Support for the Institute Buddhist Dialectics, Dharamsala, H.P.

BROCHURE FOR INSTITUTE OF BUDDHIST DIALECTICS AND COLLEGE FOR HIGHER TIBETAN STUDIES

A.   Preamble

The Institute of Buddhist Dialectics (IBD) and its branch institute, the College for Higher Tibetan Studies (CHTS), were founded to promote the broadest intellectual culture, in harmony with Tibetan democratic institutions and imbued with the principles and influences of Buddhist religion. In particular they are dedicated to the preservation, promotion and enjoyment of the uniquely rich Tibetan religion, culture, language and traditions as a contribution to world peace. The twin colleges are designed to be profoundly religious, educational and cultural institutions, where freedom of thought flourishes. Together the IBD and CHTS offer an uncommon and far-reaching educational experience to Tibetan society, traditionally Buddhist regions and to the global community.

B.   A Brief History

A Vision Fulfilled

During 1960s and 70s, Tibetan monk teachers in Tibetan refugee schools in India provided a good example to their students in terms of wisdom and moral character. Inspired by their example, a number of students from these schools decided to become monks, but because they had already received the foundations of a modern education they were not drawn to entering a traditional Tibetan monastery to pursue an education that was solely traditional and religious. Once they had graduated from school, these monks did not find opportunities to pursue the blend of religious and modern education they were inclined towards and many of them eventually left the ordained life.

This unfortunate situation was reported to His Holiness the Dalai Lama by the late Ven. Lobsang Gyatso, who was then a religious teacher at the Central School for Tibetans in Mussoorie in North India. At this time there was also a great need to preserve and promote Tibet’s unique religion, culture, language and traditions, not only for the welfare of Tibetans inside and outside Tibet, but also in the cause of world peace. Accordingly, His Holiness the Dalai Lama founded the School of Buddhist Dialectics—now the Institute of Buddhist Dialectics—in McLeodganj, Dharamsala, in the North Indian state of Himachal Pradesh, on his birthday, 6th July 1973. His Holiness appointed Ven. Lobsang Gyatso as principal and teacher of the newly established school. Ven. Lobsang Gyatso was a great nationalist, a strong supporter of His Holiness, a profound and fearless writer and a great thinker, as well as a skilled teacher and practitioner of multifarious aspects of Buddhism.

Twenty-three Tibetan monks, who had graduated from schools in different parts of North India, and six foreigners, formed the first group of students. In the beginning, the Institute faced tremendous problems of finance and accommodations; its prospects of survival were dim. However, as the first students achieved excellent academic results, new students began to be admitted every two or three years. In 1981, classes in Middle Way Philosophy and the second chapter of Valid Cognition were added to the existing courses on Collected Topics, Mind and Awareness, Signs and Reasonings, Tenets, Perfection of Wisdom and the first chapter of Valid Cognition. Later, in 1986, the Institute extended its programme of higher Buddhist learning with classes on Higher Knowledge, Discipline and, in a non-sectarian departure from the previously mainly Gelugpa oriented curriculum, introductory courses on classic texts of the three other major traditions of Tibetan Buddhism i.e., the Nyingma, Kagyud and Sakya Schools. Latterly, in 2005, the institute introduced a Tantra study programme, This meant that students could not only appear for the Geshe degree, their studies having matched the philosophical and academic rigour of the three great Gelugpa monastic universities of Sera, Ganden and Drepung, but also they were qualified at a level equal to graduates of the two noted Gelugpa tantric monasteries of Gyuto and Gyumed. These developments are some of the highlights of a fruitful and productive quest to maintain the uniquely rich religious and philosophical traditions of Tibetan Buddhism.

In significant contrast to the traditional seats of learning mentioned above, which focus almost exclusively on Buddhist practice and scholarship, the students of IBD have always pursued wider educational goals, including the extensive study of Tibetan language and literature, of foreign languages, of science or other elements of a modern liberal education. Courses on these subjects have either been in-house or, in the case of those seeking degree-level qualifications in subjects such as Politics, Sociology, History and Languages by correspondence through Indian universities. 

