<< Left to right: Gen-La Michael Gregory and Ven. Tenzin Legphel Priyadarshi. Ven. Tenzin will offer authentic Tibetan-Buddhist Dharma teachings to six Colorado communities for the next three years. Special to the Daily

The monastics and main teachers of Bodhicharya, who started the Buddhist community here in Colorado, are off to Sikkim, India, to begin a three-year retreat beginning September 2006.

Ven. Tenzin will teach locally at the Vail Chapel (across from the Sonnenalp Resort at 19 Vail Road) from 6-8 p.m. Wednesdays, n addition to weekly classes across Colorado. Ven. Tenzin will offer retreats and shedra, monastic university training, at Bodhicharya's center in Fairplay.

Ven. Tenzin is a monk serving as the Buddhist Chaplain at MIT and recently completed his graduate work at the Harvard Divinity School. Born in Vaishali, India, he entered monastery at the age of 10 in Rajgir near ancient Nalanda University. He trained in India and Nepal in Indo-Tibetan and Japanese Buddhism and was ordained by the Dalai Lama.

Ven. Priyadarshi has been interested in dialogues within and outside of the Buddhist tradition. He has engaged in dialogue with the Dalai Lama, Shakya Trizin, Gyalwa Karmapa and other eminent scholars and practitioners. He has presented papers and given talks on various aspects of philosophy and religion in India, Cuba, Japan, Taiwan and the United States.

Visit www.bodhiusa.org or call Erik Vienneau at 390-4318 for more information on the classes.