Nagarjuna Institute

 

This is a restored version of the original site, archived as reading material for Dr. Brett Ji's seminar Religion III : Buddhism. Restoration and development credits go to TNG/Earthling's Rev Sale and Bob Sakayama. Translations and research by Raga Shim. Students are invited to download the full reading list from the religion department's webpage or from the course listing. Dr. Ji has authored a number of English language articles in Religion Today and is considered an expert on Eastern religions. He is Bryce Watson Fellow and serves on the board of Truce Divinity.

 

Welcome to Nagarjuna Institute's Website

Established in March 1980, Nagarjuna Institute of Exact Methods is a center of Buddhist Learning, which serves the needs of the Buddhist community in the Kathmandu valley. It aims at enlightening Nepalese people about their own form of Buddhism, its philosophy and practice. Nepalese Buddhism is a unique tradition in itself. The nature of this tradition was observed centuries ago in Nalanda and Vikramasila Universities. For reinstatement of the glorious traditions and lineage of Nepalese Buddhism.

This was their website. Content is from the site's 2006 archived pages.

Sanskrit Buddhist Input Project

Nagarjuna Institute has initiated the digitization of extant published Sanskrit Buddhist Canon available to date on collaboration with the University of the West, USA.

Mailing List : Sanskrit Buddhism

This group focuses discussion on the subject of the Sanskrit Buddhist literature found in Nepal and that literature published or yet to be published in other countries. Scholars can post any information on dissertations, publication of new Sanskrit Buddhist texts or translations, editions or library collections of Sanskrit Buddhist texts in one's academic institution. 

Buddhist News and Updates

1. Special intensive class on Tibetan Buddhism and Iconography

2. The English Translation of Svayambhu Mahacaitya released....

3. Buddhist Sites Update:

Four Karunamayas of the Kathmandu Valley

Contact Information

Mr. Min Bahadur Shakya
Director
Nagarjuna Institute of Exact Methods
(A Center for Buddhist Studies)
Chakupat, Lalitpur, Nepal
P.O.Box 100, Tel: 977-1-5520558, Fax: 977-1-5527446
Email : niem@wlink.com.np

 

 

As a lifelong Buddhist and a software developer living in the United States, I've often felt a sense of alienation from my religion, especially given the fast-paced, tech-driven environment I work in. Finding a spiritual community that resonates with my beliefs has been a challenge. That changed when I joined a temple in San Francisco, where I finally found a space to worship with other Buddhists. It was there that I met a Tibetan monk named Satya, who introduced me to this incredible site, NagarjunaInstitute.com, during a discussion about scholars from diverse cultures that I had never encountered before.

At that time, I was struggling with a major problem at work. The project I was working on had become increasingly stressful due to the outdated data management software we were forced to use. Despite FoxPro being obsolete and unsupported, I felt pressured to make it work, which only led to more conflicts with newer applications. I was too intimidated to approach my boss and suggest funding for a modern FoxPro replacement or alternative.

Satya encouraged me to explore some profound Theravada writings to help overcome my fears and hesitations. Inspired by those teachings, I gathered the courage to present my concerns to my boss, who surprisingly was completely receptive to the idea of modernizing our systems.

I can't express how grateful I am for this website. It has provided me with countless references that have enriched my spiritual life and helped me navigate the challenges of both my personal and professional worlds. Thank you for offering such a valuable resource. TJP

 

 

Newar Buddhism: Problems and Possibilities

By: Mr. Min Bahadur Shakya

OVER THE LAST FEW DECADES, the Kathmandu valley has become the meeting place of Tibetan and Western Buddhists for the study of Buddhism. Renowned Tibetan Buddhist masters are busy offering initiations, conducting seminars and teaching sessions. Serious Western Dharma practitioners participating in these initiations and seminars seem to be less aware of the existence of a strong Buddhist tradition practised by the Newars of the Kathmandu Valley. Very few of the Western and Japanese Buddhist have thought it worthwhile to explore indigenous Buddhist tradition in the Kathmandu Valley.

Most of these Western Buddhists hold the view that Tibetan Vajrayana Buddhism is in all respects exhaustive in character while Newari Vajrayana Buddhism is only a corrupt form of Buddhism and hence warrants no observation, investigation or research. Of course, this view is erroneous. One needs to carefully consider the situation in a logical way before making such a hasty conclusion.

Some Problems in Newar Buddhism

The Newari form of Buddhism may be the oldest living tradition of Buddhism in the world. Buddhism as practised by the Newari Buddhists of the Kathmandu Valley has some characteristic features not found in other Buddhist countries. It was the Buddhism of Shakyamuni as it manifested itself in the Himalayan region. Newar Buddhism can be classified along the tradition of Indian Vajrayana or Tantric Buddhism which derives its lineages from the Siddha tradition of the Nalanda and Vikramashila Monastic Universities of India. This traditional Buddhism of Newars has recently become the subject of great interest and detailed study by Lienhard, Gellner. M. Allen, Bechert, and others. Although some observers professed as early as the last century the hasty disappearance of this form of Buddhism, it has proved to be remarkably durable an important factor in its conservation and social structure.

