The City
Situated slightly southeast of Nepal’s center, Kathmandu is the capital of Nepal and the largest city in the country. For centuries, the city has been a center of religious art and architecture of both Hindu and Buddhist traditions. The Center for Buddhist Studies is located in Bodhanath in the Kathmandu valley about a half hour drive from Kathmandu. Bodhanath is regarded as one of the most sacred Buddhist pilgrimage sites in South Asia because it contains one of the world’s largest and holiest reliquary mounds (“the great stupa”) where Buddhists from all over Asia come to offer ritual reverence. Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche’s monastery, where The Center for Buddhist Studies is located, is a major training facility for Tibetan monks and nuns, surrounded by Tibetan and Nepali villages. BC students have the opportunity to immerse themselves in the cultures of living Tibetan Buddhism and Nepali life. The city is renowned for the beauty of its ancient temples and city squares.
The University
Kathmandu University was established in 1991 as a nonprofit university under the auspices of the King of Nepal. Located at Dhulikhel, Kavre, it offers academic programs through six schools. The School of Arts offers a BA degree in Buddhist Studies and Himalayan Languages through its Center for Buddhist Studies.
The Program
The program focuses on in-depth study of Buddhist philosophy and literature, their relation to Buddhist practices of meditation and ritual, and rapid learning of languages both to converse with Tibetan spiritual leaders and laity and to read Buddhist texts with authority. Courses on Buddhist philosophy and literature are taught by classically trained Tibetan scholars (“Khenpos,”) supported by an internationally respected team of Tibetan- English translators. Modern perspectives on Buddhist thought, history, and culture are taught by Western scholars. Courses are taught in English or with English translation. Students are also entered into intensive study of colloquial Tibetan language.
The program is notable for being centered at one of the great monastic study centers in Nepal, Ka-Nying Shedrup Ling, run by one of the most learned Tibetan Lama Abbots: Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche. He is interested in the meeting of modern disciplines and institutions with ancient Buddhist philosophy and meditation methods. A hallmark of the Center for Buddhist Studies has been its ability to combine traditional Buddhist monastic learning with crucial aspects of modern academic scholarship. The faculty is comprised of scholars from both of these traditions, thus constituting a unique environment
of learning and expertise.
Students who spend a semester at the Center have the rare opportunity to learn classical Buddhist philosophy, theology, and languages from some of the world’s leading classically-trained Buddhist scholars as well as history and cultural studies from modern scholars in an atmosphere that welcomes modern perspectives and religious pluralism. Additional course offerings include Buddhist ritual & meditation and some translation projects. Students interested in Buddhism, comparative religion, comparative theology, and comparative philosophy come away enriched for future undergraduate or graduate studies in comparative and international disciplines.
Orientation
The Center for Buddhist Studies staff hold a formal orientation at the beginning of the semester. CBS has a full two-week program introducing living in Nepal, a brief introduction to Nepali culture and language, and a general introduction to the monastery, the Center, as well as health and security.
Academic support
BC on-site coordinator Greg Sharkey, S.J., assists students in Nepal, and keeps close contact as a mentor to students. CBS staff members are also available to offer assistance throughout the semester.
Housing
The Center for Buddhist Studies in Bodhanath places BC students with established Tibetan families nearby.
Activities
Typically, CBS arranges a trip to Bodhgaya for one week in November when Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche, the abbot of the monastery, teaches there. It is a great opportunity to visit India and a most sacred Buddhist site. CBS normally arranges for plane travel for BC students, but each student is responsible for accommodation and meals.
