The Santi Maha Sangha Training was started in 1993 by Chögyal Namkhai Norbu to help his students to develop a more structured, deeper understanding and experience of Dzogchen Semde, Longde and Mennagde and to ease their way towards total liberation.

Written by Chögyal Namkhai Norbu, it provides a complete basis for the continuation of the profound Dzogchen teachings (from the tradition of Tibetan Buddhism) of which he is a lineage holder.

There are ten levels in the Santi Maha Sangha training program, consisting of the Base level, which provides an essential training in the fundamentals of Buddhist philosophy, and further nine levels, which systematically and progressively cover all aspects of Dzogchen philosophy and practice.

The Dzogchen teachings are preserved in an extensive corpus of material written in Tibetan. There are three main categories of teachings: the Semde or "Series on the Mind", the Longde or "Series on Space" and the Menngagde, or "Series of Secret Instruction".

Levels One to Three present the Series on Mind; Levels Four to Six present the Series on Space; and Levels Seven to Nine present the Series of Secret Instruction. The Santi Maha Sangha training retreats and oral examinations are held in six international Gars and those following the program may undertake the examinations and training retreats at any of these.

There is no limit to the time that any individual may take in completing any level of training. Rather, each individual is encouraged to thoroughly study the material covered at each level, diligently engaging with the specified practices, before progressing to subsequent levels. In order to progress through the levels of the Santi Maha Sangha training program, the dedicated student not only intellectually studies the contents of the set texts, written by Chögyal Namkhai Norbu, but also engages with a thorough program of meditation and practice.

Through direct experience, the devoted student develops capacity and understanding, discovering our real condition. The Base Level Training is open to all interested persons who have received transmission from Chögyal Namkhai Norbu. This training provides an extensive examination of Buddhist philosophy comparing and contrasting the philosophical viewpoints held by the different schools of Buddhism.