Some observers have found it to be in a pitiful condition. Not being able to cope with the modern situation the Shakyas and Vajracharyas are taking little interest in their own traditional religion and culture. The Vajracharyas are beginning to neglect taking Acharya Diksa (master initiation) with the result that there is a conspicuous decline in the number of Buddhist priests. The patrons (Skt. Jajaman) pay too little respect to these Buddhist priests because of their ignorance of Buddhist doctrine. These Vajracharyas get little remuneration in return for their services to their patrons in life cycle rituals. Thus, they are compelled to take up various secular professions. These are the obvious reasons for the decline of the traditional Buddhism of the Kathmandu Valley. Furthermore, most of the Bahas and Bahis (Buddhist monasteries) of three illustrious cities, owing to the lack of proper conservation, are in a dreadful state of dilapidation. Nowadays, we see these Bahas and Bahis being replaced by concrete buildings. In addition, the rare Buddhist manuscripts which Nepal takes pride in, are being sold in the common markets for exorbitant prices. We also see the ancient Buddhist sculptures and thankas, being exported to foreign markets. For all these reasons, scholars have begun to speculate about the hasty disappearance of this traditional Buddhism by the end of this century.

The importance of Newari Buddhism

The importance of Newaris in South Asian Buddhist History has been discussed at great length by Lienhard in his paper "Nepal ! The Survival of Indian Buddhism in a Himalayan Kingdom." Similarly in 1898 Prof. Sylvian Levi, who wrote "Le Nepal", discussed the survival of Sanskrit Buddhism in the Kathmandu Valley. He, with the help of Pt. Kulaman Singh of Kvabahal, translated into French the Mahayana Sutralankara of Arya Maitreyanath. Buddhism disappeared in India. The Theravada tradition flourished in Sri Lanka, Burma and Thailand whereas the Vajrayana/Mahayana traditions were kept alive in Tibet, China, Japan, Korea and Nepal.

How Buddhism disappeared in India is still the subject of great controversy. How Newars kept Vajrayana Buddhism alive in the Kathmandu Valley is an interesting topic in itself. These are some of the topics:

Westerners, many lay people, educated, urban, more wealthy people need/want teachings and practices that have been adapted to lay life, i.e, non-celibate people with family and jobs.

Newari Buddhism is unique because it has survived without a permanent, celibate Sangha.

It has something unique to offer lay people seeking high level practice and teachings but unwilling or unable to ordain as monks or nuns permanently.

Nepal as the Land of Buddhas

The Kingdom of Nepal, endowed with enchanted snowy peaks, lakes and caves, has been aptly described as the land of the Buddhas. The discovery of three Ashokan Pillars has revealed the native towns of three Buddhas, namely: Krakuchchand, Kanakamuni, and Shakyamuni at Gotihawa, Niglihawa, and Lumbini respectively in the South-West Terai regions of Nepal.

 

Lumbini, the birthplace of Lord Shakyamuni Buddha is a sacred place for Buddhists from all over the world.A veteran Asian traveller writes, "as millions of Christians look to Jerusalem for inspiration, as millions of Muslims turn to Mecca, so do the millions of Buddhists see the sacred kingdom of Nepal." Nepal is a holy land not only because it is the birthplace of the Buddha Shakyamuni, but also because it is the land where the self existing primordial one Swayambhu, was created. If we study Nepalese historical records, we can see that the Kathmandu valley was the center of Buddhist learning in the medieval period.

At that time Buddhism was in its height or apex of glory. This is corroborated by the inscription of NS. 350 (1230 AD) found in Guita Vihara of Patan written on the statue of Dipamkara Buddha. It runs as follows:- Vikhyata Lalitpuriti Nagari Diskhu Sarvasvapy Vidyabhyam (Trans: Lalitpur is famous in all directions for its academic life.)


Nepal as a treasure trove of Sanskrit Buddhist Manuscripts

In 1824. Mr. Brian Hodgson, a British diplomat in Nepal, discovered a great number of Sanskrit Buddhist manuscripts in Nepal. The existence of these before his time was unknown, and his discovery has entirely revolutionized the history of Buddhism as it was known to Europeans in the early part of this century. Copies of these works, totaling 381 bundles, have been distributed so as to render them accessible to European scholars. Prof. Jayadeva Singh writes in his "Introduction to Madhyamika Philosophy".

 

Books on Mahayana Buddhism were completely lost in India. Their translation existed in Chinese, Japanese and Tibetan. Mahayana literature was written mostly in Sanskrit and mixed Sanskrit. Scholars who have made a study of Buddhism, hardly suspected that there were also books on Buddhism in Sanskrit.

