Sharpening The Sword Of Wisdom, Tibetan Debate School - March 2026

• Date: Starting March 2026

• Times: See below

• Format: Online only, with optional additional onsite debate retreats at Lam Rim, Wales

Overview

“O monks, just as a goldsmith tests gold by rubbing, burning, and cutting before buying it, so too, you should examine my words before accepting them, and not just out of respect for me.”

- The Buddha

In Partnership with Peaceful Minds, join a lively, rare and unique course on Tibetan Debate.

The course is based on four texts from The Magical Key to the Path of Reasoning, created by The 13th Dalai Lama’s tutor, Purbuchok Jampa Gyatso. The texts will be provided as part of the course.

Explore the full course page here >

1. Small Topics

We begin our studies by learning the terminology and techniques of debate, starting with the introductory topics, which include:

• Objects of the Senses

• Existent & Non-existent

• Isolates & Opposites

• Cause & Effect

• Generality & Instance

2. Middling Topics

The study of middling topics further enhances our capacity for debate and deepens our understanding of key philosophical points, which include:

• Contradictory

• Definition & Definiendum

• Greater Cause & Effect

• Past & Future

• Positives & Negatives 

3. Awareness & Knowers

The course now turns to studying consciousness and presents the seven types of mind - their objects, nature, and function. The topics include:

• Direct Perceivers

• Inferential Cognisers

• Subsequent Cognisers

• Correctly Assuming Consciousnesses

• Non-ascertaining Consciousnesses

• Doubting Consciousnesses

• Wrong Consciousnesses

4. Signs & Reasoning

The final section of the course consists of a closer study of the process of reasoning, the rules of logic, and how to establish the validity of a thesis. The topics include:

• Correct Signs

• Correct Effect Signs

• Correct Nature Signs

• Correct Non-Observation Signs

• Other-ways of Dividing Correct Signs

• Quasi Signs 

Schedule

Content Classes, Online

1 Content Class Per Week / 90min

Participants will meet for regular online classes with course tutors. These classes will cover the main content of the texts and walk students through the key points.

Group Debates, Online

1 Group Debate Meetup Per Week / 1 hour

Participates will be encouraged to meet outside of the class for debate sessions to hone their learning and the debate skill.

Onsite Debate Retreats (Optional)

Participants will be invited for residential debate retreats at Lam Rim Wales’ beautiful grounds, removing normal distractions and deepening the practice of debate in person.

These are optional and are not an essential part of the course.

Course Schedule

• Start Date: March 2026

  • The course will start with a practical weekend introduction on how to debate:

    • Saturday 2nd March 2026, 10am to 4pm, and half day Sunday 3rd March 2026, 10am to 1pm

• End Date: Expected February 2028

• Content Classes: Mondays, 6:30pm (UK) Start / 90min

• Group Debates: Wednesdays, 6:30pm (UK) Start / 1 hr

• Participants: Places are limited

• Module Lengths

  • Module 1: Small Topics - Sat 28th Feb - Oct 31st 2026 (est. 40 weeks)

  • Module 2: Middling Topics - Tue Jan 26th - Sat July 31st 2026 (est. 25 weeks)

  • Module 3: Awareness & Knowers - Sat 2nd Oct 2026 - Sat April 1st 2027 (est. 20 weeks)

  • Module 4: Signs & Reasoning - Tue May 16th 2027 - Sat 11th Nov 2027 (est. 20 weeks)

• Term breaks will be schedule throughout

(Dates & weeks estimated, subject to change)

About the Teachers

Geshe Losel

Geshe Tenzin Losel was born in mid-20th century Britain. He first met Buddhist teachings in England thanks to the exceptionally kind efforts of Lama Yeshe and Lama Zopa, reaching out to westerners. He left for India in 1990 for further studies and received full ordination as a Buddhist monk in the Tibetan tradition from His Holiness the Dalai Lama in 1994. He is one of the handful of Westerners trained for two decades in the traditional Tibetan way as a geshe. While a student at the Institute of Buddhist Dialectics in Dharamsala, he attended many public teachings by His Holiness there. In 2006 he received his geshe degree from Drepung Loseling, the monastery where the late Geshe Damcho, founder of Lam Rim Wales also trained. After returning to Britain to care for his parents in their last years, he moved in 2018 to Nalanda Monastery in France. As well as teaching, he has been involved in translating vinaya materials, which deal with ethical conduct and vows, especially for monastics. In fulfilment of Geshe Damcho’s request to him to teach in his centres, he is now associated with Lam Rim Wales and Lam Rim Bristol.

Translations

• Tsongkhapa's Praise for Dependent Relativity (2011, Wisdom Publications)

• A Glowing Light of Scripture and Reasoning, Lamp Illuminating the Essentials of the Four Seals that Authenticate the View by Gen Lamrimpa Ngawang Phuntsok. (2019). Free Download >

• A Mirror Making All Things Clear, A Presentation of Signs and Reasonings by Geshe Tsultrim Namgyel. (2019). Free Download >

Paul Seagrave

Paul is trained in the Tibetan Buddhist Gelugpa tradition, the lineage of His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama. Paul studied at Nalanda Monastery under the tutelage of Geshe Jamphel Gyaltsen and Geshe Tenzin Losel. At the monastery, Paul taught weekly debate classes for a number of years before providing online courses.

Paul now works as the lead teacher and author at PeacefulMinds, and is delighted to support Geshe Tenzin Losel in achieving his aspiration to develop Lam Rim Wales and become a Buddhist centre of excellence.

Attendance

Anyone interested in meditation, religious life, and inner development, are welcome, however some background in Tibetan Buddhism is advised. If you have no prior experience of Tibetan Debate, Module 1 is compulsory.

Booking

Book whole course or individual modules. If you have no prior experience of Tibetan Debate, Module 1 is compulsory.

Location

Teachings will be onsite at Lam Rim Buddhist Centre, Pentwyn Manor, Penrhos, Raglan, Usk, Wales, NP15 2LE - directions here >

Visiting by public transport, more information here >

Tickets & Donation

BOOKING OPEN SOON

Everyone is welcome to attend Buddhist teachings freely with no donation. However, the Centre does rely on donations to stay open, which are gratefully received. We offer two main rates to enable as many people as possible to attend our teachings. Please consider paying at the highest rate that you are able. Your generosity is vital in supporting the Centre.

• Standard Rate - This includes a donation to help sustain Lam Rim Buddhist Centre, and to cover costs and teacher expenses. 

• Basic Rate - This covers the very basic costs of running this course.

• Support Rate - Contact us via lamrimwalesmanagers@gmail.com if the above rates are too high for you where we can discuss further subsidised options.

• Donate via BACS - If you prefer to donate via BACS, please select this ticket option and complete the booking form register. Then follow the instructions for BACS donation >

Important on Booking: Our online system uses PayPal to take donations. If you do not have a PayPal Account you can pay as a Guest. Please click the link ‘Try Another Way’ , then follow instructions for ‘Pay by Debit or Credit Card’.