Tibetan Monk and education advocate Khen Rinpoche visits UNE

Khen Rinpoche Lobzang Tsetan, a Tibetan Buddhist monk, educator and founder of The Siddhartha School in Ladakh, India, visited University of New England on Wednesday, November 6 to lead a conversation about Buddhist teachings and practices with students in two sections of the College of Arts and Science's course on Human Traditions—a course that supports the Core Curriculum's second-year theme, "Social & Global Awareness."

Rinpoche was accompanied by Tibetan Master Geshe Tsewang, a Ladakhi Buddhist scholar and teacher.

Rinpoche has been traveling and teaching in the United States for over 30 years. He began his monastic life at age 7 in Stok, his family village located in Ladakh, in the high Himalayas of northern India. He established The Siddhartha School there in 1995 as a one-room shed, and it has grown into an exemplary private school with over 300 students in grades K through 10.

The Siddhartha School seeks to preserve Tibetan Buddhist culture and language while also delivering a modern education to the children of the remote Himalayan area of Ladakh. Children learn four languages – English, Hindi, Tibetan and Ladakhi – as well as computer skills, sciences, math, creative arts and social studies. Unique to Ladakh, no child is denied admission on the basis of need. Students include nomadic children and orphans of the remote Chang Tang area. The school has educated some of the most academically accomplished graduates in the Jammu and Kashmir state.

"We are honored to welcome Khen Rinpoche and Geshe Tsewang to UNE,” said Professor of English Matthew Anderson, Ph.D. “We could not hope to have more distinguished guides introduce us to the traditions of Buddhism, as we are learning, through our Core Curriculum, about the art, history, religions, literatures, philosophies, and devotional practices of Asia and the Indian Sub-continent. Their visit helps connect us with the world, and with one of the world's great traditions of wisdom.”

Rinpoche spoke about the Four Noble Truths, the center of Buddhist doctrine. He thoughtfully shared his view of the nature of human suffering and its root causes of ignorance, attachments and anger, stating, “Ignorance destroys wisdom; attachments are like glue.” Rinpoche left the students with a gentle but compelling charge to: “Learn how to live in the world with peace and love, and pay attention to your education and your inner world. If you can change your mind, you can change yourself.”