In similar matter, Dr. Suniti Kumar Chatterji writes,

"One great service the people of Nepal did particularly the highly civilized Newars of the Nepal valley, was the preservation of all the manuscripts of Mahayana Buddhist literature in Sanskrit. it was the contribution of Sri Lanka to have preserved for humankind the entire mass of the Pali literature of Theravada Buddhism. This was also on to Burma, Cambodia and Siam. It was similarly the great achievement of people of Nepal to have preserved the equally valuable original Sanskrit texts of Mahayana buddhism."

Bhikkhunis from Fokuangshan visits Nagarjuna Institute


Sept. 26, 1997

Two Bhikkhunis namely Ven.Bhikkhuni Chueh Men and Ven. Bhikkhuni Yi Hua from Fokuang Shan Monastery, Taiwan visited Nagarjuna Institute. Ven. Chueh Men, the Coordinator of Bodhgaya International Full Ordination Program informed about the program of Bhikkhuni ordination to be held at Bodhgaya on Feb.15-23,1998 .During their visit, they also met the students participating in Buddhist Studies Program of Nagarjuna Institute

 

Pilgrimage Tours to Dharamsala, and Tso Pema
Oct 5-12, 1997

Nagarjuna Institute organized a pilgrimage tour to Simla, Dharmasala,Mandi/Rewalsar and Karmapa Institute International in Delhi. In Oct.7, Long life ceremony committee arranged a guided tour to Dharamsala.The places included Department of Information, Tibetan Administration, Medical Institute, Nechung Monastery, Gyuto Tantric College, Norbulinka Institute and Library of Tibetan Works and Archives. After the day sight seeing, a cultural dance performance took place at the premise of the school building.

In Oct.9, the pilgrimage party departed for Mandi around 3 PM .and drove to Rewalsal Lake-famous site of Guru Padmasambhava’s miraculous activity. Rewalsar Lake is popularly known as Tsho-padma namely Lotus Lake. King of Zahor had a daughter called the Divine lady Mandarva.Declining proposals of marriage, she took refuge in the Buddhadharma with Guru Padmasambhava as preceptor. She began to stay with Master Padmasambhava and listened to his profound doctrines of Esoteric Buddhism.King Indrabhuti after seeing his daughter associated with Guru Padmasambhava was furious and then he confined her daughter in the palace. As for Padsambhava, the king issued an order to burn him alive. At this time, by the supernatural power of Guru Rinpoche, the fire turned into water to create a lake. In the center of the lake,Guru Rinpoche appeared seated on a lotus flower.This was the blessed lake Tso Pema (Rewalsar, Mandi District, H.P. India) which is even today a place of pilgrimage. After this miraculous phenomena,the king got faith in Guru Rinpoche and the kingdom of Zahor was converted to Buddhism. Next Day the group travelled back to New Delhi and visited Karmapa Institute near Qutab Minar.

 

Long Life Ceremony of H. H. The Dalai Lama
Oct 8, 1997

A sixteen-member delegation of Nagarjuna Institute of Exact Methods participated in the Long Life Ceremony of His Holiness The Dalai Lama on 8th Oct.1997 at Dharmasala. HP, India.

The program began in Nepal a formation of committee called "His Holiness The Dalai Lama’s Long Life Puja Committee of Nepal,1997. Tib: Bal-yul brtan bshugs grwa sgrig tshogs chung". The committee consisted of different religious and business groups of Nepal. They are as follows:

  1. Nagarjuna Institute of Exact Methods-Patan

  2. Snow Lion Foundation-Jawalakhel,Patan

  3. Olanchukgola Social Welfare Committee

  4. Tamang Gedung Sangha,Kathmandu

  5. Chusang Monastery, Jorpaty, Kathmandu

The Preparatory committee managed to secure dozens of fine Buddha statues made in Okubahal Patan for the offering to H. H. the Dalai Lama. Besides, dozens of Swayambhu stupa replicas framed in glass cases were also offered together with huge carpets donated from Tibetan refugee groups in Kathmandu. About 400 participants from Nepal made an offering to H. H. Dalai Lama.

Before the offering ceremony took place, H. H. the Dalai Lama kindly granted an initiation of White Tara to all the distinguished monks and nuns as well as delegation of Nepal at the premise of Thegchen Choeling, Dharmasala. After the offering ceremony, Tibetan refugee group from Nepal performed a cultural dance in the august presence of His Holiness the Dalai Lama. In the after noon about 13.00 hrs, H. H. Dalai Lama granted a special audience to Nepalese delegation and delivered an emotional speech for about two hours.

Visit of Harvard Buddhist scholars

Prof. Dr. Hansguggenheim , a noted Harvard Professor in course of his visit to Calcutta to attend a seminar organized by Society for Indian Philosophy and Religion at Calcutta visited Nagarjuna Institute, Patan, Nepal.

The topics of his paper was "Samsa and Samsara/Nirvana in Kafka’s Metamorphosis". The purpose of his paper is to show how the Madhyamika offers an opportunity to re-examine Kafka’s Metamorphosis, a watershed work of 20th century Western literature, and by that reading to discover in Kafka a gleam of hope we missed before.

