Program

Rhythms of Life at Tergar Ngédön Ösel Ling

The Study Curriculum

The course of study at the monastic college consists of a thirteen-year program comprising a preparatory year followed by twelve consecutive years. Below is an overview of the curriculum from beginning to end, as it is normally followed. Occasionally minor adaptations are made.

Preparatory Year

Core class: The Common Collected Topics of Dialectics– Level 1

Ancillary classes: English; introductory Tibetan grammar and spelling

Year 1

Core class: The Common Collected Topics of Dialectics – Levels 2 and 3

Ancillary classes: English; the Tibetan grammar text called Mirror Elucidating the Difficult Points

Year 2

Core class: Cognition and Reasoning by Yongdzin Namgyal Drakpa

Ancillary classes: English; the Tibetan grammar text called The Great Commentary on Grammar and Spelling

Year 3

Core class: Dharmakirti’s Commentary on the Compendium of Valid Cognition, the chapters on one's own benefit and the benefit of others.

Ancillary classes: English; supplementary studies in Tibetan grammar and orthography

Year 4

Core class: Prajna Paramita (Perfection of Wisdom), section 1

Ancillary classes: English; supplementary studies – principally in Tibetan grammar and orthography

Year 5

Core class: Prajna Paramita (Perfection of Wisdom), sections 2-4

Ancillary classes: English; Nepali; supplementary studies – principally in Tibetan grammar and orthograpy

Year 6

Core class: Prajna Paramita (Perfection of Wisdom), sections 4-8

Ancillary classes: English; Nepali; supplementary studies – principally in Tibetan grammar and orthography

Year 7

Core class: Karmapa Mikyö Dorje's commentary on Entrance to the Middle Way

Ancillary classes: English; Tibetan grammar and poetics

Year 8

Core class: Nagarjuna’s Fundamental Treatise on the Middle Way

Ancillary classes: English; Tibetan grammar and poetics

Year 9

Core class: Karmapa Wangchuk Dorje's commentary on the Abhidharma

Ancillary classes: English; Tibetan grammar and poetics

Year 10

Core class: Dharmakirti’s Commentary on the Compendium of Valid Cognition, the chapters on direct perception and establishing validity

Ancillary classes: English; Tibetan grammar and poetics

Year 11

Core class: Mandala of the Sun: A Commentary on the Vinaya; The Sutra of Individual Liberation; and Presentation of the Essence of the Three Vows

Year 12

Core class: The Sublime Continuum of the Mahayana; The Profound Inner Meaning; and the Hevajra Tantra

The Daily Schedule

5:30-6:30 am               Rise, wash, and memorize the root verses of the great treatises.

 

6:30-7:00 am               Breakfast

 

7:00-10:00 am             Textual Study Class

 

10:00-11:30 am           Personal study, language classes, or other ancillary studies.If the textual study class requires more time,then it can use this time.

 

11:30 am-1:30 pm       Midday break

 

1:30-3:00 pm              Personal study or ancillary classes

 

3:00-3:30 pm              Tea break

 

3:30-4:30 pm              Textual Review Class

 

4:30-5:30 pm              Meditation period

 

5:30-6:15 pm              Debate in the courtyard -- first shift

 

6:15-7:00 pm              Evening collation

 

7:00-8:00 pm              Ancillary textual study class or personal study time.

 

8:00-8:30 pm              Recitation of the root verses of the great treatises

 

8:30-10:30 pm             Debate in the courtyard -- second shift or oral practice

 

11:00 pm                     Bedtime. All monks should be in bed by eleven o’clock.

The Weekly Schedule

From Friday to Wednesday, we follow the above daily schedule of classes. On Tuesday nights at 8:30 pm we alternate between a Tibetan-style debate competition and a Western-style debate/discussion.

From 4:30 pm Wednesday until Friday morning, we have our weekly break.

Monthly Events

  1. On the 8th day of the Tibetan month, all the monks shave their heads.

 

  1. On the 10th day of the Tibetan month, the entire sangha gathers for the day-long ritual of Guru Dorje Trolö.

 

  1. In the morning of the 15th day of the lunar month, the sojong ceremony is performed for repairing and purifying the monastic vows. In the afternoon, from 1:30 pm, we assemble for the middle-length Accomplishment of Enlightened Mind's Activity ritual.

 

  1. On the 29th of the Tibetan month, starting at 1:30 pm, we perform the Extensive Offerings to the Protectors' puja.

 

  1. On the 30th of the lunar month, we again gather in the morning for sojong, the ritual for restoring the monastic vows.

Yearly Events

  1. On the first day of the Tibetan new year (in February or March), we gather to make an auspicious connection by offering a mandala and representations of body, speech and mind to our lama and abbot Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche, and perform a smoke offering together.

 

  1. Beginning on the second day of the first Tibetan month, we have a yearly month-long break.

 

  1. After returning from the break, two days are dedicated to cleaning the monastery environment and preparing the classrooms. Then, to create auspicious conditions for a successful year of both practice and study, we begin by reciting the words of the Buddha (the Kangyur) for five days, and performing rituals of Tara to clear away any adversity.

 

  1. Once this is completed, the year's classes begin.

 

  1. On the fourth day of the sixth Tibetan month at 7 pm, the whole sangha gathers together in a celebratory manner and, in honour of Chökhor Düchen, monks offer Dharma teachings, engage in debate, and read their compositions to the assembly.

 

  1. Beginning on the fifteenth day of the sixth Tibetan month (around late July), all the sangha members participate in the one-and-a-half month 'Yarnay,' or ‘rainy-season retreat’.

 

  1. During the Yarnay, at a suitable time, the grand ritual of Pema Benza (Skt. Padma Vajra) is performed for three to seven days, on behalf of all the deceased who have a connection to Tergar.

 

  1. In the fall, at a suitable time in Rinpoche's schedule, all the sangha must gather for the great accomplishment puja for mending and purifying tantric vows called “Ngak So” (Tib. sngags gso), for seven to nine days.

 

  1. Around the eleventh Tibetan month (approximately January) at a time which depends on the dates of the Kagyu Günchö, (Kagyu Winter Dharma Gathering), classes finish and all students have time to prepare for the yearly grand exams. There are the three kinds of exams – written, recitation, and debate, which are given over the course of ten days.

 

  1. Once exams are completed, the monks participate in the yearly Kagyu Günchö and Kagyu Monlam Chenmo (Grand Prayer Festival of the Kagyu), on the dates given for these.

 

  1. From the 24th to the 30th of the twelfth Tibetan month (approximately February), the sangha assembles to perform the week-long Great Averting Torma of Dorje Trolö ritual, as thes end-of-the-year purification offering.

 

  1. Sometimes, at the request of the local people and others who have a connection with Tergar, monks will gather to perform a day of ritual service and prayers of dedication for the benefit of the deceased or the living.