Education Programs
Children and Young Adults
At Khyentse Foundation's inception, Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche shared his long-term goal of establishing international, nondenominational schools for children, particularly second-generation Buddhists, with curricula based on Buddhist principles. Such schools will serve as the basis for a new model of education, based on the principles of compassion and nonviolence, coupled with academic excellence. The Australian sangha has made great progress with their pilot project, in Lismore, Australia. The Foundation is also exploring new ways to introduce Buddhist studies, such as creating “Sunday school” education models, youth programs, and parent-child camps. Associates in Brazil and Germany are working with government agencies to create Buddhist courses for public school systems.Deer Park
In 2004, Dzongsar Institute moved from Bir, India, to nearby Chauntra and was renamed Dzongsar Khyentse Chökyi Lodrö Institute. The old facilities in Bir were left empty but not abandoned. Since then, Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche has realized his vision of turning the old institute into a place where nonmonastics, especially Indian and western students, can come to study and explore classical Buddhist traditions. Rinpoche named the new school Deer Park Institute, referring to the place in Sarnath where the Buddha first taught. On March 31, 2006, Rinpoche inaugurated Deer Park Institute in Bir with a 5-day teaching on The Sutra of Recollection of the Noble Three Jewels.In keeping with the ecumenical tradition (rimé in Tibetan) upon which the original Dzongsar Institute in Tibet was founded, the courses at Deer Park are taught by masters from all traditions of Buddhism, including the Zen and Shravakayana traditions of Japan, Thailand, Burma, and elsewhere. Rinpoche wishes for Deer Park to become a modern Nalanda University, where scholars, bhikshus, and lay people applied themselves to the study of Buddhadharma. Although the scale of Deer Park is much smaller than that of the original Nalanda, the mission is just as grand—to keep these wisdom traditions alive and accessible to all who are interested. With the proper resources and the already apparent interest, Deer Park has the potential to do just that, in true Nalanda tradition.
Courses will be offered on philosophical texts, commentaries, and other essential teachings, as well as classical languages, culture, aesthetics, literature, history, and poetry, and will vary in length to accommodate the schedules of people from all walks of life. The primary language of instruction will be English.