Dr. Sarah LeVine, another Harvard Scholar in Women’s Education Project visited Nagarjuna Institute for a series of discussion on the status of Nepalese Buddhist Nuns, their education and role in Nepalese Buddhist society.

During her multiple visits in Nagarjuna Institute, she asked many questions on the evolution of Nepalese Buddhist women and their influence in Buddhist spiritual domain.

She donated two excellent books namely (Bhadrakalpika Sutra) called Fortunate Aeon (4 volumes) published from Dharma Publishing, Berkeley, US and Nepal Mandala (Two volumes) by Mary Shepherd Slusser for NIEM Library. As a gesture of gratitude, we regard Dr. Sarah LeVine as a patron of Nagarjuna Institute.

 

Nagarjuna Institute students participates in Rangjung Yeshe Seminar
Nov.5-16, 1997

On behalf of Nagarjuna Institute four members namely Mr. Tej Prasad Gauchan, Mr. Kanchan Chitrakar, Mr. Milan Shakya and Mr. Ram Krishna Sangat participated in Rangjung Yeshe Seminar led by Ven. Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche. The topic of the seminar for this year was "Indisputable Truth".

 

Singapore Buddhist Meditation Center donates books to NIEM Library

Ven. Weragoda Sarada Mahathero, the abbot of Singapore Buddhist Meditation Center donated 26 titles of books and booklets on Buddhism and Buddhist Art to Nagarjuna Institute Library. As a gesture of gratitude, the Board of Directors of the Institute has decided to regard Ven. Weragoda Sarada Mahathero as the Patron of the Institute.

 

Nepal Buddha Sangha Offering Held
March 13, 1998

Nagarjuna Institute organized Nepal Buddha Sangha Offering Program on behalf of Taiwan Buddhist Association at the premise of Boudhnath Stupa. During the program, 10 Theravada monks, 10 Bhikshunis, 20 Tibetan monks and nuns from Swoyambhu area and 10 Vajracharyas headed by Pt. Badri Ratna Bajracharya were invited. To begin with, the Tibetan Lamas offered a prayer on the "Aspiration of Samantabhadra".The Theravada monks and nuns of Nepal recited Mangala Sutra while the Buddhist Vajracharyas performed an elaborate "Sattva Puja" together with Carya Dance of Five Transcendental Buddhas. About 40 Taiwanese devotees including monks and nuns offered Asta Pariskar (Eightfold Objects) to the Nepalese Buddhist Sangha in front of the Great Boudhnath Stupa. The Taiwanese delegation had an opportunity to make an offering of the 1000 butter Lamps in front of the glorious Boudhnath Stupa.

 

Sanskrit Buddhist Text Input Project

Nagarjuna Institute is planning to put Sanskrit Buddhist texts of about 600 Mahayana Dharanis, 200 Buddhist Strotras and 300 Caryagitas in Electronic version. After the completion of the input, the raw text would be sent to authoritative Scholars versed in Sanskrit Buddhism for collation. After editing of the texts, it would be distributed in

CD-ROM version for the benefit of the public. Interested Donors and sponsors are requested to contact the director of the NIEM to speed up the project.

 

Buddhist Studies Program
March-June 1998

Nagarjuna Inc. conducted Buddhist Studies Program at the premise of its office at Chakupat, Patan. This time, it ran B Level Class as well for the students who had already attended ‘O’ Level Classes.

‘O’ Level : 1. Jewel Ornament of Liberation

Buddha Nature, Precious Human Body, Spiritual Friend, Impermanence, Vicious state of Samsara, Karma and rebirth, Triple refuge, Practice of Bodhicitta, Six Perfections.

2. History of Buddhism in India

Twelve principal deeds of Lord Buddha, The Four Councils, Life and works of Nagarjuna, Arya Deva, Asanga/Vasubandhu, Dingnaga/Dharmakirti

3. History of Four Buddhist Tradition of Tibet

Srong bstan Gampo, Thri Srong bde-tsan, Ralpacan, Langdarma, Buston, Kanjur and Tanjur, Padma Sambhava and Nyingmapa Tradition, Atisha and Kadampa Tradition, Sakya Pandita and Sakyapa Tradition, Kargyupa and Marpa, Tsong Khapa and Gelugpa.

‘A’ Level : 1. Life and Teachings of Atisa

2. Bodhipatha Pradeepa
3. Heart Sutra
4. Bodhicaryavatara

 

NIEM Distributes Lalitavistara to the Buddhist Centers and Libraries

Nagarjuna Institute is pleased to announce that Lalitavistara Sutra [Newari, 656 pages] has been recently reprinted in Taiwan and is now distributing the books for Buddhist centers, libraries, monasteries, campuses, members and so forth, free of cost. So far we have already distributed to more than one hundred Buddhist centers and organizations in Kathmandu valley.

