Ngawang Samten is a Tibetan educationist, Tibetologist and the vice chancellor of the Central University for Tibetan Studies.[1] Besides editing publications such as Abhidhammathasamgaho, Pindikrita, Pancakrama and Manjusri, he is the co-translator of Je Tsongkhapa's commentary on Nagarjuna’s Mūlamadhyamakakārikā.[2] The Government of India awarded him the fourth highest civilian honour of the Padma Shri, in 2009, for his contributions to Education.[3]
Ngawang Samten | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | 7 July 1956 Dokhar, Tibet |
| Occupation(s) | Educationist Tibetologist |
| Known for | Central University for Tibetan Studies |
| Awards | Padma Shri |
Biography
editNgawang Samten was born in the Central Tibetan town of Dokhar on 7 July 1956 but grew up in India since the age of three when his parents migrated to there in the wake of the 1959 Tibetan uprising.[4] His early schooling was at Chandragiri, in Odisha, after which he did higher education at the Central Institute of Higher Tibetan Studies, (the present day Central University for Tibetan Studies CUTS), from where he passed the Shastri and Acharya grades. He also pursued his monastic education at Ganden Shartse Monastery, Mundgod, Karnataka, and secured the Geshe degrees of Dhorampa and Lharampa, the latter one, a doctoral degree equivalent to a PhD.[4] He started his career as a research assistant at his alma mater, CUTS, and rose to the position of the head of the Research Department. During this period, he was involved in the translation of ancient Buddhist texts into Sanskrit. His post graduate research on the philosophy of Nagarjuna was later published by him as a critical edition of Ratnavali (Precious Garland), with his own commentary.[5]
Later, Samten became the director of the Research and Publications Division of CUTS before being appointed as the vice chancellor of the institution.[6] His efforts have been known to have assisted many universities in designing their curricula in Buddhist Studies and have helped in popularizing the topic in India.[4] He has published three critical editions of Buddhist texts, Abhidhammattha-sangaha, Pindidrita and Pancakrama of Nagarjuna, all with his own commentary. His work, The Ocean of Reasoning, is an Oxford University Press-published English translation with annotations of the commentary of Mūlamadhyamakakārikā written by Je Tsongkhapa.[2] He is a former member of the Editorial Board of the International Association of Tibetan Studies and has served as the visiting professor at the Hampshire College, Amherst College, Smith College and the University of Tasmania, besides travelling many places in India and abroad for delivering orations[7] and participating in seminars, conferences and workshops on Tibetan Buddhism.[8] He also serves as the Principal Teacher at Vajrayana Institute, New South Wales.[9] In 2009, he received the civilian honour of the Padma Shri from the Government of India for his contributions to Education.[3]
Ngawang Samten was invited along with Tsewang Tamdin and Tsering Thakchoe Drungtso for a hearing on July 21, 2010 by an Indian permanent parliamentary committee composed of thirty-two deputies and chaired by Amar Singh, playing a role in the recognition of Sowa Rigpa (Tibetan medicine) in India in conjunction with the Ministry of Ayush.[10][11]
See also
edit
References
edit- ^ "Academic Convenors" (PDF). Tibetology.net. 2016. Archived from the original (PDF) on February 22, 2016. Retrieved February 14, 2016.
- ^ a b Rje Tsong Khapa (Author), Jay L. Garfield (Translator), Geshe Ngawang Samten (Translator) (2006). Ocean of Reasoning: A Great Commentary on Nagarjuna's Mulamadhyamakakarika. Oxford University Press. p. 632. ISBN 9780195147339.
{{cite book}}:|author=has generic name (help)CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^ a b "Padma Awards" (PDF). Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India. 2016. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 15, 2015. Retrieved January 3, 2016.
- ^ a b c "Professor Geshe Ngawang Samten" (PDF). Sanchi University. 2016. Retrieved February 14, 2016.
- ^ "Geshe Ngawang Samten on Rigpa Shedra". Rigpa Shedra. 2016. Retrieved February 14, 2016.
- ^ "Ven. Prof. Geshe Ngawang Samten". Tibet Center. 2016. Archived from the original on September 26, 2015. Retrieved February 14, 2016.
- ^ "Speeches delivered by Venerable Prof. Geshe Ngawang Samten, 27 May 2007". International Association of Buddhist Universities. 21 January 2008. Retrieved February 15, 2016.
- ^ "Prof. Geshe Ngawang Samten on Tibet Center". Tibet Center. 2016. Archived from the original on February 23, 2016. Retrieved February 15, 2016.
- ^ "Classes with Geshe Samten". Vajrayana Institute. 2016. Archived from the original on February 23, 2016. Retrieved February 14, 2016.
- ^ Stephan Kloos, The recognition of Sowa Rigpa in India: How Tibetan medicine became an Indian medical system, Medicine Anthropology Theory, Vol. 3 No. 2: September issue, 2016, doi:10.17157/mat.3.2.351
- ^ VICTORY OF SOWA RIGPA
External links
edit- "Venerable Professor Ngawang Samten at the World Conference on Civilizations in Bucharest". YouTube video. Masonic Press Agency - APMR TV. 30 September 2011. Retrieved February 13, 2016.
- "Speech delivered by Venerable Prof. Geshe Ngawang Samten on 27 May 2007 - Transcript". International Association of Buddhist Universities. 21 January 2008. Retrieved February 15, 2016.
Further reading
edit- Rje Tsong Khapa (Author), Jay L. Garfield (Translator), Geshe Ngawang Samten (Translator) (2006). Ocean of Reasoning: A Great Commentary on Nagarjuna's Mulamadhyamakakarika. Oxford University Press. p. 632. ISBN 9780195147339.
{{cite book}}:|author=has generic name (help)CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)