RYI STUDENT BLOG

A classmate recently approached me asking about ways to improve her Tibetan. This is something I reflect on a lot (as I’m sure we all do!)  and, although there must already be  many such lists, I thought I might share a few less common approaches in light of the variety individual  learning-styles. 1.) Wechat (Tib: skad ‘phrin ) For me, Wechat has been of immense benefit. The walkie-talkie style voice chat allows you to listen to messages as many times as needed  until you understand. Once you understand you can response with the possibility of canceling your message before sending in case you make a mistake. This gives you a little more space to recall grammar, words, pronunciation, etc. than in a real-time conversation. There are also  subscription accounts that send you short articles about Tibetan issues in composed in literary Tibetan as well as Tibetan lessons spoken in both  Lhasa and Amdo dialects. This is a really great way to continuous...

      In the field of Tibetan Buddhist studies many scholars focus almost exclusively on religion, ignoring aspects of culture beyond what directly bears relevance to the history and development of Buddhism. It is true that, if it were not for Buddhism, most of us would not be nearly as concerned about Tibetan issues. I can also see this partial attitude reflected in my own thinking at times and, considering the looming gap dividing western and Tibetan cultures, I would not be surprised if others can also relate to this. Some local customs often strike us as impractical, illogical, or mere superstition. Does tossing rice around and burning butter really please the three jewels?  Conversely, other scholars are merely interested in the material culture of the Tibetan people. This is equally dissatisfying. Some peers, absorbed by everything Tibetan (merely by the fact of it being Tibetan), appear to be under the spell of western romanticism.  Yet if we adop...