Branching Out

A new development in the IBD’s educational activities occurred in 1991 when twelve students, mainly recent arrivals from Tibet, were admitted to the IBD’s first dedicated Tibetan language teacher training course. The purpose was to provide Tibetan language teachers for the many schools for Tibetan children in India that faced an acute shortage of competent teachers in this field. Following this first successful diversification away from the core focus on advanced Buddhist Philosophy, both short intensive and full-length courses in Tibetan language and culture were instituted. The demand for higher education in these subjects continued to grow, not least because of the steady arrival in India of large numbers of young people escaping the harsh restrictions in Tibet in quest of education. This led to the establishment of the Institute of Buddhist Dialectic’s branch institution at Sarah, the College for Higher Tibetan Studies. Teacher training for teachers from primary to 12th grade is an established part of activities there as are degree and pre-degree courses in Tibetan studies. Tibetan civil service induction courses, staff upgrade courses, Tibetan language courses for foreigners and intensive courses and seminars are regularly offered.

The two institutes are places where, in this hour of crisis, Tibetans are striving to maintain their country’s strong and age-old peaceful spiritual, philosophical and cultural traditions and where the needs of the community for trained personnel for schools, colleges, and other government and non-government institutions are being fulfilled. This will empower the present and the coming generation of Tibetans in our temporary home in exile and ensure the ability to serve, govern and maintain important institutions when we return to our homeland. Equipping Tibetans for the modern world while being supported and inspired by our rich cultural traditions is one of our major goals.  

C.   Registration

The institute is registered as the Institute of Buddhist Dialectics. It is a charitable society under Indian law. Moreover, it has proper permission from the Indian government to receive foreign contributions for cultural, religious, educational and economic purposes. It properly and strictly follows Indian rules and regulations in maintaining an annual statement of accounts, which are checked by a chartered accountant and then submitted to the state government in Simla for approval; and finally, a copy is submitted to the home ministry of the government of India in Delhi.

D.   IBD Charter

In view of the IBD and the CHTS’s increasingly complex activities, His Holiness the Dalai Lama gave timely advice about the need for a charter to cover both institutes. The present charter was written and adopted in 2003. Amendments to the charter are adopted by a resolution of the Board of Governors. In addition to this charter, the IBD and the CHTS have their own separate constitutions according to their needs. The Charter of the Institute is dominant over the constitutions of both sister institutes.

E.   Board of Governors

The board of governors has seven members including the chairperson, vice chairperson and secretary. The board makes all major decisions concerning the two sister institutes and makes rules and regulations as may be necessary or appropriate for the management, control, and conduct of the affairs and property of the two institutes. For effective functioning of the institutes, the board of governors meets bimonthly. The chairperson of the board may at any time call a special meeting of the board of governors if he judges it necessary. In case of the death, absence, or disability of the chairperson of the board, it is the duty of the vice chairperson to call special meetings. Of the total of seven members of the board, at least five are required to be present at the meeting to make decisions on rules and regulations. For making amendments to the charter, all the members of the board must be present at the meeting and the consent of at least five members out of the total members at the meeting is required.

F.   Institute of Buddhist Dialectics at Mcleod Ganj

1.  The Director

The director and the assistant director are designated as the director (general) and the assistant director (general) of both the main institute, the IBD, and its branch institute the CHTS. The director is the chief executive and administrative officer of the institute, responsible to and reporting directly to the board of governors. He has the duty of supervising all the work of the Institute with the aid of the assistant director and administrative staff of the Institute. He has the power to appoint both teaching and non-teaching staff with the approval of the board of governors and the assistant director.

2.  Administrative Functions

Administrators in hierarchical order

Board of Governors

Director General

Assistant Director General

Principal of the College

General Secretary of the main IBD

Vice Principal of the College

Secretary of the College

The administration office provides an array of fiscal, human resource, facilities management and other administrative services to staff, faculty and students designed to support the academic, research and student activities of the institute. The staff, headed by the director, work as a team to ensure the smooth running of the administration and to obtain the best results.

The administration of the Institute adheres to the rules and regulations laid down in the Charter of the Institute. The Board of Governors has the highest authority. The rules and the regulations for both the main and the branch Institutes are made by the Board. All major decisions relating to administration, education, economy, health and culture are taken by the Board. The Director, with the assistance of the Assistant Director, oversees the whole functioning, while the General Secretary runs the day-to-day administration. The work and responsibilities are distributed amongst the staff according to their ability. All the work is carried out with mutual consultation.

