Profession: Student Age: 32 Location:
Dharamsala, India
Where are you from?
Wendell Garnett: New York, but I grew up in Panama.
How did you get into Buddhism?
WG: When I was in college in Kentucky I met some Tibetan exchange students. We got to be friends, and I started helping out with their Free Tibet stuff. We went on a peace march from Bloomington to Indianapolis. One friend took me to a Manjushri initiation with the Sakya Trizin. I was like, who is this Native American dude sitting on the throne? I sat my ass down and was like, “Right on.” I was an utter neophyte. I just went along with it, throwing rice, doing funky signs. I took refuge unknowingly; it wasn’t until I came to India that I took refuge [with H.H. the Sakya Trizin] for real.
What did you decide to study Tibetan?
WG: When I first started reading about Buddhism I thought, If I want to be good at this stuff I need to know what’s going on. I have to read it in its original language, not just taking it because someone said so—I wanted to know how everything was fitting together. I mean, Buddha even said, Don’t take my word for it. If you agree, you agree; if you don’t, you have to understand your reasons why you don’t. So that’s why I started studying Tibetan.
Vegetarian?
WG: No. I was until I came to India, and then the Tibetans challenged my vegetarianism.
What’s your favorite Buddhist book?
WG: I studied Nagarjuna’s Letter to a Friend, and I really enjoyed that. I also like Shantideva’s Way of the Bodhisattva.
What are you doing now?
WG: I just started the dialectic program, studying philosophy here at Sarah [The College for Higher Tibetan Studies at Sarah, near Dharamsala]; it’s an institute of Buddhist dialectics. Today was my third day back, actually. I’ll be learning traditional debate, the whole nine yards. From 8 to 9:30 a.m. we debate, then 10:30 to noon we have class, then lunch and mandatory study period, then prayers, and then a night debate from 7 to 9 p.m.
How long have you been in India ?
WG: This is my third year at Sarah College, and I’ve been in India for four years.
Are there other lay practitioners in the program?
WG: There are four non-monastics out of thirty-eight. There are four nuns, the rest are all monks.
Everyone in the program is fluent in Tibetan?
WG: Yes. There are various levels, but all of us are pretty comfortable with Tibetan.
Are you the only black person in the program?
WG: I’m the only black person within a hundred-mile radius of this place.
What do the monks think about you?
WG: For a lot of them I’m the first black person they’ve ever met. It’s like being a blue person walking down the middle of Manhattan. Indians come out of their houses, bringing the kids and the cameras. I’m cool with it, it’s just curiosity. They are all like, “Obama!” and “Bob Marley!” And I’m like, “Change! Hope!”
What does your family think about you pursuing this path?
WG: I think they are absolutely elated. Especially my mother. Before coming to India I was homeless for four years. I ran away from home when I was younger, and I was an utter vagabond, doing not much of anything. So for me to be here doing something like this, they are absolutely elated.
What do you plan to do next?
WG: Well, if you do the whole program and become a geshe, it’s sixteen years. There are several different levels you can go through, and at this point I want to go all the way through Madhyamika, which takes twelve years. They also have a Rime studies program that I’m also considering, but I’ll have to see how good I am at this. There is a lot of memorization and reasoning. If I can hold my own after a set amount of time then I’ll do the Rime studies. As a layperson I can’t become a geshe anyway, which is perfectly OK with me. I’d like to be a translator eventually.
How do you think you’ve changed since being here?
WG: It’s been a slow process, but I’m paying a lot more attention to awareness and inner development. Being more patient, trying to see things as they are, not always projecting myself on everything. At home we’re indoctrinated to think everything is about you, all the time. That’s a really hard thing to unlearn, but if you don’t, it’s going to be very challenging. I haven’t conquered that kind of stuff at all. But when there’s conflict or inner conflict, it’s easier now for me to identify that this is something I need to work with, and here are the things I can use to work with it. That has been a real treasure to me.
—By Noa Jones
(Tricycle)
Report of the one day SPARKE conference held at Sarah
15 th July, As we all are well aware with the Sweden organization called IM, Individual Relief, has been helping the Tibetan community on the different grounds since from last few decades. IM has lately initiated a new project in the field of education collaborated with DOE, CTA and the College for Higher Tibetan studies, Sarah. This Project SPARKE, (Supporting Positive Alternative for Raising Kindness in Education) is in fact initiated in 2005 with the pre study. Ever flourishing and changes in world’s perspective on the strategies of the teaching learning process, this project is initiated to move together with the ever growing and flourishing strategies.
