At the heart of the Tergar Schools model is a radical, yet timeless, understanding: that every human being possesses basic goodness—a natural capacity for awareness, love, compassion, wisdom, and joy. In this talk, Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche invites us to reimagine education as a process of uncovering what is already whole and wise within each learner.

Rather than relying on performance or external validation, the Tergar Schools model nurtures a form of contemplative education that centers inner well-being, steady resilience, and altruistic engagement. Through stories from our school in Kathmandu and reflections drawn from decades of Buddhist practice and teaching, Rinpoche illustrates how learning environments can become spaces of deep transformation—where students develop not only knowledge, but a meaningful connection to themselves, others, and the world. With clarity, warmth, and joy, this session offers a vision of education as a path of awakening.

Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche is a world-renowned Tibetan Buddhist teacher and bestselling author known for blending ancient wisdom with modern science. Recognized as a reincarnate lama, he began formal training at a young age and completed a three-year retreat by age 13. He later undertook a four-year wandering retreat, chronicled in In Love with the World. As founder of the global Tergar Meditation Community, he offers accessible teachings that inspire students worldwide.

To extend the experience enjoyed during this session, please consider also attending the guided practice on Oct. 24 titled Resting in Awareness: A Guided Contemplation with Karma Shenden, a monk trained by Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche at Tergar Monastery in India. He also serves as a Learnign Leader in the Tergar School in Kathmandu, Nepal. To learn more about the Tergar schools, you can attend workshops titled Seeing Clearly: Cultivating Awareness in Everyday Learning on Oct. 22 and Oct. 23 titled From Undersatnding to Action: Life Skills for a Wise and Compassionate Response on Oct. 23  

This sessions is part of the FREE Contemplation by Design Summit, Oct. 15-27, 2025.

The full summit schedule is posted at: https://med.stanford.edu/contemplation/summit.html.

Register here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/stanford-contemplation-by-design-summit-2025-online-oct-15-27-registration-1520413249959