Asian Classics Institute's 30th Birthday Party in Kyoto, Japan!
Geshe Michael Roach talks about the 30/30/30 Plan in Kyoto, Japan
Way back in 1993, Geshe Michael Roach had the idea to start teaching the wisdom of the ancient Asian classics to modern audiences who were interested in learning these ideas and their relevance in modern-day life. He took the curriculum of the typical geshe course--geshe is a Tibetan word that means something like advanced doctor of theology--translated it into English, and presented it in 18 Foundational Courses covering all the major topics of the study .
This was the beginning of Asian Classics Institute.
Geshe Michael and a close student, Ani Pelma, searched New York City for a place to teach the courses that was cheap enough for them to afford. They found an apartment to rent in the Hell's Kitchen district of Manhattan, a very rough and poor neighborhood at the time (now it is quite chic!).
Way back in 1993, Geshe Michael Roach had the idea to start teaching the wisdom of the ancient Asian classics to modern audiences who were interested in learning these ideas and their relevance in modern-day life. He took the curriculum of the typical geshe course--geshe is a Tibetan word that means something like advanced doctor of theology--translated it into English, and presented it in 18 Foundational Courses covering all the major topics of the study .
This was the beginning of Asian Classics Institute.
Geshe Michael and a close student, Ani Pelma, searched New York City for a place to teach the courses that was cheap enough for them to afford. They found an apartment to rent in the Hell's Kitchen district of Manhattan, a very rough and poor neighborhood at the time (now it is quite chic!).
Geshe Michael began teaching the 18 Asian Classics Institute Foundation Courses at night to a few students in the apartment in Hell's Kitchen, five days a week after he finished his day job in the diamond business. Afterward he would take the 2-hour bus journey home to Howell, New Jersey and then back to the City--two more hours by bus--in the morning to go to work.
The old Hell's Kitchen neighborhood in New York City
"There had never been anything like it before," said Ven. Jigme, one of Geshe Michael's earliest students. "It was revolutionary. We got the material from the geshe courses in an accessible form. I had already been a nun for several years, and I had been wondering about many things. These classes answered my questions." She laughs. "I think I memorized the first few classes; I listened to the tapes so many times."
Since that time, ACI has grown enormously, reaching students in many countries around the world: training future generations of teachers, continuing to teach the 18 Foundation Courses, keeping the tradition of Lam Rim alive and flourishing, and offering people hope and tools for making their lives better. ACI now teaches live courses online many days during the week in 17 of the world's languages, simultaneously translated so everyone can get the teachings they need. We offer monthly down-to-earth interactive classes that help people make their daily lives better in the Bringing Wisdom to Life series. We're diving deep into important core teachings with Conversations with Master Shantideva. We're leading in-person dharma retreats in Kyoto, and reprising Geshe Michael's 14-year Lam Rim teachings in weekly classes. We help people learn the basics with instructive courses, such as How to Do Retreat. And ACI recently began offering intensive introductions to the wisdom of the Diamond Way with a three-part series on De Lam, The Path to Bliss.
In December 2023, 30 years after its founding, ACI hosted a triumphant rejoicing celebration with hundreds of students from around the world who still study the Foundation Courses today. The party was held at a Steps on the Path event called The Power to Dream, in Kyoto, Japan.
Geshe Michael with students in Kyoto, 2023
There was an afternoon feast, music and dancing, and participants brainstormed their vision of ACI's next 30 years. A Rejoicing Wall was stickered with people's thoughts and feelings about ACI, where we have been and where we are going Senior teachers like Ven. Jigme, Earle Birney, and John Stilwell shared their stories and their experiences, live and on video, with the attendees.
Over 100 students attended from around the world, from countries like Taiwan, China, the United States, Vietnam, Ukraine, and Russia. Some of the amazing teachers from New York City’s Three Jewels, like Supriya Jain and Javier Perez-Karam, helped teach nine special classes on karmic correlations, which are the sometimes-surprising connections between acts we do and results we get. Supriya contributed a study tool called the Karmic Canvas that helped all the attendees make the connections they needed to in order to help them achieve immediate improvements in their lives. They were able to use the Karmic Canvas in all the special classes.
The Three Jewels also put together the 30th Anniversary Celebration, making and showing videos from early students, providing treats, and organizing interactive events that made everybody feel at home and gave attendees the chance to contribute their ideas to ACI’s future. Thank you, Three Jewels! The entire ACI staff was in attendance as well, giving them the chance to meet the students from across the world that they help and serve every day. It was a joy for both sides, to meet each other face to face and put a real human being together with a name sometimes seen only on Zoom.
During the teaching, Geshe Michael told us more about the future of ACI and his vision for ACI through 2030 that invites us all to help support this foundational organization that he started in 1993. He made pledges to give us wonderful new teachings, as ACI continues to expand around the world:
Geshe Michael promises to finish Pabongka Rinpoche's Liberation Thrust into the Palm of Your Hand, that he began teaching us in 2010
After this, he will teach us the great emptiness chapter from Je Tsongkapa's Lam Rim Chen Mo
He will create 100 video meditations on all the Steps on the Path by 2030 as a learning tool to develop quality meditation and realizations inspired by the Steps on the Path itself
Also by 2030, he will create an image library for each of the Steps on the Path to help 21st century people remember and practice the Steps on the Path in their daily life.
The Power to Dream, in Kyoto, Japan, in December was a great Steps on the Path teaching by Geshe Michael. Not only did we get this important download from a celebrated teacher, but there were also nine special classes on karmic correlations taught by certified ACI teachers. We had a unique 30th Anniversary Celebration that provided a lot of very interesting information on the beginnings of ACI in 1993. And we all enjoyed visiting wonderful places and eating in great restaurants in the beautiful city of Kyoto.
Thank you, everyone who attended in person and online. Please, if you haven’t already, share your comments on your own vision for ACI’s next 30 years: info@asianclassicsinstitute.org. And make sure to mark your calendars for December 2-7, 2024, in Kyoto! More information is coming soon.
We look forward to the next 30 years!
