In this episode I am once again joined by Tulku Yeshi Rinpoche, Dzogchen master, teacher of Tibetan Buddhism, and author of over 15 books.

Tulku Yeshi Rinpoche recounts his gruelling journey fleeing Tibet across the Himalayas, his years in refugee camps and monasteries in Nepal and India, and his eventual arrival in the United States.

Tulku Yeshi Rinpoche discusses his love of poetry, the cultural divide between Tibet and America, and why he still experiences nightmares about his time as a refugee.

Tulku Yeshi Rinpoche also reflects on his recognition as a tulku, explains tantric dream yoga techniques, how to find a guru, when to reveal secret teachings, and gives his opinion on Westerners who use the title ‘Lama’.

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Video version: https://www.guruviking.com/podcast/ep177-dreaming-tulku-yeshi-rinpoche-2

Also available on Youtube, iTunes, & Spotify – search ‘Guru Viking Podcast’.

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Topics include:

00:00 - Intro

00:53 - Crossing the Himalayas

03:28 - Arriving in Nepal and life in the refugee camp

06:02 - Gruelling travel across India

10:21 - Arriving at Drepung Monastery and death of the monks

12:24 - Learning English in Seattle

15:50 - Love of poetry and published as a poet

19:22 - The poetry of Dzogchen and Mahamudra

21:39 - Cultural divide between Tibet and America

23:51 - Connecting to Steinbeck’s ‘The Grapes of Wrath’

25:45 - Tulku Yeshi Rinpoche shares a religious poem

28:00 - Nightmares about Tibet

33:02 - Dream yoga techniques

38:08 - How Tulku Yeshi Rinpoche learned dream yoga

39:39 - Being recognised as a tulku by Trulshik Rinpoche

42:44 - Politics and nepotism in the tulku system

44:23 - Motive to help sentient beings

46:47 - The weight of having a title

49:47 - A warning to Western lamas

50:47 - Opinion of Western lamas

53:01 - Religion is not art

58:50 - Why is tantric Buddhism so popular?

01:03:07 - Powerful techniques of the vajrayana

01:05:40 - How to find a guru

01:10:41 - The importance of samaya

01:13:08 - Differences between students from different countries

01:14:19 - Shy to be a Buddhist

01:19:12 - How to keep Buddhism alive into the future

01:21:36 - When to share secret teachings

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Previous interview with Tulku Yeshi Rinpoche:

- https://www.guruviking.com/podcast/160-nomad-master-tulku-yeshi-rinpoche

To find out more about Tulku Yeshi Rinpoche, visit:

- https://www.facebook.com/HerukaInstitute/

- https://www.herukainstitute.org/

For more interviews, videos, and more visit:

- www.guruviking.com

Music ‘Deva Dasi’ by Steve James