Geshe

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Geshe ( Tibetan དགེ་ བཤེས ། Wylie dge bshes ) is the name of a Buddhist scholar degree in Tibetan Buddhism ( Lamaism ).

A Geshe has studied the knowledge of Buddhism and is a specialist in logic, texts, rituals and correct processes; Geshes are the guardians of Buddhist knowledge.

The Geshe study ends with one of four Geshe degrees, ascending are Dorampa, Lingtse, Tsorampa and Lharampa. The training for the highest degree lasts about 20 years and is awarded after a series of exams to be taken annually, which, among other things, are intended to demonstrate the candidate's ability to engage in dialectical debate on all areas of Buddhist theology and philosophy. For this purpose, six departments of the course are traditionally passed through:

When attending a tantric college, one can acquire the title Geshe Ngagrampa .

The training to become a Buddhist scholar (Geshe) takes place in Tibetan monastery universities . Most famous are the huge monastic universities of Sera Je and Sera Me, Ganden , Drepung (all near Lhasa ) and Tashilhunpo , all of which are under the aegis of the Gelug School, but are attended by gifted monks from all schools. These large monasteries are a kind of elite universities that train the scholars of all monasteries.

Since the Chinese occupation, monastic universities of the same name have emerged in South India, which today form the cornerstone of Buddhist scholarship and are attended by thousands of monks. After completing their studies, most of these monks return to their home monasteries and are henceforth scholars for the monks in Tibet .

The Geshe grade in the Sakya tradition developed based on the Ka-shi or Ka-chu grade of the Sakya school, which was acquired in the Sakya monasteries in Samphu , Kyormolung and Dewachen (later Ratö ). In the Kagyu School, the trained scholars are called Khempo , a term which in turn means an abbot in the Gelug School .

A Geshe is a scholar, not a spiritual master ( lama ). A lama has spiritual experience (or insight ) with which he or she promotes the spiritual development of the students. In principle, there are no official titles assigned to the designation Lama , although monastic universities appoint monks with special qualities, regardless of their education (ie Geshe or not) as lamas ( Lama-Tongo ). Lamas and rinpoches ( tulkus , reborn masters) also often complete the traditional training to become Geshe (for example the 14th Dalai Lama is also a Geshe Lharampa), but this does not play a special role in the position they occupy as Lama. As a result of the religious ban during the Cultural Revolution , for example, one can find tulkus in Tibet who are highly venerated as lamas, although they have not received any training (in this life).

Web links