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Naropa University is based on Nalanda University. Established under the auspices of Mahayana Buddhism, Nalanda flourished in India from the 5th to the 12th centuries. At Nalanda University, Buddhist philosophy and the discipline of meditation provided the environment in which scholars, artists and healers from many Asian countries and religious traditions came to study and debate. Nalanda was known for its joining of intellect and intuition, and for the atmosphere of mutual appreciation and respect among different contemplative traditions. This has become the ongoing inspiration for the development of Naropa University.
The University takes its name from Naropa, the 11th century Abbot of Nalanda University and a great Buddhist scholar, teacher and practitioner. He was renowned for bringing together scholarly wisdom with meditative insight.
The Mission of Naropa University is to:
1. offer educational programs that cultivate awareness of the present moment through intellectual, artistic, and meditative disciplines;
2. foster a learning community (composed of students, faculty, staff, trustees, and alumni) that uncovers wisdom and heart;
3. cultivate openness and communication, sharpen critical intellect, enhance resourcefulness, and develop effective action in all disciplines;
4. exemplify the principles grounded in Naropa University's Buddhist educational heritage;
5. encourage the integration of world wisdom traditions with modern culture;
6. be nonsectarian and open to all.
Appreciation of mindfulness and awareness, the benefits of synchronizing body and mind, and recognition of the need to go beyond a narrow sense of self are becoming increasingly widespread in modern society. Conversely, the perils of solid view or ideological fixation loom clearly in such a process. There is a greater understanding of the role of mind/body interactions in the healing process, the value of awareness training in many professions, the role of intuition in science and commerce, the transcendence of self-interest in ecology and environmental ethics, and the change of management styles towards more cooperative and inclusive decision-making. Education should train students to contribute to the world in this manner.
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