January 2008
January 21, 2008KHYENTSE FOUNDATION PARTNERS WITH RANGJUNG YESHE INSTITUTE
VIDEO DOWNLOAD. The new Khyentse-Rangjung Yeshe Institute Scholarship was announced on December 7, 2007, at a gathering of more than four hundred people at Kathmandu's Hyatt Regency to celebrate the first decade of the Rangjung Yeshe Institute (RYI). The Khyentse-Rangjung Yeshe Institute Scholarship will expand opportunities for students at RYI, one of the premiere Buddhist study programs in Asia. The December event was part of the 5th Annual Symposium on Buddhist Studies. Presentations were made by Dzongsar Khyenste Rinpoche, Chökyi Nyima Rinpoche, Dr. William Waldron, Dr. Janice Willis, Dr. John Makransky, and Dr. John Dunne.
Chökyi Nyima Rinpoche and a group of his close students formalized the Rangjung Yeshe Institute in 1997 as a year-round study program for foreign students at Rinpoche's Ka-Nying Shedrub Ling Monastery in Kathmandu, Nepal. Since then, several hundred students from more than forty nations have participated in the Institute's long-term programs in Buddhist Studies, which focus on classical Buddhist philosophy as transmitted by the Tibetan tradition, along with Buddhist languages such as Tibetan and Sanskrit.
Most of these students are able to pay for their own tuition and living expenses on their own. However others, often from Nepal, India, and Tibet, find it difficult to raise money for these expenses. RYI has addressed this issue by keeping tuition to a minimum and offering nominal financial assistance. The Khyentse-Rangjung Yeshe Institute Scholarship enables RYI to offer increased support to needy and worthy students. To be eligible for the scholarships, students will be required to show real financial need, have a solid academic record for at least one semester of prior studies at RYI, and maintain that same level of successful academic performance. In addition, students will be asked to do some kind of service, either at RYI or the larger community. This service will be arranged so that it does not interfere with the students' academic pursuits.
BUDDHIST STUDIES: A TRANSFORMED FIELD
Abstract of a paper originally prepared by Peter Skilling for the conference "Aspects of Buddhist Studies," hosted by the International Buddhist College at Penang, Malaysia in August, 2006 In the past two decades the field of Buddhist studies has changed radically. In part this is a natural result of rapid globalization--emigration, travel, and electronic communications--which has brought increased contact between Buddhist groups and Buddhist cultures around the world. But I do not intend to deal with this sweeping social change here. My interest is the availability and study of primary sources, primarily textual, but also epigraphic, archaeological, and iconographic. I will limit myself primarily to Indian and Indic Buddhism--that of South and Southeast Asia, but the radical change of which I speak extends to all fields of the academic study of Buddhism, including Tibet, Central Asia, and China, Korea, Japan, and Vietnam. Primary sources that have been published in recent decades have changed the map of Buddhist studies. The Gandhari manuscripts--by far the oldest Buddhist manuscripts extant--have revealed the textual traditions of the Northwest, perhaps of the Dharmaguptaka school. Newly identified texts have given access to the Sammitiya or Pudgalavadin tradition. The Dirghagama from Gilgit offers a rich collection of Sarvastivadin sutras. Studies of the Pali literature of Siam, where several hundred Pali texts remain in manuscript, unstudied and unedited, show that the study of Pali is by no means a closed book. The Schoyen manuscripts have revealed new forms of Buddhist Sanskrit and have given us precious fragments of Indian texts hitherto known only from translations. Sanskrit manuscripts from Tibet have begun to be published, including a complete Vimalakirtinirdesa. Numerous new inscriptions and artefacts from South and Southeast Asia have been discovered, and new Buddhist sites continue to be excavated in India and elsewhere. Careful text editions, new translations, new studies, have all advanced our knowledge. The publication of numerous vernacular texts, especially in Siam, offers rich new resources for the study of narrative and ritual. New lexicographic and electronic tools have made research both easier and more demanding. Most of the advances I have mentioned belong to the realm of the specialist. The textbooks and histories for the student of religion or the general public have lagged far behind, and even the monumental works of the past, such as Lamotte's "History of Indian Buddhism," are seriously out of date. Many of the received truths and fundamental categories of the past can no longer be sustained, and the very history of Buddhism needs reformulation. The challenge we face is to continue to study primary sources, but at the same time present the results of our research in an accessible form, all the while subjecting our presuppostions and categories to a constant critique. And this must be tempered by an awareness of how little we know - and how much there is to learn.
