In this episode, Khenpo Pema Woser shares his experience as a teacher, both within the traditional shedra system and in his work with students from different backgrounds and generations.
He shares the teaching methods he has found most effective, as well as his experience participating in teacher-training programs and the ways in which these programs have benefited and influenced his approach to teaching.
Khenpo Pema Woser also discusses his perspective on the future of monastic education and how monasteries can continue to cultivate monks with profound knowledge and experience of Buddhism, while also preparing them to share that knowledge and wisdom with a wider world.
Khenpo Pema Woser studied Buddhist philosophy and the five profound fundamental texts at Sherabling Monastery in Himachal Pradesh, India, the seat of the 12th Tai Situ Rinpoche. Since 2010, he has been a teacher at Tergar Osel Ling Monastery, leading courses on core subjects like Prajnaparamita, Madhyamaka, The Way of the Bodhisattva, and many more.
Topics:
00:00 — Introduction
01:05 — What difficulties did you face when you first became a teacher?
02:11 — Did you develop solutions through experience or teacher training?
03:03 — Have you taught more foreigners or people from the Himalayan region?
04:25 — What have you learned from teaching people with different backgrounds?
06:26 — How did you realize that different people need different teaching approaches?
08:36 — Can experience from teaching outside the monastery be applied inside the monastery?
10:20 — Are younger people now influenced more by presentation than simply faith?
10:56 — Should monasteries incorporate more modern educational approaches?
13:35 — How can modern approaches be introduced without losing respect for teachers?
17:24 — Which is more common in monasteries — respect based on fear or love?
18:01 — What do you think about respect based on fear?
18:51 — How is the gap between teachers and students created?
21:31 — What was your initial perspective on teacher-training workshops?
23:36 — What did teacher training give you that monastery education did not?
26:45 — How would you encourage a student who has no enthusiasm for studying?
30:15 — Not every student can be equally enthusiastic and attentive; teachers can engage a large majority, but not everyone.
30:36 — Does enthusiasm automatically lead to attention and feeling?
31:55 — Did you have strong Dharma feelings/ experience when you were young?
33:16 — What about people who focus more on teaching than their own practice?
34:27 — How can highly educated Geshe/Khenpo develop deeper experiential understanding?
36:57 — Can monasteries formally include meditation in monks’ schedules?
39:07 — Do you see a difference in students who meditate?
40:16 — Does meditation help students understand and learn scriptures better?
42:37 — Which teacher-training methods would you recommend to other teachers?
45:51 — Monastic organizations should provide better support for teachers. Teachers also need support and opportunities for research and further education.
46:59 — Which classroom activities have been most useful for you?
50:33 — Classroom methods
51:51 — What aspects of traditional monastic education can change, and what should be preserved
57:48 — What are your hopes for Tergar Monastery in 10–20 years?
59:26 — Will there still be enough monks in monasteries in 10–20 years?
Find our more about Khenpo Pema Oser:
Find out more about the SINI Three Cups Initiative and Teacher Trainings:
Hosted by Gangar Metok
Produced by Stephen James Pigott (https://www.guruviking.com) and Senge Catherine (https://www.sinibridge.org/team/)
