Experiencing Joy and Wonder in the Present Moment

In April 2017, following the conclusion of the 21-day Tara puja Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche offered for Khyentse Foundation at Dzongsar Khyentse Chökyi Lodrö Institute (DKCLI), Rinpoche announced to the institute’s khenpos and KF Executive Committee members that a pre-monastic Buddhist foundation school would be established to prepare students for advanced studies in Buddhist philosophy and dialectics at the monastic college (Dzongsar Shedra) of DKCLI. The school’s curriculum would emphasize building a strong foundation in Buddhist history, philosophy, and dialectics, with a focus on Tibetan- and English-language studies. The program would also offer optional languages, such as Hindi and Mandarin, with the overarching goal of nurturing confident, creative, genuinely kind, and independent-thinking students. Those who chose not to continue on to the shedra would at least have a basic understanding of Buddhism and valuable language skills, enabling them to lead fulfilling lives.

The school came into being soon after Rinpoche’s announcement, in early July 2017, with the arrival of the first batch of students—a group of 10-to-15-year-old boys from communities across the trans-Himalayan region. Rinpoche named the school “Kanishka” after the emperor of the Kushan dynasty (c. 30–c. 375 CE), a great patron of Buddhism under whose reign the Kushan empire reached its zenith. A small school building was set up adjacent to the DKCLI campus in Chauntra, Himachal Pradesh, and language and dharma classes commenced with six exceptional shedra scholars serving as teachers. The school’s curriculum and textbooks for Tibetan language and dharma studies were developed by DKCLI’s in-house editorial team and designed for a 6-year study program.

“My childhood days were completely different from what you are experiencing here. It has changed significantly. Therefore, to be very honest, one must not always remain fixated on a single way of doing things. Be flexible enough to change according to the situations and circumstances you encounter.” — Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche’s message to Dzongsar Kanishka School, Bodhgaya, 2023

Guided by Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche and his inspiration to research the ancient Indian Gurukul education system, since its founding the school has consistently evolved towards a more holistic and experiential learning model, regularly adapting its curriculum to align with Rinpoche’s vision of Buddhist education for children. Over the past few years, general sciences, environmental awareness, basic mathematics, and basic art have been integrated into the language programs to enrich students’ educational experience. To ensure optimal opportunities for those seeking to pursue higher Buddhist studies at Dzongsar Shedra or other disciplines elsewhere, Kanishka has created a road map enabling interested students to acquire secondary and senior secondary school certifications through the National Institute of Open Schooling (India). Additionally, in 2022, the school moved to a rented campus near Dzongsar Shedra which provides residential school infrastructure to accommodate the growing student body, now averaging 175 students aged 7 to 19 from various cultural backgrounds.

Education is a tool, just like an axe for chopping wood or a spoon for eating. Teachers believe students need this tool for a happy, healthy, and responsible future. I agree that education is essential in today’s world. However, it’s equally important to be happy and enjoy life in the present moment. Of course, one should not neglect their studies.

There are several ways to cultivate joy, happiness, and a healthy life. For those who choose to become a monk and continue on that path, they should not always think of themselves. They must be prepared to detach from wealth and material possessions and travel with minimum belongings. This is one way to experience a joyful life. If the monastic path doesn’t appeal to you, you can find enjoyment by developing your skills in drawing, singing, or community service, where profit and self-interest are not the primary focus. — Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche’s message to Kanishka School, Bodhgaya, 2023

In line with Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche’s guidance to balance academic pursuits with the experience of joy and wonder in the present moment, Kanishka has now also integrated various extracurricular activities into the school calendar, such as gardening, yoga, games and sports, life skills and vocational training, celebration of auspicious days, excursions and picnics, cultural diversity celebration days, music, and other performing arts. These activities have created space for Kanishka students to freely express their creativity and develop confidence.

One of our most loved activities has been the recently introduced “Maitri Day” camp, named for one of the Four Immeasurables (Maitri = Loving Kindness), which has emerged as an excellent opportunity for cross-curricular integration where nature study and appreciation, environmental awareness, math, and shared responsibilities are all imbued with the views of interdependence and impermanence. With teachers acting as facilitators, students planned, prepared, implemented, and experienced a day hike to a secluded campsite with beautiful meadows and meandering streams. This was the first time that older and younger students had collaborated to plan an itinerary, make a budget, write a shopping list, and pack for a trip. A day before the hike, under their teachers’ supervision, students shopped for fruit, vegetables, and other essentials at the local market. They managed the entire process themselves, with teachers only rarely intervening.

Excitement was palpable on the day of the hike, with none of the students having previously visited the campsite. The route took roughly an hour and traversed farms, fields, woods, and railway tracks. The teachers led the way, stopping to rest, appreciate the surroundings, observe village life, and watch wildlife. On reaching the site, the students made smoke offerings to invoke the dharma protectors’ blessings and pray for harmony with nature. Teachers then encouraged students to spend time relaxing under the trees or by the nearby stream to soak in their surroundings. Next, under the watchful eyes of their teachers and with a little help from the older students, the younger ones were tasked with collecting fallen branches and twigs to use as firewood while the rest of the group prepared lunch. There was also plenty of time for swimming, group games, and simply lying down to sky-gaze. In the late afternoon the students gathered their things and cleaned up the campsite, ensuring that it was left pristine.

Back in the classroom the following day, the students reflected on and discussed the Maitri Day camp and recorded their impressions in prose, poetry, and artwork. Fourteen-year-old Ngawang Sangey recalled the vibrant green of the fields while seven-year-old Tashi remembered the sweet taste of the refreshing, juicy watermelon chunks he had devoured after the long trek to the campsite. Ten-year-old Sonam Choejor shared that, as he sat with his eyes closed after the smoke offerings, he could distinctly hear the birds singing in the meadow and the leaves rustling as the wind blew through the trees. Older students, enchanted by the meadow, wished that they could have stayed there overnight. Swimming, splashing, and playing ball in the stream were highlights of the hike in the students’ collective memory as they savored the coolness of the water. Food had never tasted so delicious after all the hard work of chopping the vegetables, washing the rice, building the firepit, and managing the entire cooking process—back at school, this is all done by the cooks! Something all the senior students noted was how the harmonious teamwork made everything so easy to manage—even the little ones had gone out of their way to share the workload. It was inspiring to see how the experience had resonated with the students, creating lasting memories and reinforcing the values of mindfulness and appreciation for the present moment.

Kanishka is committed to creating more opportunities for students to experience the wonder and joy of being in nature and in the moment. With the addition of dedicated music and arts teachers in July and August 2024, we are beginning the task of crafting customized, developmentally appropriate visual and performing arts curricula that will empower our children to experience the delight of creative expression with absolute abandon. We are utilizing what we have learned from the Maitri Day camp to create lesson plans that integrate the process of knowledge acquisition with joy, curiosity, and creativity, and are simultaneously correlating all aspects of living and learning with the views of interdependence and change. Consequently, Kanishka is currently implementing customized teacher and support staff training programs that will ensure that every aspect of the school environment reflects Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche’s vision of what children’s education should look like when the wisdom teachings of Buddha Shakyamuni are integrated into the learning process. Taking Rinpoche’s guidance to heart, Kanishka has pledged to continue modifying its courses in order to reach the milestone of becoming a model of children’s education in India, with the Buddhist view, meditation, and Buddhist action as its founding principles.

Featured image above: Kanishka students enjoying themselves in the stream during the Maitri Day camp. All photos courtesy Dzongsar Kanishka School.