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 Biographies
of the 2008-2009Tour
Venerable Geshe Jampa Norbu
Gesha-La was born
in the year 1962 in Lhasa, Tibet. There
he attended a local Chinese school. In 1984 at the
age of 22, with his parents' guidance, he fled to
India to pursue spiritual studies and joined Gaden
Shartse Monastery. In 1988 His Holiness The Dalai
Lama gave him full ordination vows for a monk.
As one of the brightest students in the monastic
school, upon completing his education he was honored
as Geshe Lharampa (Phd.) in 2001. This is the
highest level of geshe awarded only to a precious
few that have proved themselves through extensive
examinations and oral debate in front of His
Holiness the Dalai Lama and the other high lamas of
the Gelug tradition. Every year there are only two
students awarded the very high degree of Lharampa
Geshe out of the entire class.
After successfully completing Sutra studies Geshe
Norbu pursued Tantra studies at Gyuto Tantric
College in Northeast India in 2002. Once again he
was valedictorian earning the highest degree.
He returned to Gaden Shartse to teach the younger
monks and was the head of the monastery library for
three years, where his work included getting
traditional Tibetan books printed as western books.
Geshe la was the debate inspector for a year; this
is the instructor who listens and makes corrections
as the students debate. He also served as Gelugpa
University Teacher for one year, creating the exams
for all three Gelugpa universities (Gaden, Sera, and
Drepung) and then checking and correcting the
completed exams. Geshe Norbu also teaches regularly
at Gaden and for the past 10 years he has taught
Tibetan grammar and buddhist dharma to the nuns of
nearby Jangchup Choling nunnery.
Geshe Norbu has been honored to be chosen as one of
six monks who meet annually at the invitation of the
Dalai Lama with scientists from around the world to
discuss science, spirituality, and the state of
humanity. Norbu says, "The scientists teach the
monks about how the brain works, and we teach them
about loving kindness and the concept of emptiness."
The 2008 Gaden Shartse tour is Geshe Norbu's first
time traveling in North America. He hopes through
the dharma to share with Americans that "mind
problems have to be solved from our own minds;
happiness and peace in our minds don't come from
external things."
Venenerable Geshe Kalsang Gyatso
(Chanting Master)
Venerable Geshe
Kalsang, the chanting master of the tour, was born
on October 12th, 1972, in Orissa, India. His parents
were very enthusiastic about his education and
started schooling him at a very young age.
In 1983, Geshe-la enrolled in Gaden Shartse
Monastery as a novice monk at the age of 11.
He later received his vows of full ordination from
His Holiness the Dalai Lama in Dharamsala.
After 20 years of
intensive study and mastery of all the major texts, Geshe-la
was awarded the title of Geshe Lharam. This is
the highest level of geshe awarded only to a precious few
that have proved themselves through extensive examinations
and oral debate in front of His Holiness the Dalai Lama and
the other high lamas of the Gelug tradition.
Reserved only for those with the sharpest minds, Geshe-la
performed an Oral Recitation of Drang-Ney Lekshey Nyinpo, a
commentary text. He was nominated as Vice Chanting Master
for nearly two years, and was then promoted to Chanting
Master of Gaden Shartse Monastery, a position that he held
for eight years.
The three highest positions in the monastery are abbot,
chanting master, and discipline leader. The chanting master,
who is elected by the monks, leads all the prayers in the
monastery every day. As chant master Geshe Kalsang has
memorized some /twenty thousand/ prayers—all by recitation
and repetition, as there is no textbook for these chants.
Some prayers take up to eighteen hours to recite (these are
performed twice monthly at the monastery). Because he works
so hard the chanting master never leaves the monastery; he
works up to eighteen hours a day. It is indeed very
beautiful and moving to listen to the Gaden Shartse monks
chanting under the leadership of Geshe Kalsang.
Geshe Kalsang has been invited several times to perform
ritual healing and performances for SARS victims in
Singapore, Taiwan, and Malaysia with His Eminence
Tri-Rinpoche (the linear successor of Je Tsong Khapa), His
Eminence Lati Rinpoche, and His Eminence Ken-Rinpoche (the
present Abbot of the monastery).
