Text Preservation

Khyentse Foundation is dedicated to the survival and accessibility of the Buddhist literary heritage so that these texts may enrich the lives of all those who come into contact with them. Through initiating, developing, and funding existing efforts to preserve ancient Tibetan and other Buddhist texts, we are caring for the source of the Buddhist spiritual traditions that developed throughout Asia.

The foundation supports organizations and individuals engaged in the preservation and digitization of seminal Buddhist texts in Tibetan, Chinese, Pali, Sanskrit, and other Asian languages. Major funding recipients include Buddhist Digital Resource Center and Fragile Palm Leaves Foundation.

We are thinking of the long term survival of these traditions in a world that has been very challenging to Buddhism over the last 100 years, therefore we aim to capture as much as possible so that Buddhism can retain much of its diverse and vast heritage. It’s a matter of the integrity of the tradition, which is one of Rinpoche and KF’s core values.

Jann Ronis, Executive Director, BDRC

Partnerships

Two of our partners, Buddhist Digital Resource Center (BDRC) and Fragile Palm Leaves Foundation, are working to preserve Buddhist texts through collection and digitization. With the wish to preserve existing texts from all Buddhist traditions, they are streamlining their efforts by collaborating with sister organizations.

Digitization

Every year, digital technology improves exponentially, allowing ever-increasing access to Buddhist literature. Digitization and the creation of a secure portal for texts make it easier to locate scholarly treatises, meditation manuals, devotional works, and Buddhist lore, as well as classic Buddhist texts.

Cataloguing

Our partners are constantly working to develop and improve digitized catalogues that allow unfettered access to Buddhist wisdom from all traditions. Through their commitment to preserving the vast array of texts, they also help to develop lexicographical and other tools that permit users to search for texts and terms of interest.