3.  Aims and Objectives

Before the founding of the IBD, children in Tibetan schools in exile mainly focused on modern education, while monks and nuns in exile engaged only in religious studies and activities. There was no Tibetan institute providing a combination of traditional and modern education aimed at addressing the new educational needs many young Tibetans felt in the upheaval of exile. Our innovation has been to offer both traditional Tibetan disciplines and modern subjects, combining the inner and outer sciences.

The institute was established with the following purposes in mind:

·         To train advanced religious practitioners who would spend long periods of time in retreat and meditation

·         To train teachers, scholars, writers, and researchers in the fields of Buddhism, Tibetan language and Tibetan culture

·         To train Dharma translators

·         To promote studies comparing and relating Buddhism with modern science

·         To train people to serve society in various administrative and official roles

The awakening, refining, preservation, promotion and transmission of knowledge—these are the Institute’s special objectives.              

4.  Courses of Study

 What the Institute sought to do was unprecedented in the history of Tibetan education and culture. It was crucial to ensuring that the people of Tibet will be able to accommodate modernity, without losing their rich cultural heritage. In order to meet its aims a wide range of courses are offered at the Institute. These include: traditional courses in Buddhist philosophy, culture, language, literature, poetry, religious and political history, rites and rituals.

The traditional practice of debate is the principal method for the study and analysis of philosophical subjects at the IBD. It is indispensable for refuting mistaken notions, for negating the challenge of others’ false reasons and for presenting the correct view. In this way it helps us establish the essential meaning of the text under consideration. All full-time courses are taught only in the Tibetan language. The full course of study at the Institute takes sixteen years.

There are part-time courses in Buddhist Philosophy in English from time to time.

Preliminary study programme: The first one-year study programme lays out basic Buddhist concepts and trains students in basic debate techniques. It comprises the study of Collected Topics, Mind and Awareness, Buddhist Logic and Tenets.

Six-year study programme: Then follows an extensive study of Prajnaparamita (Perfection of Wisdom) and the first chapter of Pramanavartika (Valid Cognition). After passing the final year written and debate examinations, students receive the certificate of Master of Prajnaparamita Buddhist Philosophy, which is equivalent to a B.A. degree.

Three-year study programme: Masters of Prajnaparamita Buddhist Philosophy can then join the three-year course in Madhyamaka (Middle Way) Philosophy and the second chapter of Parmanavartika. This leads to the Master of Madhyamaka Buddhist Philosophy degree, equivalent to an M.A. degree.

Four-year study programme: Next is the four-year study programme comprising courses in Abhidharma (Higher Knowledge), and Vinaya (Monastic Discipline), together with intensive study of important texts of the Nyingma, Sakya, and Kagyud traditions of Tibetan Buddhism, leading to a Master of Buddhist Philosophy degree, equivalent to an M.Phil. Students are required to present a thesis of at least 50 pages on a Buddhist topic, which is checked and marked by a minimum of three external scholarly examiners.

Two-year study programme: Masters of Buddhist Philosophy are admitted to the final two-year intensive and extensive programme of Tantric studies. After successfully passing the final examination a student is awarded the Geshe degree, which is equivalent to a Ph.D. degree.

Tibetan language and literature programme: While following the Buddhist philosophy courses, all students take intensive courses in Tibetan language, grammar, literature and poetry. Students earn 12th grade and B.A. degree qualifications. Besides the main courses, students also learn English and Chinese.

In addition to these, students have the opportunity to undertake B.A. and M.A. degree correspondence courses with Indian universities.

Degrees issued by the Institute of Buddhist Dialectics are recognised by reputed universities in the United States and Europe. They have also been the basis for enrolling in various academic courses and for obtaining jobs in governmental and non-governmental institutions.

5.   Admission

Entrance requirements: a student must either have passed grade 10, or equivalent, or he or she must pass our entrance examination. Due to a shortage of classrooms, accommodations, and funds, the Institute is only able to open a new class in Buddhist philosophy every two or three years.

It admits a total of 30 monks and lay students (not including foreigners) at a time. For proper admission to the Institute, a student either needs to have passed at least a class 10 examination certificate, or to pass the entrance test. There are other minor entrance requirements also. The institute places announcements about the dates of new admissions in Tibetan newspapers and news magazines.

6.  Discipline

The day-to-day discipline of students is supervised by the Disciplinarian who is appointed by the Director of the Institute from among the senior students. The Disciplinarian has wide powers to punish and even rusticate any student who is found breaking major rules and regulations of the Institute. The Institute has clear written rules and regulations to be followed by students. The Director, assisted by the Assistant Director and the General Secretary, ultimately supervise discipline. The Board of Governors has the final say in discipline. However, the discipline is easy to follow and difficult to break.

