Gyuto Monastery

A SHORT HISTORY OF UPPER TANTRIC (GYUTO) MONASTERY

The great tantric institute called GyutoTantric Monastery(GyutoDratsang) was established for the preservation and promotion of the tradition of tantric teachings of the great TeacherTsongkhapa, thecrown among the learned and accomplished masters of Tibet, who had the transmission ofthe entire teachings of the Buddha, through Nagarjuna and other learned Indian Buddhist scholars of NalandaUniversityand great Tibetan translators and accomplished masters.

In 655 (AD), Tibetan Dharma King SongtsenGampo, who was an emanation of Avalokiteshvara, founded the two most historical and famous temples in Tibet – RasaTrulnang and Ramoche –to enshrine the Buddha’s two statues:JowoMikyoDorje and Jowo Shakyamuni.Later, due to political chaos in Tibet, the locations of the two statues were exchanged.  Therefore, at present, the statues are not at their original locations; JowoMikyoDorje is in the RamocheTemple and Jowo Shakyamuniin the Rasa TrulnangTemple.

 

In 1474 (AD), the Wood-Horse year, KungaDhondupPelSangpo (1419-1486) started teaching tantra at U-töJampalingmonasery, and gradually his disciples increased and thusthe name Gyuto (Upper) Tantric Monastery came into being.In the later part of life, when the water level of the KyichuRiverrose and posed danger to the city of Lhasa, DepaKyisho, the governor of Kyishoregion, requested him to ward off the threat of flood.

KungaDhondup, together with his disciples, performed peaceful and wrathful rituals and calmed down the river. As an appreciation for his kind deed, DepaKyisho offered him the Ramoche Temple, including its internal objects. KungaDhondupfounded a tantric monastery inside the temple and started teaching tantra. Later, by the kindness of the successive His Holiness theDalai Lamas, the monastery expanded both in terms of monks’number and tantric training and practice. It became an excellent monastic seat for the studies of monastic discipline, tantric practice and meditation, and has thus become an exemplary monastic seat. 

Status of Gyuto Tantric Monastery in Dalhousie

In 1959, due to an unprecedented political crisis in Tibet, His Holiness the Dalai Lama fled to India, followed by thousands of Tibetan refugees. At that time, about eighty-three monks of the GyutoTantric Monastery escapedfrom Tibet to India and they were compelled to engage in different types of labour work to earn their livelihood. In spite of that, they made their best effort to continuously practise, teach and study their traditional tantric traditions. They stayed in Dalhousie, a hill station in Himachal Pradesh, for about fourteen years until they were relocated to Tenzin Gang, in north-eastern India, in 1975. 

Status of Gyuto Tantric Monastery at Tenzin Gang in Bomdila

In 1974, at the instruction of the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA), Dharamshala, the Gyutomonks at Dalhousiemoved to Tenzin Gang in Bomdila, Arunachal Pradesh, where a monastery and monk quarters were built to preserve and promote the Gyuto tantric traditions. Since the majority of the people of that area are Buddhists, the monastery used to provideto them religious and secular services. As a result, a very cordial and pure relationship developed between the monastery and the local people.

Present status of GyutoTantric Monastery inDharamshala

Since Bomdila is located near the border between Tibet andIndia, there were great restrictions on travelling and other activities in the area. Moreover, due to its remoteness, the monks faced many severe problems when they become sick and travelling within and outside of the area. Therefore, under the guidance of His Holiness the Fourteenth Dalai Lama, a plan was made to relocate the monastery to Dharamshala. However, the plan could not be implemented immediately due to various problems.

Fortunately, in 1989 when His Holiness the Dalai Lama was awarded theNobel Peace Prize, with the financial donation from the Sarasvati Dharma Centre in Japan, a stone pillar was installed at Sidhbari, near Kangra, as a tribute to His Holiness the Dalai Lama for his undaunted effort toward global peace and harmony. At the same time, a monastery was built on the site.

In 1996, His Holiness inaugurated the monastery and the pillar. For the sake of sentient beings His Holinessthe 17^th Karmapa UgyenTrinleyDorjePelSangpohas been staying at GyutoTantric Monastery since 2000. All the members of the GyutoTantric Monastery feel themselves very fortunate to have GyalwaKarmapa Rinpocheat the monastery.

