This year’s three-month “Intensive English Language Course for Geshes and Khenpos” started from March 13 at Ahimsa House. 13 students from various Buddhist institutions are participating in this program. The course is divided into three sections – Vocabulary and Grammar, Listening and Writing and Reading and Speaking – it is being taught by Ms Cynthia McGowan, Ms Maree Callaway and Mr Kalsang Tsetan. Ms Cynthia McGowan has been a long-term volunteer teacher at our institution and also taught the second batch of this program last year. Ms Maree Callaway is from Australia and has been an English teacher for over 25 years. Mr Kalsang Tsetan has over 4 years of teaching experience in various Tibetan schools in India.

The aim of the programme is to support monks and nuns who wish to share their knowledge, learned over many years, in the Nalanda tradition of Buddhism to a wider audience. Despite there being a number of monks who have a doctorate in Tibetan Buddhist philosophy, the language barrier has been the biggest challenge facing those who want to teach. His Holiness the Dalai Lama has always advised that studying the Nalanda tradition of Buddhist philosophy will be helpful towards eradicating many of the problems being faced in the 21st century.

*Geshe or Geshema for women and Khenpo, is equivalent to a Doctorate in Tibetan Buddhist philosophy and is the highest level of training in Tibetan Buddhism.