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Bonpo Geshe Graduation |
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March 6, 2007 |
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Kathmandu: Ten senior monks of Bonpo Monastery were conferred with ‘Geshe Lharampa’ degree (similar to doctorate in monastic studies) today at the monastery in Ichangu, Kathmandu according to Bon tradition, one of the oldest traditions and considered as the first religion of Tibet. The monastery is also called Yungdrung Bon University, Triten Norbutse and is one of the major centers in the world for studying Bon religion. The monastery was established in 1987 and there are currently about 160 monks studying at the monastery. So far 27 monks were conferred with ‘Geshe Lharampa’ degree.
Some of the Geshe graduates.
Yongzin Lopon Tenzin Namdak Rinpoche, the second most important Bon lama in Tibetan exile community and head of the monastery addressed the gathering in the assembly prayer hall. He explained briefly about the day to day activities of the monastery and the studies of the Geshes who graduated today. He also told about difficulties that he faced during the initial years of exile and how he managed to build the monastery here in exile and preserve the Bon religion which was also a moral responsibility given to him by His Holiness the Dalai Lama. Now in his 80’s, he is quite satisfied that even though the present monastery is small, it is serving as one of the major centers of Bon religion in the world and attracts many foreign students also.
The abbot of the monastery, Khenpo Tenpa Yungdrung Rinpoche says that Bon religion and Buddhism are very similar in beliefs and practices and from outside they look very similar, the basic principles of Buddhism like ‘kyamdro’ and belief in karma is same. The monastery inside and out looks similar and in that way Bon could be like one of the sects of Tibetan Buddhism. The most common difference that common people could notice is that Buddhist make clockwise circumambulation and we do anti-clockwise. The history of Bon and Buddhism are very different because Bon religion was founded and flourished in Tibet itself thousands of years before Buddhism came to Tibet. The founder of Bon is Tonpa Sherab Mewo and not Lord Buddha and so if you look at historical aspect then they are two different religions. The population following Bon Religion in Tibet is high and it is said that according to Chinese census, the number one is Gelukpa sect and the number two is Nyingmapa sect and Bonpo. Majority of them are in Kham and Amdo Region and few in Utsang Region. In the exile community there are two major centers, one is in India and one is the Triten Norbutse Bonpo Monastery here in Kathmandu. In Nepal also, there are quite a lot of Bon followers in Himalayan Regions like Lo (Mustang), Dolpo, Humla etc. There are Bon monasteries and relics in these areas dating back to 900 years. He thinks it is important for us Tibetans to preserve our Bon religion, culture and traditions because that is the root of our Tibetan culture.
Graduation ceremony inside Bonpo Monastery.
Many Tibetan Bon followers and some Tibetan officials were present for the ceremony. Lunch was arranged for all guests as a part of the ceremony. All the religious ceremonies were completed inside the monastery in the morning and later in the afternoon all the graduating Geshes were seated on a raised platform in line inside a hall and received felicitations from officials, general public and fellow monks. One of the Geshes, Geshe Yungdrung Nima Gyaltsen was happy to receive the title and degree and said that, “I have studied here for over 15 years, I am extremely happy today that I have graduated and feel that now I have taken up a new responsibility, I would follow the order of my gurus and hope to teach younger monks whatever I have learned”.
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