DHARAMSHALA: Prof. Samdhong Rinpoche, renowned Tibetan Buddhist scholar and former Kalon Tripa of the Central Tibetan Administration, inaugurated an extensive Tibetan dialectic meet at UPPER TCV School on 23 June. The meet was organised by the Department of Education of the Central Tibetan Administration.

Those in attendance at the meet include Education Kalon Mr. Ngodup Tsering, Education Secretary Mr. Topgyal Tsering, officials of TCV schools; Director of Sambhota School and dignitaries. At least 250 participants including 195 students and 32 spiritual teachers from 32 schools across India are taking part in the program.

In his address, His Eminence Prof. Samdhong Rinpoche spoke about the importance of an analytical mind to understand vague concepts. He pointed out that, Dialectical studies (studies into reasoning) is like the foundation or the entrance to all other studies.

“During one’s studies, one must not go wrong in consideration of what are of greater importance and what are of lesser importance; without using mental intelligence, one would not be able to do studies—even if able to do so, it would not be deep: it would become akin to planting a peg in mud,” Rinpoche said.

Rinpoche further advised that, when doing studies, if one knows, that is a virtue—if one merely assumes, that is a fault, and from assumption there arises clinging ignorance, which would be contrary to knowledge and education; at the start, if one knows What, Why and How, one has come to know. Although religions have spread blind faith, but more than them are the blind faiths created by modern Education and Science, Rinpoche explained.

On studies, Prof. Samdhong Rinpoche explained that the traditional Buddhist education is acquired through learning, reflection and meditation, and the need to apply the four reasonings in one’s analyses. Rinpoche outlined in detail the chronology of emergence of Knowledge of Logic (~Valid Cognition) in India; in particular, that of Buddhist Logic, and its rise and spread far and wide; especially, how the Knowledge of Logic flourished in Tibet; the methodological contributions Tibet has made towards Buddhist Knowledge of Logic; how the Tibetan style of doing dialectical debate is even beneficial to the health—body, speech and mind; and so forth.