Peter Skilling is a Fellow of the Lumbini International Research Institute (Lumbini, Nepal) and a Special Lecturer at Chulalongkorn University (Bangkok, Thailand). He is founder of the Fragile Palm Leaves Foundation (Bangkok), a project dedicated to the preservation, study, and publication of the Buddhist literature of Southeast Asia.
KF INITIATES MAJOR SURVEY ON BUDDHIST STUDIES
A Groundbreaking New Program to Uncover the Potential of Buddhist Studies Programs
One of Khyentse Foundation's primary aims is to promote the development of Buddhist Studies in major academic institutions throughout the world, particularly at institutions where support will create a "critical mass" of scholarly activity. By providing support in the form of endowed chairs such as the one at UC Berkeley, the Foundation hopes to inspire others to help strengthen or restart an important tradition of study in academic institutions, especially in countries with a strong Buddhist heritage, such as Indonesia, Afghanistan, India, Cambodia, and others.
To this end, an exploratory committee has been formed to gather the information necessary to assess the state of Buddhist Studies in the world today and to evaluate which programs might most benefit from support by KF and other like-minded organizations. A major objective of the survey is to identify important gaps in existing Buddhist Studies programs, in order to ascertain whether KF can effectively help fill those gaps. The committee includes Gene Smith, founder of the Tibetan Buddhist Resource Center; Peter Skilling, founder of the Fragile Palm Leaves Foundation; and Khyentse Foundation advisors Richard Dixey and Steven Goodman.
The research team, which includes Isaiah Seret, Lynn Hoberg, Brian Mahanay, and Cangioli Che, has already embarked on identifying the top religious studies departments and the most-published Buddhist Studies professors. They've begun to compile a list of universities that give master's degrees in Buddhist Studies, as well as a list of recipients of those degrees over the past ten years. They are in the process of designing a questionnaire that volunteers worldwide can use to gather the necessary information.
If you are interested in helping to research universities, especially in Europe and Australia, please contact Isaiah Seret.
Download our project outline to learn more about this survey initiative. We welcome your feedback.
TAIWAN GROUP EXPANDS SERVICES TO CHAUNTRA INSTITUTE
Report from Choeying Lhamo, President of Choskyi Jungne Buddhist Center in Taiwan (正法源學佛院)
A group of medical volunteers, under the auspices of the Choskyi Jungne Buddhist Center in Taiwan, made their second visit of the year to the Dzongsar Khyentse Chökyi Lodrö Institute in Chauntra, India in late summer. The group, 29 people in all, included dentists, ear, nose, and throat (ENT) doctors, Chinese medical doctors, physical therapists, nurses, water and electrical engineers, kitchen instructors, and family members who worked as assistants.
Compared to our visit in March, 2007, many fewer monk-students sought dental treatment. The dentists concluded that this was the result of the treatment that they received during our last visit, and also because they were taught the correct way of brushing their teeth and using dental floss.
The ENT doctor discovered that many of the monk-students used their fingernails to dig into their ears, causing damage and infections. Also, the students debate sutra in the evenings. Their long debates and loud voices can damage their vocal cords. If they catch cold and develop a sore throat, recovery can take a long time.
The Chinese medical doctor commented that the students' physical condition had also improved a great deal. He was especially pleased to see the students diligently practicing Chinese exercises (切腹功) in the big hall before breakfast.
