Page 50 - EH59

48 EASTERN HORIZON | FACE TO FACE

I learnt a lot of things from my father and my teacher, What is your vision/ long-term goal for Abiding
Vajradhara Tai Situ Rinpoche and many other teachers. Heart Education?
Their approach was easy, very experiential and very
practical. Then, when I went to Buddhist Philosophy Mingyur Rinpoche: Now the main problem is that
school, it became difficult. It was not easy to understand. normal education is very stressful and there is a
Later, I finished my studies and my 3-year retreat and huge side effect, where many students get illnesses.
I began to teach in the West. So I thought maybe they Everywhere, when I go to the big schools, there are
would have some good ideas. The Western mainstream students with depression and anxiety. Hence, I think
education also focuses so much on the head. There is the education system needs to change. I think learning
a lot of thinking, competition and stress. Students are through experience and having fun, where there are no
not happy. Then I visited a Waldorf school in Norway. examinations and no competition is better. In this way,
There were some new scientific research on education, not only can education help one to get material success
to teach in a fun and experiential way, where students but also lead to inner transformation. There should
could learn easily. At that moment, I realized that we be inner development for the student. In this way, I
actually also have this form of teaching in our Buddhist think the children will also become more successful. If
experiential style, pith instruction style teaching. The they really unlock their potential, material-wise they
only difference was the topics. We have different fields will become more successful. This success will also
of study within Buddhism but we don’t have modern be beneficial for everybody. It is a win-win situation.
subjects like mathematics, science and so on. Otherwise, when you learn something, you may use
your knowledge in a way that is destructive to society,
Therefore now, we are here to combine ancient wisdom isn’t it?
with modern knowledge - using ‘View’, ‘Meditation’ and
‘Application’. Some parents may be concerned that Buddhism
‘View’ – Starts from the cognitive level. encourages renunciation and non-competitiveness
‘Meditation’ – This is at the experiential level, from the and this may not be compatible with the modern
heart. world. Do you think these concerns are valid?
‘Application’ – How to apply the learning practically in life.