About Ngawang Samten

Ngawang Samten is a Tibetan educationist, Tibetologist and the vice chancellor of the Central University for Tibetan Studies. Besides editing publications such as Abhidhammathasamgaho, Pindikrita, Pancakrama and Manjusri, he is the co-translator of Je Tsongkhapa's commentary on Nagarjuna’s Mūlamadhyamakakārikā. The Government of India awarded him the fourth highest civilian honour of the Padma Shri, in 2009, for his contributions to Education.

Tibetan Buddhist enlightened teachers & ritual masters

In Vajrayana Buddhism's Tantric teachings, the rituals require the guidance of a teacher. The teacher is considered essential and to the Buddhist devotee, the guru is the "enlightened teacher and ritual master". The teacher is known as the vajra guru (literally "diamond .