7.  Daily Time-Table

1. Rising bell                                                                             05:30am (06:30am on Sundays)

2. Morning prayer and meditation                                       06:00am to 07:00am (07:00am to 08:00am on Sundays)

3. Breakfast                                                                              07:00am

4. Self study                                                                              08:00am (campus cleaning on Sundays)

5. Classes                                                                                  09:00am

6. Black tea                                                                              10:30am

7. Lunch                                                                                    12:00noon

8. Debate session                                                                     02:00pm to 03:30pm

9. Milk tea                                                                                 03:30pm

10. Tibetan and English classes                                            04:00pm

11. Dinner                                                                                 05:30pm

12. Evening prayer, meditation, followed by debate        06:30pm to 9:30pm

8.  Facilities in the Institute

The Institute has a hostel, classroom, prayer hall, kitchen and dining hall, staff quarters, library, translation and publication section, guest rooms and recreation facilities, such as table tennis and television.

9.  Translations and Publications:

The IBD publishes Lhaksam Tsegpa Magazine, a Tibetan language magazine focusing on religion, science and world culture. We have published book-length translations of His Holiness the Dalai Lama's teachings in English into simple Tibetan for the Tibetan speaking community throughout the Himalayan region. We have completed the publication of the late Director, Ven. Lobsang Gyatso’s Collected Works in thirteen volumes. Other publications include textbooks and commentaries on Buddhist topics by our alumni and teacher training manuals covering such topics as teaching methods and educational psychology. Shortage of funds has prevented other translation and publication projects coming to fruition.

10.  Some Other Student Activities

·         Holding monthly evening debate session for over 7 hours from 06:30pm to 02:00am in the third week of the month

·         Memorising root texts and prayers

·         Holding special prayers on religious days and for special purposes

·         Holding an annual debate competition amongst classes for three days at the end of August

·         Holding a student meeting at the end of every month

·         Inviting spiritual masters, scientists, scholars, educators, community leaders, administrators and politicians to give lectures to students

·         Giving spiritual guidance to lay people

·         Participating in religious and educational seminars and conferences

·         Giving humanitarian assistance to poor and needy people and doing social work

·         Visiting South India to take part in the month-long grand debate session held annually at one of the three great Gelugpa monasteries by the Fourth-year Prajnaparamita (Perfection of Wisdom) class

·         Touring Buddhist holy places in India and Nepal after completion of the six-year Prajnaparamita (Perfection of Wisdom) study programme

·         Attending the teachings of His Holiness the Dalai Lama

·         Attending important governmental religious, social and political public functions

·         Other work as assigned by the Institute

11.  Holidays

The institute has two months’ winter holiday, a weekly holiday every Sunday, a monthly one-day holiday, a total of four days holiday for the annual picnic, and some annual Tibetan and Indian holidays. Compared to other institutions, the Institute observes relatively few holidays. However, any student going to Tibet for important purposes is granted a maximum of two months’ leave and any student going home on important grounds is granted a maximum of one month’s leave. Any student who has an important need may be granted a maximum of 15 days of emergency leave. Any student failing to return to the Institute in time will either be punished or will not be allowed to rejoin the institute if the board of governors finds his or her reasons are not satisfactory.

12.  Further Unique Qualities of the Institute

·         IBD is a non-sectarian monastic institute, respecting all traditions of Tibetan Buddhism in same spirit and admitting monastic students of all schools. Senior students are able to study advanced courses in all the main Buddhist traditions. They abstain from voting in the election of religious representatives to the Tibetan parliament.

·         It is a co-educational monastic institute.

·         It admits lay students.

·         It gives intensive Tantra course in addition to courses on Buddhist Sutra.

·         From an academic point of view the institute looks more like a college than a monastery, but from a religious point of view it looks more like a monastery than a college.

·         Education is given free to all students, including foreign students.

13.  Outreach Work

From its inception in the 1973 the Institute of Buddhist Dialectics has always looked outwards to be of benefit to the whole community, on both a lay and monastic level.

