Drepung Gomang Tour 2008-09
Drepung Gomang Tour 2008-09 is sponsored
by Drepung Gomang Institute, located in Louisville, Kentucky, is a 501 (c) 3 is
committed to preserving the Tibetan Culture, Traditions and Religion. We bring the Tour to you to help the exiled
Monastery raise funds to educate, feed, house and care for almost 2,000 exiled
Tibetan Monks.
Programs are offered for a Suggested
Donation - please contact the Travel Coordinator for Specific Details
Please visit our Visual Arts Website
at www.gomang.org/08dgi_visualarts.html
for pictures and details
________________________________________
The authentic
Tibetan programs that we offer are a blend of ancient cultural, religious, and
artistic expressions. You may choose to
offer an educational program focusing on ancient historic beliefs, an artful
performance or display that demonstrates colorful Tibetan traditions, and/or a
truly inspirational combination of Tibetan art, history and sacred traditions
that completely inspire the spirit.
Please review
the general overviews of each program.
We are flexible and will adapt our programs to fit your needs and
desires. We will bring them to
individuals privately, as well as small and large audiences.
We have
suggested donations for our programs.
The funds raised are second to our mission to share the wisdom,
compassion and good will sent to us from the Monastery in
I. Sand Mandala: 5 or 6 day construction
The
Drepung Gomang monks are renowned for the Sacred Art of Sand Mandala
Construction. Medicine Buddha and
Chenrezig (Compassion) Mandalas are available.
The event includes opening ceremonies, informal conversation and
socializing as the mandala is created and formal closing ceremonies. Closing
ceremonies include prayers, chanting, deconstruction of the mandala and sharing
the blessed sand.
II. Teachings
The tour group is led by Geshe
Lharampa Lobzang Samdup, a monk who has achieved the equivalent of a PhD.
Geshe-la is available to give talks on the main tenets of Buddhist philosophy
and is happy to answer your questions about the Tibetan Buddhist tradition. His
teachings will be given in Tibetan and translated into English by a translator.
Some of the teachings that can
be arranged are:
- Introduction to Buddhism
- Basic meditation practice
- The Four Noble Truths
- Karma
- Impermanence
- Elements of traditional Lamrim Practice
- Elements of Lojong
III. Pujas
Puja
is a Sanskrit
word that means “offering.” The monks chant prayers and perform rituals
specific to the type of prayer being offered.
Prayers are addressed to Buddha’s, bodhisattvas and deities. Their primary purpose is to overcome
negativities that may be obstacles in obtaining release from suffering and to
promote spiritual, emotional, mental, and physical well-being.
Prayers
may be for a house blessing, wellness, for the souls of those who have left
this world, (including animals), the clearing of karma, purification of local
negative energy, world peace, individual or global healing, financial security,
spiritual evolution, the development of wisdom, and the removal of obstacles.
The
prayers are recited in the traditional overtone chanting, each monk singing a
full chord of three notes. The prayers are often accompanied by delicate hand
gestures, cymbals, drums, horns and flutes.
Sample
Pujas:
World
Peace and Healing Removal of
Negativities and Obstacles
Purification Tara and
Guru Puja
House
or Business Blessing Tea or Fire
Puja
IV. Thangka Painting, Mani Stones,
Butter Sculpture, Sand Painting, and Children's Coloring Book Workshops
Please visit our website: www.gomang.org/workshops.html
for pictures and details
Our Monks are Artists. They will facilitate hands-on workshops for
all ages. Work one on one with monks to learn how to create art in the rare
Buddhist tradition.
They offer Thangka Painting,
Mani Stone Painting, Butter Sculpting, Sand Painting Instruction and Children’s
Coloring Book Workshops. The
Instructions include a half hour talk about the art, a demonstration and then
one on one lessons.
VI. Slide Show History & Overview
Our Monks will present a slide
show of the history of Gomang, using old black and white photos from beginnings
in Lhasa, to the first arrival of the monks to Bhagsa in 1959, to the
settlement here in the early days, to current
photos.
These photos have only been
viewed within the monastery or in the company of Gomang Monks. The show is
accompanied by a running commentary, including personal histories of some of
the oldest living monks from Tibet.
V. Drepung Gomang 2008-09
Cultural Presentation
Experience
Ancient Tibetan Cultural Rituals of Dance, Chanting, Prayers and Debate
Authentic
Tibetan Traditions come to life as follows.
Welcoming His Holiness the Dalai Lama and Offering of Mandala
According
to Tibetan custom, if His Holiness in not physically present, his holy portrait
is displayed to symbolize that he is nevertheless the Chief Guest at the
function or gatherings. At the same time, one offers all that one values in the
Universe by reciting prayers and visualizing that one is offering these to the
guru or lama.
With this follows the offering of a Mandala--symbolizing the
Body, Speech and Mind of the Buddha--a statue, a text, or a stupa. In essence,
offering the Mandala of the Universe is the ultimate act of giving or surrender
to the ‘outer’ manifestation of the guru or deity, who is inseparable from
one’s own innate Buddha nature. The motivation is sent forth as an offering for
World Healing and World Peace. The
prayer includes an offering of the purified universe to all beings. (7 minutes)
Mandala Prayer
Earth blessed with flowers and incense
And adorned with the king of mountains,
The four continents, the sun and moon-
I offer this envisioned as a Buddha field
May all sentient beings partake of this pure sphere.
