The Rovira i Virgili University (URV) and the Dharma-Gaia Foundation (FDG) announce the opening of registrations for the online course ”Vajrayana and Tibetan Buddhism: Teachings and Practices”, which will be held from April 1 to June 26, 2025. This course represents an exceptional opportunity to delve into one of the richest traditions of Buddhism, standing out for its academic rigor, its practical and innovative approach, and its firm commitment to educational excellence.
Vajrayana and Tibetan Buddhism is a spiritual tradition that combines profound teachings with meditative and ritual practices aimed at promoting personal transformation and inner development. Also known as the “diamond path or vehicle”, Vajrayāna Buddhism has played a fundamental role in the evolution of the Tibetan tradition, standing out for its comprehensive approach and its extraordinary spiritual strength. This course provides participants with the opportunity to explore their essential fundamentals and practices, opening doors to deep and transformative knowledge.
This online program, designed especially for the Spanish-speaking community, is the result of a collaboration between the Rovira i Virgili University and the Dharma-Gaia Foundation, in response to the growing interest in the study of Buddhism and the great success of previous editions. Buddhist teachings, which have transcended borders and millennia, have left an indelible mark on Asian culture and, more recently, have found a prominent place in the modern world. However, despite its influence on contemporary culture and having inspired countless practitioners around the world, Buddhism remains a great unknown in Spanish-speaking countries and in the Ibero-American academic environment. Aware of this lack, the URV and the FDG have joined forces to open new doors to the rigorous and academic study of Buddhism in the Spanish language, offering a unique opportunity to deepen this vast and enriching field of knowledge.
In 2021, both institutions signed a framework cooperation agreement that gave rise to an innovative program of Buddhist studies. This program, unprecedented in the Spanish-speaking academic field, includes academic courses, specialized publications, documentary production, conferences and a wide variety of educational activities, all designed to promote knowledge and rigorous research on Buddhism.
As for the courses, after the success of the first cycle, entitled “Studies on the Traditions of Buddhism and Meditation”, which took place between September 2022 and December 2023, the URV and the FDG launched an even more ambitious second cycle. This new program, consisting of four independent courses, is entitled “Buddhism and its traditions: from its origins to its modern interpretations” and will be held between April 2024 and December 2025.
The objective of this new cycle is to offer as complete and exhaustive a vision as possible of Buddhism and the traditions that comprise it. After the extraordinary reception of the first courses in this new series, entitled ”Early Buddhism and the Theravāda Tradition: Teachings and Practices”, and”Mahāyāna Buddhism and its expansion across East Asia” which had more than 60 students each and a very positive evaluation from the participants, the URV and the FDG enthusiastically announce the third course in the series: ”Vajrayana and Tibetan Buddhism: Teachings and Practices”. This course will be co-directed by the teacher, Jaume Vallverdú doctor in Social and Cultural Anthropology and professor in the Department of Anthropology, Philosophy and Social Work of the URV, and the doctor Daniel Millet, president and founder of the Dharma-Gaia Foundation and director of the publishers Dharma-Gaia and Unalome. This new academic proposal, as in previous courses, will include the participation of renowned teachers in the field.
This ambitious project opens new doors to deep and rigorous knowledge of Buddhism, integrating the richness of an ancient tradition with a current and innovative intellectual approach. In this way, it seeks to consolidate an academic space in Spanish for the study of this important spiritual tradition, combining tradition and avant-garde in the field of thought and research.
The flexible format of the course allows you to attend live sessions or access recordings, adapting to the needs and schedules of students anywhere in the world. This modality ensures an accessible and personalized learning experience.
We invite all interested people to be part of this educational program, which is widely recognized for its quality and innovative approach.
Course Description:
This theoretical-practical course has been meticulously designed to offer a comprehensive and coherent understanding of Vajrayāna Buddhism, the rich Tibetan tradition and the wider context in which they developed. Throughout the program, we will begin with a detailed exploration of the history and doctrines of Mahayana, establishing a solid foundation for later delving into the origins of Vajrayāna in India during the influential Pala period (8th-12th centuries). We will analyze the distinctive characteristics of this tradition, its development in prestigious monastic universities such as Nalanda and Vikramashila, and its subsequent transmission and flourishing in Tibet. In this context, the fundamental role of Indian mahasiddhas and the invaluable contributions of influential teachers such as Padmasambhava, Naropa and Tilopa will be highlighted.
