imported>JJMC89 bot III: Moving :Category:Tibetan Buddhist teachers to :Category:Tibetan Buddhist spiritual teachers per Wikipedia:Categories for discussion/Speedy

2021-05-28T07:39:14Z

Moving Category:Tibetan Buddhist teachers to Category:Tibetan Buddhist spiritual teachers per Wikipedia:Categories for discussion/Speedy

New page

{{Infobox scientist
| name = Tenzin Priyadarshi
| image = Tenzin_Priyadarshi_Portrait.jpg
| Priyadarshi in 2016 =
| birth_place = India
| nationality =
| alma_mater =
| known_for =
| influences =
| influenced =
| footnotes =
| field = Ethics, Philosophy, Religion
| work_institutions = Massachusetts Institute of Technology
| prizes =
| religion = Buddhism
| website = https://iMonk.org
}}
'''Tenzin Priyadarshi''' is the president and CEO of the Dalai Lama Center for Ethics and Transformative Values at the [[Massachusetts Institute of Technology]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://thecenter.mit.edu|title=The Center website|last=|first=|date=|website=|publisher=|access-date=}}</ref>

== Early years ==
Priyadarshi was born into a [[Hindu]] [[Bhumihar Brahmin]] family in [[Vaishali district]], [[Bihar]], [[India]]. He comes from a family of bureaucrats, political leaders, and eminent scholars. He has two sisters, one is an attorney and the other, [[Shilpa Shukla]], is a famed actress in the [[Indian film industry]].

He entered the monastery at the age of ten in [[Rajgir]], India near the ancient [[Nalanda University]] at his own volition.<ref>{{cite web|last=Kunzleman|first=Michael|title=From vision to Buddhism|url=http://www.buddhistchannel.tv/index.php?id=9,1257,0,0,1,0|publisher=Associate Press}}</ref> He is a Buddhist monk from India ordained by the [[Dalai Lama]], who is his preceptor and mentor. He also studied under the guidance of [[Sakya Trizin]], Drikung Chhetsang, [[Kushok Bakula Rinpoche]] and [[Samdhong Rinpoche]], and received meditation training from Drubwang Rinpoche. Priyadarshi trained in [[India]], [[Nepal]], and [[Japan]] in Indo-Tibetan and Japanese Buddhism, and is known for his love of [[Sanskrit]] Buddhist literature. He also spent several years studying [[Vedanta]] and [[Kashmir Shaivism]] in [[Kolkata]], and maintained close relations with the [[Ramakrishna Mission]] Ashram.

He attended [[Central Institute of Higher Tibetan Studies]] and the Sanskrit University in Varanasi, India, and graduated from [[Le Moyne College]], Summa Cum Laude, with a bachelor's degree as an integral honors scholar studying philosophy, physics, and religious studies with minors in international relations and Japanese. In 2003 he completed his graduate studies in comparative philosophy of religion at [[Harvard University]]. In 2002 he was appointed as the first Buddhist chaplain at MIT.

== Teaching career ==
Priyadarshi lectures internationally on [[Buddhist philosophy]], ethics, leadership, and socio-political issues.

In 2009, Priyadarshi founded the Dalai Lama Center for Ethics and Transformative Values at MIT to design and disseminate innovative programs on teaching secular ethics and human values. The decision to name this center was based on the Dalai Lama's commitment to human wellbeing and the fact that he was named as a top global leader in a survey in 2008.<ref>{{cite news|last=Freed|first=John C.|title=Dalai Lama gets top rating in survey on world leaders|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/27/world/europe/27iht-poll.4.18215044.html?_r=0|newspaper=The New York Times}}</ref> The Center for Ethics has 6 Nobel Peace Laureates as its founding members and its programs run in 5 countries while poised for a global reach.<ref>{{cite web|last=London|first=Jay|title=Bringing Ethics into Education|url=http://www.technologyreview.com/article/510976/bringing-ethics-into-education/|publisher=MIT Technology Review}}</ref>

Priyadarshi was also involved with designing a Vocal Vibrations exhibit with [[Tod Machover]], [[Neri Oxman]], and David Edwards.

[[File:Tenzin Priyadarshi at Dalai Lama's visit to Boston 2012.jpg|thumb|left|Tenzin Priyadarshi at Dalai Lama's visit to Boston 2012]]
He is regarded as an influential teacher in the [[Rimé movement|Rimé]] (non-sectarian) movement within [[Tibetan Buddhism]], like his predecessor. He founded the [http://prajnopaya.org Prajnopaya Institute] to create an avenue for critical study and practice of Buddhist philosophy within Europe and North America. To promote contemplative programs in North America, he founded Bodhimarga, a CyberDharma community with satellite locations in various parts of North America and Asia.<ref>{{cite web|last=Stoner|first=Edward|title=Locals tune into iMonk for enlightenment|url=http://www.vaildaily.com/article/20070920/NEWS/70918026|publisher=Vail Daily|accessdate=September 18, 2007}}</ref>

== Ethics and Empathy Efforts ==
In 2015, Priyadarshi became a Directors' Fellow at MIT Media Lab and directed the ethics initiative (2015-2019) to help foster critical conversations on ethics and emerging technologies with focus on AI and CRISPR in particular. Through this he made efforts to promote research and program design to facilitate broader and deeper understanding of ethics and empathy adherence. He coined the expression "ethics as optimization" to convey a distinctive approach to ethics learning. Turing Prize winner [[Edward Feigenbaum]] said that he was encouraged by this novel "ethics as optimization" approach to Cognitive Computing and AI as presented by Priyadarshi at a summit in Napa, California.

