born of our parents, with innate capability to feel joys and sufferings. All sentient beings possess Buddha-nature or the potential to attain Buddha-hood, depending on one’s ability to realize the Buddha-nature.’
He then elucidated on the importance of modern education and said, ‘Modern Education means study of Science, Geology, Psychology, Mathematics etc. All of which are used for the advantage and benefits of our everyday life, home or society at large. Application of modern education such as meteorology are used to predict and define spatial phenomenon and the conditions of the atmosphere -the phenomenon of outer reality is used, with help of modern technologies to study into the nature of reality; of economic analysis to promote the growth different companies all over the world, thereby, generating profitable incomes into the country itself – various innovations are created to the meet the needs of human beings by using their intelligence and mind. Atomic bombs are also created using education and man’s intelligence. Such are the different manifestation of education based on the difference of motivation behind such innovative creations. That’s why it is important to learn and understand the nature of reality and investigate into its benefits. Consecutively, we should also know how the years of education and learning is going to benefit positively and knowing such, one should take joy in it. As His Holiness the Dalai Lama always advocate Buddhism as ‘the universal gem’, it has all the features to benefit the world and is fully compatible with modern science, for it is based on reason and experience and doesn’t presuppose any blind acceptance of authority.’
Quoting Buddha Shakyamuni’s commentary, ‘Monks and learned ones; Just as gold is burnt, cut and rubbed: Examine my words carefully and; Do not accept them simply out of respect.’, Speaker commented that instead of blindly accepting any teachings or principles, one should think, contemplate and meditate upon those teachings over its beneficial or detrimental effects. Once you have developed genuine understanding and realization of the knowledge through these three wisdom tools or prajnas, you will also conquer the distracting negative emotions, which is ingrained so strong within us. Thus, obtaining the confidence of an inexpressible wisdom of awareness, without the need for relying on others. He added that such contemplative pedagogy of learning are clearly stated in Buddhism and that’s the reason why it has all the capability to nourish one’s life into a meaningful existence.
He further added that difficulties and problems are bound to arise when studying and learning. ‘One has to tackle them positively. Discarding indolence and idleness, one has to strive to learn what one has studied in that particular day. Teachers only contribute about 25 % of the learning, the rest 75% depends on the efforts of the students themselves,‘ said the Tibetan Parliament’s Speaker.
The program concluded with Chairman of the Exam Superintendent Ven. Ugyen Dolma describing the rules and regulations of the exam and Ven. Lopon Sangye Tenzin addressing on the importance of educational facilities.
Click here for the detailed speech in Tibetan.
