As a part of the Tibetan Government-in-exile,
His Holiness established the Department of Religion & Culture in
1960 with the aim and responsibility to preserve and promote
religious and cultural heritage of Tibet which is in the verge of
extinction under Chinese rule in Tibet. It is, therefore, our
responsibility to look after the welfare and education of monks and
nuns in our community.
Over the years the Department assisted in the
establishment of important cultural institutes like the Library of
Tibetan Works & Archives, the Tibetan Institute of Performing
Arts, the Tibet House, the Central Institute of Higher Tibetan
Studies and the Norbulingka Institute which are now functioning as
autonomous bodies.
Currently, the Department is engaged in the
activities of providing spiritual guidance and financial assistance
to various traditional learning centres in India, Nepal and Bhutan.
In these centres or the monasteries/nunneries, there are altogether
20,000 monastic students out of which 1,300 are nuns. Besides
traditional Buddhist philosophy, the students also receive modern
education on health, environment, etc... The Department alsos takes
responsibility in sending Dharma teachers to teach Buddhism to the
school children in 104 Tibetan schools in India and Nepal.
The Department select intelligent students from
among the various learning centres and give them monastic teacher's
training and send them back to their centres to teach the students
there. So far, the Department has produced 183 such
teachers.
From the past few years, the Department has
been providing scholarships to Mongolian, Russian and Kalmykian
students studying Tibetan Religion and Culture in various learning
centres. Until now, the Department has under its care 169 such
students drawing a monthly scholarship ranging from Rs 100 to Rs
1,000 per head. Moreover, the Department send Geshes and other
religious experts to these countries to teach Buddhism. Over the
years, the Department assisted in the establishment of 890 Buddhist
centres in about 40 foreign countries. With the aim of helping these
centres, the Department conducted Translation Training courses for a
few times. Besides it also organised five Buddhist conferences for
the high-ranking Buddhist Lamas from India and abroad.
Quite recently, the Department could establish
a new cultural centre namely Norbulingka Institute which serves as an
important centre for learning and promoting Tibetan
culture.
Communist China has been systematically
destroying the religious and cultural heritage of Tibet. It is
virtually not possible to receive a full traditional religious
education under Chinese rule in Tibet. Although the Chinese claim
that religious freedom exists in Tibet, it mainly consists of such
devotional practices as circumambulation, prostration, making
offerings in temples and turning prayers wheels which are obvious to
everyone. On the other hand, the pillars of the religious
establishments, fully educated monks are being ruthlessly undermined
by the persistent denial of any serious form of religious and
philosophical education. Any hope of true religious revival in Tibet
is not possible. Consequently, ever increasing numbers of monks and
nuns are fleeing Tibet in the hope of receiving a genuine traditional
education in exile.
Many who make the journey do so at the risk of
their lives, travelling for long periods without proper food or
sleep. Some do not survive.
At present, we have under our care about 7,500
newly arrived monks and nuns from Tibet who have joined the
monasteries and nunneries that have been re-established after 1959 in
exile. Since the monastic communities are already undergoing
financial strain, it is not possible for them to take on newcomers
without additional help. Monks and nuns have to do domestic works
like cultivation, animal rearing, etc.. in order to be self-reliant
at least with regard to their food and clothing. The Department thus
provide each new arrival monk and nun from Tibet with Rs 85 (USD
2.42) which is meagre compared to the actual needs of the monks and
nuns. The total amount we spend for the welfare and education of
these monks and nuns is Rs 8,100,000 (USD 233,142.85) annually due to
which the Department is undergoing a severe financial constraint.
Moreover, the constant inflation in India demands that the
scholarship be increased. But at present, due to the lack of enough
funds we are unable to do so. We are planning to increase the amount
to Rs 100 per head, if our financial situation improves.
It is a fact that we could not find sponsors
for all the 7,500 newly arrived monastic students. Therefore, we pool
all the donations and sponsorships we receive in order to ensure
equal coverage of help irrespective of whether a particular monk or
nun has a sponsor or not.
Besides supporting newly arrived monks and
nuns, we also help poor, sick and aging monks and nuns.
With the number of monks and nuns arriving from
Tibet increasing by the day, the cost of their support is becoming
alarmingly high. However, we cannot limit their number by turning
them away. We know that without our help there will be no possibility
of these youths pursuing a traditional monastic education. We cannot
destroy their hopes but have a responsibility to help them fulfill
their aspirations, for if we could overcome these immediate problems,
there is a great hope for the future. A large body of educated monks
will have a far reaching effect on every aspect of Tibetan
culture.
In one way, the increasing number of young
novice monks is an encouraging sign and shows that traditional values
are still deeply rooted in the exile community. However, it is not
enough for children to merely don the robes and learn a few prayers.
They have to receive proper food and a well founded education in
order to carry on the precious tradition of Buddhist
philosophy.
Religious institutions such as monasteries and
nunneries are the cornerstone of Tibetan culture. Tibetan art,
literature and architecture are three crucial aspects of the culture
which have gained great admiration all over the world, are
inseparable from the development of religious tradition. It is an
undeniable fact that the best scholars and artists are either members
of a monastery or were trained in it.
Helping an endangered culture, which is part of
the world heritage regain its strength is a worthy cause. Many
aspects are already present; they are the students and they have the
will. What is most needed is financial help.
We earnestly request all our Dharma-friends to
kindly help our needy monks and nuns and to preserve our religion and
culture at this crucial period of our history.
May we conclude with our fervent prayers for
the long life and happiness of all sentient beings and may Peace
prevail on Earth.
Kindly make donations/cheques payable to :
Postal address :
His Holiness the Dalai-Lama's Religious and Cultural Society
Gangchen Kyishong, Dharamsala 176215
District Kangra, Himachal Pradesh INDIA
Tashi Delegs and Thank You.
September 1st, 1999 update :
There are nearly 9,000 new arrival monks &
nuns from Tibet who are under the care of this Department. These
monks and nuns journeyed over the Himalayas to freedom, often
arriving with frostbitten limbs and chronic illnesses due to the
hardship of the journey.
Human rights observers have documented scores
of stories from them about the imprisonment, torture, brutal forced
hard labor, and starvation diets that led them to make the decision
to escape at all costs. They have nothing with them except the cloth
they are wearing when they come into exile in India. Some do not
survive under such hardships on their way.
Besides new arrival monks and nuns, we also
look after old and infirm monks and nuns who do not belong to any
specific monastery or nunnery. They are not in a position to work and
earn a living. They live under small donations from the people. They
form the poorest of the poor in the exile Tibetan
Community.
So, in order to take care of such a huge number
of monks and nuns, we are compelled to seek outside donations from
sympathetic people like you. We sincerely appreciate and remember
your kind support at this crucial period of our history. May we look
forward to your continued support.