PRESERVING PIETY
Government support has ensured the protection and prosperity of the Tibet autonomous region’s Buddhist monasteries.
Every sunrise, life inside Drepung Monastery begins as it has for centuries — monks awaken, chant sutras, eat a light breakfast and begin their studies.
An asphalt road connects the monastery at a mountain’s foot with a western suburb of Lhasa. A world of golden sculptures and colorful murals is hidden behind its whitewashed walls.
Ubiquitous wooden signage in Chinese and English provides direction for the endless streams of Buddhist pilgrims and foreign tourists.
Drepung — the Gelug School’s largest monastery — has stood silent witness to events beyond its walls for 600 years.
Many monasteries in the Tibet autonomous region are centuries old and in need of repair.
The government has spent over 200 million yuan ($30 million) to renovate Drepung over the past five years.
“The buildings were repaired, and a parking lot and nursing home were built,” says Nyima, head of Drepung’s management committee, who like many Tibetans only has one name.
Tibet started providing funds to monasteries in 2011. It supplied them with electricity and water, and built roads, bathhouses, greenhouses and waste-treatment facilities.
Drepung Monastery also generates over 10 million yuan a year from tickets, alms given by pilgrims, and earnings from shops and teahouses. Most of the money is used to maintain the buildings and preserve artwork. The remainder supports the monks.
A management committee of government officials and monks has been set up in almost every monastery in Tibet. These enable officials to work with monks to manage the monasteries’ affairs and solve any problems the monks may have.
Dradul came to live in Tsurpu Monastery 31 years ago. He enjoys high prestige in the Karma Kagyu School since he completed a three-year retreat of fully cloistered meditation.
Dradul is a member of the monastery’s management committee and a political advisor of Tibet.
Committees have provided monks with medical and endowment insurance, and living allowances. They’ve maintained the buildings and improved infrastructure such as roads.
Datri, a government-designated member of Drepung Monastery’s committee, has helped to source over 200,000 yuan in medical assistance for 39 monks, and has also helped 114 monks to apply for living allowances.
“These officials are like family members to us. We seek their help whenever we have a problem,” monk Ngawang Gonchen says.
Religious studies and public service remain the main activities in monastic life.
The Tibet Buddhist Theological Institute, the autonomous region’s first comprehensive Buddhism academy, has branches in 14 major monasteries.
Monks at the institute’s branch at Drepung study sutras to acquire the highest academic degree in Tibetan Buddhism — geshe lharampa — which similar to a doctorate.
Over 100 monks received the degree in since 2005.
“Those monks who study sutras are the future of any monastery,” says Ngawang Kunqing, head of the institute’s Drepung branch.
“So, it’s important to care of them.” is have Tibet take