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Buddhist Priests and Contemplatives

Education and Training Requirements

High School

Recommended classes for an aspiring U.S.-based priest include business, accounting, religion, philosophy, science, mathematics, speech, and computer science. If you plan to work in a temple in the United States, you should have a good command of English, as well as proficiency in the languages spoken by your congregants (typically languages spoken by people in China, Japan, South Korea, Vietnam, Thailand, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Laos, Cambodia, Tibet, Nepal, Bhutan, and Mongolia). Other than teaching Mandarin or perhaps Japanese or Korean, few American high schools offer instruction in any of the aforementioned languages, but language classes may be available at Buddhist community centers or local colleges.

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