Cultivating Compassion in Daily Life: A Weekend Retreat
Serkong Tsenshap Rinpoche II and Dr. Alexander Berzin
August 15 - 17, 2025
We are incredibly fortunate to be the very first stop on the highly revered lama, Tsenshap Serkong Rinpoche II’s 2025 U.S. Tour! Rinpoche is known for his warmth, humor, and exceptional ability to convey profound and complex Buddhist teachings in a way that is both accessible and deeply practical for everyday life.
This special weekend retreat is based on the classic text “The Bodhisattva’s Garden of Jewels,” a guide to living with compassion, courage, and clarity in our everyday relationships and challenges. Through teachings, guided meditations, and discussion, we’ll explore how to bring the Bodhisattva’s timeless wisdom into our modern lives.
About Serkong Rinpoche II
Born in India in 1984, Serkong Tsenshap Rinpoche II was officially recognized as the reincarnation of Kyabje Serkong Tsenshap Rinpoche, who served as one of His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama’s closest debate partners, teachers, and attendants. The previous Rinpoche was deeply respected for his clarity, strength, and unwavering commitment to the Dharma.
Carrying forward this extraordinary legacy, the current Rinpoche trained at Ganden Jangtse Monastery and now teaches internationally. His presence is joyful and approachable, making even the most profound teachings feel immediate and relevant.
Whether you are new to Buddhist practice or a longtime practitioner, this retreat offers a rare and precious opportunity to deepen your connection to the heart of compassion and receive teachings from two extraordinary teachers.
All are welcome. Let this retreat be your doorway to a more open heart and a more compassionate world.
Who is this for?
This retreat is for anyone looking to cultivate practical advice for developing greater compassion, wisdom, and resilience in their daily lives. Whether you are new to Buddhism or an experienced practitioner, this retreat will bring immense benefit to your life. Don’t miss this precious opportunity to engage with one of our lineage’s greatest masters.
Special Public Talk with Dr. Alexander Berzin- “Serving Serkong Rinpoche Across Two Lifetimes”
We are deeply honored to announce a special Sunday morning talk with Dr. Alexander Berzin—esteemed Buddhist scholar, translator, and founder of StudyBuddhism.com—who will be joining Serkong Rinpoche during his upcoming visit to the Bay Area.
In this rare public talk, Dr. Berzin will reflect on his extraordinary experience serving both the late Tsenzhab Serkong Rinpoche (1914–1983), one of His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama’s closest tutors, and his recognized reincarnation, the current Serkong Rinpoche, who continues the spiritual legacy of his predecessor.
Dr. Berzin served as the principal interpreter and close student of the senior Serkong Rinpoche for many years in India and has maintained this relationship across lifetimes. This brief talk by Dr. Berzin will be followed by a Q&A session. Attendees are encouraged to submit questions in advance to SPC@vajrapani.org.
Don’t miss this rare opportunity to hear firsthand reflections on a lifetime of spiritual service across generations.
A Sneak Peek into Rinpoche’s teachings: “What is Compassion?”
Registration Closes
August 10, 2025
Register now, and you will receive Zoom and in-person attendance instructions.
Tentative Schedule (Bolded teaching times are Hybrid, schedule subject to change)
Friday, August 15th
3:00-5:00PM: Arrival
5:30-6:30PM: Dinner and cleanup
7:00-8:30 PM: Introduction with Serkong Tsenshap Rinpoche
Saturday, August 16th
7:15-8:00 AM Meditation with Ven Angie Muir
8:00-9:00 AM Breakfast and cleanup
9:30-11:00 AM Teachings with Rinpoche
11:00-11:30 AM Tea Break
11:30-12:30 AM Teachings with Rinpoche
12:30-2:30 PM Lunch and Cleanup
2:30-4:00 PM Teaching Session with Rinpoche
4:00-4:30 PM Tea Break
4:30-6:00 PM Discussion Session with Rinpoche
6:00-7:00 PM Dinner and Cleanup
Sunday, August 17th
Early Morning, Rinpoche departs for LMB
7:15-8:00 AM Meditation with Ven Angie
8:00-9:00 AM Breakfast
9:30-10:30 AM Dr. Alexander Berzin: Serving Rinpoche Over Two Lifetimes
10:30-11:00 AM Tea Break
11:00-12:00 Dr. Berzin Q&A (questions may be emailed to Vajrapani beforehand)
12:00-12:30 Vajrapani Close, Picture, and Khata offering to Dr. Berzin
12:30-1:00 Lunch
Rinpoche will also be at our sister center, Land of Medicine Buddha, for a special insight retreat from Aug 18-24, called Path to True Freedom: Info Here
Additional Information
- Check-in is between 3:00 and 5:00 PM on the first day of the retreat
- Departing approximately 2:00 PM on the last day of the retreat after the group lunch
- FAQ page – helpful information for preparing for a group retreat and living on the land
About Vajrapani Institute
Vajrapani Institute for Wisdom Culture was one of the first Tibetan Buddhist Retreat Centers in America. Vajrapani aims to provide a friendly and conducive environment for people of all nationalities to learn, put into practice the teachings of the Buddha, and connect with other Dharma practitioners. Located on 70 acres of secluded land within the redwood forests of the Santa Cruz mountains, Vajrapani Institute has been an immersive space for people of all backgrounds to find and deepen their spiritual practices, with the main goal of bridging the gap between the head and heart of practice.
About Retreat Fees (includes accommodation, 3 meals a day, and facility costs)
The collected registration fees include all accommodations, 3 nutritious vegetarian meals a day, and general facility/operating costs. Retreat registrations help support the center to keep everything operating, allowing us to invite so many precious teachers, and to hold this precious space of 70+ acres of secluded redwood forest to allow guests to have the quiet, contemplative space to continue spiritual growth.
Financial Aid/ Scholarships
We want to make retreats available to everyone. With this in mind, we will gladly work out a payment plan with you if needed. If more assistance is necessary, we offer several scholarships. Please note that the scholarship deadline is one month before the retreat begins.
- For detailed information on setting up a payment plan, please see Financial Aid: Payment Plans
- To see if you’re eligible for a scholarship, and how to apply for scholarships, please see Financial Aid: Scholarships
Our utmost goal is to help as many beings as possible to have the gift of retreat. If you have additional questions after reviewing the guidelines for payment plans and/or scholarships, please email the Office at office@vajrapani.org.
Teachers
At the age of two, Tsenshap Serkong Rinpoche II (1984 – present) pointed to the photo of the recently deceased Assistant Tutor of the 14th Dalai Lama and said, “That’s me!” Recognized as the reincarnation of the former Tsenshap Serkong Rinpoche, the young tulku received his Buddhist training initially at Ganden Jangtse Monastery in South India. After deciding to continue his work for the Dharma as a layman, he completed his education at the Institute of Buddhist Dialectics in Dharamsala. On the advice of the Dalai Lama, he has now completed two years of intensive study of English in Canada…
Learn more about Serkong Tsenshap Rinpoche II
Dr. Alexander Berzin is a renowned Buddhist scholar and translator whose pioneering work has played a key role in introducing Tibetan Buddhism to the West. Born in New Jersey in 1944, he earned his PhD from Harvard before spending nearly 30 transformative years in India. His journey began on a Fulbright scholarship in Dharamsala and continued as a founding member of the Translation Bureau at the Library of Tibetan Works & Archives. For nine years, Dr. Berzin served as principal interpreter and secretary to Tsenzhab Serkong Rinpoche, one of His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama’s closest tutors. During this time,…
Learn more about Dr. Alexander Berzin