Q&A Making Tibetan Buddhism Modern In China

This took place on April 11, 2013, following Khenpo Sodargye’s lecture at the Max Planck Institute in Germany. The discussion touched on modern society’s growing interest in Buddhism, monastic education, interfaith relations, and the Buddhist view of suffering. Khenpo addressed questions about whether Tibetan monasteries teach secular subjects, the pros and cons of “fast-food Buddhism,” why people from different social backgrounds turn to the Dharma, and whether religious competition exists. He emphasized that the wisdom of Buddhism can alleviate suffering for anyone, that interfaith dialogue should be grounded in openness, and that the spread of Tibetan Buddhism carries no intention of conquest—only the wish to benefit others through compassion and wisdom.