Corporal punishment is in fact officially banned in almost all Tibetan schools since 2000 but this colossal decision in the school environment has never succeeded to create an enabling environment nor has helped in the discipline maintenance. There fore changes in the traditional school environment has been the core of debate in every issue related to schools, simultaneously the critics or the conservative groups in the society has been affronting the administration for their decision. This SPARKE project is an important step that IM-SOIR has initiated in the collaboration with CHTS, College for Higher Tibetan Studies, because this is not merely deals with the western psychology, which explains the child mentality in a technical manner but we also equally give the importance of moral ethics which is mentally imprinted by our own culture in order to innovate an effective disciplining method, which would be highly prioritized to the Tibetan mentality.
This project has been striving hard through the difference means to extend the maximum benefits to the children since last few years. We had organized a Master trainer workshop in the month of December 2009 at songtsen library, Dehradun. The workshop had attended by seventeen teachers from eight different schools and those master trainers have successfully started training other faculties in their respective schools and implementing the positive disciplining methods, which implies punishing the behavior not the child.
As was decided in the annual plan, we have successfully held the second SPARKE conference at college for higher Tibetan studies, Sarah, for the heads of the schools and were attendance of 25 senior staffs from the 12 different schools. The Department of the Education has also sent their education officer to address and extend their support for this project. All the principals, headmasters and senior teachers were greatly impressed and have also accepted to extend their corroboration for the further strengthening of this project. As this project being a newly born it really needs support and encouragement to bloom in days ahead, we there fore have also successfully made an appointment for the His Holiness audience and had his blessing and encouragement for further steps.
Submitted by Dorjee Gyalsten
Renovation of Volleyball Ground funded by Ellen Ratner
The Tibet Post
By Matthew and Sangay Dorjee
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dharamshala: Sarah College for Higher Tibetan Studies near Dharamsala, India, is holding a five-day conference in commemoration of 50 years of Tibetans living in exile. Since the Chinese occupation of Tibet and the erosion of Tibetan culture, Tibetans in India have been striving to keep their traditions alive, under the guidance of His Holiness the Dalai Lama.
The event at Sarah, which began today, will feature talks by 20 scholars on a variety of subjects, including Tibetan Buddhism, philosophy, history and language.
This morning's opening ceremony included speeches by Yuthok Karma Gelek, secretary of the Tibetan Government-in-exile's education department, and Kalsang Damdul, assistant director of Sarah College and the Institute of Buddhist Dialectics.
The conference will also include a discussion about a proposed MA degree in Tibetan language at Sarah College, and how the course might be structured.
Karma Tenzin Khangsar, Assistant Secretary of Sarah College, said he hopes the conference will provide a valuable platform for the exchange of ideas and advancement of knowledge, by reviewing the last 50 years of exile, considering the future for exiled Tibetans, and looking at new directions for Sarah College.
Transcripts of the scholars' presentations will be published after the event and distributed to Tibetan education centres.
Tibetan students get teachers' training
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
The Times of India
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ahmedabad : Seven Tibetan students are undergoing a month-long training programme at Calorx Teachers' University. These students are from College for Higher Tibetan Studies, Dharamsala.
The students will get hands on experience in latest teaching strategies and innovative teaching methods. They will get rigorous training through various methodologies including visits to different places, book reviews, seminars, workshops, observation and practice teaching.
"Each student has been assigned a mentor who will observe their classes for three days and then will conduct practice teaching for the next two days in pre-primary and primary section. To give them experience in different kinds of curriculum, they are imparted training in different boards like CBSE and IB," said registrar of the university Shailendra Gupta.
Apart from English and Social Studies, participants will get training in basic computer skills. They will also visit Akshardham, Gandhi Ashram, Vikram Sarabhai Community Science Centre, Plasma Research Centre, Science City and Karnavati Museum.
A group of 18 students from University of Michigan, USA escorted by Program Director Mr.