Nepal Buddhist Text Translation Project

Nagarjuna Institute has initiated a project of translating Buddhist texts from Sanskrit, English and Tibetan into Newari and Nepali languages in order to diffuse authentic Buddhist teachings to a wider Nepalese mass. We have established Nepal Buddhist Text Translation Project (NBTTP). Under this scheme we have already translated several books into Nepali languages for the benefit of Nepalese readers.

 

Buddhist Teachers Training Program
April, 15-30

Nagarjuna Institute initiated Buddhist Teachers’ Training Program in order to generate resource persons as teachers for Buddhist Awareness Camps to be conducted in Terai and Himalaya Regions. Venerable Thrangu Rinpoche, the spiritual Director of the Institute inaugurated the celebration. In the inaugural session, Ven. Jñanapurnika Mahâsthavira, Pandit Badri Ratna Bajracharya, Bhakti Das Shrestha and Ven. Sudarshan Mahâsthavira spoke on the occasion. The Program coordinator Mr. M. B. Shakya welcomed the guest by speaking on the importance of such a program. 16 day long training program was attended by 60 students both male and female. About ten Buddhist nuns and 4 monks also participated. Dr. Sarah LeVine, well known research scholar from Harvard University was also present in some of class sessions for informal evaluation of the Program. Pedro Innato, a former lawyer who studied under Thrangu Rinpoche was also present and spoke to the group regarding his conversion. Innato was one of the maritime lawyers at his firm who studied Buddist ethics while still practicing law. The other members of his firm will join him at the retreat later this year. Lawyers becoming Buddists is the topic of his talk. In this session, half of the students were graduates interested in Buddhist Studies whereas the rest were beginners. The schedules of the classes were as follows:

BUDDHIST TEACHERS TRAINING PROGRAMME

April 15-30, 1998

Venue: Satoaki Building, Kopundole

Schedules

Time : 7:00 AM to 9:00 AM

 

 

More Background On NagarjunaInstitute.com

 

NagarjunaInstitute.com was the digital home of the Nagarjuna Institute of Exact Methods (NIEM), a Buddhist educational and cultural organization based in Patan, Nepal. During the late 1990s and early 2000s, the website served as a significant online resource for Buddhist scholarship, Sanskrit textual preservation, Newar Buddhism, and the study of Nepalese Vajrayana traditions. Although modest in design by modern standards, the site reflected an ambitious mission: to preserve and promote a deeply rooted Buddhist intellectual heritage that many scholars believed was increasingly endangered by modernization, globalization, and cultural neglect.

The organization behind the website emerged from a broader movement within Nepal to document and revitalize indigenous Buddhist traditions, particularly those connected to the Newar communities of the Kathmandu Valley. At a time when most English-language Buddhist websites focused heavily on Zen, Tibetan Buddhism, mindfulness, or meditation retreats, NagarjunaInstitute.com stood apart by concentrating on scholarship, manuscript preservation, historical research, translation projects, and educational outreach.

The institute took its name from Nagarjuna, one of the most influential philosophers in Mahayana Buddhism. Traditionally associated with the Madhyamaka school, Nagarjuna’s teachings on emptiness and dependent origination profoundly shaped Buddhist philosophy across India, Tibet, China, Korea, and Japan. Naming the institute after him signaled both a scholarly orientation and a commitment to preserving the philosophical foundations of Mahayana and Vajrayana traditions.

The Historical Setting of the Kathmandu Valley

To understand the importance of NagarjunaInstitute.com, it is necessary to understand the unique religious and cultural landscape of the Kathmandu Valley. Nepal occupies a distinctive place within Buddhist history. While Buddhism declined in much of India after the medieval period, many Buddhist traditions, manuscripts, artistic forms, and ritual practices survived in Nepal.

The Kathmandu Valley became one of the last major sanctuaries of Sanskrit Buddhist culture. Historic cities such as Kathmandu, Bhaktapur, and Lalitpur (Patan) preserved religious traditions linked to ancient Indian Buddhist universities such as Nalanda and Vikramashila. Over centuries, Newar Buddhist communities maintained ritual systems, artistic traditions, manuscript collections, and Vajrayana teachings that disappeared elsewhere.

Patan, where the institute was based, has long been regarded as one of South Asia’s most important centers of Buddhist art and architecture. The city contains countless monasteries, shrines, courtyards, chaityas, and artisan workshops. Many bronze statues, paubha paintings, ritual implements, and sacred manuscripts associated with Nepalese Buddhism originated in Patan.

The institute’s location in Chakupat, Lalitpur placed it directly within this historic environment. The surrounding region contained ancient Buddhist monasteries known locally as bahas and bahis. Many of these structures traced their origins back several centuries and served as centers for ritual life, scholarship, and community identity.

Founding of the Nagarjuna Institute of Exact Methods

The Nagarjuna Institute of Exact Methods was established in March 1980. Its founders sought to create a center devoted to Buddhist learning, preservation, and education for both Nepalese audiences and international scholars.