“idam guru ratna mandalam niryata yami”
(I offer this precious mandala to the spiritual masters)
CHANTING OF JAM
CHENMA
(Madyamikavatara)
This is translated as ‘Praise of the great Maitreya’ (the future Buddha) but is in fact verse of Praise composed by the 19th Abbot of Drepung Gomang monastery, Tsondue Gyatso, in honor of 18th Abbot, Jampa Lhundup. After hearing the amazing teachings of Jampa Lhundup, Tsondue Gyatso saw him as an embodiment of Maitreya Buddha, and was inspired to compose these verses. This is a very important regular chants of the monks of Drepung Gomang Monastery for the peace and harmony of the world. They will chant in their unique and special chanting style. Duration: 6 minutes
DEBATE DEMONSTRATION
Ignorance
is the root cause of suffering, and wisdom is the antidote to ignorance.
Through learning, one eventually becomes established in wisdom. Just as a lamp
illumines a house so that one can see colors and shapes, so learning and wisdom
enable one to see the nature of phenomena.
The practice
of debate is the most important way to learn Buddhist Philosophy in the
monasteries. The main purpose of monastic debates is to defeat misconceptions
in order to establish a correct view and to clear away any objections to that
view. An actual session of debate involves two parties, a defender who sits and
gives answers to the challengers who stands up and asks question. There is a
whole separate vocabulary for debate, each word with a complex meaning that is
difficult to translate, but here are a few words you can listen for:
Kor-sum! You are wrong!
Cher…cher… cher…! Hurry up and
answer!
Oh… tsa! You
have contradicted yourself!
Dhi……! This is a syllable associated with
Jamphelyang (Manjushri) the god of wisdom. By calling this syllable, the questioner
calls upon the deity to assist him.
Chee-Cher? What is your reason?
Dho! Yes, I agree!
Dhag-ma-Thub I
disagree with your reason
Each movement of the debate is also highly symbolic. In brief,
the upraised arm represents Jamphelyang’s sword of knowledge, cutting through
ignorance. The left hand represents wisdom-the actual antidote to cyclic
existence. The right hand represents method-the altruistic intention to become
enlightened, motivated by great love and compassion for all sentient beings.
The clap represents a union of method and wisdom. In dependence on the union of
method and wisdom, one is able to attain Buddahood. Duration:10
minutes
YAK DANCE
Tibetan
yaks are native to the
These
yaks are capable of climbing to altitudes of 20,000 feet and can carry a
220-pound load up terrain too rugged for horses. Yaks are an important source
of meat, milk, fiber, hide, butter, transportation and dung for fuel.
Yaks
are also important in Tibetan mythology as messengers of the gods living in
high places. This unique animal is symbolic of the Tibetan spirit of rugged
strength and playfulness. Here in this dance, we show the peaceful co-existence
of human being with the animal kingdom. Duration 8 minutes
11.
CHANTING OF NY
NYURZEMA: PRAISE OF THE
SIX ARM DHARMA
PROTECTOR MAHAKALA
A special prayer, paying homage to six armed Mahakala
(Gonpo), the great black one. Though fierce in his trampling upon the evil spirits
of delusion and greed, he is actually considered to be the agent of
Avalokiteshvara or Chenrezig, the angelic Bodhisattva of great compassion.
Mahakala is frightening in appearance because his responsibility is to protect
all beings from evil. The verse was composed by a great Indian yogi Drubchen
Shawari who had a vision of Mahakala while meditating, and was inspired to
compose these verses of praise during a vision of Mahakala that appeared to him
gradually from the feet upwards. This prayer requests Mahakala to protect the
Dharma and to remove all obstacles of all sentient beings. Duration: 5 minutes
Translated version:
Quick-acting Avalokita, homage to you
Wearing anklets, you trample Ganesa.
Mahakala, you wear a tiger-skin loincloth.
Fully adorned with snake-ornaments on your six arms,
The first right holds a triku, the middle a mala,
The last plays violently a damaru
The left holds a skull-cup, and a three-pronged lance,
And likewise a noose, which serves for tying up.
Your wrathful mouth completely bares its fangs
Your three eyes are fierce. The hair of your head blazes upward.
Your forehead is properly anointed with red lead.
On your crown, Aksobhya's royal presence is fixed.
You wear a great necklace of fifty men? heads, dripping blood.
On your crown, you are adorned with five dry, jewelled skulls.
You come from your tree and accept our torma offering,
Glorious Six-Armed - homage and praise to you!
Sternly protect the Doctrine of the Buddha!
Sternly praise the height of power of the jewels!
For us - teachers, disciples and entourage -
Please quell all bad conditions and obstructions,
And grant us quickly whatever siddhis we wish. SHE
JO (optional)
UMA JUGPA: ROOT
VERSES OF THE
MIDDLE WAY
(Madhyamika:
Mulamadhyamakakarika)
(optional)
In the
teachings of the Mahayana tradition of Buddhism, there is an account of the
Buddha, before he passed into Nirvana, issuing a prophecy that some years
following his passing into Nirvana there would appear an extraordinary teacher
who would bear the name of the Nagas in his name, and who would re-vivify the
teachings of the Prajnaparamita, establish the unsurpassable view of the Perfection
of Wisdom, and thus establish circumstances for enormous benefit to the
teachings and to beings. This is widely held to be a prophecy of the coming of
Nagarjuna, the great Buddhist master who did so much to further spread the
teachings of the Prajnaparamita
When
Nagarjuna brought this text back to the human realm from
Thank You Speech