In 2011, the Drala Jong Blog published an interview, in three parts, with Ngak'chang Rinpoche and Khandro Déchen on the subject of Drala Jong. We thought it would be useful to highlight these articles for new readers. "[I]t doesn’t cost a lot to transform a place – such as painting a room the shrine room [...]
Q: Rinpoche - can you talk a little about students in the context of personal retreat? In the Drala Jong brochure we describe the aspiration to build a dratsang. I understand this translates as ‘tantric college’.NCR: With a residential retreat centre we’d have a larger library. We would concentrate on developing that library, in order [...]
Q: Rinpoche, I hate to ask this question – as I suspect I know your answer . . . and it might upset some people. Drala Jong is intended to establish the lineage for future generations . . . If you don’t wish to answer I’ll understand – but do you think that the Aro [...]
Q: What sort of location do you have in mind?KD: It depends on how much money we raise. It depends on many factors. It would be wonderful . . . perhaps . . . to have a cliff-top hotel . . . Housell Bay Hotel on the Lizard Peninsula . . . It has a [...]
Q: What sorts of teachings would a residential centre allow – would there be something new that isn’t currently possible to teach to the public at present? NCR: It is not so much about providing something new, as being something that gives enough time for certain practices. There are things you cannot teach in an [...]
Q: What will Drala Jong be used for?Ngak’chang Chögyam Rinpoche [NCR]: Buddhism!Q: [Laughs] Sorry, silly question. What I really meant was that we already hire venues for both non-residential, and residential retreats. Why is buying our own place better than hiring places?NCR: Well, there’s simple pragmatics for a start. If we added up how much [...]
