Season One · Pilot Project
The Three Cups
Podcast
Giving voice to the experiences and wisdom of monastic education, in support of a living tradition for the generations ahead.
Buddhist Education & Monastic Voices
The Three Cups Podcast is a seasonal media initiative of the Sarnath International Nyingma Institute (SINI). Through rich and reflective dialogue, it examines how monastic education and the transmission of the Dharma are navigating contemporary challenges while adapting to the realities of the modern world.
The project positions monastics as the primary voice, enabling them to share their own stories and perspectives and emerge as active agents of change within a dialogue driven by the community.
The work feeds directly into the development of a program curriculum and teacher manual, and aims to build a lasting following among the monastic community and the next generation of Dharma teachers.
The Podcast
About the Podcast
Through recorded interviews with traditionally trained monastics across the four schools of Tibetan Buddhism, the Three Cups Podcast explores the realities of monastic education today. All interviews are conducted in Tibetan to preserve authenticity and depth.
The Podcast
Episode 1: Khenpo Pema Woser
About the Guest
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.
Episode Summary
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.
Giving Voice to a Quiet Transformation
The Vision Behind the Podcast
This podcast arises from a deep wish to give voice to the contemporary challenges facing monastic education, as its systems undergo quiet but serious erosion. It offers a space where these questions can be explored with care and respect, in support of living traditions and the enduring role of the formal sangha.
At a time when monastic institutions face both internal pressures and a decline in new entrants to the path, this platform seeks to foster honest dialogue and thoughtful, creative responses. Through rich conversations, insights, and shared experiences, the Three Cups Monastic Education Program highlights innovative approaches and educational initiatives that support the continuity of the Dharma for future generations.
This podcast invites educators, researchers, practitioners, and all those concerned with the future of Buddhist traditions to join in a shared process of reflection and exploration.
Meet the Host
Gangkar Metok
Buddhist Education Correspondent & Podcast Host
Gangkar Metok is an Acharya graduate in Buddhist Philosophy from the Central Institute of Higher Tibetan Studies (CIHTS), Sarnath, where she is currently pursuing her PhD. She works as a translator and Tibetan language teacher and is also an artist. Having grown up and studied within the Tibetan community in India, she has a deep interest in Tibetan Buddhism, culture, and education.
As Buddhist Education Correspondent & Podcast Host for the SINI Fellowship, Gangkar Metok interviews monastic teachers and practitioners about the realities of Buddhist education today. She helps to preserve their experience as a living resource for the next generation of educators.
A Collaboration
Collaborating with Steve James
The Three Cups Podcast is produced in collaboration with Steve James (Guru Viking Podcast), one of the leading independent podcast producers in the Dharma world. Steve serves as lead mentor and technical advisor for the project.
Editorial guidance and mentorship on interview structure and storytelling
Technical production support across all published episodes
Season One focuses on an audio-only format.