The education of nuns: The IBD, from a very early stage of its development, has emphasised support for the education of nuns so that they obtain equal educational opportunities and have an equal chance to create peace and happiness in the world. For several decades the IBD has been actively assisting in the development of education in the various nunneries in and around Dharamsala. It has sent teachers and senior monk students to teach Buddhist philosophy and Tibetan language and grammar, and give necessary guidance and encouragement, helping in academic programme development, and always supporting nuns’ rights and position in society. Many nuns still continue to come to the Institute to receive their higher education in Buddhist philosophy.

Giving Buddhist teaching to others: The director, assistant director and teachers of the Institute of Buddhist Dialectics visit institutions in India and abroad giving teachings on various aspects of Buddhist philosophy. Such programmes can also be arranged for any interested group coming to the institute for teachings and talks. Our teachers also visit Tibetan institutions on request to give teachings and talks. Many local resident Tibetan people come every Saturday to our institute for weekly talks on Buddhist philosophy.

Classes for foreigners: The institute has also arranged a four-month part-time Buddhist philosophy class in English for non-Tibetan speakers. This programme has been very successful so far and repeats provisions we have made in the past.

14.  Achievements

Soon after its inception in 1973, the Institute of Buddhist Dialectics began to acquire a solid reputation amongst Tibetans in exile as well as in Tibet. This was based on its great contribution to the preservation and promotion of the unique Tibetan culture, language, religion and traditions, for the Tibetan cause and for the world. The Institute has so far produced numerous highly sought-after teachers, scholars, religious heads, meditators, writers, translators, social workers, administrators, editors and researchers. A great many of the graduates of the IBD are serving the Tibetan community in exile or society at large as teachers in schools, universities, traditional learning institutes, Dharma centres and monasteries, as officials in Tibetan governmental and non-governmental institutions, as heads of monasteries, translators, writers, religious practitioners, research scholars, social workers and more. Several have either completed or are undertaking degree courses in American and European universities.

15.  Future Plans

If funds can be raised, the Institute intends to establish Buddhist cultural centre, meditation centre and retreat centre, and to establish a modern school for Tibetans, to pioneer the teaching of all subjects, except for English, Chinese or Hindi languages, in Tibetan. This is an experiment that needs to be made to prevent the further erosion of Tibetan language, culture and values in exile.

G.   The College for Higher Tibetan Studies at Sarah

1.  A Brief Introduction

The College for Higher Tibetan Studies is a branch of the Institute of Buddhist Dialectics. It is reached by a few kilometers drive through the beautiful tea gardens below lower Dharamsala. Under the guidance of His Holiness the Dalai Lama the Institute of Buddhist Dialectics, then headed by the late Ven. Lobsang Gyatso, drew up plans for expansion. In 1992, the Institute purchased about four acres of land near Sarah village, and construction started with the limited financial support of friends both foreign and Tibetan. While building was going on, academic study programmes started and both went on simultaneously for some years. His Holiness the Dalai Lama inaugurated the institution on 13th August 1998.

In recognition of the high standard of education already achieved there and the great usefulness of the Institute to the Tibetan community in exile, the Department of Education of the Tibetan government formally recognized the College for Higher Tibetan Studies in August 2001. In 2006, the Public Service Commission of the Central Tibetan Administration began to accept CHTS degrees and diplomas as valid for government recruitment and on a par with those granted by Indian universities.

In collaboration with the Public Service Commission of the Tibetan government-in-exile, the institute organises intensive training courses for public officials. Likewise, at the request of the Department of Religion and Culture, a two-year teachers’ training course was specially organised for monks of various monasteries. They graduated as teachers of Tibetan language, grammar and poetry, as well as of history, science, mathematics and other more modern subjects that are beginning to be integrated into the monastic curriculum. 

Also, under the auspices of the Department of Education, the Institute has conducted numerous workshops and refresher courses for primary, secondary and senior secondary teachers as well as the regular full-length primary and senior teacher training courses. The Institute also conducted a separate teacher training course specifically for experienced but unqualified teachers working in Tibetan Children's Village and Tibetan Homes Foundation schools.

Through such initiatives as these the acute shortage of competent and qualified Tibetan language teachers that existed before 1993 in Tibetan schools in exile has to a large extent been eliminated and the standard of Tibetan education has thereby been raised.

