Free Bonus Lecture – Discover a Verse in Tibetan Dharma Language

Discover a foundational verse from Classical Tibetan during a free 1-hour 30 minute Zoom lecture by Lama David Curtis.

We are happy to announce that TLI will again offer a one-hour 30-minute bonus lecture on Saturday, November 21, 2026  for the TLI community, via live Zoom webinar.

In this one-hour introduction to reading Tibetan, Lama David will introduce a few of the opening lines of Jñanamitra’s commentary on the Heart Sutra, explaining each Tibetan word and its role in the text. While this lecture is intended for beginning students of the Tibetan language, everyone interested in Tibetan Buddhist teachings is invited to attend. There will be time at the end of the lecture for Q & A.

Those who can already read the Tibetan script will get the most out of this lecture, but all are most welcome to join.

In our last lectures in November 2024 & 2025, Lama David taught on  short passages from the first chapter of The Jewel Ornament of Liberation, written by Je Gampopa around the turn of the 12th century. In these lines Gampopa gives a synopsis of the Mahayana path as well as a brief summary of the topics covered in The Jewel Ornament of Liberation, the first “stages-of-the-path” text written in Tibetan. The video of this class is now available on YouTube, as well as other past TLI Bonus lectures: https://www.youtube.com/@LamaDavidCurtis/playlists

This will be a great way to stay connected to Tibetan and the Dharma during as we enter into the 2026 Holiday Season and the break between TLI courses.

Video Recordings: Available to registrants for a limited time, but you are encouraged to attend the Zoom lecture

Lecture Date: Saturday, November 21, 2026

Duration: 1 hour 30 minutes
Hosted on: Zoom
Cost: This lecture is free, but TLI welcomes your donation, large or small.

Time:

  • 10:00 AM–11:30 AM Saturday US Pacific Time
  • 11:00 AM–12:30 AM Saturday US Mountain Time
  • 12:00 noon–1:30 PM Saturday US Central Time
  • 1:00 pm–2:20 PM Saturday US Eastern Time
  • 1:00 noon–2:30 PM Saturday Toronto, Canada
  • 6:00 PM-7:30 PM Saturday  London UK 
  • 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
  • 2 AM-3:30 AM Sunday, November 22 Singapore (SGT)
  • 3 AM -4:30 AM Sunday, November 22 Seoul, South Korea
  • 5:00 AM – 6:30 AM Sunday, November 22 AEDT (Sydney, Australia)
  • 7:00 AM – 8:30 AM Sunday, November 22 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. Please include email address—our only way to send you the Zoom link!
    • Also, please include your location.
    • Also please include on your registration if you are affiliated with a Dharma group or teacher.
  • Handouts for the lecture are sent via a link to a Dropbox folder a few days before the lecture. Please print them out.
  • The Zoom webinar link for the lecture will be emailed a day or two before the lecture.
  • On the day of the lecture, join the Zoom webinar.
  • After the lecture, a link to the video recording will be sent to registrants so they can watch the lecture. This makes it possible for those whose time zone makes live attendance difficult and those who wish to review the lecture that they were able to attend.

Register for the Next Free Lecture

Bonus Lecture Registration

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The principal instructor at TLI is Lama 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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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.

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