05/07/2026

theSunday Special III ON SUNDAY JULY 5, 2026

Only after a whole day of quietly walking behind did Dolpo Tulku call out to his startled grandfather. When he eventually returned home from Varanasi, he joined the

Ka-Nying Shedrub Ling Monastery in Nepal as a novice. He then took his refuge vows from Tulku Orgyen Rinpoche and was

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given the name Orgyen Tsering. At age 15, he became ordained as a monk , receiving the name Orgyen Chöying Yeshe. He began his higher Buddhist studies at Nyingma Ngagyur Institute, the highly respected university of Namdroling Monastery in Karnataka, India. There, over the course of ten years, he studied and explored sutra and tantra teachings dating back to the Buddha. In 2008, after a total of 17 years, he travelled back to his native Dolpo for the first time to visit the monasteries under his responsibility and to be enthroned there. He was accompanied by a German film team, which produced the acclaimed documentary Dolpo Tulku – Return to the Himalayas . According to Dolpo Tulku, it is highly significant to understand the pitaka s in trying to come to terms with the journey taken by all humans in the material world. “Through the recital and explanations, people can reflect on their present situation,” he said, adding that this could also include tragedies like wars taking place in the world that somehow impact us. “We are not directly in the war, but we face its effects like inflation and mental anxiety. Most of us don’t feel relaxed. We need more peace and more

The Dolpo region is suffused with breathtaking nature and deep-rooted spirituality, as depicted by these eight stupas lying serenely in front of a monastery at the picturesque Dho Tarap valley. – PIC COURTESY OF DOLPOTULKU.ORG

such technology then. “People still had reason to get distracted from spirituality. Times have changed but the mentality is the same. “I don’t believe that past generations were better and that today we are worse. We are humans and more or less we are the same.” Giving an example, he said some people in the past may have been distracted by physical fighting and other vices. “Today, we are also busy. But with mobile phones,” he said. “Even I use mobile phones and AI because they can be of good use. “You can get a lot of good information easily if you utilise technology with good intention and motivation.” The crux of the matter is that we need moral discipline based on good intentions, and

also

awareness

and

greed and mental enslavement? How can the ancient scriptures help in the present modern era in which our 21st century senses are bombarded by digital distractions like video entertainments and AI? Dolpo Tulku refused to accept that the human condition has in essence changed from how it was in the distant past. “Even in ancient times, there was enough outside to distract a person although there was no

knowledge on how to solve this conflict.” Overcoming clutches of material temptations Speaking of unhappiness and discontentment, I put to him a question on woes of materialism in the present day and age. What role could Buddhist dharma play in mitigating or even dispelling the endless temptations of the physical world that contribute to laziness,

knowledge. “We need to train people in these three things. For those who engage in these three, it does not matter whether they are busy with AI or use tonnes of technology. It is important that you use it with good moral intention, and not with bad motivation. I wish every school would have subjects on meditation, moral discipline and humankind.” He said the pitaka s are like the soles of shoes that offer protection for the feet no matter what surface of the physical world we walk upon. “The Buddha said don’t complain about others. You change your mind into something positive. Then it can solve lots of problems. “This is a very useful message for everyone.”

The act of chanting ancient verses in unison exudes vibes of equanimity and positivity. – PIC COURTESY OF DOLPO TULKU INTERNATIONAL GROUP FACEBOOK PAGE

Children in traditional attire perform a dance in Dolpo. Age-old values and ceremonies have been kept alive for generations in the mountain villages. – PIC COURTESY OF DOLPOTULKU.ORG