Gareth Sparham
and TA visited Sarah College for the Living Tibetan Buddhism Class on May 7.
His Holiness with the Michigan University students
University of Michigan students escorted by IBD Assistant Director Geshe Kalsang Damdul at Raj Gath, New Delhi
Exploring India!!!
Photo:
Christina Carson
Meetings with Kalon Tripa and His Holiness the Gyalwa Karmapa
On Monday, April 13th, 2009: Tsenyi Khentrul Tenzin Tsetan Rinpoche had a meeting with Kalon Tripa (exile Tibetan Prime-Minister) at his office. Kalon Tripa emphasized the continuation of Rinpoche’s studies in both the monastic discipline and Western subjects. Rinpoche was escorted by Geshe Kalsang Damdul and Geshe Jamphel Dhakpa (Principal, College of Higher Tibetan Studies, Sarah), as well as his parents and attendant.
In addition, Rinpoche had an audience with HH Gyalwa Karmapa, during which HH Gyalwa Karmapa offered an idol to Rinpoche and rosaries to everyone present. The Karmapa also said that he appreciates the work of IBD and Sarah College in our Tibetan community. The Karmapa showed his willingness to help both IBD and Sarah College in whatever way is needed. He said he would pray for Rinpoche’s success in this life and hopes that Rinpoche will be able to continue the work that his predecessor started.
Days in Pictures:
Kalon Tripa Samdhong Rinpoche welcomes Tsenyi Khentrul Tenzin Tsetan Rinpoche at his office
Kalon Tripa offered Rinpoche a prayer book and Khata
Audience with His Holiness the Dalai Lama
Thursday, 09 April 2009
Tsenyi Khentrul Tenzin Tsetan Rinpoche had a private audience with His Holiness the Dalai Lama at his residence earlier this morning. Rinpoche was escorted by Geshe Kalsang Damdul (Vice-Director of IBD), along with his family and relatives.
Later on Rinpoche also had an audience with Khensur Lati Rinpoche and Dhenma Lochoe Rinpoche.
Days in Pictures:
Tsenyi Khentrul Tenzin Tsetan Rinpoche offering Khata to His Holiness the Dalai Lama
Tsenyi Khentrul Tenzin Tsetan Rinpoche under His Holiness's wing
Institute of Buddhist Dialectics Enthrones Boy as Reincarnation of its Founder
Monday, 06 April 2008
Tibet.net
Tulku Tsenyi Khentrul Tenzin Tseten Rinpoche sits on the throne during his
enthronement as the reincarnation of venerable Lobsang Gyatso, the founder of the Institute
of Buddhist Dialectics, at a ceremony in Dharamsala, on 6 April 2009.
Dharamshala: The nine-year-old Tulku Tsenyi Khentrul Tenzin Tseten Rinpoche was today enthroned as the reincarnation of late Geshe Lobsang Gyatso, the founder of the Institute of Buddhist Dialectics (IBD) and the College for Higher Tibetan Studies in Sarah, at a formal ceremony in Dharamshala.
A battery of senior officials of the Central Tibetan Administration, including the supreme justice commissioner, Penpa Tsering, speaker of the Tibetan Parliament-in-exile and members of the Kashag attended the coronation ceremony at Tsuglagkhang, the main temple. The representatives from various monasteries and NGOs were also present at the occasion.
Tulku Tsenyi Khentrul Tenzin Tseten Rinpoche was born on 14 May 2001 in Ladakh to Tsering Gyaltsen and Kesang Yangkyi.
He was recognised by His Holiness the Dalai Lama as the reincarnation of late Geshe Lobsang Gyatso on 1 February 2006.
The late venerable Lobsang Gyatso was born in 1928 in a small village in eastern Tibet. He was ordained at the age of eleven, and later traveled to central Tibet to study at Drepung Monastery. Fleeing Tibet in 1959, he founded the Institute of Buddhist Dialectics in Dharamsala under the guidance of His Holiness the Dalai Lama.
"The founding of the Institute of Buddhist Dialectics and College for Higher Tibetan Studies Sarah is the work for which Lobsang Gyatso will be best remembered," the Institute of Buddhist Dialectics mentioned in its website.
The IBD evolved under his guidance into a diverse institution defined only by the wish to properly educate Tibetan youth in exile.