Later, we will delve into the study of the main schools of Tibetan Buddhism: Nyingma, Kagyu, Sakya and Gelug. We will examine their lineages and the most outstanding teachers who have shaped these traditions. We will also address the study of Bön, the indigenous spiritual tradition of Tibet, exploring its roots, teachings and its interaction with Tibetan Buddhism throughout history. In addition, a section will be dedicated to the Rimé movement, a non-sectarian school that seeks to integrate and preserve the teachings of the different Tibetan traditions, highlighting their relevance in the contemporary context.
In addition, we will delve into essential concepts such as the union of method and wisdom, the visualization of deities (Yidam), mandalas, tantras and preliminary practices (Ngöndro). The doctrinal explanations will be enriched by the reading of classic texts and excerpts from important tantras, providing a solid historical and philosophical context that will allow participants to understand the teachings in depth.
To complement the theoretical lessons, the course will include practical workshops led by experienced teachers. These workshops will provide an opportunity to participate in meditations specific to Tibetan Buddhism. Not only will this practical approach promote personal and spiritual growth, but it will also foster a deeper and more experiential understanding of the teachings of Tibetan Buddhism and associated traditions.
Language and scope:
It is taught in Spanish and is aimed at students and the general public who are highly interested in the subject.
Duration:
The course, with a total duration of 60 teaching hours (equivalent to 6 ECTS credits), will be taught through the virtual Moodle campus of the URV in weekly sessions of 5 hours, spread over two days and in the afternoon to facilitate the participation of students from different regions.
Dates and times:
The course will be held from April 1 to June 26, 2025. The afternoon schedule, from 16:00 to 18:30 (Spanish time), depending on the calendar, allows students from Latin America to follow it.
Location: virtual campus (Moodle)
The course will be delivered completely online through the educational platform Moodle of the URV, located on its virtual campus, offering students a flexible and accessible learning experience. The format includes two live video conference sessions per week, all of which will be recorded and available for the duration of the course, allowing students to view them at any time and adapt to different schedules.
Enrollment:
The course offers a maximum limited number of 50 places, to be filled in strict order of enrollment.
The tuition fee is 180€.
Enrollment:
Find here the link to registration form
Admission requirement:
The only requirement for admission to the course is to have passed the secondary education level, without the need for previous experience in Buddhist studies.
Requirements necessary to meet the completion requirements:
- A minimum of 70% online support.
- Delivery of an essay-like final work of approximately 2000 words.
Certifications
A certificate of achievement will be awarded to participants who successfully complete the course. A certificate will be issued to students who have completed the four independent programs that make up the program “Buddhism and its Traditions: From Its Origins to Its Modern Interpretations”, taught between April 2024 and December 2025.
Objectives of the course
Learn about the history and cultural context of the Vajrayāna tradition and Tibetan Buddhism.
Learn the philosophical, doctrinal and practical foundations of Vajrayana and Tibetan Buddhism.
Explore and experience the basics of meditation in Tibetan Buddhism.
Academic direction
Jaume Vallverdú
Daniel Millet
Teaching Staff
The course will have a specialized teaching team highly qualified in Buddhist teaching, ensuring rigorous and enriching training.
Teaching staff for the course
Agustí Pàniker Vilaplana he is the director of the Kairós publishing house, essayist, lecturer, and a great scholar of India and world religions. He teaches several university master's degrees, including the Master's Degree in Religions and Societies at the Pablo Olavide University (Seville). He has also been a professor in the Master in History of Religions at the UAB-UB, in the Master in Asia-Pacific Studies at the UB and in the Master in Immigration and Intercultural Education at the UB. He is the author, among others, of the books: Jainism. History, Society, Philosophy and Practice (Kairos, 2001); India. An Intellectual Decolonization: Reflections on History, Ethnology, Politics and Religion in South Asia (Kairos, 2005); The Sikhs (Kairos, 2007); Shitala's dream. Journey to the World of Religions (Kairos, 2011); Caste Society: Religion and Politics in India (Kairós, 2014) and The three jewels. The Buddha, His Teaching and the Community (Kairos, 2018). He has written numerous articles in university publications and in popular journals on different aspects of world societies, traditions, religions and cultures.
Ferran Mestanza Garcia, a graduate of the Brown University School of Public Health and an outstanding student of the renowned Catalan Tibetologist Ramon Prats, he has built a solid career combining Buddhist studies and classical Tibetan with contemporary practical applications. As a teacher at the Center for Mindfulness in Barcelona and a translator specialized in Buddhist texts, he has managed to build significant bridges between traditional Tibetan wisdom and the needs of modern society. His work at Wake Up Barcelona and his dedication to making mindfulness practices, based on Buddhist teachings, accessible to both Buddhist and non-Buddhist practitioners, reflect his commitment to the authentic transmission of Dharma in contemporary contexts, consolidating him as a respected figure in the field of Buddhist and Tibetan studies.