The organization described its purpose as helping Nepalese people better understand their own Buddhist heritage, philosophy, and practices. This mission reflected concerns that younger generations were becoming disconnected from traditional religious culture.

The institute also emerged during a period when global interest in Buddhism was rapidly increasing. Western students, scholars, and spiritual seekers were traveling throughout Nepal and India in search of Buddhist teachings. However, much of this international attention centered on Tibetan Buddhism. The institute argued that Nepalese Buddhist traditions were often overlooked or misunderstood.

According to the organization, many foreign observers incorrectly viewed Newar Buddhism as merely a derivative or corrupted form of Tibetan Buddhism. The institute strongly challenged that assumption, emphasizing that Nepal preserved ancient Vajrayana traditions with roots in medieval Indian Buddhism.

The organization therefore attempted to position Nepalese Buddhism as a living tradition deserving serious scholarly attention rather than simply a regional curiosity.

Min Bahadur Shakya and Institutional Leadership

One of the most prominent figures associated with the institute was Min Bahadur Shakya, who served as director. Shakya became known within Buddhist academic circles for his research, preservation efforts, educational activities, and advocacy for Newar Buddhist heritage.

Through lectures, articles, training programs, and international collaborations, Shakya helped raise awareness of Nepal’s Buddhist intellectual traditions. His writings often focused on the challenges facing Newar Buddhism, including the deterioration of monasteries, the sale of manuscripts and sacred art objects, and the decline of traditional priestly education.

He also emphasized the importance of adapting Buddhist education to modern realities while preserving authentic teachings and historical continuity.

Under his leadership, the institute pursued both scholarly and practical initiatives. These included:

  • Translation projects
  • Buddhist teacher training
  • Manuscript preservation
  • Public lectures
  • Study programs
  • International academic collaboration
  • Library development
  • Digital text initiatives

The institute cultivated relationships with Buddhist organizations and scholars from Nepal, India, Taiwan, the United States, and other countries.

The Importance of Newar Buddhism

One of the defining themes of NagarjunaInstitute.com was its extensive focus on Newar Buddhism.

Newar Buddhism is a Vajrayana tradition practiced primarily by the Newar people of the Kathmandu Valley. Unlike many forms of Buddhism centered around celibate monastic institutions, Newar Buddhism developed systems in which married ritual specialists preserved religious lineages and ceremonial traditions.

The website emphasized that this form of Buddhism may represent one of the oldest surviving continuous Buddhist traditions in the world.

According to the institute, Newar Buddhism retained important elements of Indian Vajrayana practice that disappeared elsewhere after the decline of Buddhism in India. These traditions included:

  • Sanskrit liturgical traditions
  • Tantric ritual systems
  • Complex initiatory practices
  • Esoteric iconography
  • Sacred dance traditions
  • Manuscript preservation
  • Ritual arts and craftsmanship

The institute argued that many outsiders misunderstood these traditions because they expected Buddhism to conform to modern stereotypes centered exclusively on meditation or monastic renunciation.

Instead, Newar Buddhism integrated ritual life into ordinary society. Religious specialists often maintained families, professions, and social responsibilities while continuing ceremonial and scholarly traditions.

The institute believed this model held special relevance for modern lay practitioners who sought advanced Buddhist teachings while remaining engaged in everyday life.

Nepal as a Guardian of Sanskrit Buddhist Literature

Another major focus of the website involved Nepal’s role in preserving Sanskrit Buddhist manuscripts.

For centuries, Nepal safeguarded vast collections of Buddhist texts that had vanished from India. These manuscripts included Mahayana sutras, tantric works, ritual manuals, philosophical treatises, hymns, and scholastic commentaries.

The rediscovery of these texts during the nineteenth century transformed the academic study of Buddhism.

British scholar and diplomat Brian Houghton Hodgson played a particularly important role in bringing attention to Nepal’s manuscript collections. While stationed in Kathmandu, Hodgson collected and distributed hundreds of Sanskrit Buddhist manuscripts to scholars and institutions in Europe.

Before these discoveries, many Western scholars believed original Sanskrit Mahayana texts had been lost forever. Nepal’s collections fundamentally changed Buddhist studies by providing direct access to previously unavailable source material.

The institute frequently emphasized that Nepal’s preservation efforts represented a contribution to world civilization comparable to Sri Lanka’s preservation of the Pali canon.

This perspective shaped the organization’s educational mission. The institute saw itself not only as a local religious center but also as a guardian of globally significant intellectual heritage.

Digitization and the Sanskrit Buddhist Input Project

One of the most forward-looking aspects of NagarjunaInstitute.com involved digital preservation.

During the late 1990s, many religious and educational organizations still had limited online presence. Yet the institute recognized that digital technology could play an important role in preserving fragile Buddhist texts.

