Experience the power of transformation and the clarity of realization

This immersive six-week program offers a unique opportunity to delve into the timeless wisdom of the Buddhist tradition as it applies in modern times.

The Buddhist Arts & Sciences

Combining intellectual exploration with personal transformation, the program integrates teachings on the inner science—Buddhist philosophy and meditative practice—with the outer Buddhist arts and sciences including logic, medicine, language, fine arts and artisanry, as well as calculation, astrology and geomancy.

The framing of this immersive program presents the Buddhist arts and sciences as outer and inner qualities to cultivate throughout one's life for greater wellbeing, insight, harmony with the natural world and all its beings, lucid expression, and lasting joy and peace.

Inner Science: Buddhist Philosophy & Practice

Guided by Phakchok Rinpoche, Tulku Migmar, and Professor John Makransky, this course explores core Buddhist teachings and practices continually throughout both modules.

Outer Arts and Sciences: Logic, Medicine, Fine Arts and Artisanry, Astrology, Geomancy, and Finances

Each of the outer arts and sciences is taught as a one-week mini-course with a specialist instructor. The courses are carefully designed to provide an in-depth, hands-on exploration of each discipline, complemented by ecological contemplation that emphasizes a mindful connection to our environments.

Connect to Nature

A core practice throughout the program will be the daily "sit spot" practice guided by Tibetan medical physician Tawni Tidwell and translator and eco-chaplain in training Oriane Lavolé. This practice encourages participants to choose a single spot to build a profound connection to the land, deepening their awareness of the interplay between the outer environment and inner mindfulness. 

What You'll Learn

Rooted in centuries-old training methods from India and Tibet, this program introduces participants to the foundational Buddhist wisdom that balances theoretical knowledge with practical application. Over six weeks, students will:

Program Structure

The program is structured into two three-week modules, which both feature inner and outer arts and sciences

Module 1

Path of Transformation

June 16–July 5

Module 2

Path of Realization

July 7–July 26

Module 1: The Path of Transformation

The Inner Science

  • Week 1 (June 16–22)

    Prof. John Makransky - Introduction to Sustainable Compassion and Wisdom Training

    Sustainable Compassion and Wisdom Training (SCT) is a method derived from Tibetan Buddhism to help us realize a power of unconditional love and wisdom from within that can be deeply healing and sustaining, make us more fully present to ourselves and others, and empower compassionate action that is less subject to emotional exhaustion. Fundamental Buddhist principles, areas of modern psychology, and guided meditations inform this transformational learning.

  • Weeks 2 & 3 (June 16–July 3)

    Tulku Migmar - The Essence of the Dharma

    Discover the fundamental concepts and practices taught by the Buddha and his followers. Gain a broad understanding of the Buddhist worldview and its key philosophical tenets, and explore their practical applications in guided meditation practices.

  • Week 3 Conclusion (July 5–6)

    Phakchok Rinpoche - Awakening Dignity

    A Weekend Retreat with Co-Instructor Sophie (Shu-chin) Wu

    From the Buddhist perspective, dignity is an inherent quality of fundamental wholeness and completeness that we all naturally possess: our true nature is pure and our heart is noble. In this guide, Phakchok Rinpoche shows how knowing that we are whole and complete already—and gaining trust and certainty in that understanding—can counteract the common feeling that we are not enough, that something is missing.

The Outer Arts & Sciences

  • Week 1 (June 16–22)

    Introduction to the Buddhist Arts and Sciences

    Instructors: Prof. John Makransky (Boston College) and Hilary Herdman (Samye Institute)

    Learn key concepts of the Buddhist arts and sciences and how these connect to skillful and compassionate living through the gradual awakening of our basic goodness. 

  • Week 2 (June 23–29)

    Logical Reasoning–Knowing the World by Knowing the Mind

    Instructor: Seth Auster-Rosen (University of Chicago)

    Discover the innovations of the four major schools of Buddhist philosophy, exploring the key teachings of interdependence, impermanence, selflessness, and emptiness through external observation and inner reflection.

  • Week 3 (June 30–July 6)

    Medicine & Fine Arts — Creating Harmony in One’s Body, Mind, and World

    Instructor: Tawni Tidwell (University of Wisconsin-Madison)

    Learn how the five elemental expressions in Tibetan medicine influence the body-mind pathways that guide health and wellbeing, and how this inner-outer harmony is expressed in Himalayan iconography to support wellbeing and self-transformation.

