Drepung Gomang is a Tibetan Buddhist monastery established in the Gelug tradtion, founded by Je Tsong Khapa (1357-1419).
The Gelug
tradition lays special emphasis on the
place of ethics, as expressed through monastic discipline, as the ideal
basis for religious education and practice. In addition, the
Gelug
tradition regards sound scholarship as a prerequisite for constructive
meditation; hence, the teachings of both sutra and tantra are subject
to
rigorous analysis through the medium of dialectical debate.
Drepung
Gomang College is renowned among all the Gelug Monasteries (Ganden,
Sera,
and Drepung) for its emphasis on and expertise in the field
of logic
and debate.
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In general, the
curriculum of study in a Gelug
monastery covers the five major topics plus Collected Topics (Parchen)
which is preliminary to the syllabus
proper. The major
topics are Valid Cognition (Pramana) - 5
years; Phenomonology
(Abhidharma) - 2 years, the Perfection of Wisdom (Prajnaparamita
- 5 years), Middle View (Madhyamika) - 2 years; and
Monastic Discipline
(Vinaya) - 2 years. These five are studied
meticulously by
the dialectical method using Indian texts as well as Indian and Tibetan
commentaries to them for a period of sixteen years. On
completing
this training, a monk may spend an additional year preparing for the
Gelug
Exam which is standard for all of the three Gelug Monasteries (Ganden,
Sera, and Drepung). Upon successfully passing this exam, the
monk
is awarded of the degree of Geshe (Doctorate of Buddhist
Philosophy).
The highest level of the Geshe degree is Geshe Lharampa. This
latter
degree requires an additional six years of study; therefore,
a monk
with a Geshe Lharampa degree has studied Buddhist philosophy for a
minimum
of 22 to 23 years.
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(Geshe Lharampa Jinpa Sonam) |
If he wishes, upon completing his degree, the Geshe may join one of the tantric colleges (Gyumey and Gyuto) to study the tantras and thereby complete his formal studies; or he may return to his local monastery to teach, or retire into seclusion to engage in intensive meditation. A monk who has completed a Geshe's training is respected as being a fully qualified and authoritative spiritual master worthy of devotion and esteem.
Young monks begin
their studies around the age
of six. They attend 8 years of classes in the standard
subjects of
reading, writing, mathematics, science, and history. In
addition,
they begin preliminary studies of scripture and philosophy as soon as
they
learn to read and write.
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