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Dr. Rita Kuzder

Tenured Lecturer at Dharma Gate Buddhist College
(Classical Tibetan Language, Tibetan Buddhist Philosophy, and Buddhist Symbolism)
As a child, I dreamed of speaking many languages and traveling the world, visiting famous and yet undiscovered places of the ancient world, and even using my language skills to decipher writings and texts that would be of great significance to the world.
Dream and True Knowledge of Reality
Of course, the path from dream to realization is not always a straight one, and the realization is never exactly as we once dreamed it. I found the opportunity to work with Eastern cultures, including the Tibetan language and cultural sphere, relatively late. However, since then, my commitment has been unwavering. (A few years later, I also became familiar with the Slavic Macedonian language, to which I have a similar strong connection.)
When I learn a language, for me, it’s never just about memorizing language books. It manifests at many levels beyond that. I also want to be a member of that people, to be a good acquaintance of their culture. I try their foods, taste their drinks, listen to their music, read their stories, watch their films, research their customs, explore their folklore literature, and their religion. If possible, I travel widely in the country and talk to both the elderly and the young about various topics. If such travels are not possible, I turn to watching videos on various subjects.
When I teach Classical Tibetan, I try to impart the love for the language along with the culture. I enjoy making the lessons more colorful by sharing my previous knowledge and research. In my doctoral dissertation, I dealt with Tibetan proverbs, and I often incorporate simpler proverbs, riddles, and shorter folklore literary texts as translation exercises in my language lessons.
Modernity Can Help
At the same time, I enjoy and use the “inventions” and innovations of the modern world that assist and make the memorization phase of language learning more enjoyable. Various apps, flashcard programs (Quizlet, Memrise), online dictionary programs—which can look up a word’s meaning from 25 dictionaries at the push of a button—short instructional videos on writing are a huge help.
Translations Alone and Together
In the future, I would love to create a versatile translation group, where we could work on texts on a wide variety of topics, starting with Buddhist religious texts, but also touching on folk religion, historical writings, folk tales, and works belonging to the small epic folklore genres.
My translations have also focused on these topics. I’ve translated Buddhist texts, proverbs, an entire opera text, and folk tales from Tibetan. From Macedonian, I’ve translated folk songs (related to my upcoming dissertation on the Macedonian language), poems by contemporary poets, and short stories.
Repetition, Reflection, Interpretation, Creativity
What I really enjoy about teaching the 37 Bodhisattva Practices related to Tibetan Buddhism is that it involves both reviewing and rethinking the basic Buddhist teachings and interpreting their relevance to our modern world today. In the Buddhist symbolism classes, however, the “language” of artistic works is introduced and read creatively, and the end result is always a great product made by the students.
In my free time, I enjoy walking with my English Cocker Spaniel dog, Ében, cycling, walking in nature, and playing badminton.

E-mail address: kuzder.rita@tkbf.hu
Degrees:
• ELTE Bölcsészettudományi Kar Irodalomtudományi Doktori Iskola (ELTE Faculty of Humanities, Doctoral School of Literary Studies) – Slavic Literatures Doctoral Program – Macedonian Literature Specialization, 2012-2016 – dissertation title: A kulturális emlékezet interetnikus szálai a makedón népköltészetben (Interethnic Threads of Cultural Memory in Macedonian Folk Literature) (in progress)
• ELTE Bölcsészettudományi Kar Irodalomtudományi Doktori Iskola (ELTE Faculty of Humanities, Doctoral School of Literary Studies), Hungarian and Comparative Doctoral Program 2005-2008 – dissertation title: A tibeti közmondások klasszifikációja (The Classification of Tibetan Proverbs) (summa cum laude distinction, 2012)
• ELTE BTK (ELTE Faculty of Humanities), Tibetan Studies 2004 (MA) – thesis title: Necshung, az állami orákulum (Necshung, the State Oracle)
• Dharma Gate Buddhist College, Tibetan Language and Philosophy Program 1999 (BA) – thesis title: Dova Szangmó dákiní élete (The Life of Dova Sangmo Dakini)
• Debreceni Tanítóképző Főiskola (University of Debrecen Teacher Training College), Primary School Teacher Program, Russian Language Specialization 1988 (BA)
• Izsó Miklós Gimnázium (Izsó Miklós High School), 1981-1985
Specialization:
• Folklore Researcher
• Orientalist, Lecturer in Tibetan Studies
• Tibetan Language and Philosophy, Buddhist Teacher
• Primary School Teacher
Position:
1. 
Dharma Gate Buddhist College, Associate Professor
2. 
St. Cyril and Methodius University, Skopje, Macedonia, Guest Lecturer (Doctoral Program in Ethnography)
Academic Degree:
PhD in Hungarian and Comparative Folkloristics from Elte BTK (ELTE Faculty of Humanities), 2012
 

Previous Teaching Activities:

Dharma Gate Buddhist College (TKBF)

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Buddhist Sacred Texts (Tibetan Exegesis)

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Buddhist Technical Language (Tibetan)

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Buddhist Text Reading (Tibetan)

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Tibetan Buddhism (Tibetan Philosophy)

