Peter Della Santina was born in the USA. He has spent many years studying and teaching in South Asia and East Asia.
He received his BA in religion from Wesleyan University, Middletown, Connecticut, USA in 1972 and an MA in philosophy from the University of Delhi, India two years later. He did his PhD in Buddhist studies also from the University of Delhi, India in 1979. Apart from many academic positions, for 25 years he was a student of H.H. Sakya Trizin, leader of the Sakya Order of Tibetan Buddhism and of eminent abbots of the Sakya tradition. He has practiced Buddhist meditation and has completed a number of retreats.