The College has a special partnership with Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia, USA. An annual educational exchange programme has been conducted since 2001. This is the first fruit of an agreement signed in the presence of His Holiness the Dalai Lama between the Dean of Emory College and the Director of the Institute of Buddhist Dialectics. Groups of students from Miami University, Florida, USA also attend CHTS for exposure to Tibetan traditional education. Some European universities are also showing a keen interest in setting up a similar arrangement.

2.  The Principal

Conventionally, an ex-student of IBD is appointed as the Principal of the college. Presently, the IBD board has not seen the need for a Vice Principal for the college. The college is administered by the Principal under the direction of the IBD Director and the rules and regulations laid down in the charter of the IBD.

3.  Aims and Objectives

The main aims of the CHTS differ from those of the IBD in McLeodganj. The CHTS gives a greater emphasis to secular subjects such as language, grammar, literature, poetry, religious and political history, though systematic courses on Buddhism are also included in the curriculum of the college to foster personal development and community values, which not least will contribute to producing individuals with a positive ethical outlook.

The aims and objectives of the College are as follows:

·         To train and prepare students in public service, teaching and administration

·         To cultivate in students a devotion to, and thorough knowledge of, their Tibetan heritage and culture through the study of Tibetan   literature and language, despite the straitened circumstances of exile

·         To create a healthy environment for research and experimentation

·         To prepare students for a vocation that relates to their own culture as well as to their personal abilities and interests

·         To provide a social setting that can train students in Tibetan ways of community living

·         To instill the kind of environmental awareness that is needed in an increasingly developed world

·         To provide an environment that is supportive for the development of students’ personalities and creativity

4.  Courses of Study

One-year Tsamjor Course (Bridge Course in Tibetan language and literature): It is specially designed for students who have passed class 12 in India, but need to improve their basic Tibetan language skills. It is preparatory to the advanced Tibetan language course. Minimum requirement is completion of class 12 or equivalent from a recognized institution. There is also an entrance examination conducted every year in May.

Three-year Thorim Rigney Rabjampa Course (Advanced Tibetan Culture Course): It offers studies in Tibetan grammar, poetry and history plus Buddhist studies and logic. Subsidiary courses include English language and computer skills. The Thorim Rigney Rabjampa degree is equivalent to a B.A.

Two-year Primary Teacher Training Course: Students who score less than 50% marks in the final Thorim Rigney Rabjampa examination may enroll in the Primary Teacher Training Course, emphasizing methods of teaching and educational psychology. Course offered when needed and when funds are available.

One and a half year Graduate Teacher Training Programme: This is a B. Ed, open to students with 50% or more marks in the final Thorim Rigney Rabjampa examinations and other university graduates. Course offered when needed and when funds are available.

Correspondence Course in Thorim Rigney Rabjampa: This programme was launched in 2001 with the collaboration of the Department of Education of the Central Tibetan Administration. A student taking Thorim Rigney Rabjampa course by correspondence is required to do all the assignments on time and to come to the college to take examinations with the regular students. So far it has been very successful.

Buddhist Philosophy Course: This IBD McLeodganj course is partly conducted at the CHTS, Sarah, due to a shortage of accommodation at the IBD in McLeodganj. Students study at Sarah for the first three years of the programme and then move to the upper campus.

Support for Those Taking Indian University Courses:

While doing their Tibetan courses at the CHTS students are encouraged and given support to undertake degree courses from Indian universities by correspondence. Students thus can receive degrees from both the CHTS and Indian universities. This policy has been very successful.

5.  Outreach Programmes

Tibetan Language Induction Courses for TCV Trainees: A six-month crash course in Tibetan language, lexicography, calligraphy, Buddhism etc. is given almost every year to the newly inducted primary teacher trainees of the TCV schools organization  at the request of the TCV head office.

Language Classes for Foreigners: A one-year foundation course in modern and classical Tibetan language is available to foreign students. A good number of students from both east and west have attended so far.

Casual Students: Depending upon the availability of accommodation at the college, those interested may be admitted as casual students who can join any class, depending upon their education level, for 3 months to 3 years to improve their Tibetan language, grammar, literature and poetry. They are not allowed to take examinations and hence do not receive certificates.  

Summer Study Programme: Under the direction of, and also funded by the Office of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, the college conducts a vacation study programme on a variety of Tibetan subjects for Tibetan students attending Indian universities. This very popular programme  is held for at least one month during the CTHS and university vacations in May and June.