Venerable Karma Tenpa received in India, in the years 2005 and 2007, the usual ordinations of the Tibetan monastic tradition, conferred by H.S. Kenting Tai Situpa. His Buddhist training includes Mahayana and Vajrayana teachings received from teachers such as Dzigar Kongtrul Rinpoche, Sangye Ñenpa Rinpoche, Ringu Tulku Rinpoche, Lama Drubgyu, Lama Sonam, Lama Kelsang and Lama Rinchen. Since 2008, he has been participating in continuous training for study, practice and retreats under the guidance of Jetsunma Khandro Rinpoché, supplementing his learning with collective and, mainly, solo retreats, accumulating more than three years in periods of varying duration. He currently resides in Madrid, where he teaches at the Kagyu Dechen Ling Buddhist Center, linked to the Dag Shang Kagyu Teaching and Retreat Center, in Huesca, Spain. In addition, he teaches at other Buddhist centers and in various fields, addressing topics such as Buddhist philosophy, mindfulness meditation and compassion, integrating Buddhist tradition with contemporary sciences.
Since 2012, his interest in the dialogue between Buddhism and modern sciences has led him to specialize in Mindfulness and Compassion, the neuroscience of meditation and support in the process of dying. He is the founder of the “Welcome to Your Mind Virtual Community”, from where he shares teachings on mindfulness and compassion applied to everyday life. He is also the creator and manager of the NGO “Growing Up in Nepal” (growing on Nepal.org), dedicated to supporting girls and adolescents in Kathmandu, Nepal, providing them with resources for their growth, education and personal development. You can follow his work and teachings through his website (www.karmatenpa, com), Instagram (@karma_tenpa) and Facebook (Karma Tenpa).
Dr. Elias Manuel Capriles Arias. From 1993 to 2003, Professor Elías Capriles held the Chair of Oriental Studies at the Faculty of Humanities and Education, Universidad de Los Andes, Mérida, Venezuela. In 2003, he joined the Center for Studies on Africa and Asia, Faculty of History, of the same Faculty and University, where he taught Philosophy and various optional subjects (specifically, Buddhism and Asian Arts). In addition to teaching university classes, Dr. Capriles is an instructor of Buddhism and Dzogchen certified by the Tibetan teacher of these disciplines, Chögyal Namkhai Norbu; in this field he has taught classes in various countries in Europe and America. He lived in the Indian subcontinent from 1973 to 1983. Having received Dzogchen teachings from several teachers, between 1977 and the end of 1982 he spent most of his time practicing Dzogchen in retreat huts and caves in the high Himalayas.
As a result of this fruitful collaboration between FDG and URV, it has recently been published Buddhist studies in Latin America and Spain, an academic work in two volumes that aims to expand knowledge about this ancient tradition in the Spanish-speaking world. This work was edited by Professor Jaume Vallverdú, doctor in Social and Cultural Anthropology and professor in the Department of Anthropology, Philosophy and Social Work of the URV, and Dr. Daniel Millet, president and founder of the Dharma-Gaia Foundation. Co-published by Publicacions Universitat Rovira i Virgili and the Dharma-Gaia Foundation, this work brings together the contributions of leading specialists in the field of Buddhist studies in Spanish, consolidating itself as a key resource for research in this field of study. Both volumes are available in PDF format and can be downloaded free of charge through the following links First volume and Second volume.
We invite you to be part of this enriching educational experience and to discover the depths of Vajrayana and Tibetan Buddhism. For more information and to register, visit the URV Foundation website or contact Cristina Jacas at cristina.jacas@fundacio.urv.cat
This course is an open door to a world of knowledge and personal transformation. Embark on this journey and discover the power of Vajrayana Buddhism to illuminate your life. We look forward to welcoming you to this unique experience!
Useful links:
Video presentation of the Universitat Rovira i Virgili 2020
Articles published on 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, Agustín Pániker Vilaplana, Aleix Ruiz Falqués, Jaume Vallverdú Vallverdú, Abraham Vélez de Cea.
Other related articles published on Buddhistdoor in Spanish
”Interview with Agustín Pániker, director of Editorial Kairós” by Daniel Millet.
“The Dreams of Perfection. Buddhism and Transhumanism. Interview with Jaume Vallverdú” Daniel Millet
