Program Course

The program primarily involves the in-depth study of the Five Main Treatises:

1. Valid Cognition (Pramana) t shad-ma / tsenma (Tibetan term)
2. Perfection of Wisdom Studies (Prajnaparamita) phar-byin /pharchin (Tibetan term)
3. Middle Way (Madhyamika) dbu ma / Uma (Tibetan term)
4. Monastic Discipline (Vinaya) 'dul pa / dulwa (Tibetan term)
5. Phenomenology (Ahbidharma) mdzod / Zod (Tibetan term)

These courses are conducted in the form of debate, memorization, oral commentary and explanation, prayers, abiding in monastic discipline, meditation and observing the inherent monastic culture of loving kindness, compassion, wisdom and the pursuit of ultimate reality.

Developments:

Currently we have nine different class levels. The nuns in our three senior classes have completed a study program of more than 17 years.

In 2016, six senior nuns continued with an extra four years of study. They made history by becoming the first Tibetan Buddhist women to successfully pass the entire exam for a degree that awards Geshe status. Their success fulfils a longstanding wish of His Holiness the Dalai Lama and marks a new chapter in the development of education for Buddhist nuns and represents a major accomplishment for all Tibetan Buddhist women.

This way of graduating as a Geshe-ma is equivalent to a PhD in modern academia. We think this encourages young nuns to study hard and gives them something to strive for. We are very grateful for the kind support we have received from individual donors and volunteers from around the world which has enabled them to do so. In 2022, 10 nuns from our Institute will participate in the PhD Geshe-ma exam. We are very proud that our nuns have continued to take up such a demanding challenge.