The Rangjung Yeshe Library

As a first post, I wanted to quickly share about the Rangjung Yeshe Institute’s (RYI) library. Located within the institute, this library is a unique treasure I have not seen anywhere else, as it houses an extensive collection of Buddhist books. The collection includes Pali Buddhism-related literature texts, Indian Buddhist Mahayana works on Madhyamaka, Yogācāra, and Buddha nature. Also texts on logic, debate, Abhidharma, and so on. It also covers texts from various schools of Tibetan Buddhism, including Nyingma, Kagyu, Sakya, Jonang, and Gelug, as well as resources on Chinese and Japanese Buddhism.

The library has both classical/traditional texts as well as academic works, presenting insights from both emic and etic perspectives. Additionally, it holds the master’s theses of the institute’s own students.

The sections are separated into:

• Mahayana Sutras
• Mādhyamaka
• Yogācāra
• Abidharma & Pramāṇa
• Gelug
• Kagyu
• Nyingma
• Sakya and Jonang
• Dalai Lama
• Women in Buddhism; Gender and Sexuality in Buddhism
• Tantra, Medicine, and Healing
• Introduction to Buddhism, Meditation, and Other Topics
• Theravāda & Śrāvakayāna
• History & Culture: Indian Subcontinent, Mongolia and Central Asia
• Buddhism in China
• Buddhism in Japan
• Indian Philosophy; Nepal
• Western Philosophy; Abrahamic Religions; Comperative Religion; Sociology; Anthropology

One also finds sections on Tibetan (classical and colloquial), Sanskrit, Pali, and Classical Chinese grammar. Also, there is an increasing number of traditional Tibetan Buddhist philosophy books available in Tibetan.

I strongly recommend that if you find yourself in Kathmandu, come and pay a visit to this library. The library is located on the premises of Ka-Nying Shedrub Ling monastery, also known as The White Monastery (Nepali: Seto Gumba) in Boudha. You can take some time to browse the books, sit down, and enjoy the richness of wisdom that is in this room, while also taking a rest from the busyness of Kathmandu. The library is usually open from 9 AM to 5 PM, Monday to Friday, during Spring, Fall, and Summer semesters.

To be continued…