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Geshema Ngawang Chokyi, India
Yeshin Norbu Center, the FPMT center in Stockholm, Sweden, recently hosted an online teaching with Geshema Ngawang Chokyi, who graduated with the first group of geshemas in 2016 and has a special connection to FPMT. In addition, many years ago, Lama Zopa Rinpoche asked Geshema Chokyi to teach in the West. Zarina Osmonalieva, spiritual program coordinator at Yeshin Norbu, shares how the center helped fulfill this wish of Rinpoche:
In the summer of 2019, the team of Yeshin Norbu had the honor of having an audience with Kyabje Lama Zopa Rinpoche in Riga, Latvia. Rinpoche advised us to invite Geshema Ngawang Chokyi to teach the Dharma in Sweden. We learned that Geshema was one of a handful of Tibetan nuns who had received the prestigious geshe degree and spent a year studying tantra at Gyuto Monastery. We also learned that she was Lama Yeshe’s niece. The thought of hosting Geshema at our center felt very inspiring, and we followed Rinpoche’s advice by sending an invitation to Geshema, which she kindly accepted.
In the beginning of April 2020, Geshema, who was in India, collected all the necessary documents and was on her way to apply for a Swedish visa. At that time, the quickly escalating pandemic forced us to pause and reconsider our plans. We decided that it might be wisest to postpone her visit. Shortly thereafter, India introduced its first lockdown.
In May this year, Lola Odessey, a graduate of the Lotsawa Rinchen Zangpo Translator Program who has a special connection to Geshema, suggested that we organize an online teaching while waiting for the world to reopen. What a wonderful idea! Saka Dawa was approaching, and we thought that this was a wonderful opportunity to request Geshema to teach the twelve deeds of Buddha Shakyamuni.
Geshema Chokyi gave her teaching from Jangchub Choeling Nunnery in Mundgod, South India, which she joined in 1992 upon her arrival from Tibet. Jangchub Choeling Nunnery is her permanent residence, where she teaches Dharma to other nuns.
Screen shot of Geshema Chokyi teaching with Lola Odessey translating, June 2021. Photo courtesy of Yeshin Norbu.
Geshema blessed us with a teaching that was clear and concise, easy to follow, and filled with warmth. She made the story of Buddha Shakyamuni into something relatable, and, at the same time, utterly inspirational for us to continue on the path. She kindly offered to answer questions at the end of the talk, which gave participants a precious chance to share some of their queries and hear her perspective.
Lola Odessey joined us from Institut Vajra Yogini in France and did a fantastic job of translating. We were delighted to see that the event was attended by not only members of Yeshin Norbu in Sweden but also by people from other places in Europe.
Needless to say, we hope that this was the first of many more teachings by Geshema Chokyi, and we are very happy and grateful to all who made this come true.
Learn more about Yeshin Norbu Center:
http://yeshenorbu.se/
Read the Mandala July-December 2019 interview with Geshema Ngawang Chokyi: “If I May Be Able to Benefit Others, I Should Try”
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