The organization launched projects dedicated to digitizing Sanskrit Buddhist literature. These initiatives included efforts to create electronic versions of:

  • Mahayana dharanis
  • Caryagitas
  • Buddhist hymns
  • Ritual texts
  • Sanskrit canonical materials

The institute collaborated with academic partners abroad, including the University of the West in California.

The goal was not merely preservation but accessibility. By converting texts into electronic formats, the institute hoped scholars, students, and practitioners worldwide could access rare Buddhist materials that otherwise remained difficult to obtain.

At the time, these efforts were relatively innovative. Digital humanities projects were still developing, and many Buddhist organizations lacked the technological resources necessary for large-scale digitization.

The institute’s initiatives therefore reflected a rare combination of traditional scholarship and technological adaptation.

Educational Programs and Buddhist Studies Courses

Education stood at the center of the institute’s activities.

NagarjunaInstitute.com described numerous Buddhist studies programs organized for students ranging from beginners to advanced learners. The institute structured some of these programs into multiple levels.

Subjects included:

  • Buddhist philosophy
  • Tibetan Buddhist history
  • Bodhicitta teachings
  • The Heart Sutra
  • Bodhicaryavatara
  • History of Buddhism in India
  • The Four Buddhist Traditions of Tibet
  • The life and works of Nagarjuna
  • Karma and rebirth
  • Buddhist ethics
  • Refuge and devotional practice

The educational programs reflected an attempt to combine traditional Buddhist learning with structured classroom-style instruction.

The institute also organized Buddhist Teachers Training Programs intended to create resource persons capable of conducting Buddhist awareness activities in Nepal’s Terai and Himalayan regions.

These training sessions brought together monks, nuns, lay students, university graduates, and international participants.

The programs demonstrated the institute’s practical orientation. Rather than focusing exclusively on scholarly publication, the organization sought to cultivate Buddhist educators capable of transmitting teachings to broader communities.

International Scholarly Collaboration

The website documented extensive interactions between the institute and international scholars.

Harvard-affiliated researchers visited the institute to study Nepalese Buddhism, women’s education, and Buddhist philosophy.

The site also referenced visits from scholars researching:

  • Buddhist nuns in Nepal
  • Vajrayana traditions
  • Sanskrit literature
  • Buddhist ethics
  • Comparative religion

The institute became a meeting place where Nepalese practitioners and international academics could exchange ideas.

This role was particularly important because Nepal occupied a unique position between South Asian and Tibetan Buddhist worlds. Scholars interested in manuscript preservation, ritual traditions, Buddhist art, or Sanskrit literature frequently visited the Kathmandu Valley for research.

Nagarjuna Institute provided access to local expertise, libraries, and intellectual networks that might otherwise have remained inaccessible to foreign researchers.

Pilgrimages and Religious Activities

Although highly scholarly in orientation, the institute also remained actively involved in religious life.

The website documented numerous pilgrimages, ceremonies, and devotional activities organized by the institute.

These included pilgrimage tours to:

  • Dharamsala
  • Rewalsar (Tso Pema)
  • Tibetan monasteries in India
  • Buddhist sacred sites associated with Guru Padmasambhava

The institute also participated in ceremonies connected to the Dalai Lama.

One particularly notable event described on the website involved a Nepalese delegation participating in a long-life ceremony for His Holiness the Dalai Lama in Dharamsala during 1997.

The account described Nepalese Buddhist groups collaborating to prepare offerings that included:

  • Buddha statues
  • Swayambhu stupa replicas
  • Carpets
  • Ritual objects

These activities reflected the institute’s connections with broader Himalayan Buddhist communities.

Relationships With Tibetan Buddhism

The website highlighted extensive interactions between Nepalese and Tibetan Buddhist communities.

This relationship was historically significant because Nepal long served as a bridge between India and Tibet. Many Buddhist texts, artistic traditions, and ritual systems traveled through Nepal into Tibet during the medieval period.

The institute acknowledged the importance of Tibetan Buddhism while also emphasizing the distinctiveness of Nepalese traditions.

Rather than presenting the traditions as competitors, the organization portrayed them as interconnected parts of a larger Vajrayana world.

The institute hosted Tibetan teachers, collaborated with Tibetan organizations, and organized events involving Tibetan monks and nuns.

At the same time, the website consistently argued that Nepalese Buddhism deserved independent recognition rather than being overshadowed by Tibetan traditions.

Translation Projects and Publishing Efforts

Translation work represented another major priority for the institute.

The organization launched initiatives aimed at translating Buddhist texts from Sanskrit, Tibetan, and English into Nepali and Newari languages.

These efforts sought to make Buddhist teachings accessible to broader Nepalese audiences.

The institute believed translation was essential because many younger Nepalese Buddhists no longer possessed advanced knowledge of classical Sanskrit.

Publishing projects included the distribution of Buddhist texts to:

  • Monasteries
  • Libraries
  • Educational institutions
  • Buddhist centers
  • Community organizations

The institute also distributed reprinted editions of important Buddhist works free of charge.

