KHYENTSE FOUNDATION 2016 ANNUAL REPORT Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche. Photo by Pawo Choyning Dorji. Aspiration Prayer Dolpopa Sherab Gyaltsen (1292-1361), a great Tibetan master, wrote this prayer, which Rinpoche said we should recite as Khyentse Foundation’s aspiration: May I be reborn again and again, And in all my lives May I carry the weight of Buddha Shakyamuni’s teachings. And if I cannot bear that weight, At the very least, May I be born with the burden of thinking that the Buddhadharma may wane. 2 | KHYENTSE FOUNDATION ANNUAL REPORT KHYENTSE FOUNDATION’S ASPIRATION Excerpts from Rinpoche’s Address to the KF Board of Directors New York, October 22, 2016 irst of all, I have to rejoice about “As followers of Shakyamuni Buddha, what we have done. I think we the best thing that we can do is to pro- are supporting more than 2,500 tect and uphold his teachings, to keep monks and nuns and 1,500 lay them alive through studying and putting people, probably many more, them into practice.” helping all different lineages and traditions, not only — Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche the Tibetans. Khyentse Foundation has supported Fpeople from more than 40 different countries. We The longevity and the strength of the Dharma are so are also associated with 28 different universities. important because, if the Dharma becomes extinct, That is very worthy of rejoicing. then the source of the happiness, liberation, is fin- ished for all. Concern for the Dharma is bodhicitta. Of course, I don’t need to remind anyone that I don’t think there is any other greater bodhicitta Khyentse Foundation is not a materialistic, profit- — relative bodhicitta at least — than concern for oriented organization. It’s not aiming to improve a survival of the Dharma. political or economic situation, even if what we do may indirectly have this kind of influence. Khyentse We need to think about helping as many people as Foundations has no other duty or responsibility than we can, and for as long as we can. And we need to to offer service to Shakyamuni. learn to be creative. We have to consider that all of us are stakeholders of the Dharma. So we need to Khyentse Foundation’s aspiration is to help not just think big, and think creatively. For example, not only one or two lamas or lineages or one or two monas- facilitating and helping monasteries — monks, nuns, teries, our aspiration is to help anything to do with Buddhist institutes — but maybe we should also con- Buddha Shakyamuni. And our driving force is all of sider grooming young businessmen, scientists, and you here, continuously dedicating your time and en- politicians. We never know, we might need them. ergy. The driving force of that, I am very sure, comes from your concern that the Buddhadharma must remain, Buddhadharma must survive. That should be our practice. Read the full transcript and watch a video of Rinpoche’s address to the board of directors on the KF website. KHYENTSE FOUNDATION ANNUAL REPORT | 3 CONTENTS Aspiration Prayer 2 Khyentse Foundation’s Aspiration 3 A Message from Rinpoche Our First 15 Years 5 Reflections from Cangioli Che, Executive Director Program Highlights 2016 6 Who We Supported in 2016 16 15 Years of Milestones 18 A Year of Surprises 20 Summary Report from the Investment Committee Summary of Financial Position 21 As of June 30, 2016 How We View Offerings 22 In Praise of Prudence Khyentse Foundation Team List 23 As of December 31, 2016 Additional information available upon request: Full set of audited financial statements for the year ended June 30, 2016. Investment policy and guidelines for board designated funds as of December 31, 2016. Design by Maryann Lipaj Cover: Padmasambhava, Guru Rinpoche. Drawing by Ros’Ana Reis. Please respect this sacred image and handle it with care and awareness. Khyentse Foundation’s logo is Ashoka’s lion. King Ashoka reigned during the Mauryan Empire (3rd century B.C.), one of Buddhism’s golden eras. His trademark was the pillars inscribed with Buddhist teachings that he erected throughout his kingdom. 4 | KHYENTSE FOUNDATION ANNUAL REPORT OUR FIRST 15 YEARS Reflections from Cangioli Che, Executive Director ver the 15 years of quite there yet, but today we are partnering with 28 Khyentse Foundation’s universities in 18 countries, and we continue to explore existence, we have opportunities in support of Buddhist studies programs. gradually realized how vast and boundless In 2005, Khyentse Foundation, then just 4 years old, Rinpoche’s vision is made a bold multimillion-dollar pledge to support — so universal and all-embracing that our limited the invaluable work of Gene Smith in preserving and minds can hardly fathom it. I, for one, can barely digitizing imperiled Tibetan texts. Today the Buddhist Oimagine what is possible with Rinpoche’s blessing Digital Resource Center (formerly the Tibetan Buddhist and guidance, and with the combined effort of our