Audio recorded at Tibetan Buddhist Institute, Adelaide. Transcript auto-generated and AI-corrected; may contain errors.
About this talk. In this 63-minute session, Kyabje Rinpoche recounts his recent Kangaroo Island holiday—six nights with his English teacher Molly—mixing nature observations (dolphins, penguins, kangaroos, pristine beaches) with informal English-language practice. He describes daily swims and long walks at Normanville and North beaches, swimming traditions from his childhood in Tibet, and the quiet beauty of rural Australia. The talk itself is a conversation lesson: audience members gently correct his grammar throughout, bringing both difficulty and joy of second-language learning into the room. He also discusses broader themes—the importance of English and Chinese instruction at Sera Monastery, his own study discipline (three hours on weekends), and why spoken practice matters. He previews upcoming formal teachings: Sunday talks starting in February, and a Tuesday text study with 42–43 verses. Warm and accessible, this session is pitched to his immediate community—students and longtime companions in his teaching journey.
File metadata (for organising)
File: 18012017s Holiday – KR.mp3
UUID: f31a7b54-b4d4-4c84-b925-5dbec6b04a92
Teacher: Kyabje Rinpoche
Collection: Rinpoche's Story
Recorded at: Tibetan Buddhist Institute, Adelaide
Words: ~3,521
So but there is a there isn’t, you know, Elia and also today. No Dienzi and Elia. So okay. People came for my talk or my story. So thank you very much.
Lava? Have a seat. Chris, you. Yeah. So actually, you know, I’d like to read about my story of my life during the in Tibetan.
But I can’t speak English, you know. So when things come back then I will try, you know. That’s okay? But today I like to about my whole day in Kangaroo Island, you know? Kangaroo Island, Narooma, is it?
Kangaroo Island and Normanville and Yankalilla. Have you been there before? Yes. Yeah. Okay.
For sure. But I don’t talk no time. I think only forty or forty five minutes you know. Don’t worry. Long time?
Long time! Okay. Thirty five or thirty, forty, that’s enough time. So yeah, it’s funny today, how do you say, today Normally you know there was you know, there was how to say that there was earlier teensy but today no it’s funny you know. Only by myself you know.
Is that correct? Yes. Yes yes yes yes yes But you are among friends. Sorry? You are among friends.
Everybody is happy to hear you. Okay. And you have been speaking English a lot. Yeah. Without a translator.
Okay. And without any help. Really? Okay. Thank you.
So last Saturday, actually Saturday, know, last Saturday, but ten days ago I traveled to, traveled, is it? I traveled to Kangaroo Island with Deidre, you know Deidre? And she took me there. We left the B&B 10:30 in the morning and then arrived there, I think one hour and ten minutes later. Do you understand?
Yes. Really? Okay. So then I start six nights, you know six nights is it? Six in house, you know Molly?
Well my teacher, English teacher. So during the day I was very happy. During the day, I was very happy to to go to the beach and the country. Every morning, every morning, is it? In the morning?
Every morning be it. Exactly every morning. Every morning after breakfast, you know, Molly and I went to the beach from her house to Normanville with dogs. Yeah, because she has got two dogs, know, big, big. What are their names?
Yeah, two dogs, so big one, is it? Yeah, it’s name Archie. And other dog was it? Other dog’s name Bunny. Boony.
And she has a cat, but I don’t know its name you know. Yes, so yeah, some time also we went to another beach in Kangaroo Island. It’s a long, it’s a long way, you know, long way from her house. Every And after we went to the beach, then we swam, is it? Yes.
Swimming people swim. Swam, Swan, swim, swim, swim. Swim. Don’t know. Difficulty.
Very difficult. Swan, swim. Very difficult. So we swam, swam in the water. Actually actually there weren’t many people.
But the beach was very clean, very clean, different, very clean and the color blue. Different in the, how do you say, different in a heavy beach and green beach. Where? Yeah, different you know, different because I went to Henley Beach yesterday and also last Monday, is it? Yeah.
