1-7 March 2013 –Vajra Vidhya Institute, Sarnath.
One of the 17th Gyalwang Karmapa’s core interests has long been to revive the “Thongwa Gyue-pe Chaglen” (unbroken ritual practice) and to modernize the education available to all Karma Kagyu monks and nuns. With this goal in mind, the Gyalwang Karmapa has this week been chairing a weeklong ‘Workshop on Monastic Education’ at the Vajra Vidya Institute. Key persons who are attending the discussions, including His Eminence Kyabje Goshir Gyaltsab Rinpoche, who has travelled to Sarnath especially for the Workshop, as well as Khenchen Thrangu Rinpoche. Chant-masters(Umze), Discipline-masters(Choetrimpa) and Ritual-masters(Chopon) mainly from Rumtek Monastery.
The discussions are aimed at improving all stages of the monastic education system, from the earliest level right through to Shedra (university) level. One of the key ideas being explored is to add several modern subjects into the curriculum, such as Science and English language, in order to give monastics a more rounded education. The Workshop participants are also considering ways of combining the traditional strands of Shedra (university-level study), with Drupdra (ritual practice), so that individual monks may more easily benefit from both these specializations.