A Tibetan patriot and unswerving follower of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, the late venerable Lobsang Gyatso emerges as fearless social critic, and a deeply spiritual man.
He was assassinated by a group of assailants at his residence in February 1997.
Watch Coronation of Tsenyi Khentrul Tenzin Tsetan Rinpoche (Courtesy: RFA)
Reception for the Tsenyi Khentrul Tenzin Tsetan Rinpoche;
On April 1st, the staff and students of Sarah College welcomed Tenzin Tsetan Rinpoche, the reincarnation of the late Venerable Lobsang Gyatso, the founder of the Institute of Buddhist Dialectics and the College for Higher Tibetan Studies, Sarah. Venerable Lobsang Gyato passed away in 1997. Students and staff welcomed the 9-year-old Rinpoche with khatas and incense. Afterwards, Rinpoche toured the temple as well as the rest of Sarah. The students and staff were filled with joy at the sight of the reincarnated founder.
Geshe Jamphel Dhakpa la greeting Tsenyi Khentrul Tenzin Tsetan Rinpoche!!!
Placing a Khata before a picture of his previous incarnation
Dr. Lou Farley Visits Sarah College
Dr. Lou in action!!!
Dr. Lou Farley completed his high school from Cedar Ridge High and his undergraduate degree from the University of Wyoming. He completed his Ph.D. in Counsellor Education with supervision from the University of Wyoming, and has worked for his own private practice since 1991.
During his stay at Sarah, he taught for three different classes: the Bachelor of Education students, the Primary Teacher Trainees, and the Himalayan Teachers Trainees.
He mainly taught about the development of children, as well as teaching the students a set of skills that have been found to be the most effective at motivating, disciplining and building relationships with both misbehaving and well-behaved students.
A bid FAREWELL to Dr. Lou, seen here with the Teachers' Training Class
Word of Thanks!!!
With the help of Kris and Annemie, Province West Flandres-Noord Zuied Beleid generously donated 10,000 Euros to the project of roof treatment of both of the boys’ hostels, we were able to treat the roofs for the first time since our college began, fixing cracks and broken pieces and adding new layers of plaster both inside and outside.
On behalf of the college, we would like to thank you very much for your kind and selfless donation.
We really appreciate your help in this project.
Talk of the Month
Senior History Lecturer Mr. Sonam Gyaltsen emphasis history of Tibet during four day talk.
With the help of the Tibetan Youth Congress chapter of Sarah College, our senior history lecturer, Mr. Sonam Gyaltsen-la, gave a four-day talk on "Historical events reflecting Tibet's Independence" at the main temple of Sarah College. He stressed the history of Tibet from its beginnings and how it was an Independent state.
Senior History Lecturer Mr. Sonam Gyaltsen giving talk on "Historical events reflecting Tibet 's Independence "
Organized by the Regional Tibetan Youth Congress of Sarah College.
Venue : College prayer hall.
Feb 2,3,4 and 6, 2009 after class from 4:00 pm to 5:00 pm
Tibetan Buddhist Institute signs MOU with Miami University
Thursday, January 01, 2009
Phayul,
By Phurbu Thinley
Miami University Provost Mr. Jeffrey J. Herbst (R) shakes hand with IBD Deputy Director Ven Geshe Kelsang (L) after signing the MOU in the presence of Tibetan religious and cultural Minister Ven. Tsering Phuntsok (C)in Sarah College; Dharamsala, January 1, 2009.
Dharamsala, January 1: Fostering an already existing academic cooperation into a fuller collaboration, a Miami University, Ohio USA), today signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Institute of Buddhist Dialectics, a premier Tibetan learning centre based in Dharamsala, the seat of the Tibetan Government-in-exile.
The signing of the agreement will help forge a closer partnership between the two academic institutions in the field of higher education and scholarly interactions, and will open new phase of exchange programs for their students.
Provost of Miami University Mr. Jeffrey J. Herbst and IBD’s Deputy Director Ven Geshe Kelsang signed the MOU in the presence of Minister for Department of Religion and Culture of the Central Tibetan Administration, Ven Tsering Phuntsok and Miami University Program Director Dr Deborah Ackers.
