Teaching

Teaching from the sources.

I teach the classical languages and the history of Buddhist thought and practice by starting from the sources themselves, read closely and in their languages, and then bringing them into conversation with theory.

Flavio A. Geisshuesler in conversation with a small group around a table.

01Since 2024

At the University of Sydney.

Since arriving at Sydney in 2024, I have designed three new units: introductory Sanskrit, an advanced Sanskrit–Tibetan reading seminar, and a course on Buddhism, meditation, and the cognitive sciences. I also teach students how to use digital tools, including AI, while keeping their academic independence; in one course, an assessment is built around their own use of AI.

  • Introduction to Tibetan Language and Culture 1 and 2 (2024–2026)
  • Sanskrit Introductory 1 (2026)
  • Tantric Buddhism in India and Tibet (2024, 2026)
  • Buddhism, Meditation, and Brain (2025)
  • Bodhicaryāvatāra: Advanced Reading Seminar in Sanskrit, Tibetan, and AI (2026)
Teaching with AI: Revolutionising Education While Honouring Tradition (Teaching@Sydney, 2024)

022017 to 2024

Earlier teaching.

Tergar Institute, Kathmandu (Fall 2024)
Introduction to Prajñāpāramitā Literature and Mahāyāna Buddhism
University of Basel (Spring 2022)
“Ritual” and “Meditation” in Buddhism: A Fresh Look at Two Key Concepts in Religious Studies
University of Fribourg (Fall 2021)
History and Practice of Meditation
Hebrew University of Jerusalem (2020–2021)
Thinking about Meditation in Buddhism and Beyond; Non-duality in Indian and Tibetan Thought
University of Bern (2019–2020)
“Mindfulness” (sati): A Buddhist Practice and its Reception in Global Modernity; Buddhism, Meditation, and Cognitive Science; Old Questions, New Answers? The Italian School of the History of Religions; The Tibetan Renaissance and the Tibetanization of Buddhism
University of Virginia (Fall 2017)
Introduction to Tibetan Buddhism

03Research students

Supervision

I have completed the University of Sydney’s Accelerated Lead Supervisor Program for registration as a lead doctoral supervisor. I currently serve as auxiliary supervisor on a master’s thesis on a Gāndhārī birch-bark manuscript and direct advanced study in Classical Tibetan. I welcome inquiries from prospective doctoral and research master’s students in Tibetan and Buddhist studies, the history of religions, and religion and technology: flavio.geisshuesler@sydney.edu.au