A brief history

In compliance to the wishes of His Holiness the Dalal Lama a section of monks from the Buxer(West Bengal) moved to Tibetan Colony, Mundgod Taluk in 1969 and enrolled new novice monks to function as the seeds of future Buddha Dhamma. In 1970 the then Abbot Ven. Lobsang Choephel and other senior monks of the Sangha founded the present school with 22 students. They were taught to read, write and recite the sutras only. Gradually they were introduced to the “Takhta and Kalam” (wooden board and bamboo ink pens) for calligraphy, spellings, grammar and poetry. Then in 1975, Ven. Zemed Rinpoche, the Abbot and the learned scholars from Varanasi framed the curriculum which was approved by Ven. Trijang Rinpoche ( the junior Tutor of H.H. the Dalai Lama) and Ven. Zong Rinpoche. This included Dialectics, Co- curricular, Metaphysics, Poetry, Grammar, Composition, History, Religious History, Calligraphy, Arts and Drawing, English language, Maths and Science. So the school imparted traditional as well as modern education to its students.

In due course of time the strength increased and the school grew significantly. Presently we have three sections A, B and C in kindergarten and from class 1 to 10 we have 600 students. Of these more than 60% are from the Himalayan regions such as Nepal, Spiti (H.P), Ladakh, Lahul(H.P) and Arunachal Pradesh. 30% are Tibetans and the rest are from other parts of India and Taiwan. Now the core subjects include Buddhist Dialectics, Hindi, Tibetan Language, English, Grammar, Poetry, Memorisation of Sutras and Maths. Besides students are also taught Social Science, Science, Composition, History, Religious History, Calligraphy, Arts and Computer Science.

The morning session of the school begins at 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. and then from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. is afternoon session. In the evening for K.G. to Class V there is supervised studies in different subjects for two hours in the various Khamtsens (Monastic hostels/ residence). For Class VI to X from 6.30 p.m. to 10.30 p.m. students are taught Buddhist Debate, Epistemology, Root Texts and Commentaries by the great Indian scholars such as Dignag and Dharmakirti and the Tibetan masters of the past.

After Class X the students study Prajnaparamitahrdaya Sutra for 5 years, Madhyamikakarika Sutra for 3 years, Metaphysics for 2 years and Abhidhammakarika Sutra for 2 years. In all 12 years are spent in listening, contemplating and analyzing the Buddha Dhamma. From K.G. to lower Vinaya level students spent 25 years before they graduate from the monastery and obtain Geshe Degree. To qualify for the Geshe Lharampa Degree they have to sit for the Great Gelukpa Examination- jointly conducted by the three monastic universities viz. Gaden, Drepung and Sera. This takes about 6 years and then after the Great Monlam (Prayer festival) congregation monks are finally awarded the Geshe Lharampa Degree (Doctorate in Buddhist philosophy)

Thereafter they can join either Gyutoe or Gyumed Institute of Higher Buddhist studies for 1year of Tantric studies. So in total for a comprehensive study of Buddha Dhamma it requires a minimum of 30 years.