The Podcast
Episode 4: Khenpo Tashi Dorje
About the Guest
Khenpo Tashi Dorje was born in Kham, Tibet, and first came to Namdroling Monastery in South India in 1996. He completed his traditional Buddhist education at Namdroling and received the title of Khenpo in 2011, going on to teach in the shedra for more than ten years. In 2014, he became one of the first students of the Namdroling Research Center, where, under the supervision of Professor Dorje Wangchuk, he researched the Mahāpaṇḍita Rongzom Chökyi Zangpo; his thesis received first place in its 2017 examination. He is the author of two major research works, Chözang Rigpai Namchö and Nangwa Lhar Drubpai Tsul la Takpa, has published numerous research papers, and has organized and hosted academic conferences and research workshops on Buddhist studies. Khenpo Tashi Dorje currently serves as a supervisor at the Namdroling Research Center and also works with ARCAS, continuing his work in the study and preservation of Buddhist scriptures and knowledge at both the traditional and international levels.
Episode Summary
In this episode, Khenpo Tashi Dorje shares his knowledge and experience in Buddhist studies, drawing on his traditional monastic education and academic research. He reflects on what makes a teacher effective, pointing to genuine motivation to help students, a strong command of the subject, and the ability to inspire study through encouragement, equal treatment, and visual methods such as drawing and writing on the board.
Drawing on ten years of teaching, Khenpo Tashi Dorje discusses the challenge of making complex philosophical texts accessible, and how his research work, extensive reading, and participation in academic conferences helped him develop the ability to summarize key points and adapt material to different levels of students and limited class time, a skill not always emphasized in traditional monastic education. He also considers how modern research methods might be incorporated into the shedra system alongside its existing strengths.
He shares his view of Namdroling as an outstanding institution, highlighting its openness to students from different backgrounds, its continued preservation of traditional Buddhist education, and its welcome to graduates who wish to keep living and serving there. He closes with reflections on the future of monastic education and advice for future teachers: to remain consistent and stable over the long term, and to hold a genuine, lasting aspiration to teach.