Mingyur Rinpoche looks back on his wandering retreat from 2011–15 as one of the most transformative periods of his life as a renowned teacher in the Karma Kagyu tradition. Although that journey concluded more than a decade ago, its lessons still shape his thinking today. “The outset of my wandering retreat was incredibly difficult. I almost died from food poisoning. But then, I learned a couple of critical things. One was ‘coming out of my cocoon.’ We all live in our own bubble. We create an illusory world that we like to stay inside of,” he told BDG during his visit to Hong Kong in June. He continued:
But when I went outside of my monastery, I was forced to start from scratch, encountering all kinds of suffering and questions that challenged me to reorient. I relearned the fact that we are not only that which we believe ourselves to be. We have much greater capacity and potential than we think. At first, I thought I was in great danger and outside society. I was panicking to myself, how I had no money to last a week. Hungry stray dogs everywhere! But after I almost died, the feeling of being unsafe was gone. The street became my home, and I came to know how to survive! Another thing I learned was that my practice of awareness, love, and compassion, innate but unrefined qualities, were sharpened immensely during my wandering retreat. They became my inner refuge and home.
Rinpoche is known for pithy and powerful phrases that encapsulate the heart of spiritual objectives. One observation that he uttered felt particularly powerful to me: “If you love the world, the world loves you back.” The exhortation seems particularly existential as he recalls those difficult but profound four and a half years.
“We are all, in some way, wanderers on the street as well,” he noted. “Isn’t it so? We may have modern material comforts, but life is unpredictable for us too, and we need to rely on our inner qualities. Life is unpredictable, just like how I went on the street. But if we have this practice and inner refuge, then no matter how things go up and down, we have a safe space. We have hope within ourselves.”
Mingyur Rinpoche with Tai Situ Rinpoche at the new Tergar Osel Ling in May. From facebook.com
The wandering retreat was a long time ago, and since then Rinpoche has been much busier with the Tergar organization. This Year of the Fire Horse was particularly important, which saw Mingyur Rinpoche in Kathmandu to take part in the opening of the newly consecrated and operational Tergar Osel Ling. “The new Tergar Osel Ling has its origins in the 2015 earthquake, which damaged the original monastery. Because the huge earthquake damaged the monastery and I was shocked when seeing it for the first time, I thought maybe we can use this obstacle as an opportunity,” mused Rinpoche. “So, we transformed the entire monastery into a base for study, practice, and helping the people.”
Rinpoche enjoys the analogy of two wings when explaining the new monastery’s objectives. “One wing for Tergar Osel Ling is wisdom, so it will function as a monastic college. There will be a 13-year curriculum covering Abhidharma, Prajnaparamita, emptiness, Vinaya, debates on cognition, mindfulness practice, and much more. The other wing for our monastery is practice. We have included experiential courses, such as, earlier in May and June, twenty-two days of Mahamudra practice, led by Tai Situ Rinpoche and attended by over 500 people from all over the world. In the future, we aim to accomplish these two wings of wisdom and practice, while also doing all kinds of community activities, like social empowerment, environment-friendly projects, and education.”
On purpose and meaning
From facebook.com
In reflecting on BDG’s 2026 special issue theme, Rinpoche is mindful of young people’s innate potential and desire to live meaningful lives. “Wisdom and compassion must be joined together, like the two wings of a bird,” he said, invoking his analogy again. “The first thing to do would be to connect with compassion. We should try to cultivate a sense of purpose and meaning in whatever we do. I have many friends from the Himalayas that have gone abroad to work and they tell me, ‘Oh, I’m lost. I’ve become a bodyguard, a dishwasher, a housekeeper, and I don’t feel like I can help the world. I feel like my job and life are meaningless.’ I tell them that unless they’re drug dealers or committing theft, any job has purpose. Cleaning a building or street, for example, is actually very important. It’s essential for a hygienic and pleasant environment, and while not everyone notices your work, you need to try and see the purpose in it.”
He smiles in gentle mirth at the fond memory. “After six months, they update me with the joyful observation that such an attitude shift changed their life. Not only are they happier, but their colleagues and boss also like their new enthusiasm, and some of them were promoted! It’s a win-win situation! This is what we called interdependence.”
Rinpoche’s core advice to young people is to find that sense of meaning and purpose, and it need not be a big thing. “Start small, and with compassion for yourself. Secondly, don’t be too tight. Accept impermanence. Life changes. Everything is in a flux, up and down. Sometimes there’s success, sometimes there are obstacles. But what’s important is to learn and grow from the impermanence. Be open to transformation,” he advises.
From facebook.com
“Most of the time, obstacles can become opportunity. Problems can become solutions. But we must accept that first, let things go first. But letting go doesn’t mean giving up. Continue to learn, continue to transform. When these elements are brought together, life becomes meaningful.”
Our guiding lights
Mingyur Rinpoche is also sharply aware of the lack of role models young people, especially young men, face today. This vacuum in the West is being filled by an entire coterie of influencers—some of them grifters—that sometimes advocate for unusual, even extreme views on gender roles, materialism, and emotional maturity. “The ‘role model’ identity depends on how we perceive a person. To be honest, the best role model for you, is yourself. The Buddha was a role model for everybody. But whether he’s a role model for you depends on how you relate to the Buddha himself.”
Invoking the Kalama Sutta, Rinpoche insists that the best role model is within ourselves because we are our own master. We should use our own wisdom and heart and guide ourselves. “Don’t be too rigid in relying on role models, because your own heart is your best guide. Of course, we can receive teachings of the Buddhas and other inspirational beings. Many people are setting a wonderful example and they have much to impart,” he qualifies. “Your own wisdom isn’t perfect, and we all make mistakes. It’s therefore helpful to learn from others.”
Working with social media
From facebook.com
He has probably lost track of how many times he has been asked about social media use, which has become an issue for all society. Addiction to anything, he notes, is an overpowering force. He comes ready with a thirty-day plan. “In this plan, we’d try to shift some behavioral habits: for example, don’t bring your phone into your bedroom at bedtime. Put it somewhere else, maybe lock it!” he jests. “So, when you go back to the bedroom, the first uneasy feeling that arises will be, ‘Oh, if someone messages me, I can’t reply!’ And there will also be craving that arises in your body, you’ll feel it in your very nerves. . . ‘I need my phone; I need my messages and calls.’”
He suggests practicing meditation once the craving arises by listening to sounds, including our breathing or other ambient noises. “You can also choose a word, any word, to focus on. Repeat that word again and again, whenever you feel the craving arises. That’s step one. Our second step is to look at the craving, and that feeling from fear that usually comes from the stomach, into the chest, and outward throughout your body. Feel the craving, feel the fear. Normally, you’ll fail on the first day. That’s completely natural. Failure is the mother of success. The second day will also be very difficult. But on the third and fourth day, you might find it a little easier. By the end of the thirty days, you’ll have reshaped your habit, and you won’t need your smartphone in your bedroom anymore.
“Remember to forgive yourself. Let go of the past but don’t give up. Continue to learn. Transform your problems.”
Raymond Lam is senior writer at Buddhistdoor Global. His religion journalism covers macro trends in the Buddhist world. He writes with the goal of grounding the Dharma's story and Buddhist figures in wider socio-cultural, intellectual, and historical frameworks. He also looks at religion's interaction with diplomacy, politics, and the arts. Raymond is on the professional committee of the Foreign Correspondents' Club, Hong Kong and on the executive committee of the International Network of Engaged Buddhists (INEB).
We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “OK”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. However, you may visit \\\"Cookie Settings\\\" to provide a controlled consent.
