Geluk School
Feb 12, 2015पर 08:28 PM
This is the world famous lamasery in Beijing. In consonance with the ancient architecture, every element of the temple is entirely symmetrical, with main halls on a north-south axis and wing halls on both sides. It comprises of a courtyard in the south and five main halls in separate courtyards in the north: the Hall of the Heavenly Kings, the Hall of Harmony and Peace, the Hall of Everlasting Blessings, the Hall of the Dharma Wheel and the Pavilion of Infinite Happiness. Furthermore, this splendid temple combines various architectural styles of the Han, the Manchu, the Mongolian and the Tibetan. Yonghe Temple in Beijing is a venerable seat of learning of the Geluk School of Tibetan Buddhism. The Geluk School was founded by the great Je Tsongkhapa Losang Drakpa (1357-1419). All of the Geluk institutions put special emphasis on ethics, as taught in the Vinaya, which becomes the ideal ground for religious education and practice. The Geluk tradition purely stresses sound scholarship and subjects the teachings of sutra and tantra to intellectual analysis through the medium of dialectical debate. Training in debate has become one of the core essences of the Gelukpa school. The founder reformed Tibetan Buddhism from the ravages of declining moral ethics and brought about a Tradition of ethical serenity and Academic Excellence. As a result, the Geluk School attracted enormous attention and gradually became the pre-eminent Tradition in Tibet. It spread far and wide into the most remote corners of Tibet. The most eminent adherents to this tradition were the first and all the successive Dalai Lamas and to this day it has remained one of the foremost traditions of Tibetan Buddhism with its strong emphasis on maintaining moral ethics (sila) as the basis of spiritual development. This is in conformity with the Buddha’s own life of celibacy and serenity of moral conduct as the ultimate way to achieve freedom from suffering. The Gelukpa have a great tradition of learning the Buddha’s teaching through debate and discussion. This has been one of the key links in establishing common ground with Modern Science which seeks to establish truth through investigation and research. However, the world is getting small and it is important that all traditions come together in harmony to help all beings in their search for happiness in the best way they possibly can.
Geluk School
Dec 05, 2014पर 05:56 AM
Lama Temple (Yonghegong) is by far the most beautiful temple in Beijing – beautiful gardens, stunning frescoes and tapestries, incredible carpentry. Lama Temple is the most renowned Tibetan Buddhist temple within China and outside Tibet itself. The architecture and carvings of the structure are a masterpiece and fine example of Chinese craftmanship of the Ming and Qing dynasties. In 1792, Qianlong having quelled an uprising in Tibet instituted a system whereby the government issued two gold vases. One was kept at the Jokhang Temple in Lhasa for determining the reincarnation of the Dalai Lama (under the supervision of the Minister for Tibetan Affairs), and the other was kept at Yonghegong for the lottery for the Mongolian Grand Living Buddha. The Lama Temple thus assumed a new importance in minority control. This is the image of the two nuns visiting Beijing from Tibet. Since ancient times, there is a tradition among Buddhist monks and pilgrims to go on pilgrimage to the the holy sites. This is one such sacred spot in the Tibetan annals. Two Buddhist Nuns are visiting the Lama Temple situated in Dongcheng district of Beijing. This is the most important temple and lamasery of Geluk School of Tibetan Buddhism outside Tibet. The head of the Geluk School is the Venerable Ganden Tripa (throne-holder) Rinpoche. The Ganden Tri Rinpoche is Venerable Yeshe Dhöndup, the 99th successor to the Ganden throne. Among all the schools of Tibet, the Geluk school puts the most emphasis on pure philosophical studies, which can continue for many years. Major topics that are emphasized in the Gelukpa school is called the “Five Major Treatises”: (1) The Prajnaparamita, perfection of wisdom, (2) Madhyamaka, middle way, (3) Pramana, valid cognition, (4) Abhidharma, phenomenology, (5) Vinapa, monastic disciplines. In this tradition, these treatises are studied with great detail using the dialectical method. For a period of over fifteen years, these texts are studied using numerous Gelukpa commentaries, many of which often are unique to each monastic college. When such training in studies are completed, one receives one of the three types of degrees of Geshe (dge bshes), the high academic degree in Buddhist philosophy [equivalent to a masters degree]: Dorampa, Tsogrampa, and Lharampa (highest) degr ...
