Life at Sera Jey

Accommodations and Food

You will be housed in one of Sera Jey’s several facilities for guests with your own private room. Meals will be taken together in a cafeteria, and you will be provided with three healthy, balanced vegetarian meals per day, plus snacks and tea during break times. Fresh fruits are plentiful and delicious. People with special dietary needs should let us know when you register; certain needs may be able to be fulfilled by the kitchen, yet for some you may need to buy supplemental foods (much is available on campus or in the nearby town Kushalnagar, and anything not available locally can be ordered online).

Facilities

Each room has its own attached bathroom that is equipped with western-style toilets (aka sit-down toilets), but most other bathrooms at Sera have only squat toilets. Hot water is only available at specified times of day. Filtered water is available at all times. Sera has several shops where you can buy daily needs, including toiletries, school supplies, food and drink, housewares, clothing, Dharma items, and some electronics (cell phone chargers, flashlights, etc). Sera has an outdoor swimming pool that you may use during the break time (for a nominal fee). There are many restaurants at Sera, as well as cafes, medical clinics, and guesthouses. You may receive mail/parcels here and Amazon and Flipkart both make daily deliveries.

Electricity

Electricity is available most of the time, but you should expect periodic power outages; we are without power for roughly one hour per day, on average. Battery-powered devices (cell phone chargers, lanterns, etc.) may be brought with you, but they are also available locally at affordable prices.

WiFi

Your accommodations at Sera Jey will not have WiFi available in your rooms, however you may request to use the WiFi in the building lobby from time to time. Cellular service is typically strong and suitable for any connectivity needs. Airtel and Jio networks are available in Sera. You may purchase a SIM card at the Bangalore airport - outside of the airport, an Aadhaar card (Indian government-issued ID) is required to register a new SIM card.

Spiritual Life

Sera Jey is affiliated with the Gelukpa lineage of Tibetan Buddhism; its founder was a direct disciple of Je Tsongkhapa. However, there is no pressure to commit yourself to this spiritual lineage in any way - the debate skills and logic, psychology, and philosophy topics that will be taught in the Fall Debate School are branches of secular academic study. While they may be applied in an individual’s spiritual practice, they are also completely suitable for someone with a different spiritual leaning, or none at all.

Mosquitoes

Malaria is not prevalent in this part of India - however, Dengue fever is always a present risk. We will make every effort to equip your rooms with mosquito-prevention necessities, but it is also advised that you consistently apply mosquito repellent on your skin. This may be brought with you, but there are high-quality mosquito repellants available locally, as well.

Medications and Medical Emergencies

Make sure to inform your doctor/pharmacy of your travel plans so you can get enough of any prescription medication to last through your stay. Many medicines for treating common ailments (headache, stomach issues, cold, fever, etc.) are available over-the-counter from local pharmacies. Tibetan doctors who can prescribe herbal medicines and perform various treatments such as massage therapy, moxibustion, and acupuncture are also available locally.

For more serious ailments, first aid, or medical emergencies, there are clinics in the monastery (at both Sera Jey and Sera Mey) with skilled medical practitioners.

Kushalnagar also hosts a small but well-equipped hospital with well-trained nurses and doctors, where minor surgeries can be performed (twenty minute travel from Sera) . The nearest fully-equipped medical facilities with emergency rooms, medical imaging devices, surgical wings, etc. are in Madikeri (one hour travel from Sera) and Mysore (two hour travel from Sera).

Covid

We are consistently watching reports on changes in the Covid-19 infection rates in India. For now, it is safe to travel and participate in gatherings. At this time, you do need to show proof of vaccination or a recent negative test result for international travel to India. All the monks of Sera have been vaccinated against Covid-19. Any important updates in this regard will be communicated by email as the course approaches. There have been no reports of life-threatening Covid cases locally for more than a year.

Teachings with His Holiness the Dalai Lama

H.H. the Dalai Lama will visit Sera during the course. We will make every effort to adjust our course schedule as appropriate to make room for events with His Holiness.

Life at Sera is peaceful, academically rich, and spiritually profound. The Debate School will be an intensive course, but with enough time for rest and reflection so that everyone can keep up.