But different. Yeah, so very clean. And and also and and sometimes I saw, you know, no fans. Yeah, no fans. Fine?
Sorry? Fine? Yeah, sure. I like, you know, sometimes so I saw dolphins jumping. Is that jumping up off the water, you know?
So actually I my favorite in animals were my favorite animal. Which one? In the animals? Animals, just animal. Okay.
Interesting. Far away were the dogs? Were they close? Very close. Yeah, very close.
I could see, you know. You know. I think there were family. Yeah, very friendly, you know, with people. Did you learn to swim?
Swim? When did you learn Monica’s asking, when did you learn to swim? Okay. Okay. A child or as an adult?
When I was in my village in Tibet, that time I could could swim, is that? I could swim, but it was a Tibetan tradition. A different method. Pitting. Pitting.
Little different. Little different. Different. But I will tell you, no hurry you know. So yeah, yeah, actually we have even seen animals, dolphins and penguins, know.
I like penguins, nice penguins. So that time I could do, I could do, could do new few, a few things. Because I could do hand, handstand in the water. Can you? Yes, no worries.
In the water, know, the water, in the beach. Yeah, not easy you know. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Also float. Float it?
Floating water and drive you know. Dive is a dive deep in the water. Yeah, it’s new. Yeah, yeah, new. So three things, is it?
Yeah. So very important. It was very important my body my body because usually I am at ninety four kilos, you know. Ninety four kilos. And Pema?
I’m dammit. Sorry. So ninety four kilos, you know. So now I have lost three kilo. Very very important.
Very important. If you have time, know, then how do you say? Sorry? Exercise. It’s good exercise.
Yeah, if you have time, you must go to the beach. Exactly, exactly. Very, and walk and swim very, very healthy. Why? Why?
Yeah, and also when I was in that time, time I was sometimes cold, cold, then I swim in the water, come. It’s funny, strange, you know? It’s a salt. So very, very, very important, you know, very important. Yeah, yeah, yeah, I’m scared.
I’m afraid of shark, you know. But I ask, I ask, you know. And yeah, and sometimes you know, yeah, and sometimes my teacher and I traveled to Normanville and Kangaroo Island. So it was very nice, is it? It was over it were?
It was. It was very clean because there weren’t many people and very good environment. They were good. Yeah. Then also there were school and hospital and police station.
Police station, is it? Police station. Station. And a shopping center and playground and other things, know. Yeah, everything nice.
It’s wonderful, you know. Yeah yeah. Do you know any people actually live there? Not many people, not many people, yeah. Just for whole day you know.
Not many people, very quiet, very quiet you know. Because Molly’s house, you know Mori’s house, how do you say? There was Mori’s house in the front Behind. Behind. You know, there there were sometimes, you know, many kangaroos.
Just how do you say? Just In the field. Yeah, just in yeah, in the field, you know. Very quiet. Yeah, so yeah, so then we drove to sorry.
So then we we drove drove was it? Drove to Normanville Beach, Normanville Beach. And we had lunch there. We had lunch and coffee there. Also it it was it has how do you say?
It has our head. How do you say? Has, yes. Has, is it? Has.
Depends on what it is, Gita. Has a wharf. Yeah. Okay. It has a little jetty.
Yes. Has. It has, really. It still has it now. Yeah.
Mhmm. We think it’s still there. So difficult. Very difficult, you know, in English, very difficult. Someday had.
Yes. Now you said, you know, it has. Why? Yeah exactly, exactly. Because then there is, you know, there is a port warning, no?
Port Actually they had, is it? They had jetty before. Jetty but now gone. Yeah, everything, you know. Everything.
Joking, no. No. But but you know, for work and fishing. Yeah. Yeah.
Then on on Friday, on Friday, you know, Pamela and Richard came to Kangaroo Island to pick me up. Correct? Yes. And we had lunch together in mother’s house or my teacher’s house. Then we went to North Beach in Kangaroo Island, you know, which one?
