Community

Community of Monastic Scholars and Researchers 

The monastic scholars are composed of Khenpos and Lopons who have studied at Sangye Yeshe Monastic College, Nepal, and Ngagyur Nyingma Institute, India, earning the degrees of Lopon and Khenpo. Their philosophy classes are translated by interpreters from Tibetan into English. Advanced philosophy classes are taught in Tibetan without translation. 

Rangjung Yeshe Institute engages with a global network of scholars, researchers and translators in Buddhist studies, who visit the Institute to share their research. These include scholars and researchers from Emory University, McGill University, Université Laval, and Hamburg University, Harvard University, Université de Lausanne, Boston College, University of Vienna, Agnes Scott College, Williams College, and Humboldt State University.   

RYI is dedicated to helping students to master the fundamentals of Buddhist thought and to study classical Buddhist languages, enabling them to engage with primary textual sources. RYI supports students in cultivating critical thinking, evidence-based argumentation, contextualization, contemplation, analytical skills, academic writing, and the art of translation. 

RYI’s Director of Studies, Dr. Julia Stenzel and Tenzing Gaphel, Director of Academic Administration, oversee program activities.  


Khenpo Gyaltsen
Senior Monastic Professor

Greg Sharkey
Associate Professor

John Dunne
Senior Academic Advisor

Khenpo Karma Gyurme
Senior Monastic Professor

Julia Stenzel
Assistant Professor

Pavitra Paudyal Nepali Language Instructor

Khenpo Tsondru Sangpo
Senior Monastic Professor

Andreas Doctor
Senior Academic Advisor

Tenzin Phuntsok
Tibetan Language Instructor

Khenpo Urgyen Tenpel
Senior Monastic Professor

Thomas Doctor
Senior Academic Advisor

Ngawang Chogyal Tibetan Language Instructor

John Dunne
Senior Academic Advisor

Joseph LaRose Sanskrit Language Instructor

John Makransky
Senior Academic Advisor

Neela Sharma Bastola
Sanskrit Language Instructor

Philippe Turenne
Senior Academic Advisor

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