Stephen Hodge Books

Focusing on the rich heritage of Classical Tibetan, this book offers a swift introduction to its key elements, enabling students to engage with a wealth of Buddhist texts and other writings. It caters to both guided and self-study learners, promoting regular practice over six months to achieve comprehension of essential grammar and the ability to read simpler prose. This resource is invaluable for anyone looking to delve into Tibetan literature and culture, fostering a deeper understanding of its historical and contemporary significance.

Classical Tibetan, with origins dating to the seventh century, is the language found in a huge corpus of surviving Tibetan, mostly Buddhist, texts; native Tibetans still employ this language, today, when writing on religious, medical or historical subjects. This book aims to provide a rapid introduction to the main elements of Classical Tibetan, so that students may begin to access for themselves the vast amount of available material. While designed for guided study, the book will also be of use to those who tackle the language on their own. Steady study over approximately six months should result in an understanding of most grammatical features and allow the student to read the simpler prose texts.