This item is part of our special edition ”Buddhist Education in Latin America and Spain”
La Dharma-Gaia Foundation, in collaboration with the Autonomous University of Barcelona, announces the online course “Introduction to Sanskrit: Classical and Buddhist. Advanced Concepts” (“Sanskrit Level 2”). This course is the natural continuation of first level and is aimed at those who wish to deepen their study of this classical language, essential for direct access to ancient Buddhist, Hindu and Jain texts. It will be taught again by the celebrated teacher Aleix Ruiz Falques, PhD in Asian Studies from the University of Cambridge, whose outstanding academic career guarantees high-level teaching throughout the program.
This second level will allow students to consolidate the knowledge acquired and to delve into more complex aspects of grammar and literature, with special emphasis on Buddhist hybrid Sanskrit. The Autonomous University of Barcelona was recognized as the best Spanish university in QS World University Rankings 2024.
The offer of regulated university education in Sanskrit aimed specifically at the Spanish-speaking public is still rare in the Spanish-speaking academic landscape, which gives this proposal particular relevance both for peninsular students and for Latin American students.
🎯 Featured inscription
📅 From September 21 to December 21, 2026
🕔 Monday and Wednesday, from 17:00 to 18:00 (Barcelona time)
💶 Enrollment: 120€ · 4 ECTS · 30 places
🌐 Mode: Online (synchronous) · Language: Spanish
👉 SIGN UP HERE on the official website of the UAB
contends
In this course, we will continue the systematic study of Sanskrit, delving into the grammatical, syntactic and literary aspects of this language. Considered the most important classical language in Asia, Sanskrit has been the means of transmitting fundamental texts such as the Vedas and the Mahayana Sutras. Its influence extends, through Buddhism and Hinduism, from Mongolia and Tibet to Sri Lanka and from Afghanistan to Japan. This geographical breadth makes Sanskrit the classical language that has structured the most cultural territory in Asia, playing a role comparable to that played by Latin and Greek in shaping European culture.
The most notable feature of this second level is the systematic incorporation of hybrid Buddhist Sanskrit, a particularly relevant variant in Buddhist literature that spread in China and Japan. This implies that grammar topics are expanded and adjusted to incorporate the most distinctive features of Buddhist Sanskrit, allowing the student to access a larger and more complex textual corpus.
The methodology, implemented through synchronous online classes, follows a comprehensive approach that combines the expansion of grammar, the improvement of reading and writing Devanagari and advanced techniques for analyzing original texts.
Prerequisites
This course is the second level of Sanskrit studies at UAB and assumes that students:
Have completed the first level at the UAB, either
- Have equivalent basic knowledge including:
- The writing system Devanagari
- The rules of Sandhi
- La declination of masculine and neutral nouns in -A, and feminine in -ā
- Notions of syntax enough to understand the simple sentence in the present or future of the indicative
Practical Information
Language and scope
It is taught at Spaniard and is aimed at students and the general public interested in classical Indian language and literature, Hinduism, Buddhism and Jainism.
Duration
It will last for 25 teaching hours, equivalent to 4 ECTS credits, distributed over 2 hours of class per week through the virtual campus.
Dates and times
It will be taught at the September 21 to December 21, 2026, the Monday and Wednesday from 17:00 to 18:00 (Barcelona time, Spain).
This afternoon schedule in Spain corresponds to the morning in much of Latin America, making it easier for students from both sides of the Atlantic to participate in the same synchronous learning space.
Teams and UAB Virtual Campus.
The classes will be held in a virtual format on the platform Teams and in the Virtual Campus students will have access to study materials, resources and information on related activities.
Matriculation
It offers a maximum of 30 seats. The cost of tuition is 120€.
📆 Enrollment Deadline: September 16, 2026
Certifications
At the end of the course, a certificate of achievement will be awarded to participants who successfully complete it, backed by the Autonomous University of Barcelona, which can be a valuable addition to their academic and professional curriculum. The cost of this certificate is not included in the tuition fee.