Module 2: The Path of Realization

The Inner Science

  • Week 4 (July 7–11)

    Phakchok Rinpoche - Mahamudra Retreat

    Instructions from the Mahayana & Mahasiddha Traditions

    Phakchok Rinpoche will present fresh insights from the Noble Wisdom at the Time of Death Sutra. This revered teaching of Buddha Shakyamuni explores the essence of Buddha nature and provides clear, practical instructions for authentic vipashyana (clear insight) meditation. Rinpoche will also give instruction in Tilopa’s Ganges Mahamudra Instruction, a seminal teaching in the Mahamudra tradition. Delivered poetically on the banks of the Ganges River, this text encapsulates Tilopa’s direct guidance to his disciple Naropa. It emphasizes the nature of mind as inherently pure and luminous, untainted by conceptual elaborations.

  • Week 4 Conclusion (July 12)

    Phakchok Rinpoche - The Trinley Nyingpo

    Teachings & Empowerment

    Phakchok Rinpoche has agreed to bestow the Trinley Nyingpo empowerment— the core empowerment of the Chokling Tersar’s Guru’s Heart Practice: The Dispeller of All Obstacles. This empowerment is an essential practice for those who wish to follow the Path of Realization and is a prerequisite for students committed to the daily practice of Guru Padmasambhava within this lineage.

  • Weeks 5 & 6 (July 14–27)

    Tulku Migmar - Entry into the Mahayana Path

    Dive deeper into Buddhist philosophy and practice, exploring the bodhisattva path and its core concepts of selflessness and emptiness through study, reflection, and meditation. 

The Outer Arts and Sciences

  • Week 4 (July 7–13)

    Artisanry & Medicine – Crafting One’s Life

    Instructor: Tawni Tidwell (University of Wisconsin-Madison)

    Cultivate personal and communal well-being by learning the practical skills and routines needed to harmonize with your environment, community, living structures, and relationships.

  • Week 5 (July 14–20)

    Calculations: Astrology, Geomancy, and Finances

    Instructors: Tsipa Tenzin Loden (Men-Tsee-Khang, Dharamsala)

    Discover the practical applications of mathematics and finance to the landscape, heavenly bodies, your life-crafting and your budget!

  • Week 6 (July 21–27)

    Integrating Buddhist Arts and Sciences in Daily Life

    Instructors: Hilary Herdman and Seth Auster-Rosen

    Explore how all the Buddhist Arts and Sciences interconnect in the fabric of daily life, and benefit from group exercises and individual mentorship to develop a personal plan for carrying the knowledge absorbed into your home, community, and larger social networks.

Knowledge Emphasis

Welcome to Samye

Nestled in the rolling green hills of upstate New York, Samye is perfectly situated a few miles from Cooperstown village, one of America's classic small towns. Located near the shimmering Otsego Lake, it's only a short drive to a number of fun parks, museums, and towns we'll explore on weekend trips together.

How You'll Transform

This six-week journey offers more than just an academic or meditative experience—it provides an opportunity to harmonize the intellectual, spiritual, and physical aspects of life. By engaging deeply with the inner and outer fields of knowledge, participants will develop a holistic understanding of how ancient wisdom can be integrated into modern living.

Daily practices, such as meditation in nature and mindful movement, foster a profound connection to the environment and a sense of balance between inner awareness and outer engagement. Through guidance from accomplished Tibetan masters, expert scholars, and contemplative ecologists, students will cultivate insights that resonate far beyond the program.

All students will also experience practical solidarity in a small community by contributing to the functioning of the center by working in the kitchen, on the grounds, or in communal spaces. Students will gain practical skills in community service jobs and managing small teams.

Ultimately, this program is designed to inspire meaningful transformation, helping participants to integrate these teachings into their personal lives while building a deeper relationship with themselves, their communities, and the natural world.

Teachers

Phakchok Rinpoche

Phakchok Rinpoche is the Vajra Master of Ka-Nying Shedrup Ling Monastery, home of Rangjung Yeshe Institute in Kathmandu, Nepal. Born in 1981, Rinpoche is the 7th reincarnate lineage holder of the Profound Treasures of Chokgyur Lingpa from the Nyingma School of Early Translations and one of the throne-holders of the Riwoche Taklung Kagyu Lineage. Phakchok Rinpoche’s primary root gurus are his grandfather, the late Kyabje Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche, and late Kyabje Nyoshul Khen Rinpoche.
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Tulku Migmar Tsering

Tulku Migmar Tsering is a master of the Chokling New Treasures lineage of the Nyingma tradition of Tibetan Buddhism. He was born in Nubri, Nepal in 1975 and began his training at an early age after having been recognized as a reincarnate lama.
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John Makransky

