Kanishka School

Founded in 2017 under the guidance of Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche, Dzongsar Kanishka School is a foundational Buddhist education school established under Dzongsar Khyentse Chökyi Lodrö Institute (DKCLI), in Chauntra, Himachal Pradesh, India. The school serves over 100 children aged 10 to 19 from Nepal, Bhutan, and India. It offers courses in Buddhist philosophy and history, mathematics, geography, sciences, and personal health and hygiene, with a special focus on languages such as Tibetan, English, Chinese, and Hindi. In addition to room and board, the school also provides basic medical care for the children.

The goal of the school is to aid young monks and students who might not otherwise have the resources to get the foundational education required to attend the shedra at DKCLI. Some will eventually train and qualify as khenpos and lopons, and others will acquire the language skills and other life skills to help them lead fulfilling lives. The ultimate goal is to create a legion of Buddhist stakeholders who will use their in-depth understanding of Buddha’s teachings to lead and represent their communities.

Kanishka School also holds teacher training workshops for the personal and professional development of its teachers in conjunction with DKCLI management training. In line with Khyentse Foundation’s wish to develop and assist with global Buddhist education for children, Kanishka School intends to implement a standardized teacher training program to help establish an experiential Buddhist education curriculum.