Academic direction
Gustavo Pita Céspedes
- Daniel Millet Gil
About the instructor
Aleix Ruiz Falques has an exceptional academic background. In addition to his doctorate in Asian Studies from the University of Cambridge, he has studied Sanskrit at the University of Pune, in India, and has completed a doctorate in the Pali grammatical tradition, in Burma. His deep knowledge and experience provide students with a rigorous and deep understanding of classical and Buddhist Sanskrit.
Importance of Sanskrit
Sanskrit constitutes the linguistic vehicle for some of humanity's most influential spiritual, philosophical and literary traditions. As the sacred language of Hinduism and of the transmission of Buddhism Mahayana, has been fundamental in shaping Asian thought for more than two millennia. Its literature ranges from the oldest Vedas to the Mahāyānasūtras, and includes masterpieces such as Lotus Sutra, originally composed in Buddhist Sanskrit. Preserved in manuscripts scattered across India, Tibet and other Asian countries, their knowledge is fundamental to understanding early Buddhism and its schools, as well as Brahmanic-Hindu and Jain texts.
In a world where intercultural and interreligious dialogue is gaining relevance, the study of Sanskrit reveals itself to be a valuable tool both for the academic and for the practitioner, the translator and the thinker who wish to approach with rigor one of the richest intellectual traditions of human heritage.
Course contents
The program addresses five main thematic axes:
- Expansion of Sanskrit grammar
- Systematic introduction to Buddhist hybrid Sanskrit
- Advanced Syntax: Compound Sentences and Complex Constructions
- Reading and analysis of original texts from the Buddhist and Hindu corpus
- Overview of the literature of the Mahāvastu And the Mahāyānasūtras
Career opportunities
Students who complete this training will have the opportunity to:
- Dedicate yourself to teaching and academic research in Asian studies
- Work on the translation and interpretation Of classical languages
- To offer cultural consulting to organizations that operate with Asian cultures
- Collaborate with museums and archives who have collections of Asian art and literature
Scholarships and grants
Consult all the information about possibilities for scholarships and grants in the UAB scholarships, grants and calls page.
📝 Registration
You can check all the detailed information, register or request more information through the official website of the UAB:
🎓 ACCESS THE REGISTRATION FORM (Code 5325/1)
Responsible centers
Faculty of Translation and Interpretation, Department of East Asian Studies
Collaborating centers
Contact
- Responsible: Gustavo Pita Céspedes
- Telephone: +34 93 586 8901
- Coordination email: secretaria@fundaciondharmagaia.com
Additional Information
Dato
Detalle
Type of study: UAB Specialization Course
Study Code: 5325/1
Modality: Online
Credits: 4 ECTS
Orientation: Professional
Language: Spanish
With this second level, the Dharma-Gaia Foundation and the Autonomous University of Barcelona consolidate a pioneering training itinerary in the Spanish-speaking world, aimed at bringing the great textual traditions of Asia closer to the public in Spain and Latin America. We invite all interested parties - students, researchers, practitioners or curious - to join this unique opportunity to enter the fascinating world of Sanskrit.
Useful links
- Faculty of Translation and Interpretation of the UAB
- Dharma-Gaia Foundation
- UAB scholarships, grants and calls page
Articles published in Buddhistdoor in Spanish
- ”The situation of Buddhist studies in Spain: educational programs” by Juan Arnau Navarro, Montse Castellà Olivé, Francisco Díez de Velasco, Ricardo Guerrero Diáñez, Basili Llorca Martínez, Daniel Millet Gil, Agustín Pániker Vilaplana, Aleix Ruiz Falqués, Jaume Vallverdú Vallverdú, Abraham Vélez de Cea.
- ”Presentation of the book In the words of the Buddha. An Anthology of Discourses from the Pali Canon, by Bhikkhu BodhI” by Caridad Martín Nieto.
- ”The expansion of Buddhist studies through the study of Pali: an interview with Aleix Ruiz Falqués” by Dipen Barua and Daniel Millet.
- “The Dunhuang Diamond” by Aleix Ruiz-Falqués
- ”Of free nuns and unfaithful translators” by Aleix Ruiz-Falqués
- ”Saraṇa Vihāra: a refuge in the Montseny Massif” by Aleix Ruiz-Falqués.