The physical therapist provided great relief to those suffering from stiff neck and shoulders, back pain, and knee and foot injuries.
Based on our previous experience, we had arranged for plenty of supplies this time, including medical equipment and instruments, medicines, and even health food to meet the needs of the students at the Institute, as well as neighboring monks and lay people.
With the help of a Ph.D. in electrical engineering from Taiwan University and a very experienced water and electrical engineer, an important project was finished: a big water filtering machine was installed at the entrance to the canteen, which filters out all the bacteria, heavy metals, and other harmful impurities in the water. Hopefully this installation will improve the health of the students by minimizing stomach and intestinal infections, hepatitis, gall stones, kidney infections and kidney stones, and so on.
We also examined the students' meals as well as their eating habits, and we discovered that their meals were not nutritionally balanced, not appetizing, and seemed boring. Therefore the students took a lot of food on their plates because they were hungry, but most of it ended up in the trash can. After discussion with the Khenpos, it was decided to hire a more experienced chef at a higher salary to prepare delicious and nutritious food for the students. Talks were given on the concept of not wasting food, as well as on cherishing one's blessings, and we heard that big improvements have already been made.
Constructive suggestions were also made about other environmental issues, such as methods of garbage disposal and how to maintain the cleanliness and orderliness of the public areas--gardens, common spaces, bathrooms, and dorm rooms.
Considering the small size of our group, huge efforts were contributed during this visit. The group members made additional pledges to donate a basketball court for the school, a bean curd machine, and more water filtering machines.
Khenpo Kunga Wangchuk showed his appreciation and gratitude for the medical group's donations and work by performing a Green Tara initiation for us, with scarves for souvenirs.
(Translated into English by Florence Yeh.)
To read about the March, 2007 visit of the medical group to the Institute, see "Taiwanese Sponsors Support Health Care at DKCL Institute"
MONKS CONTINUE ENGLISH PROGRAM AT DKCL INSTITUTE
An update by Pema Maya
The students in the Dzongsar Khyentse Chökyi Lodrö Institute English classes are coming to the end of their second year in the programme. Ninety students are enrolled in four different classes, ranging from Beginner to Intermediate levels.
While the Class 1 Beginners progressed from the alphabet to simple conversational English, Class 2 are learning the fundamentals of grammar. Class 3 is a Pre-Intermediate skills-based course. Up-to-date learning materials and styles are used to extend listening, reading, speaking, and writing skills. In addition, students are issued graded readers with CDs for self-study reading and listening practice. Topics based on the readers are discussed in class--one covered this year was the "conflict diamond" trade, and the reading and discussion were followed by activities connected with the film Blood Diamonds (the monks are still imitating Solomon and Danny Archer).
KHYENTSE FOUNDATION LONG-TERM POLICY ON ENDOWED CHAIRS
In October, 2007, on the recommendation of KF advisors Gene Smith, Steven Goodman, and Richard Dixey, the Foundation adopted a five-point long-term policy on promoting endowed chairs:
1) A major aim of Khyentse Foundation is to promote the development of Buddhist Studies in major academic institutions.
2) For such an initiative to bear fruit, it is important to promote centers of excellence where the support of the Foundation will give a "critical mass" of scholarly and academic activity in any particular institution or restart an important tradition of study in institutions where it has been lost.
3) To be considered, institutions should be able to demonstrate a willingness and knowledge and track record of working with the "living traditions" of Buddhism.
4) To identify such institutions, it is suggested that the Foundation sponsor a research effort to catalog all major academic centers that offer or promote Buddhist Studies, according to criteria that align with points 1, 2 and 3.
5) The Foundation should then rank these institutions and consider solicitation of donations toward the establishment of endowed senior lectureships as well as endowed professorial positions at those academic institutions that meet KF standards and criteria for such funding.
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