FROM HERE TO ENLIGHTENMENT: EDUCATING SENTIENT BEINGS

By Geshe Tashi Tsering

It might be helpful to share with FPMT members and particularly Tibetan teachers in FPMT centers around the world what I saw, learned and discussed during the education conference in the presence of the great spiritual master, Lama Zopa Rinpoche and 100 delegates.

There was a very clear indication that everyone was extremely enthusiastic about improving the spiritual education at many different levels. Moreover, there was a strong feeling that Buddhadharma is benefiting many beings in the world, particularly in the West. However, because of the complexity of the subjects, the diversity of cultures and the relatively short time that the Buddhadharma has been in the West, it is probably too early to say that Dharma, particularly Tibetan Buddhism, is completely established here.

One of the main challenges at the meeting was how to teach Buddhadharma to people from different backgrounds and cultures without losing any of the essence of the teachings. In fact this challenge is common even in ordinary education. The immediate answer from the conference was to setup appropriate teacher training programs: people with knowledge of others’ mental dispositions, backgrounds and languages should be given spiritual education, that is, Buddhist teachings.

Implementing this solution through an organization is not that simple, however. It requires committed students with the right motivation, teachers, texts, public support and time – and very good communication between teachers and students. Although I would very much like to see this teacher training happen in 1998 – as was decided at the conference – I have doubts about those minimum requirements. I also feel that there is a great lack of communication between the FPMT education office and Tibetan teachers within the centers.

Even though we still don’t have such a program, there are however several great Western teachers whom I met at the conference, such as Ven. Gelong Thubten Gyatso (Adrian Feldmann), Ven. Gelongma Sangye Khadro (Kathleen McDonald) and others who have excellent understanding of Buddhadharma and deep levels of experience as well as very skillful means to teach others.

Quite a number of centers reported that resident Tibetan teachers’ classes were not very successful, even though it was not very clear whether the definition of “successful” was in terms of numbers or benefit. Nevertheless, this discussion showed that there is great concern over the teaching styles, skills, and the supporting of the centers.

I also got the feeling that Tibetan teachers are not paying attention to what students need, and that there is a lack of communication between teachers and center workers and members. It seems that the Tibetan teachers have to consider these needs and to improve their teaching styles and skills.

There is also a clear indication that the center directors, spiritual coordinators and members are not telling the Tibetan teachers the things that don’t work and that create problems in the center. I strongly believe that this is their responsibility, and the Tibetan teachers have to listen, think and put it into action. As a result, each complains behind the other’s back.

I feel that the conference was successful in terms of improving the spiritual education in the centers, reducing the lack of communication between the Tibetan teachers and Western students, and sharing Western Dharma teachers’ teaching styles and skills with Tibetan teachers in the West.

Unfortunately, the Tibetan teachers hardly participated because of financial difficulties in the centers. I have raised this concern several times, that Tibetan teachers do not have the chance to participate in this kind of meeting. At least they should be able to listen to the centers’ reports of what they have done and what they would like to do in the future. I realize that the centers are facing financial problems, but this difficulty will be there forever as far as I can see. I suggested that it could be very useful if the centers put effort into giving their Tibetan teachers this opportunity at least once every three years. But sadly there was not a positive response, except on the final day when Lama Zopa Rinpoche suggested that in the future it would be useful if the young geshes joined education conferences.

There is no doubt that with the guidance of the spiritual master Lama Thubten Zopa Rinpoche the FPMT organization enormously benefits numberless beings all over the world. There is also clear indication that this organization will help countless beings to raise their spiritual awareness and eventually eliminate the root of their problems. However, in order to benefit the depth and completion of the Buddhadharma in general and in particular for Tibetan Buddhism to benefit numberless beings through the work of this organization, there ought to be good communication among the Buddhist teachers who come from different backgrounds.

Geshe Tashi Tsering (Lhundup Palber), a graduate of Sera Me Monastery, is resident teacher at Jamyang Buddhist Centre, London.