The MOU was signed at ceremonial function this morning here at the College for Higher Tibetan Studies, Sarah, which is a branch college under IBD.
According to Geshe Kelsang, the signing of the agreement establishes academic affiliation in the specific fields of academic exchanges. That means performance of the Miami students in their studies during the exchange period in Dharamsala will be recognized as an equivalent to that of Miami University.
Accordingly, Ven Kelsang says, Miami University has agreed to support and accept Tibetan students to pursue relevant further studies and, create access to its intellectual traditions and academic disciplines in its campuses.
Stressing on the need to create more such outreach exchange programs, Ven Kelsang, in his welcome speech, described the establishment of academic partnership and collaboration as an effective way to “collectively produce educated and responsible persons for peace and harmony in the world.”
In signing the agreement, Mr Jeffery said, “On behalf of 8000 faculty members and 21000 students of the Miami University, we are deeply honored to forge this historic partnership at the start of the year.”
“It will help our students to understand Tibetan Buddhist philosophy, Tibetan society and culture that cannot be learned anywhere in the world,” he added, describing the outreach exchange program as an important part of his university's “effort to teach our students of the world outside of the United States” and “commitment to reach out to the entire world.”
Dr Ackers described the forging of the MOU as the “culmination of the four years of co-operation between the Miami University and Institute of Buddhist Dialectics.”
Since 2003, IBD and CHTS have been accepting students from Miami University under the Miami Summerfield School outreach program. The program allows students from the university to visit Dharamsala to learn about Tibetan culture, Buddhism and philosophy as well as gain an understanding of a community in exile and issues associated with Tibetan refugees.
Commenting on the successful signing of the MOU between IBD and Miami University; Tibetan religious and cultural minister Ven Tsering Phuntsok expressed hope that collaboration in educational exchange programs would contribute significantly to the understanding and preservation of the rich Tibetan cultural heritage, which he said is now under great danger of facing annihilation under the Chinese rule.
The Miami delegates on Wednesday met with the exiled Tibetan leader His Holiness the Dalai Lama, who has for a long time encouraged and supported interchanges between scholars in both western and Tibetan tradition in an effort to forge links for trans-cultural understanding and the synthesis of knowledge.
Lately Tibetan Buddhist learning in philosophy, theology, psychology, medicine, and meditative practices has experienced tremendous growth of interest in the West.
In 2005, Emory University in Atlanta ( Georgia, USA), also signed similar cooperative academic agreement with the IBD and Sarah college.
Workshop on Basic Education Policy Underway at Sarah College
Monday, 18 August 2008
Tibet.net
Dharamshala: Thirty-four Tibetan primary teachers from schools administered by the Central Tibetan Schools' Administration, Tibetan Children's Village school, Tibetan Homes Foundation in Mussoorie and Sambhota Tibetan Schools Society, are attending workshop on 'Basic Education Policy' (BEP) at the College for Higher Tibetan Studies, Sarah.
It is the fourth workshop on the BEP organised by the Department of Education of the Central Tibetan Administration, which began 13 August.
Ven Karma Gelek Yuthok, secretary of the Department of Education, addresses Tibetan primary teachers at the opening day of the fourth workshop on 'Basic Education Policy' of the Central Tibetan Administration, organised by the education department, at Sarah, near Dharamshala, on 13 August 2008
Ven Yuthok Karma Gelek, secretary of education department, Ven Jampal Dakpa, principal of College for Higher Tibetan Studies, Sarah and Tsering Samdup, education officer, presided over the opening day of the workshop.
Kalon Tripa Prof Samdhong Rinpoche, Mr Thubten Lungrig, kalon for the Department of Education and Education Secretary Ven Karma Gelek Yuthok, will deliver key-note address on the basic education policy.
Dr Ramu Manivannan, professor at the University of Madras and Ms Nicola Tansliy, inclusive education consultant from UK, will speak on education principles, methods of teaching and overall aspects of education.
The participants will hear from Acharya Karma Monlam, joint secretary of the education department, on the Middle-Way Approach and principles of non-violence.
Besides, they will also learn the importance of learning dialectics and its teaching methodologies and traditional Tibetan games.
In the morning session, the participants will attend a daily one-and-half-hour Yoga and Pranayam from 6 - 7:30 a.m. Documentary films related to education will be shown in the evening session.
