VEN. TENKU RUFF is a chaplain on the palliative care team at New York University Langone Medical Center.  She had monastic training in Japan before coming to Maitripa College, but wanted to get a more academic understanding of Buddhism, to learn to better express the Dharma in English, and to explore the world of Tibetan Buddhism. Now she cares for people working with life-threatening illnesses, providing spiritual support for patients, families and hospital staff.  Read an online article, “One Robe One Bowl” by Ven. Tenku Ruff here.

Being exposed to the academic side of Buddhism has been extremely helpful in my practice life. Working with Rinpoche was a really big deal for me. He was really able to help me grow in my personal practice. I really appreciated the intimacy of the education here—it helped me figure out my place in the Western world.