Language Study as a
Path of Self-cultivation
A warm welcome to the Śabda·vidyā Sanskrit Studio!
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My name is Luke Gibson, and I look forward to exploring the Sanskrit tradition with you, both as a language and as a resource for living a more intentional and meaningful life. Drawing on over a decade of experience teaching the language, I wrote Reading Sanskrit (Columbia University Press, 2025), a fresh introduction to Sanskrit based in texts from the Buddhist tradition. I also created the Śabda·vidyā Sanskrit Studio, an intimate learning space where I share this passion with a global community of English- and Chinese-speaking classical language enthusiasts, spiritual seekers, and lovers of South Asian culture.
In the live online Sanskrit courses on offer here, we strive to achieve three main goals:
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Integrate language learning with the exploration of South Asian literature, philosophy, and religion—engaging deeply with the rich interplay between Buddhist and Hindu traditions.
Offer affordable courses that are as rigorous and in-depth as university-level programs while remaining learner-centered and relaxed, free from ivory tower elitism or mystification.
Treat the study of classical languages as a discipline for self-cultivation—an opportunity to step away from the relentless overstimulation of our hyperconnected digital world and enter into dialogue with ancient thinkers and their time-honored traditions.
May we learn, grow, and have fun together!
Shall we get started?
Featured Courses
Elementary Sanskrit
Sep 1, 2026 - Dec 17, 2026
Embark on your Sanskrit journey—the gateway to South Asia’s vast literary and spiritual heritage. Designed as a comprehensive introduction to Classical Sanskrit, this introductory course guides students step by step through the essential components of the language: pronunciation, script, vocabulary, and grammar.
Intermediate Sanskrit
Feb 23, 2027 - Jun 10, 2027
This class offers a deep dive into the language that will take your Sanskrit learning to the next level—moving well beyond the fundamentals of sandhi, Devanāgarī, or basic inflection into a comprehensive understanding of the intricacies of Sanskrit modes of expression.
Student Reviews
What’s New
Buddhism and
the Language of the Gods
From Mantra to Mandarin: The Unexpected Origins of a Word
Nov 5, 2025
Jul 7, 2025
Aśoka’s Edicts: Religious Pluralism in Ancient India
Jun 27, 2025
Sanskrit Saying
yadā kiṃcijjño ’haṃ gaja iva madāndhaḥ samabhavaṃ
tadā sarvajño ’smīty abhavad avaliptaṃ mama manaḥ |
yadā kiṃcit kiṃcid budhajanasakāśād adhigataṃ
tadā mūrkho ’smīti jvara iva mado me vyapagataḥ ||
“When I knew but a little, I was like a rutting elephant blinded by desire,
imagining myself already an omniscient knower of all things.
Learning more, little by little, in the company of the wise,
I have come to know myself as a fool—my pride subsiding like a fever breaking.”
—Bhartṛhari, Nītiśataka, verse 8
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Banner image:
Virūpākṣa Temple, Hampi, Karnāṭaka (photo by Dmitry Rukhlenko)