Frequently Asked Questions

General information

Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche is a world-renowned Tibetan Buddhist teacher and meditation master in the Kagyu and Nyingma traditions.

As a young child, Chokyi Nyima—“Sun of the Dharma”—was recognized as the 7th incarnation of the Tibetan meditation master Gar Drubchen.

Rinpoche spent his youth studying under some of Tibetan Buddhism’s most illustrious masters, such as His Holiness the 16th Gyalwang Karmapa, Kyabje Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche, His Holiness Dudjom Rinpoche, Khunu Lama Tenzin Gyaltsen, and his father, Kyabje Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche.

In 1974, Rinpoche joined his parents in Kathmandu, Nepal, where he assisted them in establishing Ka-Nying Shedrub Ling Monastery. Upon its completion in 1976, H.H. the Karmapa enthroned Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche as the monastery’s abbot. To this day, Ka-Nying Shedrub Ling remains the heart of Rinpoche’s ever-growing mandala of activity.

For more information about Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche and his international activities, please visit:
shedrub.org

Rinpoche will teach in Tibetan. There will be translation into Vietnamese, English, Chinese, German, French, Spanish, Russian, Ukrainian, Nepali, and Dzongkha. The broadcast translation via the speaker system will be in Vietnamese. To listen to translation in any other language, you will need an FM radio receiver, whether a separate device or through your FM radio capable cell phone and you will also need headphones. Please make sure you have what you need to listen to translation before you arrive at Tam Chúc Pagoda Complex, as it may be more difficult to get needed equipment there.

Visa regulations depend upon the country of issue of your passport. For more information, please consult this link: https://e-visa-vietnam.com/do-you-need-eta/

 

Unfortunately, we are not able to give any advice about visas. For complete and accurate information, please consult your local Vietnamese Embassy or Consulate.

According to Rinpoche’s wish, the teachings themselves are free of charge. The registration fees are to cover travel and accommodation for Rinpoche and the monastics, translators, and staff; your accommodations and meals, your transportation to and from the airport to the temple complex, printing of texts, facility rental, technical equipment rental, and other incidental costs associated with making an event of this size possible. Also included in the fee is a symbolic group offering for Rinpoche and the monastics, and a modest stipend for the translators. You will have the precious opportunity to make offerings to Rinpoche and the monastics in person, and to show your appreciation for the translators as well!

The generosity of the sangha makes a number of scholarships possible, so there a limited number of scholarships available. There are 100% scholarships available for ordained sangha members who need them and sliding scale scholarships up to 50% discount available for lay practitioners in need of financial assistance. Please fill in the scholarship form when registering.

Once you have paid, we cannot offer any refunds. You may be able to transfer your registration to another participant who has not yet registered.

If you require a single room for medical or other reasons, we may be able to help you with a booking offsite. Please contact us.

Bus provided by seminar: Airport transportation is included for all participants, please specify your time of arrival on registration website and save our bus schedule below:

Airport Bus schedule:

21 Nov11 am – 11 pm
Bus from airport to teaching venue throughout the day
27 Nov5 pm
Bus to airport for late night flights on Nov 27 (airport arrival 8 pm or later) Tight connection! Be aware you may miss your flight!
28 Nov1 pm
Bus to airport for flights out on Nov 28 (airport arrival 4 pm or later)
28 Nov11 am – 11 pm
Bus from airport to Tara Retreat throughout the day
2 Dec3 pm
Bus to airport for flights on Dec 2 (airport arrival 6 pm or later-- Tight connection! Be aware you may miss your flight!) or Dec 3rd
3 Dec (if needed)8:00 amBus to airport for flights on Dec 3 (airport arrival 11 am or later)

 

Important: Please note that you will likely have to stay overnight in Hanoi before your flight back home. This hotel stay is not included in your fees, but we hope to be able to recommend some good places to stay at different price points.

Please also note the routes we provide and estimated travel time:

Route Travel TimeScheduleNote
Airport - Ha Noi - Phu Ly 3 hoursWill be scheduled based on actual bookings. Schedule will be sent to you prior to your arrivalPlease manage and allocate time for possible traffic so that you arrive early and don’t miss your flight.
Phu Ly - Ha Noi - Airport 3 hours
Daily Bus: Phu Ly - Tam Chuc Venue, if you stay in Phu Ly 25 minutesOnly available in our accommodation packages
Day Trip (Phu Ly - Ninh Binh) 1h20m 

Self-transportation: Transportation is provided for our accommodation packages ONLY. If you book hotels outside of our list, please arrange your own daily transportation to/from the venue. Please make sure you arrive at Tam Chuc on the evening of November 21st to check-in, receive your badge and join our first dinner on the 2nd floor, Vesak venue, Tam Chuc Pagoda.