In 2003, after the completion of monks’quarters at the new Gyuto monastery, all the monks of the Gyutomonastery at Bomdilamoved to the new monastery.  Under the kind guidance and leadership of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, the monastery practises the traditional tantric practicesof the Gyuto Tantric Monastery and does not go against the wishes of His Holiness the Dalai Lama. The monastery strictly followsthe ritual traditions of Guhyasamaja, Chakrasamvara andVajrabhairava deities. Teaching and learning of sutra and tantra are done in proper manner in accordance with the monastic rules. The Honourable Abbot, lamas and monks in general of the monastery share pure and unstained relationship between them.

At present, the monastery has about five hundred monks in all, including its own lamas, tulkus, teachers, kye-rimpa students and monks who have come from Tibet, Mongolia, Ladakh, Sikkim, Mon, Spiti and other places, besides monks with Geshe degree who have come from the three great monasteries of Geluk School, Ratomonastery and othermonasteriesto study here.

Tantric Studies

1. The months of the Great Spring Dharma Session is devoted to the learning and contemplation of thetantra: theGreat Commentaryof Guhyasamaja Tantraand the GreatGuhyasamaja Commentary.
2. TheGreat Dak-yerSummer Dharma Session is devoted to the learning and contemplation ofthe tantra: theChakrasamvaraTantra, its Generation and Completion Stagesandthe Sealed Teachings on the Completion Stages.
3. The Great Gadhen Winter Dharma Session is devoted to learning and contemplation of Generation and Completion Stages of the GuhyasamajaTantra and the Five Stages of Completion Stages.
4. The Great RacheWinter Dharma Session is devoted to thelearning and contemplation of the Vajrabhairava’s theSeven Tantric Realisationsand TheThree Tantric Realisations,and the Generation and Completion Stagesof theVajrabhairava. 

Intensive sadhana(Meditational Achieving Method) Rituals

Many intensive sadhanasare being performed in the monastery for the whole year, including:

1. Intensive sadhanaritual of Guhyasamaja along with the construction of its mandala.
2. Intensive sadhana ritual of Chakrasamvara along with the construction of its mandala.
3. Intensive sadhana ritual of the Thirteen-Deity Vajrabhairava along with the construction of its mandala and the consecration ritual, entitled Rainfall of Virtue and Goodness.
4. Consecration ritual related to Guhyasamaja, Chakrasamvara and Vajrabhairava, the great ritual for amendment and restoration,  the great bālirituals of Mahakala and White Umbrella, bunt-offeringsof the four activities and reading of Kangyur texts.
5. Intensive sadhanaritual of the Great Iron Mansion of the Yamaraj, with Yamaraja as preliminarypractice for the benefit of the Buddhadharma and Tibetan national cause.

Education for the Monks

First: Traditional Education Regarding Tantric Studies

1. Memorization

During the four years of a novice monk taking admission to the monastery, the students have to memorize the ritual texts of Guhyasamaja, Chakrasamvara and Vajrabhairava, and have to give recitation test after every six months.

2. Classes

For five years, after taking the full ordination, the monks have to learn mainly the principles and methods of universal and particular sadhanas, the ritual chanting, measurements and paintings, making and arrangement of bālis of hundreds of deities, principally of the Guhyasamaja, Chakrasamvara and Vajrabhairava, measurements of various stupas and their symbolism. During the first year they learn the above mentioned fields of study and practice with regard to Guhyasamaja; during the second year, with regard to Chakrasamvara; and during the third year, with regard toVajrabhairava. During the fourth and fifth years,they learn sadhana rituals of the Great Iron Mansion of the Yamaraj, along with the ritual for amendment and restoration, rituals of Mahakala Great Bāli, andSittapatra Great Bāli, and Burn-Offerings of the four activities.

3. Specialization

As His Holiness the Dalai Lama often advises that each student should be made proficient in one of the tantric trainings, the monastery has started a one year specialization program after completion of the tantric education. Students have to do research in any fields they were taught in the former classes, besides doing some additional courses. The students have to give memorization test, chanting test, written test and practical test in rituals and drawingmandalas and stupas. The students are granted certificates according to their performances in the examinations

Second: Study of Major Buddhist Texts ofSutra and Tantric

in accordance with the Wishes of His Holiness the Dalai Lama

1. TantricClass

The total duration of the course is eleven years. The first three years are spent to study the Collected Topics, Mind and Awareness, and Tenets. After that, the students have to spend three years for Pranjaparamita. Thereafter, they have to study Madhyamakafor two years, Ground and Path for one year. Then they study the Generation and Completion Stages for one year, and the Commentary of Tantra for one year. There are also debates and written examinations after each course.

