People
Luke Gibson (Teacher)
Svāgatam! Welcome to our little corner of the world of Sanskrit and South Asian studies. I’m Luke, and here’s a little about the journey that brought me here.
Born in San Francisco to a French mother and an American father, I grew up in Southern France, where I developed an early interest in Buddhism, Eastern philosophy, and the Chinese language. What started as a quiet curiosity soon grew into a lifelong passion, leading me across the world to the verdant, rain-soaked northern coast of Taiwan—a place I would call home for many years.
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There, at the Dharma Drum Institute of Liberal Arts (法鼓文理學院), nestled right next to the Dharma Drum Mountain Monastery (法鼓山), I immersed myself in the study of Buddhism and its classical languages, including Sanskrit, Pāli, and Classical Chinese. The institute, founded by the renowned Buddhist monk, Chan (Zen) teacher, and scholar Master Sheng-yen (聖嚴), offered a unique blend of rigorous academic study—focusing on classical language skills—and traditional spiritual practice, with a particular emphasis on Buddhist meditation.
One of the greatest joys of my time there was learning Sanskrit under the guidance of an inspiring group of teachers, each with their own unique approaches, academic backgrounds, and life experiences. From Prof. Weijen Deng (鄧偉仁), once a chef and Theravada monk, turned Harvard-educated scholar, to Ven. Jianhong (釋見弘), a Buddhist nun (bhikṣuṇī) and expert in Mahāyāna philosophy, or Ven. Huimin (釋惠敏), our president and lover of Sanskrit chanting and all things Japanese. I also had the invaluable opportunity to audit reading courses conducted by Prof. Harunaga Isaacson (University of Hamburg, Germany) and study from recordings of classes taught by Prof. Kashinath Nyaupane (Rangjung Yeshe Institute, Nepal), a traditional scholar of Sanskrit grammar and recitation.
While my study of Sanskrit had initially been focused on Buddhist scriptures (sūtra) and philosophical treatises (śāstra), I quickly developped an interest for Sanskrit poetry (kāvya) and the vast tapestry of Buddhism’s wider South Asian, Hindu context. It was also during this period that I embarked on the practice of yoga under the guidance of my ever cheerful Pāli teacher, Prof. Zhuang Guobin (莊國彬).
After completing my master’s degree in Religious Studies, I realized that my true calling lay not in academia but in sharing my love for languages with others. For nearly a decade, I had the incredible privilege of dedicating myself fully to teaching Sanskrit and English at the Dharma Drum Institute of Liberal Arts, my Sanskrit instruction spanning from introductory classes to intermediate reading courses, alongside regular workshops on translation and recitation.
In 2022, my better half, our son, and I relocated to Southern France, where I launched the Śabda·vidyā Sanskrit Studio (Chinese 聲明梵語學苑), offering online Sanskrit courses taught in Mandarin Chinese. Over the past few years as a full-time public educator, I’ve had the pleasure of connecting with a diverse community of learners—students of South Asian spirituality, yoga practitioners, and Buddhist monastics—from East Asia and beyond.
Encouraged by the success of this project and the upcoming release of my Sanskrit textbook, I’m now taking the leap to expand to a wider audience with the English-language Śabda·vidyā Sanskrit Studio courses. It’s an exciting (and slightly daunting!) new chapter, and I’m looking forward to share my teaching experience with English-speaking students from around the world. I hope you’ll join us on this journey—connecting with like-minded learners and rekindling the joy of learning as we get to know the Sanskrit language and its literature from the inside out.
Xinqiang Wang (Teaching Assistant)
Hello everyone! My name is Xinqiang Wang (王昕嬙). I come from China, where I earned a master’s degree in psychology at Beijing Normal University. While researching mindfulness meditation, I became deeply intrigued by Buddhist culture, which led me to explore it further through retreats and study programs at various Buddhist monasteries.
I first came across Sanskrit in 2019 at the Dharma Drum Institute of Liberal Arts in Taiwan—and I was hooked. The language’s structure, beauty, and depth drew me in right away; it felt like a key to the vast treasures of Buddhism and ancient Indian culture. My teacher, Luke, has been an inspiring guide, and his intensive summer course gave me a strong grounding in Sanskrit grammar.
Of course, learning Sanskrit didn’t come easy. As a beginner, I was often overwhelmed by its intricate grammar and endless vocabulary—but each time I cracked a verse or grasped the meaning of a line from the scriptures, the reward was like nothing else. I continued my studies at the Buddhist Academy of Hangzhou, took Sanskrit courses at Shanghai Normal University with good results, and even taught myself some Tibetan and Pāli to deepen my understanding further. For me, Sanskrit has become more than just an academic pursuit—it’s a spiritual practice in itself, one that’s taught me patience, sharpened my focus, and brought a deep sense of inner peace.
In 2022, when I found out that Luke was offering online Sanskrit courses, I jumped at the opportunity and became his teaching assistant. Over the last few years, I’ve helped with the enrollment of Chinese students, tutored students after class, and audited Luke’s reading courses, learning so much in the process. These days, I teach Sanskrit and English, while also working as a mental health counselor and organizing mindfulness meditation workshops.
Banner image:
Virūpākṣa Temple, Hampi, Karnāṭaka (photo by Dmitry Rukhlenko)