It is nearly impossible for international visitors to arrange private transportation on their own. Taxis and ride sharing apps are not readily available. You may be able to arrange some private transportation with your hotel, but this might be expensive and is not included in your registration fees.

Essential items:

  1. Radio: Rinpoche will teach in Tibetan and there will be broadcast translation in English via the speaker system. If you want to listen to the teachings in Chinese, French, Dzongkha, German, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, Nepali, Ukrainian, or Vietnamese, please bring your own FM radio aloing with headphones! It is possible to use your phone but only if it has an actual FM radio receiver built in! A radio app will not be able to receive the signal over WiFi.
  2. Any medication you take regularly--remember that we are far away from a pharmacy and cannot guarantee availability of any particular medicine you might need. Remember blood pressure medicine and other types of essential daily medicine sometimes require adjustment with a retreat lifestyle and thus it is always better to be prepared with extra supplies.
  3. Medicines that you may take occasionally, for example: sleeping aids if you are prone to insomnia, headache medicine, digestive aids, creams for skin irritations etc.
  4. Any environmental allergies such as mold or pets, bees or any other insects: Please note that we have many bees and if you have allergies please bring epi pens with you as we cannot keep them in stock. Spring pollen counts can be very high, so if you suffer from allergies, please be sure to bring whatever medication works best for you.

Personal items you may want to bring with you:

Please note: Rinpoche has reminded us to respect the temple etiquette. Therefore, we request you to not wear shorts or skirts that fall above the knee or tank tops with thin straps.

  • Warm clothes for cooler evening weather
  • Sunscreen and protection for your head
  • Ear plugs if you are a light sleeper
  • Mosquito spray - In general, it’s good to wear clothes that will cover your skin.
  • Rain jacket or umbrella
  • Thermos or a bottle to refill
  • Shoes that are easy to remove
  • House slippers
  • A yoga mat if you want to sit on the grass

All necessary texts for the Annual Seminar and TTE retreat will be provided.

If you registered for one of our packages, you will eat breakfast at your hotel. If you have made your own accommodations, you will also need to arrange for your own breakfast.

Rinpoche’s wish is that we eat together as one family; therefore, we have organized lunch, dinner, and tea breaks at the pagoda complex. There will be a vegan and vegetarian buffet lunch and dinner provided everyday (except lunch of November 29th) at the 2nd floor of the Vesak Venue. Please select whether you wish a vegetarian or vegan meal when you register. We also provide tea breaks twice a day at the Vesak venue, next to the harbor.

On November 28th, the annual seminar participants will make a day trip pilgrimage to the wonderful Bai Dinh Pagoda complex, located about a 1 and a half hour drive away from Tam Chuc. This beautiful pagoda houses precious relics of the Buddha. For more information about this special place, you can visit this link: https://vinpearl.com/en/bai-dinh-pagoda-ninh-binh

 

Due to our current capacity, the pilgrimage trip is limited to annual seminar students only. Students registered for the TTE retreat but not the annual seminar, please note that you can only check in to your hotel on November 28th noon.

 

We cannot guarantee the exact travel time from the pilgrimage site to the airport and are not responsible if you miss your flight scheduled on the same day. Please take note of this schedule before registering. We have buses that leave directly from Bai Dinh to the airport (please check the question above: 'What are the transportation arrangements?'), so if you wish to leave for the airport that same day, please make sure to check out in the morning, take your luggage with you, and notify your hotel seminar staff for airport bus arrangement.

There are no easily accessible ATMs or currency exchanges at Tam Chuc; therefore, we recommend that you get local currency in Hanoi.If you would like to make cash offerings to Rinpoche, the monastics, and your translator, you may do so in any currency. We also have digital payment options available.

The teaching hall is on the ground floor and there are plenty of chairs available. Each of the hotels has an elevator. If you have special needs, we will try to assist you as much as we can.

There will be publicly available WiFi at the pagoda complex and all hotels. We cannot guarantee, however, that it will be fast or reliable enough for you to attend classes or work meetings online.

43rd Annual Seminar information

This is the 43rd Annual Seminar taught by Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche. Over the years, these teachings have been on a number of different essential Buddhist topics and texts, and always include a careful explanation of the complete Buddhist path and how to put these teachings into practice.

 

Usually, these teachings take place in Kathmandu, Nepal. After Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche’s May 2023 teachings at Tam Chúc Pagoda Complex in Ha Nam, Vietnam, Rinpoche was requested to return to teach more about rebirth in Amitabha’s pure realm.

 

Having taken great delight in the astonishing beauty and peaceful environment of the Tam Chúc Pagoda Complex, Rinpoche decided to have the 43rd Annual Fall Seminar at this excellent location.

Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche is a renowned meditation master, skilled in teaching the entire Buddhist Path, step by step, in a way that is suitable for both new students of Buddhism and seasoned practitioners alike. This year, Rinpoche has chosen to teach the Buddhist path based on the frameworks of “The Four Seals of the Dharma” and “The Four Causes to Be Reborn in Amitabha’s Pure Land.” Rinpoche will carefully explain these profound topics in an accessible, practical way, so we can immediately apply the teachings to our experience through contemplation and meditation. The seminar will include both teaching and meditation. No prior meditation experience is necessary.

Yes! As usual, we will be offering the seminar online via DharmaSun.org and you will even have access to recordings for a limited time if you your time zone prevents you from attending live. The online seminar will be translated into Chinese, Dzongkha, English, French, German, Nepali, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, and Ukrainian. Registration for the online seminar will open in the beginning of November and an email announcement will be sent out.

Rinpoche will be teaching about the four causes to be reborn in Amitabha’s pure land. This empowerment brings blessings for our practice and strengthens our connection to the Buddha Amitabha and his pure land.

 

Dr. Lopön Karma Phuntso, one of Bhutan’s leading Buddhist scholars, has written an excellent article explaining empowerments in general. You can access it here:

https://kuenselonline.com/wang-empowerment/

The 43rd Annual Fall Seminar will take place from November 22 – 27

Tentative daily schedule for the Annual Seminar, November 22-26: (subject to change)

8 am

Buses to the venue

9 am

Teaching

10:00 – 10:20 am

Tea break

12:00

Lunch

2 am

Teaching and Meditation

3:30 – 3:45 pm

Tea break

6:30 pm

Dinner

8 pm

Buses back to the hotels

On November 27, Rinpoche will also bestow the Buddha Amitabha empowerment. Detailed schedule for that day to be announced.

On November 28, there will be an optional pilgrimage to Bai Dinh Pagoda in Ninh Binh Province, which houses precious Buddha relics.

Tara's Triple Excellence Retreat information

Tara’s Triple Excellence (TTE) is a unique online meditation program that is structured to provide you with daily guidance and consistency that is especially needed in today’s busy, stress-filled world. Modern in format but not watered down or short-sighted, TTE guides you through the entire authentic Buddhist path of genuine wisdom and compassion relied on by awakened masters. For more information on TTE, please visit this link https://dharmasun.org/tte/.

Tara's Triple Excellence (TTE) welcomes participants of all backgrounds, regardless of whether they are practicing TTE or not.

 

Rinpoche has agreed to grant the Outer Tara Empowerment to all attendees, and Rinpoche will offer the Inner and Secret Tara Empowerments only to committed Tara's Triple Excellence practitioners.

 

We are encouraging everyone who wants to join the retreat to practice our 12-day Introduction to Tara’s Triple Excellence program. It's free of charge. https://dharmasun.org/courses/tte-intro/

The retreat will be translated simultaneously from English into Chinese, French, German, Nepali, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, Ukrainian, and Vietnamese. If you need translation, please make sure that you register in your language. If you do not need translation, please use the English form.

No, this retreat will be offered on-site only. The recorded materials might become part of the online program at a later point.

Rinpoche has graciously agreed to grant the Outer Tara Empowerment to all attendees, which means you can receive it as a blessing without commitment.

 

Additionally, Rinpoche has generously agreed to offer the Inner Tara Empowerment for committed Tara's Triple Excellence practitioners; if Rinpoche agrees to bestow the Secret Tara Empowerment, it will also only be for committed TTE practitioners.

 

For the Secret Empowerment, Rinpoche requests that those attending commit to the daily practice of the Third Excellence in the Tara’s Triple Excellence program.

 

The empowerments Rinpoche will bestow upon us are prerequisites to practice the Third Excellence of the Tara’s Triple Excellence Terma with their entailed commitments.

 

Dr. Lopön Karma Phuntso, one of Bhutan’s leading Buddhist scholars, has written an excellent article explaining empowerments in general. You can access it here:

https://kuenselonline.com/wang-empowerment/

For more information on TTE, please visit this link https://dharmasun.org/tte/ and join our 12-day Introduction to Tara’s Triple Excellence.

The Tara’s Triple Excellence Annual Retreat will take place from November 29 – December 2.

For the TTE Retreat, buses will leave from the hotels at 8 am in the morning, after breakfast, and depart from the teaching venue at 8 pm in the evening, after our dinner. The schedule includes teachings and meditation with Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche and Drubpon Lama Tenzin Sangpo. Rinpoche will also grant empowerment. Detailed scheduled to be announced.