2. Geshe Ngag-rampa

This is the highest degree in tantric study that students can do after passing the eleventh class of sutra and completion of the research programme in tantra. The Ngag-ramapa degree courses comprises the Stages of Path to Enlightenment, Guide to Bodhisattva’s Way of life, textual and practical training on Sealed Instructions on Generation and Completion Stage. The main subject for the first year is lower classes of tantra and for the second year is the Highest Integrating Tantra. We offer certificates after the recitation, written and debate examinations.

Education for the Geshes admitted in Gyuto Monastery

1. After their admission, theGeshesstudythe ground and path of tantra as anintroduction to tantra, followed by the General Explanation of the Four Classes of Tantras, the Generation Stage: Ocean of Spiritual Attainmentand the Five Stages of Completion,the Great Commentaryon the root tantra. In addition, they have to learn the rituals.By the end of every annual dharma session, they have to give written test in tantra and are awarded certificates accordingly.
2. As for those who hold GesheLharampa degree, they have to give debate examination on tantra after three years and are awarded GesheNgagrampa degree.
3. Every year, three GesheLharampas, in accordance with the list of names, sit for debate examinationson the commentaries on tantralasting for five days. After the end of annual Dharma session, they leave the monastery to serve in the society, and some of them stay at the monastery to serve as religious teachers at the request of the monastery. The Geshes who are meritorious and have completed the debate examinations of tantra will first serve as abbotof this monastery, then SharpaChoeje and finally will ascend to the post of GandenThrone-holder, as the Regent of JeyTsongkhapa, the founder of Gelugtradition. 

Daily Routine 

In the morning sessions, the monks do the practice of self-generation of one of the deities: Guhyasamaja,Chakrasamvaraand Vajrabhairava. Thereafterthe students memorize texts, followed by the morning classes. In the afternoon, they read and study texts. In the evening, they do recitation, followed bydebate in the courtyard.  There is a debate session on Saturdays. There are sessions for three dimensional mandala constructions. The monastery also conducts rituals,when necessary, for the long life and safety of His Holinessthe Dalai Lamaand for the benefit of Tibetan political and religious cause.

Library

With the aim to create a centre for the preservation of teachings of the Buddha and to provide a facility to study Buddhism to both the Tibetans and non-Tibetans, this library was established. This library makes efforts to search and collect texts, procure books in other languages, collect rare and important Indian Buddhist texts, textbooks of sutra and tantra for the Geshes who have come from the three great Gelug monastic universities and school students of this monastery. This monastery also publishes special texts as par with the international publication standards. This library also archives the precious teachings and documents, digitize teachings and distribute to the people.

Religious works related to Social Services

The Honourable Abbots, senior lamas and Kyerimpa students of the Gyuto Monastery and the Geshes from the three great Gelug monastic universities who study tantrain this monastery occasionally visit foreign countries to give teachings and empowerments or perform rituals at the request of devout people there. As requested, they also visit Tibetan schools in and around Dharamshala and give Dharma discoursesand religious advice to the students and teachers. The monastery has set up ritual service centers at many places which have large Tibetan population to give ritual services to the people.

Health Service and Other Social Services

The Gyuto Monastery has a clinic and has one resident nurse to look after the sick and aged monks of the monastery. The monastery bears the entire medical expense of the monks suffering from serious illnessand providesseventy-five percent financial help to other monks for medical treatment. Occasionally, allopathic doctors are invited to the monastery to do health checkup for all the monks. Moreover, the monastery’s clinic providesmedical treatment on minimal charge to any patient irrespective of their nationality, especially those whohave stomach diseases.

Basic Monastic Education

The basic monastic education is taught from class I to VIII, starting from reading and writing. The curriculum includes memorization of prayer texts, Tibetan and English language courses, drawing and painting andepistemology. Students are given certificates after they successfully complete class V and class VIII.   Students cleanthe monastery and its compound on every Saturday.