Introduction

General Information

The Basic Program has been specifically designed by Lama Zopa Rinpoche to provide a balanced approach to the combination of academic education and the practice of meditation that characterize the Gelug tradition of Tibetan Buddhism, making the study and understanding of the philosophical subjects of immediate and practical benefit. The Basic Program has been structured around a schedule of teachings, review classes, and discussion groups alternated with meditation retreats so as to encourage the integration of the teachings into one’s practice with a view to gaining a personal experience of them.

"Those who are going to focus on studying, engaging in intensive study, should put all their effort, all their strength, into doing the studies, and they should have the aim of engaging in very high quality study. In general, when someone tries to find out if a gompa or monastery is a good monastery or a not-so-good monastery, he will not make this judgment on the basis of whether this monastery is rich or wealthy, but rather, he will judge it on the basis of whether the studies are going well, if the studies at that monastery are of high quality. So, we should have and protect this vision that in the future this place will be labelled or called the University of Nalanda. In Tibetan Buddhism study is regarded as very important in order to understand reality. This is especially emphasized in the Gelug tradition. At Nalanda we focus on studying key Buddhist texts and integrating our studies with actual experience."

- Geshe Lobsang Jamphal, Abbot

Why Study the FPMT Basic Program?

Important Points about Nalanda’s Five-Year Program

It is a five-year full-time (2008-2012) comprehensive course of study, discussion, meditation and retreat based upon sutra and tantra texts traditionally studied in the Tibetan Buddhist Gelug tradition.

The program will be taught mainly by Geshe Lobsang Jamphal. He is a Geshe of the highest degree, which he received from Sera Jay Monastic University in Southern India. He has been the resident teacher at Nalanda for several years and is a pure and inspiring example to Nalanda’s monastic community. He has a wonderful ability to put the teachings in a way that Western students can easily relate to. The teachings will be given in Tibetan, with English translation by Ven. Sonam Tarchin. French and Spanish translation will also be available.

Review classes, discussions, guided meditations and retreats will be facilitated by the Western teaching assistant, Ven. Fedor.

Once the Study Program has started, new students will be accepted at the beginning of each subject.

For the subjects to be studied, click here.

For the 5-year schedule and weekly schedule click here.

For monks who want to be more orientated to service, it will be possible to follow the teachings complemented by offering service instead of attending the review classes, discussions, and meditations.

The program will be structured around one week of teachings followed by a week structured around discussion and meditation.

The program will conclude with a review period in preparation for the final exam and a three-month Lamrim retreat.

On completion, full-time students will have the necessary foundation to apply for FPMT selection as teaching assistants and Dharma teachers, based on their academic understanding, meditation experience, and exemplary behavior.

As a full-time residential program in a monastic setting, Nalanda will be able to offer a unique approach to study and meditation to both Western monastics and committed lay practitioners.

This program is ideally suited for those who consider ordination as a life-long commitment. The focused approach of a five-year full-time residential study program will give students the opportunity to begin and integrate practice into their lives rather than on just an intellectual level.

On the Importance of Integrating Study and Practice:

"In order to preserve the entire teachings of the Buddha we need centers with established study programs, to preserve not only the words but also the experience, and produce qualified teachers with deep understanding of Buddha’s extensive teachings so that we can continuously benefit other sentient beings. We have not put so much energy into this, but we need to encourage more people, put more effort into this area".

- Lama Zopa Rinpoche, Spiritual Director of The FPMT