COURSE PROGRAM
COURSE PROGRAM
The short-term basic Buddhism course and the four year advanced Buddhism course are designed and offered by Gyudmed Tantric University.
The curriculum is suitable and applied to the ones who have interest in it, regardless of their nationality and gender.
Objective
1. Enhance learning Buddhism by providing genuine Tibetan Buddhism courses to suit students with different competences is part of the methods enabling monastery to preserve and pass on its lineage and promote Buddhism in a time that people’s interest in learning Buddhism is growing, especially in Tibetan Buddhism. Nonetheless, a qualified master is hard to find.
2. Provide a channel for the resident monks to interact with outsiders who received modern education, and exchange each other’s knowledge, especially in the science field.
3. Buddhist sangha have a chance to make appropriate and meaningful efforts to the modern world.
Course Duration

Short-term Course

Beginner ― A briefing for the knowledge in Buddhism, 48 classes in 2 weeks.
Intermediate ― 96 classes in 4 weeks.
Longer term ― over 250 class in 3 months, which involves debates, reports and writing in regulated period.

Advance Course

  1.  For people who wish to do research for deeper understanding of Buddhism, the 4-year Buddhism course is available 
  2.  For the 4-year course, each year the classes are 10 month long, and 2 months for vocation. 2 semesters for one year; each semester lasts for 5  months, comprises of 18 weeks for classes sessions, and 2 weeks for examinations and overall review.
  3.  The student is granted the flexibility to attend courses for the first 2 years. So, a break is allowed after the completion of the first 2-year course. Then start studying the rest 3rd and 4th year by enroll again. 
Syllabus

Short-term Course

Beginner 

  1. Life Story of Buddha Shakyamuni, Twelve Spectacles to Awakening, and Twelve Great Comportment.  
  2. Turn Dharma Wheel.
  3. Three Councils, Seven Distinguished Men.
  4. Two Supreme Ones and Six Ornaments.
  5. Brief Introduction of Tripitaka, the Three Baskets. Kangyur, Tibetan Collections of canonical Buddhist texts. Tengyur, Tibetan collection of commentaries to the Buddhist teachings, and other important Tibetan commentaries.
  6. Brief Introduction for the dissemination of Buddhism in Tibet. Tibetan language and grammar. Tibetan Translation for Sanskrit scriptures. Introduction of the great three between kind and master: Śāntarakṣita, Padmasambhava, King Trisong Detsen. Second dissemination in Tibetan Buddhism. Atisha and other great masters’ biographies. 
  7. The four major schools in Tibetan Buddhism and their lineages transmission and features.
  8. Introduction for taking refuge in the Three Jewels; and karma, principle of causality (cause and effect).  
  9. The origin of samsara (cyclic go through births and rebirths). Three studies of precepts, samadhi, and wisdom. Twelve nidanas (dependent origination). Two types of nirvana.
  10. Introduction of bodhicitta, enlightenment, six paramitas and Buddhahood.


Intermediate

Besides above mentioned contents, a deeper discussion and explanation is offered for below topics.

  1.  Lorig (Tibetan), cognition & awareness: seven kinds of cognition.
  2.  Tagrig (Tibetan), the varieties of reasons: signs and ratiocination, also called “Science of Logic”. 
  3.  Summary of the four schools in Buddhist philosophy, and their interpretation of dependent origination, the difference in time classification.  
  4.  Brief introduction of Tantra. 


Longer term

Besides the previous mentioned course syllabus, also highlight the key points for introduction for The Geluk Tradition, important Buddhist Monastery/Schools, His Holiness the Dalai Lama, Panchen Lama and other masters, decipher the relatively and ultimate meaning in Buddhist teaching, distinctions between Consequentialist (Tibetan: Thal ’gyur pa  ) and Autonomist (Tibetan: rang rgyud pa  ) approaches to Wonwonimayba reasoning. How to gain deep-rooted belief and perceive Buddha’s ultimate true luminous nature.

 

Advance Course

  1.  First semester of the first year: Epistemology of Pramana (Proof and Means of Knowledge). Article First and Second.
  2.  Second semester of the first year: Treasury of Abhidharma་ by Vasubandhu. Volume 1, 2, 3.
  3.  First semester of the second year: Treasury of Abhidharma, 5 volumes
  4.  Second semester of the second year: The four schools of Buddhist philosophy. 
  5.  First semester of the third year: The Way of the Bodhisattva by Shantideva
  6.  Second semester of the third year: The Eight Topics and Their Seventy Subtopics  . Annotations for“Ornament of Realization”.
  7.  First semester of the fourth Year: Three Levels of Spiritual Capacity
  8.  Second semester of the fourth Year: The Five Grades (Tantric mantra)
Qualifications and criteria for enrollment

Short-term Course for Beginner

  1.  There is no limit on nationality, religion, gender, monk or not for registration for the Short-term Course. Student’s genuine motivation and the interest in studying Buddhism is being taking into the account. In no way of doubt or despite on Buddhism, particularly looking into its deficiency via teaching.
  2.  Student must complete the course being chosen. 
  3.  For foreign students, the valid visa and PAP for grating into the Tibetan Settlement must be obtained from the Indian government during the period of study. 
  4.  Student must pay for the tuition and miscellaneous fees on and off. 
  5.  Student must have a well-maintained health without unusual disease (i.e. chronic and severe infectious disease).
  6.  Student must complete the basic education; the comprehension ability for relevant Buddhism courses. As well as the basic ability to understand the language being used during class. 

 

Intermediate

In addition to the above required criteria, student must equips with proficient Tibetan in reading, speaking and writing; also the ability to understand the content in text book.

Language for lecturing
It depends on student’s competence to use Tibetan, Chinese or Hindi, otherwise solely in English for the three types of the Short-term Courses. Or assistance from Translator during class.
Advance Course only adopts Tibetan.