Resource Center, TBRC) is the established resource supporters. center for Tibetan studies, and the organization has expanded its scope to cover endangered Buddhist ma- The foundation began in 2001 with a few stu- terial in other languages — Chinese, Sanskrit, Pali, and dents’ intention to relieve Rinpoche of the financial other South Asian and Southeast Asian languages. responsibility for his monastic colleges in China, India, and Bhutan. It soon became clear that the In 2009, when Rinpoche initiated the translation con- fledgling foundation was a valuable vehicle to ference in Bir to explore the feasibility of translating the channel the river of generosity from Rinpoche’s Tibetan Kangyur (words of the Buddha) into English, supporters to realize his aspirations. Since then, there was strong skepticism in the Buddhist community we have gained much experience in following the that such a daunting task could actually succeed. To- footsteps of great patrons in history to help ensure day 84000 is an independent operation well on the way the longevity of the Buddhadharma. to completing the translation of the Kangyur by 2035. In 2003, after achieving our initial $2.8 million At the same time, KF is making major steps in translat- goal for the KF monastic fund, we offered our ing into Chinese the pieces of the Tibetan Kangyur not first scholarship to support a three-year retreatant found in the Chinese Tripitaka. We may not be able in Australia. Today, our worldwide scholarship to fulfill Rinpoche’s wish “to make the words of the program offers financial assistance to hundreds of Buddha available in every language, including Arabic,” students and practitioners engaged in a variety of in our lifetime, but we are heading there. programs. Now Rinpoche has presented us with two more seem- When Rinpoche first asked us to endow a chair of ingly impossible tasks, expressions of his concern Buddhist studies at a major university, we thought about future generations: to create a new model of it was an impossible mission. When we finally transformative education for children, and to devel- succeeded in establishing the Khyentse Chair at UC op programs to train Buddhist teachers for the 21st Berkeley in 2006, I thought our job was completed. century. In the past we might have had our doubts Little did I know that Rinpoche wanted us “to do about whether these tasks were possible, but Rinpoche more of this, maybe have a Khyentse professor on has shown us that with the right motivation and the each continent, if not in each country.” We aren’t support of the sangha, anything is possible. KHYENTSE FOUNDATION ANNUAL REPORT | 5 Student monks enjoy lunch outside the new canteen at Dzongsar Kamje Shedra. Photo by Helena Wang. PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS MONASTICS We continue to offer financial, accounting, and man- “No matter however hard agement support to Rinpoche’s monastic colleges in China, India, and Bhutan. In 2016, we also support- I try, I cannot really put in ed Dirru Monastery in India and the International words the benefit and impor- Buddhist Academy in Nepal. tance of Khyentse In addition to our ongoing support, KF worked with Foundation.” Dzongsar Khyentse Chökyi Lodrö Institute (DKCLI) in — Drubgyud Tenzin Rinpoche, Chauntra, India to review and approve funding for a Chökyi Gyatso Institute new research department with three dedicated staff. The initiative was inspired by Professor Dorji Wang- Namgyal, the students’ canteen began to provide chuk’s seminars, which train scholars from the Him- hygienic vegetarian food for more than a thousand alayan region to investigate Buddhist texts by using monks, khenpos, and teachers. Good nutrition helps historical and philological tools and other research the students to focus on their studies. Khenpo also methodology commonly used in western academia. supervised the construction of new toilets, and plans DKCLI has also appointed a new, full-time English to upgrade the toilets and bathrooms in the retreat program director to revamp the curriculum and center as well. strengthen its commitment to producing Buddhist teachers for the world. Chökyi Gyatso Institute, a monastery and shedra in Dewathang, Bhutan, offers a traditional Buddhist A new canteen opened in May at Dzongsar Kamje education to more than 140 monks. CGI is also Shedra in Derge, China. KF has provided partial engaged in a number of innovative programs such food support to the monks and khenpos for many as Lhomon Education, an integrated program of years, and Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche has been academics that is organized around the pillars of concerned about the monks’ health and nutrition. environment, sustainable development, cultural pro- Last year, under the supervision of Khenpo Puntsok motion and protection, and good governance. 6 | KHYENTSE FOUNDATION ANNUAL REPORT Left: Playful young monks at Chökyi Gyatso Institute, Bhutan.