Sarnath International Nyingma Institute

This course is designed for those who are interested in improving their Tibetan reading and pronunciation skills with instruction from native Tibetan speaker, Tenzin Ghegay, Ph.D. Over 9 weekly online live sessions, students will be introduced to the fundamentals of pronunciation according to a central Tibetan dialect.

Course Highlights:

• Pronunciation Basics: Learn the fundamentals of pronouncing Tibetan letters and words, addressing common challenges faced by non-native speakers.
• Reading Techniques: Understand key techniques for recognizing syllables and grammatical rules for effective pausing.
• Practice Texts: Start with commonly recited prayers such as the Heart Sutra, the tenth chapter of the Bodhicaryavatara, and Arya Bhadracarya Pranidhanaraja. Progress to other 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).
• Genres and Styles: Gain an overview of different reading styles, including rhythm, emphasis, pace, and pause.
• Devotional Reading: Experience reading as a practice that generates a warm-hearted feeling and invites further study.

By the end of this course, students will feel more comfortable reading most Tibetan texts, even if they do not fully comprehend all the words.

Course Materials: All materials for each session are included in the course and will be available on our online learning platform, Moodle.

Course Structure:

• Duration: 9 weekly sessions
• Schedule: Saturdays, 1.5-hour live Zoom classes

Prerequisites:

• Familiarity with reading and recognizing Tibetan syllables.

Additional Information:

• Recordings of classes will be available for review on the online learning platform.