You want to dive into the philosophy of Buddha and understand it in its depth?
The essence of the entire treasure of knowledge of the great Nalanda masters is passed on in Tibet in the form of the four schools: Vaibhāsika, Sautrāntika, Yogācāra and Madhyamika.
- What is reality?
- Is there an external reality independent of the mind?
- What is enlightenment?
If questions like these interest you, then this course is for you!
The Diploma Course Buddhist Philosophy follows the Diploma Course Buddhist Religion. It is designed for those who wish to engage in a profound way with the essence of Buddhist wisdom and study the Indo-Tibetan Buddhist schools.
Participation requirement: Diploma Course Buddhist Religion »
This online course starts in 2023! To receive all details about this upcoming course
join our mailing list here »
The Diploma Course Buddhist Philosophy
is as comprehensive as it is compact and includes – among other topics – the profound depictions of emptiness in the various Buddhist schools. It is suitable for you,
- if you want to learn how the reality of living beings and objects actually exists from the point of view of Buddhism,
- if you are a practicing Buddhist – no matter what tradition – and you want to put your practice on a solid foundation.
Your main teacher will be the Ven. Geshe TenDhar, who has taught the course, alongside other experienced and qualified teachers, since 2010. Please be aware that the course language is partly Tibetan with German translation and partly German.
Participation requirement: Diploma Course Buddhist Religion »
How does online study work?
You will receive personal access to our online area after you register and can then study the audios, videos and comprehensive study materials in your own time. If needed, there are additional live online meetings for questions & answers.
Technical Requirements
To participate in the course, all you need is a computer, an internet connection, and a word processing program (Word, RTF…) for homework. If you don’t want to do homework, no problem, then you only need a computer or tablet and an internet connection.
The online area with videos and audios will be available for another 6 months after the end of the last module.
This online course starts in 2023! To receive all details about this upcoming course
join our mailing list here »
What to expect – the Course Details
“Studying, reflecting, meditating” — these three activities form the backbone of authentic Buddhism, and this is how we’ll approach this integrative course on Buddhist Philosophy. You should leave this course with not only the theoretical knowledge of “what Buddhism is,” but also the practical knowledge of “how Buddhism works” — along with an ability to use those lessons in your daily life.
Upon completion of all modules and positive evaluation of at least 80% of the homework, you will receive a certificate of participation and are admitted to the final examination.
Students who pass the exam will receive a certificate issued jointly by Tibet Center Austria and CIHTS (Central Institute of Tibetan Studies, Varanasi, India).
Part 1: Indo-Tibetan Schools of Sutra and Great Exposition
In the first part we delve deeply into the “Sutra” school (Scripturalism, Skt. Sautrāntika) and the “Great Exposition” school (Realism, Skt. Vaibhāṣika) of the Indo-Tibetan tradition.
Teil 2: Indo-Tibetan Schools of Mind-Only & Middle Way
We consider in detail two schools found within the traditional Indo-Tibetan tradition: the “Mind-Only” school (Idealism, Skt. Cittamātra) and the Middle-Way school (Skt. Mādhyamika).
Our goal is to discuss the similarities and differences of these philosophies. In particular, we will investigate these systems with respect to their “ground, path, and result”…
We will add more details soon!
Final Exam · 2023
This online course starts in 2023! To receive all details about this upcoming course
join our mailing list here »
A Note on Secular Education
TCA follows H.H. the Dalai Lama’s lead in defining “secular” education as ethics and education based on the range of humanist philosophy and spiritual traditions found worldwide. Courses at TCA are taught independent of Buddhist faith and religion, and are open to anyone and everyone, no matter their background or religious affiliation. The intention of the course is to give students new perspectives on our common human experience by presenting authentic Buddhist knowledge.
History
The study program of Buddhist Philosophy is inspired by the vision of His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama, whose wish is to further modernize & secularize the cultural knowledge & heritage of the Indo-Tibetan Nalanda tradition. The curriculum, developed in collaboration with CUTS in Varanasi by Ven. Geshe TenDhar, is based on this tradition, which is held by many Buddhists to be a living, un-broken lineage stretching back to the historical Buddha himself.
There are still open questions? We will be happy to answer them! Phone +43 (0) 664 85 37 523 or office@tibetcenter.at.