Theme: Education in the FPMT
From Mandala October 1990:
PLANNING FOR THE FUTURE
In February of this year, a proposal for an overall curricular structure for the teaching programs in the FPMT centers was distributed. For those of you who have not seen or read this proposal I describe it for you here. If you are interested in being educated in the Dharma or in educating others, then you might just want to take a look. To see a complete copy you should ask your nearest center director, spiritual program coordinator or FPMT Board member.
The purposes of the proposal are firstly to clarify a coherent structure for the presentation of the teachings in the FPMT and secondly to make the education programs in the centers more homogeneous. This is also a way to incorporate the special FPMT characteristics across the whole of the FPMT.
The curriculum proposal was created from materials I found in my research of the archives of the Foundation. I found transcripts of advice given by His Holiness the Dalai Lama, Lama Yeshe, Lama Zopa Rinpoche and Geshe Jampa Gyatso. I also attended the biannual European Regional Director’s meeting and the “Educators’ Meeting” which preceded it in November of last year. I consulted with many of our teachers, spiritual program coordinators, directors, board members and students.
The result was a 107-page document which shares information, makes proposals, presents bibliographies and suggestions for spiritual education programming, explores alternatives and poses questions, all in the light of Lama Yeshe’s extraordinary vast vision of offering the wisdom of the Dharma to mankind.
A far reaching vision
Lama Thubten Yeshe dedicated his life to founding an organization whose purpose is to preserve the Mahayana tradition. When asked how long our FPMT centers should last, Lama Yeshe replied: “Until Maitreya Buddha comes, dear!” To do this we shall need to provide education and experience in Buddhism to the masses according to their needs. We also need to offer that very deep specialized training to ensure that there will be lineage holders in the years to come who will be able to continue to pass down the Buddha’s teaching and experience. All this depends on a clear and well organized education structure. We must make sure that our purpose is clearly reflected in our education programming.
A special FPMT approach to education
One of the key elements in Lama Yeshe’s special style of Dharma teaching was his ability to unite the profound philosophical truths of Buddhism with the immediate relevance of daily practice. This has been the hallmark of FPMT and which has attracted many individuals to become part of FPMT centers and we must see how we can cultivate this quality through techniques and programming.
“The point of studying the philosophy of Buddhism is to use this knowledge to root out the false notion of concrete I or ego. If knowledge is not digested, only intellectual, this is not possible. It is beneficial to study the philosophies of Buddhism. Some, like Madhyamika, are very difficult to grasp, even intellectually, but if you don’t then use the information to change, to touch your heart, then it is a waste of time. If one has the knowledge of various religions, philosophies, etc. but does not let this soak into one’s consciousness, if one’s heart is untouched by wisdom, then one is just like an empty biscuit tin: dry and noisy.” Lama Yeshe 1981
International network
As of this date there are 58 FPMT centers worldwide. City centers and rural centers, communities and institutes of higher studies, monasteries, retreat centers, healing centers – an incredible array of resources and facilities supporting the complete practice of the graduated path to enlightenment. There are many advantages to such an international organization and it is our responsibility to maximize them. For example, as we embark on the large task of creating the supporting materials for our curriculum, as soon as new material is produced it immediately fits into the resource of all the centers.
A gradual path of Dharma education
This overall curricular plan consists of 5 stages of study:
- The Introductory Program
- The General Studies Program
- The Masters Program
- The Geshe Training Program
- The Tantric Studies Program
(Because of the limited space available in these pages we have shown only the next level of detail in the Masters Program; see box [below].)
A proposal for the future
This curriculum proposal outlines our approach to teaching the Dharma from the moment an interested individual first walks in the door of an FPMT center, knowing nothing about Mahayana Buddhism, until that same individual wishes to progress to more advanced teachings in logic, meditation and tantric practices.
The proposal was compiled for the entire Foundation, a possible basis for a worldwide, coordinated approach to Dharma education and thereby to the transmission of the Mahayana Buddhist lineages to future generations. The most recent development is that the FMPT Board agreed in March of this year that an educational development center should be set up, a director appointed, a location found and monies raised for this work.
MASTER’S DEGREE IN BUDDHIST STUDIES AT ISTITUTO LAMA TSONG KHAPA
Lama Tzong Khapa Institute, founded officially in 1977 is the earliest and largest of the Italian Tibetan Buddhist centers in the Tibetan tradition. Situated in the village of Pomaia among the rolling hills of Tuscany and overlooking the blue Tyrrhenian Sea, it is half an hour from the ancient city of Pisa, which has the closest international airport.
A large country villa is home for an international community of 30, with a number of monks and nuns. Many of the institute staff and students reside in the surrounding villages, with the institute becoming an increasingly accepted and respected part of the local scene.
A rich program of events draws thousands of visitors every year, with courses held during most weekends, on a variety of disciplines, beside Buddhism, which include educations, psychology and yoga. There are guided study and meditation retreats and facilities for individuals to engage in their own personal retreats.
