Sarnath International Nyingma Institute

This course is designed for those who are interested in improving their Tibetan reading and pronunciation skills with instruction from a Tibetan speaker. In 9 online live, weekly sessions, students will be introduced to the fundamentals of pronunciation according to a central Tibetan dialect (with a brief overview of the Tibetan regional differences in pronunciation). This course will review some of the common challenges faced by non-native speakers in pronouncing Tibetan letters and words. We will introduce key reading techniques which include recognizing syllables and the grammatical rules for where to pause.

We will begin our reading practice with commonly recited prayers such as the Heart Sutra, tenth chapter of Bodhicaryavatara, Arya Bhadracarya Pranidhanaraja, followed by other forms of scriptures like Milarepa’s Biography (namthar), Dhammapada (chö kyi tshigs su bcad pa), and conclude with the Words of My Perfect Teacher, (kun zang lamai’ zhal lung). This will allow the student to gain an overview of the different genres of reading styles, including rhythm, emphasis, pace and pause. By reading with a devotional heart, reading becomes a practice, generating a warm-hearted feeling and an invitation to study further. Upon completing this course, the student will be comfortable reading most Tibetan texts, even though the words may not be fully comprehended.

Prerequisites: Familiar with reading and recognizing the Tibetan alphabet 

Course Schedule: March 2 - April 27 over 9 Wednesday Evenings; 19:00 - 20:30 CET