After reviewing the state of Tibetan education in exile, the education department formulated the basic education policy, which was approved by the Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile in September 2004.
The basic education policy serves the actual needs of the exile Tibetans in preserving the traditional Tibetan values and culture and may also serve as a basis for the education policy of future Tibet.
Under this policy, from the pre-primary level and up to class III, no other language besides Tibetan shall be taught and the teaching of second and third languages shall be started from class four and class six respectively.
Besides Mevon Tsugla Peton School, a model school, which undertakes full implementation of the BEP, some 12 other schools of the Sambhota Tibetan Schools Society, an autonomous body funded by the Education Department, has already introduced this policy at pre-primary and primary stages.
(Editing by: Lobsang CHOEDAK)
College Commencement; Academic session 2007/2008
The college commenced after two months summer vacation on July 2, 2007. Mr. Thupten Lungrik la, honorable Education Minister was the chief guest for the inaugural function.
The college offers a two year pre-primary Tibetan language teachers to a group of 17 students in collaboration with the Department of Education, CTA and teacher training program to a group of 25-30 people from the trans-Himalayan region. This year students selected for Tibetan Medical college were also required to do a six months intensive Tibetan language course like that of TCV TTC applicants.
The college therefore has about 300 students for this academic year.
The college also is very happy to have Miss. Elizabeth Ura, a former student of Emory University as English language teacher for one year. She will teach along with Mr. Tenzin Gelek, our English teacher from last year.
Mr. Jampal Sherab la, a former graduate also joined us as a new contract teacher for this session. He will teach Tibetan to the Himalayan class.
Between July 2 and 4, 2007, all the students and staff of the college gathered to recite Tara prayers for His Holiness the Dalai Lama's long life and success of the college.
• The Tibetan Version of BBC Planet Series Movie Launched By: Tharchin Y Gonpo
Dharamshala 7th July, 2007: The Ocean of Knowledge Research and the Translation wing of the Institute of Buddhist Dialectics based in Dharamshala has officially launched the first ever Tibetan version of BBC Planet Series with the legal contract approved by the respective production house at the Gangkyi auditorium on 7th July, 2007.
The dubbing of Science Educational films into Tibetan Language was first started in early 2005 with the sound proof Audio Visual Studio being setup at the College for Higher Tibetan Studies (CHTS), the sister concern of the IBD, Dharamshala. The project being the first of its kind in exile Tibetan community has received appreciations from all corners. The Project Director, Geshe Kalsang Damdul said, "the complete dubbing of science educational films into Tibetan Language is the result of the persistence emphasis on the modern scientific knowledge by His Holiness the Dalai Lama in recent times. This project aims to promote the modern scientific knowledge within the Tibetan communities and particularly in the Tibetan monastic communities in India and in Tibet as well. Besides, the project also endeavours to enrich and to have unified and standard Tibetan vocabularies on various scientific terms and subjects."
The chief guest of the occasion, Kalon Thupten Lungrig inaugurated the “The Different Worlds” DVD which is screened through a projector on big screen. "This dubbing project of science movie initiated by the IBD is the first of its kind in exile. The innovative and the visionary project definitely have the tremendous potential to contribute to our Tibetan society in further enriching the modern scientific knowledge. Besides, it is also important to work on to have a standard Tibetan vocabulary on various scientific subjects," beams Kalon Thupten Lug rig.
"The completed translated science movies in DVDs will be distributed to all schools, nunneries and monasteries as teaching aids with a nominal price." says the project Director, Gashed Kelsang Damdul.
Gashed Jamphel Dakpa, the Principal of the College for Higher Tibetan Studies, Sarah concluded the programme by thanking all the concerned staffs who are involved in bringing out the first set of translated science DVDs. He especially thanked and appreciated Mrs. Kalon Takla Kelsang Yangkyi’s overwhelming support for acquiring the intellectual copy right permission from the BBC production House based in London.
•IInd "Bod Kyi Rig Ney Doleng"
July 21, 2007: His Holiness the 17th Gyalwa Karmapa very kindly graced the opening function of (Bod Kyi Rigney Doleng) "Debate on Tibetan Literary Culture" organized by the RTYC Sarah between July 21 - July 27, 2007.