This reflected a philosophy that Buddhist knowledge should remain accessible rather than restricted to elite scholarly circles.

The Website’s Audience

NagarjunaInstitute.com attracted a diverse audience.

Its readers likely included:

  • Buddhist practitioners
  • Academic researchers
  • University students
  • Historians of religion
  • Sanskrit scholars
  • Nepalese diaspora communities
  • Travelers interested in Buddhism
  • Western spiritual seekers

The site’s tone combined scholarly seriousness with educational accessibility.

Unlike commercial wellness-oriented Buddhist websites, NagarjunaInstitute.com frequently used academic language, historical references, and detailed discussions of Buddhist traditions.

This gave the website a niche but highly engaged readership.

The site also appealed to readers seeking alternatives to mainstream Western presentations of Buddhism. Many visitors likely discovered the website while researching Vajrayana Buddhism, Nepalese culture, Sanskrit manuscripts, or Buddhist philosophy.

Cultural Preservation and Heritage Concerns

One of the most emotionally powerful aspects of the website involved its warnings about cultural loss.

The institute repeatedly expressed concern about:

  • Decaying monasteries
  • Urban redevelopment
  • Loss of ritual traditions
  • Declining priestly education
  • Sale of sacred manuscripts
  • Export of Buddhist sculptures and artworks

These concerns reflected real challenges facing Nepal during the late twentieth century.

Economic pressures, tourism markets, political instability, and modernization all contributed to changes within traditional religious communities.

The website therefore functioned partly as an advocacy platform for preservation.

By documenting traditions online, the institute attempted to preserve knowledge that might otherwise disappear.

Early Internet Buddhism and Digital Legacy

NagarjunaInstitute.com belonged to an early generation of Buddhist websites.

During the late 1990s, the internet remained relatively undeveloped compared to modern standards. Many religious organizations had only minimal web presence.

The institute’s decision to establish an educational website during this period demonstrated unusual foresight.

The site preserved:

  • Essays
  • announcements
  • educational materials
  • reports on Buddhist activities
  • pilgrimage accounts
  • translation initiatives
  • historical discussions
  • scholarly reflections

Today, the website also serves as a historical artifact documenting how Buddhist organizations first adapted to digital communication.

Its archival preservation remains important because many early internet resources disappeared entirely as hosting services changed or organizations dissolved.

Reputation and Scholarly Importance

Although NagarjunaInstitute.com never achieved mainstream popularity comparable to large commercial Buddhist websites, it earned respect within specialized circles interested in Buddhist studies and Nepalese culture.

The site’s importance derived less from web traffic and more from the uniqueness of its content.

At a time when information on Newar Buddhism remained difficult to find online, NagarjunaInstitute.com provided English-language materials discussing:

  • Nepalese Vajrayana traditions
  • Buddhist manuscript preservation
  • Sanskrit Buddhist literature
  • Newar ritual systems
  • Buddhist educational initiatives in Nepal

For students and researchers, the website offered insight into a tradition often overshadowed in global Buddhist discourse.

The site also demonstrated how local Buddhist organizations in South Asia began using the internet to participate in international conversations about religion, preservation, and scholarship.

Social and Cultural Significance

The broader significance of NagarjunaInstitute.com lies in its role as a bridge between worlds.

The website connected:

  • Ancient traditions and modern technology
  • Nepalese practitioners and international scholars
  • Sanskrit textual culture and digital preservation
  • Local religious communities and global audiences
  • Historical Buddhist learning and contemporary education

It also challenged simplified narratives about Buddhism.

Many Western audiences encountered Buddhism primarily through meditation movements, mindfulness culture, or Tibetan exile communities. NagarjunaInstitute.com revealed a more complex picture involving manuscript scholarship, ritual continuity, hereditary traditions, sacred art preservation, and Nepalese cultural identity.

The site therefore contributed to a broader understanding of Buddhism as a diverse and historically layered civilization rather than a single unified tradition.

 

NagarjunaInstitute.com represented far more than a simple religious website. It was an ambitious educational and preservation project rooted in the intellectual and spiritual traditions of the Kathmandu Valley.

Through its emphasis on Newar Buddhism, Sanskrit manuscript preservation, translation initiatives, Buddhist education, and international scholarly collaboration, the website documented an important moment in the modernization of Buddhist cultural preservation.

The institute behind the site sought to protect endangered traditions while adapting to changing technological and social realities. Its leaders recognized that digital communication could help preserve Buddhist knowledge for future generations.

Although the original website eventually became an archived resource, its contents continue to hold historical value. The site provides insight into Nepal’s role as a guardian of Buddhist civilization and illustrates how local religious institutions entered the digital age during the early years of the internet.

Today, NagarjunaInstitute.com remains significant not only for students of Buddhism but also for historians of digital culture, religious preservation, and Himalayan intellectual history.


NagarjunaInstitute.com