Mainly in Kangaroo Island. So North Beach. North Beach, okay. Yeah, so there were many beaches on Kangaroo Island, is it? Yeah, many places.
Yeah, many places. So we went to the another beach on Kangaroo Island. So we walked so long. I think one and half an hour. Yeah.
Talk talk talk talk. Sometime I talk talk to Richard and Pamela, know, talk to Molly. Sometime I talk you know to Pamela. Without a translator. Sorry?
Without a translator? Yeah, sure. Joking. And then we we swim, we swim in the water. It is you know, very close from Molly’s house.
When I walked, know, Molly’s house from Molly’s house to the beach, I think five or six minutes, you know, very close, very close. Sometimes I heard, you know, in the morning, how do you say? Waves. Shh. Yes.
Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. But yeah, aware is it?
Aware, which one? Aware. We will like you know, half, you know. What’s the name for that half? Half?
Tengo. Yeah. Tengo. I was wearing a half, teeth and big you know, pants. Wore a skirt, an underrobe.
Yeah. And And then you took that off and you had shorts. Yeah. Shorts for swimming. Yeah.
And and wore a hat, is it? A wool hat. Yes. And some cream cream.
On your face in the sun. Sure, yay. But it’s funny, know, there were there were many beaches you know in India, you know, in Mumbai and Mumbai and Chennai, you know, Chennai. Now before, you know, now called Chennai and how do you say Chennai and Kerala. But actually Indian people say, you send you how do you say?
People doesn’t use. They don’t use. Don’t use. Why? Because they’re black.
No. Yeah, yeah. And have you been in, how do you say, I have been there, but I couldn’t swim in that time. Have you been to Kerala? Yeah, sure.
The beach, there is a beach at Kerala. You have to take the ferry. Mhmm. And that is very well used by Indian. Mhmm.
But it’s not it’s not where the boats are. Mhmm. It’s further away. Yeah, like it. Like it.
Actually I like beach, water, you know, I like sports, you know. I like nature. You’re Aussie. Yeah. I like natural things, know.
I like natural. What’s that? Nature. Nature. Yeah.
I like nice things. So which one? Subject, you know. Was the water cold or hot or what was the water like? Mid one, you know.
One, not too hot, you know, not too cold. Yeah. So anyway, anyway, then we swell, but that time the Veda a little you know, windy, is it? Yes sir. Windy.
So so the water wasn’t quite over calm? It wasn’t calm. It wasn’t it was a little rough, rough you know. Sometimes we call it choppy. Because these were waves, wave at all.
On Friday it was quite rough. Yeah, yeah, yeah. So we didn’t we didn’t swim, we didn’t swim for a long time. That wasn’t a long time? No, no, no.
So we didn’t swim for long. For long. Yeah. For long. It was about an hour and a half.
Really? Yes. But when our swim, you know, do we say, when our swimming for Swimming, no? Swimming for one hour. Minimum one hour.
Yeah. Anyway, so then we come back to Moli’s house and we had a nap. Is it? A nap, you know. And talk, talk, talk, talk, talk.
I don’t know. Long time, no time. Richard and Molly, you know, talk, talk, talk. I was niece, my, you know, life spot spot. That time of Friday, you know.
Every every Friday, you know. How do we say? Every Friday, play. How do we say every Friday? Every Friday they play live sports?
Yeah. So but So you watch? No no, I was missing. I know. I know.
You’re not trying. Yeah. Then at, you know, at three thirty we came back to Adelaide. Okay. I’m done.
Finish. Did think of the waves? Sorry? What did you think of swimming in the waves? Waves.
Waves is a little dangerous, know. Little bit dangerous. But you were jumping around with joy. Wife sees you say this one. It’s a little bit dangerous, you know.
Because when you in a swam, you know, in a where? Port Willunga, you know, Port Willunga. How do we say? And so and they try little bit coming. Waves coming.