This is Geshela's second tour to North America; his first
was in 2004-2005. When asked what he would like to share
with westerners, Geshe Kalsang says: "Just practicing
religion is not enough; it is important to be honest and
wise. It's not good to act honest and wise
during teachings and then return to your bad habits and
behaviors after the teaching. Once you receive the teaching,
you need to improve your mind afterwards; otherwise you are
not doing the practice well. The most important thing is
working every day, day by day, to improve your mind."
"If you have good knowledge and skill but you don't improve
your mind, that is no good. For example, if a wealthy person
is not helping the poor; if he uses his money to make
weapons or harm people, then his wealth is useless. Just
like that, if we have knowledge and skill but don't use it
to benefit others, that's no good."
Venerable Yeshi Dakpa
Yeshi was born in
1964, in Dayab Bhugon, in the eastern part of Tibet,
in the province of Kham. Until the age of 11 he
spent all his time helping his parents at home.
At 11 he became a monk in his home town in Tibet.
In the year 1990 he fled to India away from home,
with his parents' blessing. It took
almost two months of very rough travel on foot, for
Venerable Yeshi to reach the Indian border from
Tibet. Once he joined Gaden Shartse
Monastery in exile he was able to pursue his
spiritual studies in freedom.
He was ordained by His
Holiness the Dalai Lama at the age of 26. Gaden has been his
home now for 20 years.
Gentle and good humored, Yeshi befriends children at each
stop on the tour. He is a very hard-working monk, always
quietly completing chores and working behind the scenes.
Venerable Yeshi is excellent in performing pujas and
chanting with unique multi-phonic tones. He is the ritual
master for the tour and responsible for making sure all the
details are perfect. He excels in sculpting ritual offerings
such as tormas (ritual cakes) and is very skilled in the art
of sand mandalas. In 2006 Yeshi was privileged
to take part in the grand puja performed by His Eminence
Lati Rinpoche in Singapore.
Yeshi says, "The freedom to practice is very precious; I
feel satisfied and happy to be practicing in the monastery."
When pressed, he says he would like to advise Americans,
"From my deep heart, to practice well, and practice to
benefit all beings, all peoples." With a smile,
Venerable Yeshi declares, "Giving teachings, making
mandalas, and sharing our Tibetan culture is a real pleasure
for me while on tour."
Venerable Tenzin Kalsang
Venerable Tenzin (affectionately known as Phuntsok)
was born in 1969, in Lhasa, Tibet. Until the age of
eight he spent all of his time with his parents,
then he entered a local Chinese school. Tenzin
speaks of his father with great respect and
veneration, as someone who maintained a home filled
with devotion and practice. At the age of 13, he
became a monk and joined a small local Tibetan
monastery. In 1989 he fled to India to pursue
spiritual studies and joined Gaden Shartse
Monastery. As for thousands of other monks and nuns,
there was no freedom in Tibet to practice and study
the dharma. Ven. Tenzin describes his emotion when
he finally reached Dharamsala and knelt before His
Holiness the Dalai Lama. Tears streamed from his
eyes as His Holiness gently touched his head
blessing and consoling him. That is indeed an
awesome moment for any refugee Tibetan, and
especially for a monk or nun.
The Dalia Lama directed Tenzin to Gaden Shartse
Monastery. At Gaden Tenzin began his study of the
main commentaries, as well as training in rituals,
making butter sculpture offerings and creating sand
mandalas. Ven. Tenzin is a well-known debater in his
class and one of its brightest students. He is only
two years away from his geshe exams.
In 2006 he was selected to take part in a Grand Puja
in Singapore performed by H.E. Lati Rinpoche and in
2007 he once again went to Singapore for a Grand
Puja performed by H.E. Gaden Tri-Rinpoche, the
throne holder of the Gelugpa tradition.
