Educational Program

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The Monastery that H.H. J.D. Sakya would like to build is a Buddhist educational institute as well as a Dharma practice center.  The Monastery will adopt the traditional education system used in the South Monastery. The new Sakya Monastery in India will also be named Thubten Trulpe Lha Kang Chenmo.

The curriculum of this Monastery will focus on the study of the three wisdom – study, contemplation and reflection, with emphasis on the five sciences – Buddhism (inner science), medicine, arts, logic and epistemology, and linguistics (Sanskrit).  Accomplished individuals can then carry out the three activities – explaining, debating and authoring.

The education program in the Thubten Trulpe Lha Kang Chenmo will include a retreat program as well as a study program.  The retreat program includes the three Sutrayana retreats as listed in Table 1.  These retreats are based on Sutrayana teachings and have been practiced since the time of the Lord Buddha.

 1. 
The summer retreat, Varshika 
 2. 
Fasting retreats and rituals 
3.
 
The ceremony for releasing the summer retreat rules

Table 1: Retreats at the Sakya South Monastery

The study program at the Thubten Trulpe Lha Kang Chenmo is listed below, and it requires up to 21 years of learning.  Students will start young, and will eventually obtain a Rabjampa degree (equivalent to a Master degree in Religious studies) if they successfully complete the program.  If the individual is inspired to further advanced learning, they can proceed to study at the Sakya College to obtain a Geshe degree (equivalent to PhD degree in religious study).

Year 1                  Subject

  • Trisamvara Pravedha (The Clear Differentiation of the Three Vows)

  • Pratikamosha Vinaya Sutras (Self-liberation Discourses)

  • Pramana Yuktiniti (The Treasure on the Science of Valid Cognition)

Year 2-4              Subject

  • Pramana Vartika (Commentary on Valid Cognition)

  • Abhisamaya Alamkara Nama Prajnaparamita (Ornament of Clear Realization)

  • Mahayana Sutra Alamakara (Ornament of Mahayana Discourses)

  • Dharma Dharmata Vibhanga (Clear Distinction between Phenomena and Their Reality)

  • Madhyantha Vibhanga (Clear Distinction between the Middle and the Extremes

  • Mahayana Uttara Tantra (The Sublime Continuum)

  • Madhyamika Avatara (Introduction to the Middle Way)

Year 5                  Subject

  • Prajnaparamita Commentary by Gorampa Sonam Senge

  • Illuminator of the Treasury of the Science on Valid Cognition by Gorampa

Year 6                  Subject

  • The All Good Meaning of the Words of the Commentary by Gorampa

  • Clarifying the Meaning of the Commentary by Haribhadra

Year 7-15          Subject

  • Study to make proofs through reasoning and scripture in the presence of Prajnaparamita teaching master and Valid Cognition teaching master.

  • Degree: Gajupa

Year 16              Subject

  • Illuminator of the Treasury of the Science on Valid Cognition by Gorampa

  • Prajnaparamite Commentary by Gorampa

  • Supplementary Text on the Differentiation of the Three Vows by Gorampa

Year 17              Subject

  • Further study in Prajnaparamita or Valid Cognition for one year

Year 18-21        Subject

  • Further study in Vinaya, Abhidharma, Madhyamaka and Differentiation of the Three Vows for two years.