1. Name of the bachelor’s programme:
2. Qualification level attainable in the bachelor’s programme and the designation of the professional qualification as stated on the diploma
- Qualification level: QF-EHEA first cycle, bachelor’s (baccalaureus, bachelor; abbreviated: BA) degree
- European Qualifications Framework (EQF), Hungarian Qualifications Framework (MKKR), Asian Qualifications Framework (AKKR): level 6
- ISCED 655: level 6, practice-oriented, leading to a qualification
- professional qualification: Buddhist Teacher
- English designation of the professional qualification: BA in Buddhist Dharma
- optional specializations: Buddhist meditation, history of religion and philosophy, Pali, Tibetan
3. Field of study
- MAB/OH: theology
- KEOR 2018; 022 humanities, 0221 religious studies and theology
- ISCO/ESCO: 2616 religious professionals (pastor, religious leader, researcher of religion, missionary, chaplain, religious education teacher)
- FEOR: 2730 (priest, pastor, religious professional), specialization: 2627 (linguist, translator, interpreter), 2622 (historian, archaeologist)
4. Duration of the programme:
5. Number of credits to be accumulated for obtaining the bachelor’s degree:
- 180 ECTS
- Programme orientation: highly practice-oriented (70–80 percent).
6. Aim of the bachelor’s programme and professional competencies:
In the Buddhist education system, the Middle Way or the Noble Eightfold Path is the defining principle. Striving for the harmony of theory and practice, the goal is for the acquired knowledge to become experience through practice, and then for the experiences to be integrated into everyday life. Through acquiring the appropriate attitude, skills, and knowledge, as well as learning and practising Buddhist methods, the aim also includes self-understanding and self-management, comprehension of our existential and life situations, and finding our place in the world.
The College aims to train Buddhist religious and cultural professionals who—through in-depth study and research of Buddhist beliefs, doctrines, traditions, and practices, and with appropriate knowledge and methodological preparation—are able to serve as Buddhist Teachers, meditation instructors, and religious-studies communicators of the Buddhist faith. Their task is the authentic transmission of Buddhist narratives, the support of experiential realization, and the spiritual and religious accompaniment of people’s entire lifeworld, based on the methodology of Buddhist practice and reflection.
Buddhist religious professionals are the custodians and transmitters of Buddhist traditions, practices, and beliefs. They participate in conducting and practising Buddhist religious ceremonies, meditations, and retreats, and provide spiritual and moral counselling in line with the Buddhist tradition.
They are prepared to continue their studies in a master’s programme.
Specialisations (30-40 ECTS):
- Buddhist meditation: leading meditation, spiritual counselling.
- History of religion and philosophy: analysis of religious and philosophical texts, interdisciplinary research.
- Pali, Tibetan: reading and translating original texts.
7. Professional competencies to be acquired (expected learning outcomes)
7.1. Knowledge:
- Possesses comprehensive knowledge of Buddhist philosophy and religious history, as well as the key theories and interpretative frameworks of Buddhist studies.
- Has proficiency in the technical terminology of Buddhism in the traditional canonical languages (Pali and Tibetan).
- Acquires the primary knowledge acquisition and problem-solving methods relevant to their field, including historical, exegetical, and meditative approaches within religious and philosophical studies.
- Has the necessary knowledge to conduct comparative analysis and gain an understanding of East Asian Buddhist cultures, European (particularly Hungarian) culture, and the world religions, spiritual traditions, and philosophical movements that shape them.
- Understands the historical and social contexts of Buddhist teachings and can interpret them through an interdisciplinary lens.
7.2. Abilities:
- Able to communicate Buddhist teachings or practices to laypeople.
- Capable of interpreting or translating religious and philosophical texts.
- Able to deliver public lectures.
- Understands and effectively uses the scholarly literature on Buddhism.
- Capable of studying scriptures in their original languages (Pali and Tibetan language specialization).
- Able to understand and interpret philosophical and religious historical concepts and phenomena (specialization in religious and philosophical history).
- Capable of deeply practising the key traditions of Buddhist meditation and understanding their connections to other fields (Buddhist meditation specialization).
- They possess knowledge of effective information retrieval and processing related to their area of expertise.
- They have the necessary digital competencies (Word, Excel, PPT) to create the most important text types in Buddhist studies (such as teachings, educational articles, and academic papers) and to illustrate professional presentations.
- Able to interpret the unique conceptual framework of Buddhism within the context of European religions and academic fields.
- They are capable of lifelong learning, planning, and organizing their independent training while utilizing the widest possible range of ever-evolving and accessible resources.
7.3. Attitude:
- They approach contemporary society, its moral, intellectual, and historical phenomena, problems, and challenges, as well as everyday human conflicts, with the three attitudes of the Buddha-Dharma (Teaching): wisdom, virtue, and meditation.
- Strives for self-understanding and the deepening of self-awareness.
- They are open to authentically conveying and transmitting the comprehensive thinking and fundamental practical aspects of Buddhism, as well as to learning about, accepting, and accurately communicating professional and technological advancements and innovations in their field.
- They strive to solve problems independently or, if their abilities and knowledge are insufficient, in collaboration with others.
- Interprets continuous personal learning as serving the common good.
- Open to intercultural dialogue.
- With knowledge of traditional Buddhist practices (meditation, yoga, qigong), they integrate a health-conscious mindset and lifestyle into their daily lives.
- Characterized by service-mindedness, patience, compassion, and authenticity.
- Open to working in a community and providing supportive service.
7.4. Autonomy and responsibilities:
- Able to make decisions independently.
- Approaches the transmission of Buddhist teachings and the performance of religious and community services responsibly.
- They lead their life according to Buddhist ethics and spiritual attitudes, serving as an example to others.
- Demonstrates moral and professional integrity and, in their activities, adheres to the ethical standards of Buddhism.
- Through their meditation practice, they achieve a deep understanding and direct experience of what they have learned, allowing them to approach others with openness and a willingness to help.
- Plays a role in community activities, counselling, and spiritual care.
8. Major areas of knowledge:
8.1. Humanities and Religious Studies (15–30 ECTS):
- Fundamentals of Philosophy of religion
- Introduction to Eastern Languages (Scriptural Exegesis)
8.2. Core Curriculum (110–140 ECTS):
- Buddhist philosophy
- Buddhist meditation
- Buddhist Scripture Studies
- Religions and philosophical schools of India
- Theravāda Buddhism
- Mahāyāna (Zen) Buddhism
- Vajrayāna (Tibetan) Buddhism
- Applied Buddhism
8.3. Specialized Studies (30–40 ECTS):
- Movement-based meditation
- Buddhist meditation and retreat
- The theory of meditation
- Religious history
- History of philosophy
- Philosophic disciplines
- Buddhist Technical Terminology (Pāli, Tibetan)
- Reading of Buddhist Specialized Texts (Pāli, Tibetan)
9. Other knowledge to be acquired
9.1. Labour market fundamentals: self-management, employment law, job seeking, entrepreneurship
9.2. Foreign Language Competence: basic written and oral communication; foundation in specialized terminology
9.3. Financial and IT fundamentals: digital literacy at ECDL level, basic financial concepts and their application
9.4. Communication competencies:technical language use, reasoning, negotiation techniques
10. Other provisions relevant to the programme
Based on the special provisions of Act CCIV of 2011 on National Higher Education concerning ecclesiastical higher education institutions, the content of the programme is determined by the ecclesiastical legal entity.
Updated: May 29, 2025