Education program
In autumn 1983, the institute embarked on a major new education program allowing intensive study over a period of years. The program gives Westerners access to oral teachings on several major texts which were traditionally used in Tibetan monastic universities. These are taught by Ven. Geshe Jampa Gyatso, who has been the resident teacher since 1981.
This is a rare opportunity as only a fraction of the Buddhist literature is available in Western languages and sound understanding requires an oral commentary and instructions from qualified teachers. ILTK is one of the few centers in the West that offers a suitable level of instruction equipping students to gain meditational realizations and teach to others. Many students attend lectures and many also are following correspondence courses.
In Lama Yeshe’s design for the program, a core curriculum of seven subjects, encompassing both sutra and tantra, culminates in the degree of Master of Buddhist philosophy and meditation. Based on the great Indian and Tibetan Mahayana texts, each course involves as many as 200 lectures over a period of 12 to 18 months at the institute. Students are awarded certificates for successful examinations in each subject and will be entitled to the Master degree upon completing the whole program.
Certification
Certification will be given upon successful completion of examination. One can freely choose individual subjects or complete the entire program for the Master degree. Invigilation for examination can be arranged at the ILTK or with an FPMT geshe as close as possible to the student location. It is hoped the institute’s courses will eventually be formally recognized by the Western academic community.
1990/91 Study Program
Studies Resume
In October 1990, after the comeback of the diaspora caused by the EEC3 and by the usual summer break, the studies program will start once again, taught by Geshe Jampa Gyatso, with the assistance of Acharya Ngawang Lodro and of Gelong George Churinoff. The Master’s Degree program which started in 1983 is now entering the study of the Abhidharmakosa, by Vasubandhu, integrated with that of the first chapter of the Great Exposition of Secret Mantra by Je Tsong Khapa. This section of the program will last for about one and a half years.
The first month of the program will be spent teaching the last pages of Madhyamakavatara, by Chandrakirti, interrupted earlier this year by the absence of both George and the translator. The section is an explanation of the benefits of the ten bodhisattva grounds, plus a very detailed exposition of an enlightened being’s qualities. This subject is a unit which can also be studied by itself.
The study of Abhidharmakosa will commence straight after the completion of the Madhyamakavatara, and will be taught following three commentaries, the self-commentary, the Chimzu commentary, and the commentary of the First Dalai Lama.
Structure of the course
Classes are integrated with debate sessions and are held five times a week for one and a half hours each. There will be an examination on all subjects studied.
Simultaneously, Geshe Jampa Gyatso will teach twice a week, on the first chapter of Lama Tsong Khapa’s text, which offers a general yet quite deep exposition of the tantric path.
For the benefit of new students it will be possible to hold introductory classes on the meditations of the graded path and on the basic texts of dura and lorig although most of the latter is also presented within the Abhidharmakosa itself.
To follow the program, you have various options:
1) Resident for the full duration of the text. For these students there will be a special fee agreement, especially for members of any other FPMT center.
2) Resident for a specific chapter of the text. Here the agreement will vary depending on the length of period of stay.
3) Non-resident student (not receiving full board but coming only for the classes, and maybe meals.)
4) Correspondence student. You will receive tapes and written material (outlines, translations, sets of questions to prepare for exams, bibliographies, etc.), and will participate in specially-organized debate sessions and examinations.
This system has been devised to give to the largest number of people, in Italy and abroad, the opportunity to follow a very rare complete course of study which, in Europe, is offered only at Nalanda Monastery in France.
So far among the FPMT centers, ILTK is the only center to offer lay students such scholarly training, similar to that taught at the major Tibetan monastic universities.
The oral teaching and all recorded and written material is in three languages: Tibetan, English, and Italian
EDUCATION RESOUCRE CENTER
When Lama Yeshe met with some of his students in Santa Cruz in June of 1983 he said the following:
“We should try to buy a place to locate Universal Education so the project can start: a working office, organizing, planning, generating, conferences and producing materials. At the same time, in order to make money, we can make a convention center where business people can come for retreat. That money we need for education purposes. We are not reaching immediately to start a school because actually universal education is not existing yet. In the future we can make a teacher training center and also start a school.
We should choose something practical with the possibility of making money. By implementing, we will see if it is the right place and if not, we can sell it and buy another place.
But now we have to be settled someplace. It is very important. We cannot be like yo-yo. Since we have a worthwhile project, we need a place where people can recognize what we are. We have to show people that we know clean clear what we are doing. By having the place, we are functioning and people develop confidence.
When we have a place, we vibrate. If we don’t have a place, we do not attract universal vibration.
The place would be the main universal education office. All the material would be there, and writing and designing books would happen there. Also, when we aren’t using the place to make money, we could hold meditation courses.
“What brings ice into the boiling water of the disturbed mind is lam-rim.” – Lama Yeshe
Tags: fpmt education, fpmt history