We believe in a holistic approach to education that emphasizes both academic rigor and personal transformation. Through a direct and honest engagement with the great philosophical, spiritual, and literary texts of various traditions, you’ll learn more about yourself and the world you live in. Such education makes you free in the deepest sense.
Be a Part of the Conversation
We learn through a process called shared inquiry, in which students and professors work together to delve deeper into the texts. In the DRBU classroom you have the freedom and the responsibility to shape the discussion. We’ll encourage you to think deeply about your beliefs and challenge your assumptions, while supporting you as you explore your potential for growth and transformation.
DRBU is different from other universities where the professor lectures and students write down what they hear. It’s more active and dynamic. At the end of the class, you feel like you have learned more than you would have through a lecture.
Norbel Casas
BA '22
A Spirit of Collaboration
Unlike at other universities, where you encounter a new group of students in every class, at DRBU you move through the program with the same group of people: your cohort. Your cohort becomes your family at DRBU. You spend time together in and out of the classroom, learning and growing together. We believe that this supportive, collaborative community is an essential part of the educational process.
Embody Your Education
We believe that the aim of education is to transform and awaken. In that regard, what we study is not separate from how we live. Through the integration of contemplative practice into the curriculum, we aim to bridge the gap between theory and practice and give you the space to actively apply what you’re learning to your everyday life.
The mind is not a vessel to be filled, but a fire to be kindled.
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Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Arts
Uncover the foundations of the modern mind through a direct engagement with the texts that have shaped the world’s philosophical, spiritual, and intellectual traditions.
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Master of Arts in Buddhist Classics
Explore the Buddhist philosophical tradition in a program that combines the study of significant texts from the Buddhist cannon with engaged practice.
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Graduate Certificate in Buddhist Translation
Delve into the theory of translation while engaging in hands-on translation projects centered around Buddhist texts.
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Summer Programs
Come spend the summer in Northern California! Check out our summer programs.
Get to know us through one of our in-person or online events.