6.  Cultural Programmes

The students take an active part in cultural programmes. Students from different regional backgrounds perform their own varieties of dramas, dances, and songs from their native regions of Tibet and the Himalayas, and from India of course, during college functions. Sometimes they put on cultural shows for the public at the Tibetan Institute of Performing Arts (TIPA). On account of shortage of funds, they face problem of not having proper costumes and facilities.

7.  Admission

An entry examination is held in April. Admission is given to about 30 students every year for regular courses. Any student who has passed 12th grade from a Tibetan school with a minimum of 40% marks in Tibetan subjects can take the entrance test for admission. Young Tibetans newly arrived from Tibet, whose Tibetan is very good, can also take the entrance test. Several students have come to the college to attend classes to improve their Tibetan in order to take the entrance test the following year to gain admission to the regular study programmes. The college places announcements in Tibetan newspapers and news magazines regarding admission procedures. Admissions to all courses are usually oversubscribed. The academic year begins on the first day of July. Annual/final examinations are held in April, followed by two months hot season holiday.

8.  Facilities in the College

The College has separate hostels for males and females, separate quarters those attending short term study and training programmes, classrooms, prayer hall, kitchen and dining hall, staff quarters, library, publication section, guest rooms, canteen, tuck-shop, and recreation facilities such as basketball, badminton, table tennis, carom board and television.

Still needed at the moment is a hall big enough to hold student meetings, college functions and cultural programmes. In addition to that, the College does not have boundary walls to stop encroachment by neighbours, to keep animals away, to keep the College neat and clean and to help maintain good discipline.

9.  Visits

The college has been honoured by visits from His Holiness the Dalai Lama, Gyalwa Karmapa Rinpoche, the Prime Minister and Ministers of the Tibetan government, the Chairman of the Tibetan Parliament and other MPs, the Dean of Emory University and many heads of Tibetan organisations both governmental and non-governmental.

10.  Future Plans

Inside and outside Tibet, Tibetan culture is facing difficult circumstances and the most serious challenges. In order to meet these the CHTS must provide more higher Tibetan studies programmes. The CHTS is gathering support for the creation of an M.A. course in Tibetan studies.

H.  Funding Appeal for IBD and CHTS

The survival and sustainability of both the main and the branch institutes are completely dependent upon generous donations by institutions and individuals.

Please lend your kind support to our projects. Your help will make a great difference and contribute to the survival of our rich and unique Tibetan culture, language, religion and traditions at a time of great stress and crisis. The non-violent, peaceful and compassionate essence of Tibetan culture is a profound contribution towards world peace. By supporting our efforts you will also be indirectly helping to save the uniquely rich Tibetan religion, culture, language and traditions before it is too late.  

How you can help the Institute of Buddhist Dialectics and the College for Higher Tibetan Studies:

·         By making donations to provide drinking water and food

·         By making donations to provide accommodation and electricity

·         By making donations to provide medicine, health and hygiene, for monk students, as well as lay students

·         By making donations to provide text books for students and books for the library

·         By making donations to pay salaries and meet administrative expenses

·         By supporting the educational projects and programmes of the Institute and  the College

·         By sponsoring either a poor monk student or a lay student

·         By making donations for the maintenance of the Institute and the College

·         By supporting income generation projects

·         Donations in kind will also be greatly appreciated

If you would like to sponsor the educational expenses of an individual student, we will be very glad to send you the case history of an individual student along with the guidelines. The sponsor and the sponsored student may correspond personally. 

Details of our bank account:

Name of the bank: State Bank of India

Place: Mcleodganj

Name of account: Institute of Buddhist Dialectics

Bank code number: 04250

Bank account number: 10219816686

Dharamsala Swift No. SBI NIN BBA 277

Your support will be gratefully acknowledged. Kindly mention whether your donation is for general purposes or for a specific purpose. Please send donations and sponsorship money either by bank transfer, check, or bank draft made in favour of  Institute of Buddhist Dialectics. 

We welcome supporters and donors coming just to visit, to identify our problems and needs, or to verify our facts and achievements.

Contact

For further information please contact as below

1. The Assistant Director

mailto:E-mail:ibdoffice@rediffmail.com

Institute of Buddhist Dialectics

P.O. Mcleodganj - 176219

Dharamsala

H.P.

India

2. The Principal

uk_hightibstu@yahoo.com

College for Higher Tibetan Studies

P.O. Sarah - 176215

 Dharamsala

Distt. Kangra

H.P.

India