Very dangerous. Okay. Have you questions? Yeah, yeah, yeah. Next year maybe, next year.
Because dolphins and penguins, they are very very friendly with people. But they have they have they have is it? They eat fish. Penguins stink. Sorry?
Yeah. And also that they know don’t you know, they don’t use you know toothbrushes. Really? Yeah, like ducks. Really?
More on poor bird beaks. So did you see kangaroos every day or just? Just one day, no, not every, yeah. How many kangaroos? I think families, know group.
Seven or eight, know kangaroos. It’s called when it’s a group of kangaroos? Sorry? Where did you see the penguins? And behind is it?
Behind Molly’s house. Molly’s. You saw penguins? Penguins. No.
No. No. No. Richard said, where did you see penguins? It wasn’t behind Molly’s house.
Thought kangaroo, you know. Yeah. Yeah. But there weren’t they they weren’t I saw, you know, penguins, but not they weren’t big, you know, late, you know, late. You know, big harbor.
Yeah. Yeah. They comes up, is it? Comes up from the beach at night. And?
And? Hurry. You said that you like nature. Yeah. What do you what comes to mind or what do you think about when you’re what comes to mind or what do you think about when you’re out in nature?
What do you like about nature? Try this. How do you feel when you’re in nature? Because it’s true. Sorry?
True. Natural? Yeah, yeah. Sorry, but I can’t speak English. Okay, you.
Thank you. The grammar is very good. Yeah, I like it. You are learning well the present tense, the future tense and the past tense. That is clear.
Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. So I like, I like how do you say, I like learn to, is it? Practicing?
Yeah, I like learn to learn. Yeah, I like learning grammar. Grammar, Grammar is very important. Secondly, when we study in a second language then must be in study grammar, know, very important. I read, when you read English, 80 or 90% understand.
How much time did you spend every day learning? Sorry? How much time did you spend studying? Okay. If I have time, then I exactly three hours.
Three hours. Read and write, read, write. Is that every day or just when you were on holidays? Not every day. I think Friday, every Friday, every Saturday, every Sunday I think.
Yeah. Yeah. Nine hours with athletes. Yeah. Yeah.
Exactly. With Molly and Judy. Did get tired of speaking English for one week when you were on holiday? Sorry? Did you get tired of speaking English all the time on holiday?
Pardon? Did you get tired from speaking English every day with Molly? No. No, I like. Never.
But when you are speaking, it’s a little bit difficult. Then but easier, you know, than rate lesson. Yeah. It’s funny, you know? Strange.
Krishna, do they teach English at Sorry? Do they teach English at Sera? Yeah, yeah, because there is a school, no, English school, yeah, in Sera Monastery. Yeah. Yeah.
Not all the monks no, no. Young one, you know young man, young how do you say? Young, you know, I think from different ages, know, six or seven from six or seven to nineteen or twenty, then you know, I start the debate, is it? No, no. Yeah, yeah.
But that is, you know, I think number one, Tibetan and second English and Hindi, you know. And now Chinese. Sorry? Yeah, Hindi and Chinese now, new. Chinese now.
Yeah. Yeah. It’s new. Yeah. Yeah.
It’s new. Why? Sorry. Why? Very good trend.
But you think I think, you think this one. When you how do we say? Teacher, but Chinese teacher normally from among, you know, among from, you know, Tibet. Yeah. When when the when they were in Tibet, that time went to school.
Long time. Yeah. So when the monks in Sera learned Chinese, Why do the monks learn Chinese? It’s very favorable, very important, you know, very important. And what all?
Important for what? Geshe-la, who do they speak to in Chinese? You could speak Chinese, who would you speak to? Why? Did they learn Chinese, the monks Mhmm.
So they can teach Buddhism Chinese. Sorry? For the monks that learn to speak Chinese, so they can then teach the Dharma Yeah, yeah, yeah. That’s the reason in Taiwan, Taiwan very popular. And now we know very popular, you know, in the Chinese, in China.