Priyadarshi along with [[Joi Ito]] and [[Reid Hoffman]] commenced plans to create Ethics and Governance of Artificial Intelligence Fund to promote ethical framework and transparency in AI related developments. The fund also explores AI for Social Good models. The fund is also supported by [[Pierre Omidyar]] and the [[John S. and James L. Knight Foundation|Knight Foundation]] and others.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.knightfoundation.org/articles/ethics-and-governance-of-artificial-intelligence-fund|title=Knight Foundation|website=www.knightfoundation.org|access-date=2017-08-11}}</ref> Primary institutions overseeing this work are [[MIT Media Lab]] and the [[Berkman Klein Center for Internet & Society]] at Harvard University.

Speaking during a private gathering of lawmakers and business leaders, Priyadarshi suggested "lack of empathy as a public health issue." He encouraged the audience to begin thinking of nurturing ethics and empathy (as well as its "upgraded forms" such as kindness and compassion) as civic responsibility without which any democratic system is at threat. "Any systems thinker working on wellbeing of the individual, organizations and societies cannot ignore ethics and empathy framework," he proposed.

== Conflict resolution and peace efforts ==
Having been exposed to the dangers of religious fanaticism and violence early on, Priyadarshi has been instrumental in conflict resolution processes in India and [[Sri Lanka]]. He has been actively involved in inter-religious dialogue with religious leaders such as [[Pope John Paul II]], [[Desmond Tutu]], and [[Pope Benedict XVI]]. He has made his admiration for [[Francis of Assisi]] quite public and travels to [[Italy]] frequently to engage in spiritual dialogue with Christian monastic communities. He actively promotes contemplative learning beyond religious boundaries and talks frequently with [[Thomas Keating]], founder of Contemplative Outreach. He received a Felicitation for his work at the 2007 SAARC Interfaith Conclave in [[New Delhi]], India. He delivered the Reverend Daniel Berrigan SJ Peace Makers Lecture in 2013 at Le Moyne College, New York.<ref>{{cite web|last=Shea|first=Pat|title=Peacemaker visit Le Moyne|url=http://thecatholicsun.com/sun-april-18-2013/peacemaker-visits-le-moyne/itemid-1030|publisher=The Catholic Sun|accessdate=April 18, 2013|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20140724220153/http://thecatholicsun.com/sun-april-18-2013/peacemaker-visits-le-moyne/itemid-1030|archivedate=July 24, 2014}}</ref> He also received the Distinguished Alumni Honors from Harvard University in April 2013 recognizing his contributions.<ref>{{cite web|title=Award celebrates contributions of four distinguished graduates|url=http://hds.harvard.edu/news/2013/03/06hds-alumnialumnae-council-announces-inaugural-gomes-honors-recipients|publisher=Harvard|accessdate=March 6, 2013}}</ref>

== Humanitarian projects ==
Following the disasters caused by the 2005 tsunami, Priyadarshi founded the Prajnopaya Foundation to develop innovative and sustainable ways to alleviate suffering in developing countries. The foundation has been active in health care endeavors in India, including systematic methods to curtail [[tuberculosis]] and bring health care to rural areas.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://web.mit.edu/newsoffice/2008/itw-india-tt0206.html|title=Smart pillbox could be a lifesaver|last=Chandler|first=David|newspaper=MIT News}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/02/080210130407.htm|title=Smart Pillbox Beeps And Flashed At Pill Time, And Won't Let You Take Them Twice|newspaper=Science Daily}}</ref>

He was a project advisor to a team of architects from MIT, [[Harvard Graduate School of Design]], and [[University of Cambridge]] to develop Tsunami Safe(r) Houses, low cost high resistant homes for families in Sri Lanka.<ref>{{cite web|last=Howe|first=Peter J.|title=Safe(r) in Sri Lanka An MIT-Harvard team designs and builds a prototype house to withstand future tsunamis.|url=http://www.boston.com/yourlife/home/articles/2005/11/20/safer_in_sri_lanka/|publisher=Boston Globe|accessdate=November 20, 2005}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Johnson|first=Madeleine|title=Safe as houses?|url=http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/5b83e7ae-a619-11dd-9d26-000077b07658.html#axzz2WPofyulg|publisher=Financial Times|accessdate=October 31, 2008}}</ref> In December 2009, Priyadarshi was felicitated as "Icon of Bihar" at the Bihar Conclave.<ref>{{cite news|title=BiharTimes Conclave to highlight ICON|url=http://bihartimes.in/Newsbihar/2009/Nov/Newsbihar26Nov1.html|newspaper=Bihar Times|date=November 26, 2009|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20130712225856/http://www.bihartimes.in/Newsbihar/2009/Nov/Newsbihar26Nov1.html|archivedate=July 12, 2013}}</ref> He is the youngest person to receive this honor.