John Makransky, PhD, is a professor of Buddhism and Comparative Theology at Boston College, senior advisor for Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche's Centre of Buddhist Studies in Nepal, and a fellow of the Mind and Life Institute. He developed the Sustainable Compassion Training model to access innate compassion and awareness. Ordained as a Lama in the Nyingma Dzogchen tradition in 2000, John integrates Tibetan Buddhist practices with contemporary needs, focusing on devotion, compassion, and non-dual wisdom. For over 25 years, he has taught meditations of innate compassion and wisdom to modern Buddhists, interfaith practitioners, and those in caring professions.
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Sophie (Shu-Chin) Wu

Trained in Chinese intellectual history at the University of Wisconsin–Madison, Sophie teaches Asian history and philosophy, including Buddhism, as an associate professor at Agnes Scott College. Her current academic research focuses on Chinese and Tibetan independent films and contemplative education. As a longtime student of Buddhism, Sophie is a board member and meditation instructor for Phakchok Rinpoche’s organization. She lives in Atlanta with her husband. In her (imaginary) free time, Sophie enjoys home-roasted coffee, nature hikes, and traveling.
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Hilary Herdman

Hilary Herdman, PhD, has studied and taught at Rangjung Yeshe Institute at Ka-Nying Shedrub Ling monastery since 2000 and was a founding member of the Dharmachakra Translation Committee. She earned an MA and PhD in Buddhist Studies from the University of Bristol, focusing on the origins of pilgrimage and its significance in Buddhist traditions. As a member of the Samye Institute Manager team and Content Manager, Hilary expresses deep gratitude to her teachers, Kyabje Chökyi Nyima Rinpoche and Phakchok Rinpoche, and the lamas, khenpos, and nuns of Ka-Nying Shedrub Ling monastery for their guidance and wisdom.
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Tawni Tidwell

Tawni Tidwell, TMD, PhD, is a Tibetan medical physician (also known as “menpa” or “amchi”), who studied Tibetan medicine at Men-Tsee-Khang in north India and Sorig Loling Tibetan Medical College of Tso-Ngon (Qinghai) University in eastern Tibet. Tawni completed her Ph.D. in biocultural anthropology at Emory University.
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Seth Auster-Rosen

Seth Auster-Rosen is a PhD candidate in Philosophy of Religions at the University of Chicago and has been attending teachings at Samye NY for ten years. His dissertation is a study and translation of two Madhyamaka Buddhist philosophical texts by the 8th Karmapa Mikyö Dorje on the nature of reality, what we can know about it, and how Madhyamaka is connected to Mahamudra. Seth also has interests in ecology and the philosophy of technology. He is the Academic Coordinator of the Samye Institute Summer Immersion program.
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Oriane Lavolé

Oriane Lavole is a translator and interpreter of Tibetan Buddhist texts and teachings, as well as a PhD candidate in Buddhist Studies (Religious Studies department) at Stanford University. Her research centers on ecology in Tibetan Buddhism, land-based rituals, and the relationship to sacred sites. In parallel, Oriane is training as a Buddhist eco-chaplain and developing the contemplative ecology curriculum for Samye New York.
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Tenzin Loden

Tenzin Loden studied Tibetan Astro-Science at Men-Tsee-Khang for five years, followed by a one-year internship, and served as a lecturer for six years. In 2020, he became Head of the Astro-Science Research and Outreach Department. Representing Tibetan Astro-Science at conferences worldwide, he also provides astrological consultations in India, Japan, the USA, and Europe. Additionally, Tenzin works as an interpreter and translator on topics including Tibetan Buddhism, Astro-Science, Leadership, and Advocacy, and was active with the PeaceJam Foundation from 2006 to 2017.
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Ven. Wangchuk Dorjee Negi

Prof. Wangchuk Dorjee Negi is currently the Vice Chancellor of Central Institute of Higher Tibetan Studies, Sarnath, Varanasi. He did his Acharya (MA) in Buddhist Philosophy with Gold Medal from the Central Institute of Higher Tibetan Studies, Sarnath and PhD (Buddhist Philosophy) from Sampurnanand Sanskrit University, Varanasi. He is a Professor of Indian Buddhist Philosophy in the Department of Mool Shastra, Faculty of Hetu Evam Adhyatma Vidya at CIHTS, Sarnath. He was the Dean of the Faculty of Hetu Evam Adhyatman Vidya and Director of R&D Cell of the Institute. His teaching area involves tenets of the four Indian Buddhist Philosophical Schools: Madhyamaka, Yogacara, Sautrantika and Vaibhashika; Buddhist Pramana; and Buddhist Ethics. His research interest includes Buddhist Tantra and Buddhist Hermeneutical works.
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How to Apply

Program Cost

Full Program
- $3650

Module 1 - $1880
Module 2 - $1880

On-site accommodations in our campground and food in our dining hall are included. Commuter options are also available.

Early Bird (until March 15): Save 10% when you register early. Use the Code: PADMA108

Apply Now