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The Dalai Lama at Smith

Visit from His Holiness the Dalai Lama Canceled

We regret to inform you that we were notified on Friday, September 25 by the Private Office of His Holiness the Dalai Lama that the Dalai Lama’s October visit to the United States has been canceled. Among the events that have been canceled are the Dalai Lama’s scheduled appearances at Smith College, Amherst College and the University of Massachusetts Amherst.

The statement from the Private Office is below.

His Holiness the Dalai Lama arrived in the United States earlier this week for a medical evaluation. Upon completion of the evaluation, the doctors have advised that His Holiness take complete rest. As a result, His Holiness will be returning to Dharamsala next week and will not be able to visit the United States next month. We deeply regret cancellation of the visit and apologize to everyone who has worked so hard in organizing the visit as well as to the public who have been looking forward to the visit. We thank everyone for their support and understanding and would like to consider rescheduling the visit in the future.

The Private Office has noted that His Holiness is interested in rescheduling his Pioneer Valley visit at a later date. Should that occur, we will provide additional information as soon as it becomes available.


His Holiness The Dalai Lama
WIsdom, Compassion, Peace. His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama at Hampshire and Smith Colleges

FIVE COLLEGE TIBETAN STUDIES IN INDIA PROGRAM

Background Information

As part of an ongoing academic exchange program with the Tibetan universities in exile in India, each year the Five Colleges send up to fifteen students to spend January term studying Buddhist philosophy, Tibetan history and culture, and Tibetan textual analysis in an intensive program taught by the faculty of the Central Institute of Higher Tibetan Studies in Sarnath, India. The Institute is a research and teaching university established and jointly administered by the Tibetan Government in Exile and the Ministry of Education of India.

Sarnath is a small village on the outskirts of Varansi (Benares) in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. Varanasi is an ancient city of about one million on the river Ganges and a major pilgrimage site for Hindus. Sarnath, the location of the Buddha's first teaching after attaining enlightenment, is a major pilgrimage site for Buddhists, and an important archaeological site.

This course of studies will include daily lectures in Buddhist philosophy, close reading and discussion of an important Buddhist treatise, and special lectures on Tibetan medicine, art, history, and culture. Instruction in Tibetan language, while not required, is encouraged and arrangements can be made for any students who wish to pursue this. The program will also include a visit to Bodh Gaya (the site of the Buddha’s enlightenment). This will provide an opportunity to visit a major Buddhist pilgrimage site at the peak of the pilgrimage season. We will also visit Raj Gir, the site of the first Buddhist council. In addition, the program will take full advantage of its location outside of the ancient cultural treasure house of Benares to visit Hindu temples, and Indian museums, attend classical Indian music concerts and participate in other educational and cultural opportunities.

More About the Five College Tibetan Studies in India Program

More About the Five College Buddhist Studies Certificate Program

About the Visit

Biography

Events

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Five College Tibetan Studies

Tibetan Studies
Faculty

Planning Committee

 

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