My Journey at IBC - A Home of Buddhist Learning and Inner Growth

Shared by: She Tengyuan (Grace), BA graduate
My name is She Tengyuan, and I graduated from the International Buddhist College (IBC) in 2024. As I reflect upon my years at IBC in Thailand, I realize that the older I grow, the more grateful I become for the experience.
Studying at IBC was a truly transformative journey. I often reflect on those days with heartfelt appreciation. Our Shifus, professors and lecturers cared for us with deep compassion and kindness, treating us like their own children - not only nurturing our academic development, but also supporting our physical and emotional well-being. I feel incredibly honored to have been a student there. It remains one of the most precious and formative periods of my life, both intellectually and ethically. I sincerely hope that more people will be exposed to the study and practice of Buddhism and benefit from it - just as our college motto encourages: “For the Good of the Many”.

In what follows, I wish to reflect upon several core dimensions of my experience at IBC. I hope these may offer helpful insights for prospective students seeking a path in Buddhist studies and practice.

To begin with, the centrality of language acquisition in the pursuit of Buddhist scholarship cannot be overstated. I graduated from the BA in Buddhist Textual Studies program, with a focus on Pāli and Sanskrit. This training laid a strong foundation for my future academic pursuits, especially as I move forward with Buddhist studies in a Western academic context. Language learning is indispensable for serious engagement with primary texts and Buddhist traditions. At IBC, we had the rare opportunity to study several classical and modern languages central to Buddhism, including Chinese, English, Sanskrit, Pāli, Thai and Tibetan. The college offers excellent language instructors and well-structured curricula that cultivate philological precision and textual literacy -skills essential for any serious engagement with Buddhist source materials.

Another defining feature of my time at IBC was the opportunity to learn within a living Buddhist tradition. Studying alongside monastics from various traditions was a rare and deeply meaningful experience. Our classmates included Theravāda monks from Thailand and Myanmar, Mahāyāna monastics from China and Malaysia, and even teachers from the Vajrayāna tradition, such as a Tibetan-language instructor who is a Lama from Bhutan. These encounters brought a living expression of Buddhism and allowed for genuine inter-traditional dialogue. The presence of committed practitioners representing different lineages was indeed a testament to the diversity of the Buddhist world.

Furthermore, the integration of spiritual practice into our daily routine was a profound part of the IBC experience. Spiritual life was not separate from academic study - it was woven into the structure of each day. We began and ended our days with Buddhist chanting and meditation, and participated in communal work (chu-pō), which helped us cultivate mindfulness through simple tasks. Shifus often used everyday moments to share Dhamma teachings, encouraging us to internalize the doctrine not merely intellectually but existentially.

I still vividly remember the sound of the morning and evening bells, the resonance of chanting, and the peaceful atmosphere conducive to inner stillness and mindful reflection. As Subhūti asked the Buddha in the Diamond Sutra: “How should one abide, and how should one subdue the mind?”, this became a lived inquiry. The disciplined rhythm of life at IBC, the exemplary conduct of teachers and fellow practitioners, and the spiritual environment of the college offered a rare opportunity to let go of the world’s chaos for a short time and served as a serene retreat for the seeker of wisdom.

Beyond academics and spiritual cultivation, IBC provided generous scholarships and created a warm, supportive community. During the Lunar New Year, Shifus even offered us red packets as blessings. On outings and festivals, they kindly arranged travel plans and prepared food for us. I still remember how many times we enjoyed fruit and ice cream that our Sanskrit teacher, Ven. Dhammanandhi, bought for all of us. Among classmates, there was a genuine ethic of care: we supported one another through illnesses, challenges, and celebrations alike. Such moments of kindness remain deeply warming and enduring in my heart.

Through these experiences, I grew intellectually, spiritually, and emotionally. IBC instilled in me values that continue to guide me now as I pursue graduate studies at Harvard. It allowed me to see the dawn of Buddhism in secular universities.

Whether your goal is to become a scholar of Buddhism, a dedicated practitioner, or someone seeking spiritual grounding (as many of my Western friends were), I believe you will find your place at IBC. The college offers a supportive and inclusive environment where various aspirations may take root and flourish.

Even now, I recall with affection the warm Thai sun, the abundance of tropical fruits on campus, the wholesome vegetarian meals, and, above all, the boundless kindness of the teachers and fellow students. I sincerely hope that others may have the good fortune to study at IBC, and that they, too, may discover peace, wisdom and happiness on their journey.