Ven. Tenzin expresses great happiness in becoming a
monk and receiving teachings from many high lamas,
including His Holiness the Dalai Lama and Lati
Rinpoche. Getting empowerments and getting oral
transmissions of mantras from high lamas—he
exclaims, "I feel very happy with that." On this
tour, Ven. Tenzin is always ready with a smile to
assist in any task. He is an excellent cook and
frequently makes meals. Some call him "Captain
Compassion" as his kind spirit shines through every
action he takes.
Venerable Tenzin says, "The Practice of Buddhism is
very deep, very complicated; there is always more
and more to study, practice and learn - and that can
be frustrating to students."
He goes on, "Many Americans have good material
things; but problems in the mind. Americans take
alcohol, drugs, or smoke to solve their problems;
and this is not making them happy. Instead, we ask
people to practice loving kindness and the way of
bodhisattvas; that will truly help."
Venenerable Chhyampa Nupu Lama
Venerable
Chhyampa (goes by the name Tenzin) was born in 1979,
in Nepal. Like thousands of other Tibetan families,
his family was disrupted and fragmented by the
stress of being refugees. He went to school at an
early age, and joined the monastery in India at the
age of ten, where he studied Buddhist philosophy,
tantric rituals, and traditional mystical chants for
more than a decade. He studied English, and learned
to make ritual sand mandalas. He also volunteered at
the monastery health clinic for three years.
Ven. Chhyampa is the interpreter on the tour. He is
too modest about his language skills and dislikes it
when he is introduced as someone who speaks four
languages: Tibetan, Hindu, Nepalese, and English.
The fact remains, this monk is a wonderful
communicator, and the sound of his laughter fills
his hosts' homes. On the tour, his nickname is
"James Bond."
He expresses deep gratitude to Geshe Nagwang
Lungtok, his special teacher, and to Geshe Gyeltsen.
He says, "Geshe Gyeltsen la is the father of our
monastery. He helps us even with small problems.
Many difficulties have been solved by Geshe la.
After travelling on the tour, we go back to Long
Beach to see him. He wants to hear all our problems,
like we are his children. Geshe la tells us to
relax, and rest, to be happy, don't worry."
Venerable Chhyampa says, "All material things in the
U.S. are great; now, Americans need only to control
the mind; then this will be the greatest place in
the world and Americans will be the happiest people
in the world."
Venerable Lobsang Wangchuk
Tour Director
Venerable Lobsang Wangchuck has served in the
capacity as the Gaden Sharste Tour Director for over
seventeen years criss-crossed the United States
with the Gaden Shartse Monks. He has been a long
time student of His Holiness the 14th
Dalai Lama.
Having first encountered the Dharma in 1979,
Venerable Wangchuk studied under Venerable Kyabje
Zong Rinpoche of the Gaden Shartse Monastery.
His teachers include high Lamas such as Venerable
Kyabje Lati Rinpoche of Gaden Shartse Monastery and
his long-time teacher, the Venerable Geshe Tsultim
Gyeltsen of Thubten Dhargye Ling of Long Beach,
California.
Venerable Jangchup Chophel
Venerable
Jangchub Chophel , also known as John Bruna, has
spent most of his adult life working with teenagers
as both a counselor and a teacher. Most recently he
was a high school history teacher in Long Beach,
California from 2001 to 2008. Venerable Chophel
graduated Magna Cum Laude and earned his teaching
credential from California State University at
Northridge.
Having been a
student of Buddhism for many years, Venerable
Chophel was inspired to become an ordained monastic
after attending a teaching by His Holiness the Dalai
Lama in 2004. After the teachings he received
permission from his spiritual teacher Venerable
Geshe Tsultim Gyeltsen to take monastic vows.
In 2005 he traveled to Gaden Shartse Monastery in
India and was ordained by His Eminence Lati Rinpoche.
Returning from
India, he continued his monastic studies at Thubten
Dhargye Ling under the guidance of Venerable Geshe
Gyeltsen and returned to the classroom in monastic
robes. Now he is setting aside teaching and is
joining the tour fulltime with the aspiration to
help fulfill the urgent needs of our monastery.
(Special thanks to Ri and Renee for these beautiful
portraits)
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THE
MONKS OF GADEN SHARTSE MONASTERY