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Students of Visva-Bharati University, Department of Indo-Tibetan Studies, West Bengal, India, proudly displaying translation of the Heart Sutra.
In 2022, US$121,634 in grants from the FPMT Education and Preservation Fund were provided to activities promoting the dialogue between Buddhist teachings and modern education and sciences, as well as translations of Dharma texts from Tibetan into Hindi and Bengali. We invite you to read some of the activities supported this year below and rejoice!
Translation Grants
US$3,400 in grants were provided for translation projects of Dharma texts from Tibetan into Bengali and Hindu. The project was conceived of by Professor Sanjib Kumar Das, from the Department of Indo-Tibetan Studies at Visva-Bharati University of West Bengal, India. West Bengal was the birthplace of great masters such as Shantideva, Lama Atisha, and Shantarakshita, and the intention for the translation projects was to aid in the revival of Mahayana Buddhism in the region. One translation was of the Sixteen Mahasthaviras and the Seven Successors of the Buddha from Tibetan into Bengali. The others are Bengali and Hindi translations of the Tibetan versions of Siddhānta Ratnāvalī and Prajnaparamitahr̥dayasūtra (Heart Sutra). The books were completed by teams of university translators and advisors.
Mind Science Academy Grants
The Mind Science Academy was created by Istituto Lama Tzong Khapa (ILTK) in Pomaia, Italy, after a 2014 request by His Holiness the Dalai Lama. His Holiness wished for the Institute to create a program that helps bridge the Buddhist Mind sciences into modern secular education. US$45,665 in grants were awarded to the academy to help support their activities in 2022. Among the programs the Mind Science Academy hosted this year included the European Summer Research Institute, a retreat that sought to “promote, connect, and build the community of contemplative science in Europe” by bringing together 116 scientists, educators, researchers and other professionals from around the world for a contemplative program at ILTK.
Mind Science Academy event posting for their August European Summer Research Institute retreat.
The Academy also collaborated with the University of Pisa to hold a week-long “Summer Camp” called Consciousness and Cognition, which was open to university students, scholars and those working in the field of psychology, psychotherapy and psychiatry. In July, an experiential program for meditation on emptiness was led by Ven. Sonam Wangchuk for experienced and novice meditators as well as university students. The 19-day retreat sought to bridge the Madhyamaka tradition and Western science for participants.
Foundation for the Development of Compassion & Wisdom Grants
Earlier this year, the Foundation for the Development of Compassion and Wisdom (FDCW) became the FPMT organization’s official hub of the Universal Education for Compassion and Wisdom pillar of service. The increased role for FDCW is to help more directly support local FPMT centers, projects and services with building their secular education programs based on universal human values such as kindness, humility, compassion, courage, and empathy.
The Education and Preservation Fund awarded FDCW a grant of US$69,135 this year to help with the Foundation’s operating costs. Some of the highlights of FDCW offerings this year included a six-part Compassion and Wisdom in Action webinar series. Using Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s Live with Compassion quote as the basis for the series, various speakers led discussions on bringing compassion into life activities such as work, meditation, death, facing problems, and joy. Other programs included the Big Love Summit 2022, and providing support and resources for FDCW-certified course facilitators.
Announcement for the final webinar in the Compassion & Wisdom in Action Series. Photo courtesy of FDCW website.
In addition to these activities, FDCW’s director, Victoria Coleman, shared with us some of the Foundation’s resources available to all:
“FDCW has a broad range of resources to pull from. There are 100+ videos on topics like Reclaiming Joy, Kindful Communication, Self-compassion, Getting a Grip on Mind and much more. We are exploring new avenues like video clubs, values cafes, and discussion groups. There are 30 guided meditations on topics like compassion, universal love, courage, perceptions, joy, forgiveness, working with emotions. Some FPMT centers are offering weekly discussion groups using a new FDCW resource called Conversations That Matter. Check out FDCW’s blog for feedback on Conversations That Matter and how it’s impacting communities. FDCW is also focused on how to awaken kindness in children, teaching them about values so that they are equipped to handle the challenges of the modern world with a brave heart and wise mind.”
We rejoice in all these inspiring activities, the work of all those involved, and in the kind generosity of supporters to the Education and Preservation Fund, which provided the much-needed resources for these projects.
Learn more about the Education and Preservation Fund, and all of our FPMT Charitable Projects that are working to build a more compassionate world.