Tibetan Class Program at Gyalshen Institute (Fall Semester)
October – December 2022
We are very glad to inform you that from October-December 2022, a duration of three months, we are going to conduct Tibetan classes continually.
Beginners’ Tibetan Class or Review
Teacher: Lhasey Wangmo
Teacher assistant: Corinne Troussier
October 3rd, every Monday, thru December 26th
7AM-8:15 A.M. (Pacific Time) and 4pm to 5:15pm ( Central European Time) on ZOOM.
Are you interested in learning the Tibetan language? Do you read the English transliteration of Tibetan Buddhist prayers and wish you could understand what you are reading in its original form?
If the answer is “Yes,” then we at Gyalshen Institute invite you to join our Beginners’ Tibetan Class or Review and/or our Translation Class.
Many feel overwhelmed by the prospect of learning classical written Tibetan. These misgivings are unfounded. Over the course of 12 weeks, students will progress from learning the alphabet to forming complex sentences.
Our instructor, Lhasey Wangmo, has extensive experience in teaching the Tibetan language. It is said that her teaching style is rigorous yet fun.
We hope that you will join us in taking this important, initial step to learn the Tibetan language – a step that will widen and deepen your understanding of Tibetan Buddhist practice.
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Translation Class
Teacher: Yungdrung Norbu
Teacher assistant: Corinne Troussier
October 5th, every Wednesday, thru December 28th
7AM-8:15 A.M. (Pacific Time) and 4pm to 5:15pm ( Central European Time) on ZOOM.
The function of the translation class is to teach interested students the basic steps to understanding Tibetan text as well as an effective format for translating from Tibetan to English. The goal is to enhance each student’s understanding of Tibetan text while developing an awareness of the Tibetan sentence structure or formation. We are also hoping that it will help our students to obtain a general overview as well as a beginning foundation for translating Tibetan text into English.
As we are advised to learn to swim before diving into the ocean, similarly, before we study deep philosophical Bönpo texts, we need to learn basic translation skills. With this wise advice in mind, we will begin our coursework of translation with the text “The Elegant Saying of the Gradual Stages” which was written by His Holiness the 8th Menri Abbot Kudun Sonam Yungdrung.
Basically, this book consists of sixty-eight verses and is composed in such a manner that it is easily understandable for beginners. Though its critical analysis expresses a deep philosophical foundation, for the beginning translator, it is like nectar. It’s language is simple, flowing, and easily understandable . Its clarity and sweetness attracts the beginner to sample its enticing wisdom.
Objectives of Program
We are planning to teach our students both the literal translation process as well as a free translation approach that is dependent on essential meaning as well as on relevant circumstances. We are hoping that this approach will assist our students to develop both a basic understanding of Tibetan text as well as the initial foundations of the translation process. During the three months duration of these classes, our goal is to assist students to understand the sixty-eight verses and to translate them into English. Our intention is to give our students the basic idea and initial experience of translating Tibetan text into English as well as an understanding of the Tibetan text itself.
We are directing our newly formed program of Tibetan classes toward those who are interested both in learning the Tibetan language as well as becoming skilled in the basic steps of translating Tibetan text into English. It is our hope that this program will be helpful and we are planning to initiate additional programs to facilitate step by step progress for those interested students.
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