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Tibetan Buddhism (Symbology and Iconography)

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Buddhist Doctrine Transmission

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Tibetan Medicine

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Buddhist Tantra in Tibet

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Thesis

ELTE BTK (Eötvös Loránd University, Faculty of Humanities) (ELTE-BTK)

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Tibetan Opera Seminar (Department of Inner Asian Studies, Adjunct Lecturer)

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Tārā Cult Seminar (Department of Inner Asian Studies, Adjunct Lecturer)

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Tibetan Area Studies Seminar (Department of Inner Asian Studies, Adjunct Lecturer)

Other

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Primary School Teacher at multiple schools (1989–1998)

Professional Practice and Achievements:

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Institute of Macedonian Literature, Skopje, 6-month research work with Campus Hungary scholarship. (2014)

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47th International Macedonian Language, Literature, and Culture Seminar, organized by the University “Sv. Kiril i Metodij” (2014)

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45th International Macedonian Language, Literature, and Culture Seminar, organized by the University “Sv. Kiril i Metodij” (2012)

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37th International Macedonian Language, Literature, and Culture Seminar, organized by the University “Sv. Kiril i Metodij” (2004)

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36th International Macedonian Language, Literature, and Culture Seminar, organized by the University “Sv. Kiril i Metodij” (2003)

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3-month Mongolian Language Training at Ulaanbaatar State University (2002)

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6-week Intensive Russian Language Course at I. I. Mechnikov Odessa State University (1986)

Membership:

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Member of the Magyar Szemiotikai Társaság (Hungarian Semiotic Society) since 2005.

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Member of the Magyar Néprajzi Társaság (Hungarian Ethnological Society) since 2005.

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Member of the DOT (Dictionary of Oral Tibetan Literature research group) since 2006.

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Member of the International Malan Research Group since 2012.

Previous Scientific/Professional Public Activities, International Relations:

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International Scientific Conference “Popular Culture: Reading from Below,” Skopje, Macedonia: Heroes and Idols in the Middle Ages and the Present Time of Tibet – with Macedonian parallels (2014, Skopje)

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International Conference on Religions in North-western China: Interpretation and Praxis, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong, China: Nechung, the Tibetan State Oracle (in English) (2014, Hong Kong)

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Introduction of the Tibetan culture – Вовед во Тибетската култура (2014, Skopje, Macedonia)

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First International Interdisciplinary Conference for Young Scholars in Social Sciences and Humanities, Faculty of Philosophy, University of Novi Sad: Similarity, Difference, and Uniqueness in the Hungarian, Macedonian, and Tibetan Humorous Anecdotes. (in English) (2012, Novi Sad, Serbia)

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III. “Közel és Távol” Orientalistic Conference – Tibeti proverbiumok fajtái (2012) (Types of Tibetan Proverbs)

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Tibet Conference, Budapest – Lhamo, a tradicionális tibeti opera (2010) (Lhamo, the Traditional Tibetan Opera)

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“Áldozat és ima” Religious Conference – Áldozat is ima a tibeti buddhizmusban (2008, Budapest) (Sacrifice and Prayer in Tibetan Buddhism)

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1st International Symposium “Humor and Linguistics/Folklore” – Akhu Tompa the Well-Known Tibetan Trickster (in English) (2007, Szekszárd)

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Television Interview: Hír TV, Live Broadcast – Foreign Affairs Section (2007)

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IASS/AIS 9th World Congress of Semiotics – Lhamo, the Traditional Tibetan “Opera” (2007, Helsinki, Imatra, Finland)

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Heaven on Earth Film (Directed by: Stephen Rooke) Hungarian version, Expert on Földi mennyország (2004)

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Hopp Ferenc East Asian Museum’s “Demons and Saviors” Exhibition Closing Ceremony Conference – Nechung, a tibeti állami orákulum (2004) (Nechung, the Tibetan State Oracle)

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Kőrösi Csoma Sándor Gimnázium (Kőrösi Csoma Sándor High School), Budapest: Utazz velünk Tibetbe (Travel with us to Tibet) Event, Presentation on Tibet, Tibetan Culture, and Religion for High School Students (2003)

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Országok, népek, kultúrák: “A világ tetején NEPÁL, TIBET”  Tibeti szokások és ünnepek a születéstől a halálig – (Countries, Peoples, Cultures: “At the Top of the World NEPAL” Tibetan Customs and Holidays from Birth to Death) – Tibetan Ethnographic Exhibition (2003, Kalocsa – Cultural Center)

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Tibet Map (Gizimap) Tibetan Language Labeling (2003)

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Processing and Cataloging of the Tibetan Language and Tibetan-Related Literature in the Library of the Department of Inner Asian Studies, ELTE-BTK (2001)

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Roundtable Discussion on the Visit of His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama to Hungary (2000)

Language Studies, Language Exams:

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Tibetan Language (within university studies)

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Intermediate English C

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Mongolian Language (within university studies)

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Intermediate Macedonian C (Cetismak, Skopje, Macedonia)

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Russian Language (within college studies)

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Sanskrit Language (within college studies)

 

Punblication list: available at the Hungarian Scientific Works Database

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