Total of 34 participants from 9 different Tibetan higher learning centers and a representative of North and South Indian Tibetan students studying in Indian Universities attended the conference. The participants from each college/institute presented papers on different Tibetan cultural topics for presentation followed by discussion. Many Tibetan scholars also presented papers on various topics.
1) Institute of Buddhist Dialectics (IBD), Dharamsala - 3 participants
2) Central Institute of Higher Tibetan Studies (CIHTS), Sarnath - 3 participants
3) Tibetan Medical and Astrological Institute (TMAI), Dharamsala - 4 participants
9) College for Higher Tibetan Studies, Sarah - 4 participants
10) Representatives from North and South Indian Universities - 4
• College Founding Anniversary
On August 13, 1998 His Holiness the Dalai Lama very kindly inaugurated the college and since then this auspicious day is celebrated as the college's founding anniversary. The college is happy and proud to report to our friends and donors that over the past 9 years hundreds of students have attended Sarah College for Higher Tibetan Studies and graduated with Bachelor of Tibetan Studies degrees, Bachelor of Education degrees, Primary Teacher Training certificates, and the experience of Public Service Trainings and numerous other workshops on education and Tibetan langauge. Currently there are no exile government offices or Tibetan schools in India, Nepal or Bhutan without a graduate from this college. The number of students seeking admission to the college is increasing every year but due to our facility's limited available accommodation we are unable to receive all of them. The college will work towards making our courses available for a bigger number of students in years to come.
Every year the college celebrates its founding day with a function in the morning. This year Geshe Damchoe Gyaltsen la, the Director of both IBD and the college graced the occassion. Geshe Jampal Dakpa la gave an introductory speech about the college and also presented last year's budget. He thanked the faculty, staff, and the IBD board of directors for their hard work and dedication which contributed immensely to the success of this college and commented on the future plans of Sarah College. One of the most important future plans is the much needed Masters program in Tibetan Studies, but Geshe Jampal Dakpa la added that the administration is already in the process of making this plan a reality. However, there are many issues which need to be discussed with the Department of Education and other concerned authorities before it is put into effect. Geshe la also extended his heartfelt thanks to those foreign friends and donors without whom the college would stop functioning, since the college administration heavily depends on these generous friends which keep Sarah College alive and moving.
The senior lecturer in Tibetan Poetry and Composition and a member of the Tibetan Parliament (ATPD), Mr. Lhamo Kyap talked about the importance of Tibetan education and the role of Sarah College during this critical time. He noted that the College has a comprehensive syllabus although the amount of education a student receives in three years can sometimes seem vast and deep. He noted the importance of introducing an honor system or a path for students to specialize in a particular subject so that a student can explore in more depth a subject of their interest and gain some expertise on this topic. The present system of studying all the major subjects, (Tibetan Grammar, Poetry and Compostion, History and Buddhist Philosophy), is overwhelming and students often study only to pass the examination. Mr. Lhamo Kyap also requested his fellow faculty to do research so that they might publish their own work which will benefit not only them and the college but also the Tibetan youth. He further added that the college administration should encourage and support these efforts.
The chief guest for the occassion Geshe Damchoe Gyaltsen la presented prizes for top ranking students in each class from last year's annual examinations and essay competition. He also thanked each and every member of this college for working very hard and for taking the college to new heights in preserving the Tibetan literary and philosophical tradition. Geshe Damchoe Gyaltsen la shared his personal account of his visit to Washington D.C., US last month where a former student from Sarah college was actively involved in organizing the Dalai Lama's visit and delivered a speech by which His Holiness was so impressed and happy, he asked her where she studied and she replied 'The College for Higher Tibetan Studies at Sarah.' His Holiness praised her and applauded her knowledge and ability to communicate in Tibetan. Geshe la continued that wherever he travels throughout the Tibetan community he meets former students of Sarah College. Even though he does not know each one personally, he feels very proud. He advised our student body to continue working hard in their studies and also to look after their health.
There was volleyball and basketball match throughout the evening and the students enjoyed the day. This day is celebrated with great pride and joy by the entire college every year.
Copyright ®2008 College For Higher Tibetan Studies,Sarah. All rights reserved.
