English for Dharma Purposes: English Language Learning for Buddhist Monastics

Eden Merritt, Sarnath International Nyingma Institute, Stratford, Canada

English for Buddhist monks and nuns

A question that people naturally have is: why Buddhist monastics? As ESP practitioners, we tend to be broadly accepting of the many forms that this field can take; in connecting with each other, we have the opportunity to learn about the various specialties that make up our work. Working with Buddhist monastics in the field of English for Dharma Purposes is one such niche.

In recent years, there has been a rise in interest in Buddhist teachings and practices. Buddhists such as the Dalai Lama and Thich Nhat Hanh have become well-known leaders and advocates globally. Buddhism, including its philosophy and mind-training techniques such as mindfulness meditation, is increasingly becoming part of the Western cultural sphere. If you have ever practiced mindfulness meditation, chances are you have been the recipient of instruction that has been developed and passed down by Buddhist lineage holders over generations.

These lineage holders are Buddhist monks and nuns, most often from the Asia-Pacific region, hailing from the highs of the Tibetan Plateau to the southernmost points of Thailand. There is no one type of Buddhism, just as there is no one type of Christianity or one type of Islam: there are variations in traditions and practices across countries, regions, and schools of practice, deeply interwoven with cultural, national, and familial identities (Pew Research Center, 2023).

In response to the rise in interest in Buddhist practices in the West, there has been a corresponding rising demand for traditionally-trained monastics from the East in the form of teachers, instructors, and translators. English, in its role as the de facto world language, represents the means by which these practitioners are able to connect to a wider global audience in order to share their wealth of knowledge. As a language, it is a tool for connection to transmit the teachings and practices of Buddhism to those who are interested in them.

Student Group

The students I work with are monks and nuns primarily from the Himalayan region who are well-educated within the monastic education system on subjects such as Buddhist philosophy, grammar, and debate. Many of these students come from nomadic or rural backgrounds, and most entered the monastery between the ages of 10 to 15. All of them want to pursue studies in English for the purpose of connecting with English-speaking practitioners of Buddhism around the world through teachings and translation.

The problem, as you may well imagine, is that there are few programs and fewer materials designed specifically for Buddhist monastics who want to learn English. Common challenges include a lack of appropriate structure in courses (Phann et al, 2023), irrelevant reading and other materials (Supphipat & Chinokul, 2019), and a reliance on untrained or temporary volunteer teachers (Thomas, 2022). Issues such as these have led to the failure of English programs for monastics, or have caused monastics to enroll in General English programs, which in turn do not meet their needs. It has been my work over the past three years to design, create, and implement a comprehensive English program and three-part textbook series for Buddhist monastics at the Sarnath International Nyingma Institute located just north of Varanasi, India, where a group of monks and nuns live and study in residence.

Student Needs

So what exactly are the needs of Buddhist monastics who are seeking to learn English? The first thought teachers and students often have is that it is a matter of learning the correct vocabulary. It is true that there is a substantial vocabulary component for students in order to properly interact with philosophical ideas and concepts; however, vocabulary is only one aspect of the language and skills that monastic students need.

Broadly speaking, there are six main language functions or skills that I have identified over the course of my work.

1) Identifying and describing objects and actions

Temples contain many ritual or decorative objects and symbols that practitioners are curious about. Monastics are often asked questions about them such as What is this? and How do you use it? Practices during ceremonies are also the subject of curiosity; questions like What is happening? are common. Monastics need to be able to respond to such questions with descriptions and instructions about what certain objects are, how to use them, or how to perform certain actions in the temple. For example, a monastic may respond to an inquiry by saying “This is a prayer wheel. You turn it clockwise, like this.”

2) Explaining and discussing actions, ideas, and concepts

It is common for monastics to be asked to describe not only what something is or what is happening, but why. Why do you do this practice? Continuing the example from above, when questioned about why Buddhists turn prayer wheels, a monastic may respond that turning the wheel generates merit; that there are thousands of prayers written on paper inside the wheel, and each turn of the wheel represents a complete recitation of these thousands of prayers; and that turning the wheel counter-clockwise is considered to be unlucky. These explanations come from questions that commonly arise for novice Buddhist practitioners.

3) Retelling stories and events

Buddhist teachings are often transmitted or illustrated through storytelling, either through parables from the Buddha’s life or anecdotes from the teacher’s own experiences. Such stories help the audience to connect with the concepts being presented and discussed, and are therefore invaluable for monastics to use during their teachings and discussions. Monastics are able to successfully retell stories using language skills such as narrative tenses, linking words, and other connective language.

4) Comparing and contrasting teachings, traditions, and cultures

There are a number of variations within Buddhism: the Zen traditions from China and Japan; the Theravada school found in Southeast Asia; the Diamond Vehicle of the Himalayan region; and the great mix of traditions that have spread across the world and can be found side-by-side in the West. Buddhists, as a group, are no longer isolated from each other or the world by geography and language. People are often interested in the similarities and differences between these traditions, their beliefs and practices, and the cultures that have shaped them. Monastics don’t have to be experts on every single school of Buddhism and how they differ from each other, but they need to be able to broadly articulate how they are similar and how they are different.

5) Analyzing beliefs and practices

In deepening the discussion around comparing and contrasting, monastics may also further analyze their beliefs and practices. This often involves drawing from historical context from the time of the Buddha in analyzing why and how certain beliefs and practices have taken form. For example, monastics may be asked about their vows and why they have to follow certain rules.

6) Applying knowledge to other contexts

Monastics are frequently asked to provide advice for practitioners, usually in response to some variation on the question How do I apply this to my daily life? In order to respond appropriately, monastics need to be able to offer advice and instruction for practices and actions.

Looking to the future

Creating a program that addresses all of these needs has been a challenge, but it is my hope that it is a successful one. Now that the creation and piloting of the English for Dharma Purposes program has been completed, the next stage is to share and implement it more widely in order to address the resource gap that currently persists within the community. The Sarnath International Nyingma Institute aims to implement the English for Dharma Purposes program in monasteries, nunneries, and Buddhist institutes for monastics interested in learning English through the lens of Buddhist practices and philosophy.

So if you find yourself in a meditation or Buddhist philosophy session with a monastic teacher in the coming years, you may find yourself the recipient of the results of the field of English for Dharma Purposes.

References

Pew Research Center. (2023, September 12). Buddhism, Islam and Religious Pluralism in South and Southeast Asia. https://www.pewresearch.org/religion/2023/09/12/buddhism-islam-and-religious-pluralism-in-south-and-southeast-asia/

Phann, S., Em, S., & Tep, S. (2023). Cambodian Buddhist monks’ motivation in learning English: Grade level analysis. PROJECT (Professional Journal of English Education), 6(1), 164-175. https://doi.org/10.22460/project.v6i1.p164-175

Supphipat, P. & Chinokul, S. (2019). The development of the English content-based reading materials for Buddhist student monks. Suranaree Journal of Social Science, 13(1), 1-22. https://doi.org/10.55766/VIME7423

Thomas, C. (2022). Developing EFL resources for Tibetan monastics in India and Nepal. TESOLANZ Journal, 30, 48-58.

Eden Merritt is a TESOL professional with over ten years of experience in the field working with English language learners. In 2019, she completed her Cambridge DELTA with a specialization in ESP. She is currently the Director of the English for Dharma Purposes program at the Sarnath International Nyingma Institute, where she oversees the program and teachers and is the author of the forthcoming textbook series for Buddhist monastics, English for Dharma Purposes, Vol I-III. Additionally, Eden consults, authors, and trains on educational initiatives related to the intersection of ESP, language, and culture.