Students will be taught to read classical written Tibetan using an elementary textbook of Drepung monastic university that concerns fundamental issues in Buddhist philosophy. They will also learn how to debate the concepts in English, following a very rigorous method of dialectical exchange that has been developed to a high degree of sophistication by Tibetan monks of the Gelukpa order. Topics may include the Buddhist analysis of the human condition, the nature of the spiritual path, the development of compassion, and the removal of false conceptions preventing enlightenment. A core text for this course will be the Great Exposition of the Stages of the Path by the 14th century scholar Tsongkhapa. The first volume of the English translation of Great Exposition has just been released after nearly a decade of work by TBLC staff and outside scholars, including Prof. Cozort.
Rooms are double occupancy and very simple.
Students will need to bring their own bedding and towels. As summer residents of TBLC, students will be expected to participate in the Learning Center's daily activities and abide by its rules. TBLC holds daily meditation sessions. Students will not be required to participate in the practice, but they will be welcome to do so. Part of the instruction in the courses will concern the meaning and procedure of the practice.