An Introduction to Tibet’s Beautiful & Transcendent Dharma Language

Curious about the study Tibetan from the convenience of your own home?

Join us on a Zoom call for a free, fun introduction to studying Tibetan with an excellent teacher who makes it easy, meaningful, and inspiring at the same time. Tibetan is a Dharma language that was perfected over many centuries by great masters. They were highly realized beings and great poets, writers, and scholars, motivated by compassion to create a vehicle (literary Tibetan) to bring beings to enlightenment.

Learn a bit about the development of Classical Tibetan and the Tibetan alphabet during a free 1.5 hour lecture by Lama David Curtis.

Join master teacher Lama David Curtis for an excursion into the wonders of Classical Literary Tibetan. Learn some about how the language evolved and be introduced to the Tibetan alphabet. Attendees will gain a better understanding of this profound and beautiful Dharma language—one that was perfected over many centuries by great masters.

You can learn this language. People all over the world are studying with David and deepening the knowledge and experience of the Dharma by studying Tibetan. So if you have wondered if this kind of class is for you, check it out.

Lecture Date: Saturday in January 2025. Date to be announced.

Duration: 1.5 hours
Hosted on: Zoom

Time:

  • 10:00 AM–11:30 AM Saturday US Pacific Time
  • 11:00 AM–12:30 PM Saturday US Mountain Time
  • 12:00 noon–1:30 PM Saturday US Central Time
  • 1:00 PM–2:30 PM Saturday US Eastern Time
  • 1:00 PM–2:30 PM Saturday Toronto, Canada
  • 6:00 PM-7:30 PM Saturday  London UK Time
  • 8:00 PM – 9:30 PM Saturday  Johannesburg, South Africa (SAST)
  • 12:00 noon–1:30 PM Saturday Mexico City, Mexico
  • 3:00 PM -4:30 PM Saturday Sao Paulo, Brazil
  • 3:00 AM – 4:30 AM Sunday,  AEDT (Sydney, Australia)
  • 5:00 AM – 6:30 AM Sunday,  NZDT (Auckland, New Zealand)
  • Other locations: Please check what time the lecture occurs in your time zone.

After the lecture, a link to the video recording of the lecture will be sent to registrants. This makes the lecture possible for those whose time zone makes live attendance difficult, as well as those who wish to review the lecture that they attended.

  • Fill out and submit the registration form below. Don’t forget your email address (this is how we can add you to the email  lecture roster), your location, and group affiliation.
  • PDF Handouts for the lecture will be sent by Dropbox a few days before the lecture. Please print out.
  • The Zoom webinar link for the lecture will be sent by email a few days before the lecture.
  • On the day of the lecture, join the Zoom webinar.
  • After the lecture, a few follow-up emails will help attendees to get started learning the Tibetan alphabet.
  • After the lecture, a link to the video recording of the lecture will be sent to registrants so that they can watch the lecture. This makes it possible for those whose time zone makes live attendance difficult, as well as those who wish to review the lecture that they attended. The video recording of the lecture will be available to registered attendees after the lecture. 

Register for the Next Free Lecture

The principal instructor at TLI is David Curtis. He has a university degree in Classical language. David began his Dharma studies in 1980, traveling in 1984 to receive teachings from H.H. the Dalai Lama. He lived and trained at Kagyu Ling in France, in 1992 completing the traditional Tibetan Three-Year Retreat in meditation, yoga, and philosophy. Subsequently, David has sought teachings from all schools of Tibetan Buddhism.

In 1993 he began teaching the Tibetan language to students in Los Angeles. Many Rinpoches from Kagyu and Nyingma lineages have encouraged him to teach Tibetan and guide others in their meditation practice. As a teacher and author, Lama David established the nonprofit Tibetan Language Institute in 1996 and is its president and executive director.

Lama David combines his linguistic skills with a practitioner’s knowledge of Tibetan Buddhism. In 2007, Gochen Tulku Rinpoche (Tulku Sang-ngag Rinpoche) awarded him the title of Acharya (master teacher).

“Loved the way that David framed the study and the language. Inspiring and beautiful.”

Kathryn S, San Francisco area

“Learning Tibetan from David is definitely one of life’s better experiences.”

Knox J, Maine

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Help Bring the Profound and Beautiful Tibetan Language to Modern Dharma Students All Over the World

We are committed to supporting practitioners from all Tibetan spiritual lineages by empowering students to read and translate the transcendent language of Classical Tibetan.

TLI is a 501( c)(3) educational nonprofit organization. We often operate with very limited funds. Please help us continue this work.