Second Semester

SCHOOL MONDAY CO-CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES

Monday co-curricular activities are setup to provide a wider space for the students to explore their latent talents and skills. The activities are choice based. Teachers with certain individual skills are requested to be in charge of certain activities.  we pull in the resources and skill requirements of the monastery to provide opportunities for the senior students to engage in monastic skills typical to the monastery. This is actually the key focus of the Monday Co-curricular Activities in the years to come.

Currently the school offers monastic skills in making offerings, learning of ritual instruments, Calligraphy, Art and Painting, Computers, Sports, Chinese language, Yoga, Writing skill in Tibetan and English, Readers Club, Cooking skills etc. The list is fluid as activities change depending on what works and what skills the teachers bring to the school.

SCHOOL LITERARY AND CREATIVE PROGRAMS

Aside from the academic curriculum, we have provided space for students to showcase their literary and creative talents through a rangeof programs designed for them through the year. Currently the list of programs include:

The Current Programs are:

TRANSITION from SCHOOL TO HIGHER BUDDHIST STUDIES (LOBNYER)

Since the core aim of the monastery is to provide an in-depth and advanced study in Buddhism along with modern subjects and languages, as the monk students graduate from the school, it is imperative that the transition from the school to the higher Buddhist Studies is gradual and smooth. 

As can be seen from the Academic Calendar and Curriculum grid of the Higher Buddhist Studies, (Lobnyer), one needs a concentrated and continuous study for at least 24 years to complete the curriculum. The complete course include the Art of healing, Dialectics, Sanskrit, Arts and Crafts, Metaphysics and Buddhist philooshy. Of these five higher subjects, the most important are the Buddhist Philosophy and Dialectics. They are divided into five major subjects, known by their Sanskrit names Pragna Paramita, Madhyamaika – the middle path, Vinaya – the canon of monastic discipline, Abhidarma – Metaphysics, and Pramana – logic, developing mental powers and Dialectics.

Written and Oral examinations are conducted every academic year. The Academic Council sets the papers and topics for these written and oral examinations, and they are strictly enforced to ensure fairness and quality.  The final debate examinations are held twice in an academic year in the presence of the Abbot and all the Academic Council members. If they are successful in these examinations, the monks obtain the Kachen degree.

After the internal examinations are over, many senior monks also enter the external Geluk Debating and Written examinations conducted by the Central Examination Board of Gelug Monasteries in exile. This is the apex examining Board for Gelukpa monasteries. If they are successful in these examinations held during the Choetrul Monlam, they obtain the degree of Kachen Lharampa degree, which is equivalent to Ph.D. in modern education.

ACADEMIC CALENDAR for HIGHER BUDDHIST STUDIES (AS PER TIBETAN CALENDAR)

THE HIGHER BUDDHIST STUDIES CURRICULUM

MODERN SUBJECTS AND LANGUAGES

As per the vision of His Holiness the Dalai Lama for the Tibetan Monasteries in exile,  the study of relevant modern subjects and languages is introduced in the monastery in a very focused manner for the monks. This is a natural progression for the school graduates, and has been intensified in the last couple of years. The goal is to ensure that besides the core learning in Buddhist philosophy and practice, it is of utmost importance that the monks are versatile and skilled in modern subjects and languages to be in a position to be of greater service to all. Therefore, through the system of Indira Gandhi National Open University, India (IGNOU), interested monks now have the opportunity to study modern subjects of their choice. Currently we have senior monk students taking modern psychology, history, biology, commerce etc. along with study of English and Chinese.  Of course,  the study of Tibetan language is taken up by the students depending on their interest in  literature or Grammar.

CTL TANTRIC COLLEGE:

Tashi Lhunpo Tantric College was founded in Tibet in 1615 by the 4^th Panchen Lama. The College became famous throughout Tibet for the quality of its learning and practice. In 1983, The Tantric College was re-established in the Monastery in Bylakuppe. Tantra is a life-long study beginning after the student has received the KACHEN degree. The course covers Action Tantra, Performance Tantra, Yoga Tantra, and Highest Yoga Tantra, as well as the study of the Mudras or hand gestures of the deities, making of Torma cake offerings, the drawing of Mandalas in paint, in sand or carved in wood, and the art of music and melody. Each year the monks also perform the Gutor Cham (Ritual Dance) for eight days before the Tibetan New Year.

Today, regular classes on Tantric Studies are held for the senior monks every week. A very experienced and highly qualified Tantric Teacher conducts these weekly classes.