== Other activities ==
Priyadarshi is a Tribeca Disruptive Fellow. He was a 2018 Fellow at the Center for Advanced Study in the Behavioral Sciences at Stanford University. He served as the founding member and director of the Vishwa Shanti Stupa (World Peace Pagoda Projects) in New Delhi and Sarnath (Varanasi), India.<ref>{{cite web|title=Delhi Shanti Stupa|url=http://www.phayul.com/news/article.aspx?id=18555&t=3&c=1|publisher=Phayul}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Staff|title=Delhi gets a peace pagoda|url=http://www.hindu.com/2007/11/15/stories/2007111559140400.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071220021439/http://www.hindu.com/2007/11/15/stories/2007111559140400.htm|url-status=dead|work=[[The Hindu]]|date=2007-11-15|archive-date=2007-12-20}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Vishwa Shanti Stupa unveiled|url=http://www.rediff.com/news/report/look/20071114.htm|publisher=Gettys/ Rediff}}</ref> He serves as trustee for The National Shrine of Saint Francis of Assisi and an advisor to the Renaissance Project in San Francisco, California. He is also actively involved in ongoing dialogue between Buddhism, meditation and neuroscience.

== Media and Publication ==
Priyadarshi released an album of select Buddhist prayers in Sanskrit at the request of his students. The collection entitled "Revival: Sanskrit Buddhist Chants" was done in collaboration with a symphony in Mexico. Priyadarshi said "it was an impromptu fun collaboration to expose people to the power of Sanskrit language and chants. It has no entertainment value." This collection is now available on YouTube<ref>{{Citation|title=100 Syllable Mantra of Vajrasattva|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=16XLnNrb-00|language=en-US|access-date=2020-08-10}}</ref> and other channels. Flutist and Musician Paul Horn said "''The Venerable Tenzin Priyadarshi's soft powerful chanting, in a warm lush instrumental setting, offers a deep spiritual experience for the listener. A beautiful recording."'' Krishna Das adds ''"With a great depth of Devotion that is lit with Wisdom, Tenzin Priyadarshi creates a beautiful offering of Ancient Buddhist Prayers."''

In 2020, Priyadarshi released his book "Running Toward Mystery: The Adventure of an Unconventional Life" with Random House US.<ref name=":0">{{Cite book|url=https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/605250/running-toward-mystery-by-|title=Running Toward Mystery}}</ref> [[Sting (musician)|Sting]] calls it "''a necessary and captivating narrative of spiritual courage and truth seeking far beyond the veil of our contemporary delusions.''" Pulitzer Prize–winning author of ''The Emperor of All Maladies,'' [[Siddhartha Mukherjee]] ''says “Running Toward Mystery is not merely a book, but an experience, a biography, a formula for living, and a manifesto for a new kind of exploration of life. Tenzin Priyadarshi writes with the extraordinary conviction and grace that can only come from fulfillment. This book produces a kind of joy—and a nudge towards curiosity—that only few books can provide. It is, at the same time, a pathway and a journey. I could not put it down.”''<ref name=":0" />

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

== External links ==
{{Commons category|Tenzin Priyadarshi}}
* [http://thecenter.mit.edu The Dalai Lama Center for Ethics and Transformative Values at MIT]
* [http://senseable.mit.edu/tsunami-prajnopaya/ Tsunami Safe(r) Houses]
* [http://www.prajnopaya.org Prajnopaya]
* [http://www.bodhimarga.org Bodhimarga]
* [http://www.imonk.org The website of Venerable Tenzin Priyadarshi]
* [http://shantistupa.org Vishwa Shanti Stupa Project]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20090710183208/http://www.shrinerenewal.org/ The National Shrine of Saint Fransis of Assisi]

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Priyadarshi, Tenzin}}
[[Category:Tibetan Buddhist spiritual teachers]]
[[Category:Rimé lamas]]
[[Category:Tibetan Buddhists from India]]
[[Category:People from Bihar]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Year of birth missing (living people)]]
[[Category:Massachusetts Institute of Technology faculty]]
[[Category:Harvard University alumni]]
[[Category:Le Moyne College alumni]]
[[Category:Indian Buddhists]]
[[Category:Indian chief executives]]

Tenzin Priyadarshi - Revision history

imported>JJMC89 bot III: Moving :Category:Tibetan Buddhist teachers to :Category:Tibetan Buddhist spiritual teachers per Wikipedia:Categories for discussion/Speedy