Yes. Very popular. So that’s the reason. His Holiness the Dalai Lama talked about Chinese language, very important. So now learning it.
And also very easy, you know. If I learn English, no, no, Chinese, very much easier. Yeah yeah. If Megin, is that Megin? Your name?
Megin? Is that you, if you speak in Chinese, then I really understand. Very easy. It’s fun. Much easier English.
Do they speak Chinese in Tibet? Sorry? Yeah. More Chinese than Tibet? You have been in Lhasa?
Yes. Don’t want to go again. Sorry? I don’t want to go to Lhasa again. Oh.
It’s too sad. Too sad. Too sad. Yeah. Today was English. So now I know not enough, you know, not enough in it.
But I study hard, know? And words very important, new words and I also, how do you say? I speak in English more and more, you know? Yeah. Very important.
Buddhists can have fun. Yeah. You say fun fun. Fun. Play like play.
Yeah. Yeah. So I said Buddhists can play, enjoy play. Yeah. Are you sure?
Why? Any minute? Finish. But a very potent, you know, for body. Body?
Body, yeah. Motivation. Yeah. Very important, body. So we know how do I say I can’t speak English?
We know depending, you know? Yeah, body, very important. Fruit. I like my favorite fruit. All fruit, you know?
Yeah, all fruit. And especially my favorite food, pasta. Yeah, it’s a taste of food. Yeah. Oh, yeah.
I said I said all fruit. All fruit. Yeah. And your favorite food is pasta? Yeah, pasta and pizza.
And pasta, pizza and lasagna, you know. Lasagna. And lasagna. So you should be living in Italy. Yeah.
Exactly in the future. But now I can’t. Yeah, exactly. Because there there was a very popular, you know, how do we say Italian food and sport in Italy. Very popular.
So I like sport? Sport and yeah. What about tennis? Tennis. Tennis.
Lot of time, lot time. Yeah, know, a long time. But when we have forwarded to sports, basketball and Aussie football and Yeah, yeah, and soccer. Soccer. Soccer because because no long time, you know, no long time and very rough.
Very rough. Is it? Very busy. Okay. That’s enough time.
You so much. You’re welcome. You’re welcome. Next week, will you be again just you? No no interpreter.
Yeah. No interpreter. Just me. You’re coming back tomorrow, but no interpreter. I think that’s fine.
Just me. Just me. Because Thank you. Denzi could come come back next week, next on Wednesday. I thought he was coming back tomorrow.
No? No. He was He’s coming coming back. Back. Now I think Denzi is in Adelaide, no?
Daily and then we’ll, how do you say, go back, is it? Sera. to Sera, and then we’ll try the one week, think, yeah. Geshe-la, when do you start Sunday talks? Oh, sorry?
The Sunday talks. Your teaching. Oh, okay. When did you start? In February?
February, yeah, maybe February. Yeah, February. And also I like to, I like how do you say? I must put a text for Tuesday, know. You know, it’s basic, you know.
No commentary. Basic. Text. Basic text. Yeah.
It it has no meaning. Words. Words. In English, we say it’s the root text. Text.
But but in Tibetan, you know, forty four. Yeah. And how do you say that? Verses. Oh, verse.
I think 42 or 43 verses. Yes. Do you understand? If you don’t understand, you must ask you know, Molly Molly, she I think now how do we say now memorizing. Memorizing.
Memorizing. Memorizing. No no many, you know, was this I think 42 or 43, you know, memorized, then very easy. Yeah. Very now how do we say?
Yeah. Yeah. Very important. Anyway I need to. Was, is it was?
How do you say? Was. Was. Basic you know. That difficult for you tonight?
Sorry? Was this difficult for you tonight? No, no. Like, I like your so but I say, you know, ask, must ask Molly, you know, if she understands about basic, you know. Yeah.
Okay. That’s enough. Now one hour. Okay. Yeah.