During his trip to Tibet in 2004, Rinpoche spent three days traveling in a jeep with the headmaster of Dzongsar Institute in Derge. They discussed the Institute’s curriculum and its relationship with the Chinese government.
Rinpoche offered to train the khenpos in how to teach Buddhism to the Chinese in a practical, secular manner. He said that students at Dzongsar Institute in Tibet should continue to study Chinese. Likewise, students at Chökyi Lodrö College of Dialectics (CLCD) in India will begin studying Hindi and English in 2006. Upper-level classes will also receive training in computers, health and hygiene, bookkeeping, and other skills, and will attend month-long seminars led by professionals from a wide variety of disciplines, from economics to world history. There are 20 million Buddhists living in India with no teachers, so it’s very important for students at CLCD to prepare themselves to spread the dharma in India. Rinpoche’s vision is that the khenpos who graduate from these institutions will become not only great practitioners but also great teachers, with the necessary skills to function in the modern world while spreading the wisdom of the Buddha.
Other Institute News
Amelia Chow is working with an international team of professionals to create a curriculum for CLCD students that will include the study of English, computers, and other subjects.
Rob McLaughlan visited CLDC and created a master plan for a medical clinic. Space has already been allotted, and Rob is working to equip and staff the clinic by next year. Plans are underway to establish a shedra for lay students that will occupy the old Dzongsar Institute at Bir, India.