Welcome Monks of Gaden Shartse
Phukkang Educational Foundation
Purpose of the Tour
The tour aims to educate the public about the monks' culture and spiritual practices. The tour also seeks to raise funds to construct a new Khangtsen at the monastery. Phukhang Khangtsen, one of the largest at Gaden Shartse Monastery, currently has 120 rooms for 450 monks, requiring many monks to share rooms. Funds raised during the tour will support building 60 new rooms to improve living conditions for the monks.
Events
Tues., Sept. 3
11:00 a.m.
Bluffton University Forum: “Healing Chant Demonstration”
2:00 - 4:00 p.m.
Lion & Lamb Peace Center: Small Sand Painting, Blessing & Presentation
Riley Court, 1 University Dr, Bluffton, OH
6:00 - 9:00 p.m.
Gaden Shartse Monks at Greenhorn Restaurant: Healing Ceremony, Q & A, and Plant-based Himalayan Meal
112 Vine St, Bluffton, OH
Tickets $40 each and only 40 seats are available. Contact Greenhorn at 567-226-4568, or stop during business hours.
Fri., Sept. 6
7:00 p.m.
Mindfulness Walk with the Monks at NAMI’s Riverbend Park Trail
Sat., Sept. 7
9 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
Individual Healing Sessions at Hot Yoga Findlay Sign up and pay here.
330 S Main St, Findlay, OH
Sun., Sept. 8
11:00 a.m.- 4:00 p.m.
Findlay Art League Small Sand Painting & Photography Exhibition by Carole Elchert
117 W Crawford St, Findlay, OH
Public event with freewill donations at the door.
6:30 p.m.
Carey Link World Peace & Unity of Religions Lecture
200 E Findlay St., Carey, OH
Open to the public. Freewill donations at the door.
Mon., Sept. 9
5:00 - 8:00 p.m.
Findlay Brewing Company Magic and the Monks, Q&A and Dinner with the Monks
213 E Crawford St, Findlay, OH
Tibetan Food with Johnny Burritos Food Truck. Open to the public. Donations encouraged.
Tues., Sept 10
6:00 p.m.
Black Heritage Library with Soul Food and the Monks Sign up and pay here.
817 Harmon St, Findlay, OH
Deep Chant demonstration. Open to the public. Food provided by Black Deacon Barbeque. Tickets $15 each.
Wed., Sept. 11
11:00 a.m. to 8:30 p.m.
Business and House Blessings. Schedule and pay here.
About Gaden Shartse Phukhang Khangtsen
Gaden Monastery was founded in Tibet by the great preacher, saint and indigenous Tibetan Buddhist scholar, Tsongkhapa (1357 – 1419) in the year 1409. Tsongkhapa’s school of thought came to be known as Gelug school and his followers are called Gelugpa.
Gaden Monastery is one of the Three Great Seats of Learning (Densa-chenmo-sum) of Gelug school, the other two being Sera Monastery and Drepung Monastery. After the China’s invasion of Tibet and subsequent persecution of Buddhist monks by Chinese govt, Gaden Monastery was re-established in Mundgod, South India in year 1970.
There are two colleges in Gaden Monastery, Shartse and Jangtse, where both Buddhist Sutra and Tantra are taught and practiced in a combined program.That contrasts with many other Gelug monasteries, where the study of Sutra and Tantra are kept separate. Thus, a monk who studied in Gaden Monastery is considered knowledgeable in both fields of Sutra and Tantra.
Gaden Shartse is comprised of eleven khangtsens. A khangtsen is a house or hostel section within a monastery. The most important responsibility of each khangtsen is to provide accommodation to the monks of the khangtsen. Each khangtsen has its own administrative body.Elders of the khangtsen are in charge of enforcing rules and regulations, while a committee of a few monks looks after the financial matters of the khangtsen.
Phukhang Khangtsen is one of the largest khangtsen among the 11 khangtsen of the Gaden Shartse Monastery. As of now, we have 450 monks in our khangtsen, including 100 Geshes.Phukhang Khangtsen is blessed with the presence of His Eminence Zong Rinpoche, Khari Rinpoche, Khensur Lati Rinpoche, Khensur Jampa Yeshi, Khensur Kunchok Tsering, Khensur Dakpa Tenzin, and Khensur Jangchup Choeden.
About the Monks
Venerable Geshe Lharampa Kunchok Tashi Bhutia is the Ritual Master of the Phukhang USA tour 2023-2024. He was born on 5th October 1961 in India , and at the age of nine, was enrolled in Elementary studies at Central Tibetan. School, Kalimpong,West Bengal. At the age of twelve, he joined Gaden Shartse Monastery to become a monk a and to receive the tradtional monastic education. Starting with Collected Topics, he extensively studied the core Sutra, Tantra, and the five great treatises. Along with these, he also studied Tibetan Grammar, Tibetan Political & Religious History. he took novice vows from, His Emisence Zong Rinpoche and he took his full ordination vows from His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama. From 1974 to 1988, for 14 year devoted to study the Epistemology and five treatises of Buddhist Philosophy (Prajanaparamita, Pramana, Madhyamika, Abhidharma and Vinaya) along with other spiritual practices and completed the monastic course of education.1988 -1994 - Over the period of six years, he gave the Karampa exam for 2 years, Lopon exam for 2 years, Lharam exam for 2 years, and graduated in 1994 with the Distinction in Highest Geshe Degree .1994 - At the age of 34, on auspicious occasion of Buddhist festival "Day of Miracles", he had the Debate ceremony marking his graduation of Geshe Lharam degree. 1995 - he completed the one year Vajrayana study program at Gyuto Monastery, and cleared both the written and debate exams of Tantric studies. 2000 – he was honoured with Doctorate in Vajrayana from Gyuto Monastery.
Venerable Geshe Lharampa Tsering Dawa Is the Translator of the Phukhang USA tour 2023-2024. He was born on 14th November 1982 in India , and at the age of seven, was enrolled in Elementary studies at Central Tibetan School, Mundgod.Karnatka. At the age of ten, he joined Gaden Shartse Norling Monastery to become a monk and to receive the tradtional monastic education. Starting with Collected Topics, he extensively studied the core Sutra, Tantra, and the five great treatises. Along with these, he also studied Tibetan Grammar, Poetry, Tibetan Political & Religious History. 1992 - At the age of 10, he took novice vows from, then Gaden Shartse's abbot Geshe Lobsang Nyima. 2009 - At the age of 27, he took his full ordination vows from His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama. 2013 - He completed the full course of studies at Gaden Shartse Monastery School, and then entered the Great Gelug Exam. 2013-19 - Over the period of six years, he gave the Karampa exam for 2 years, Lopon exam for 2 years, Lharam exam for 2 years, and graduated in 2019 with the Distinction in Highest Geshe Degree . 2018 .At the age of 37, on auspicious occasion of Buddhist festival "Day of Miracles", he had the Debate ceremony marking his graduation of Geshe Lharam degree. 2019 - 20, he completed the one year Vajrayana study program at Gyutoe Monastery, and cleared both the written and debate exams of Tantric studies. 2020 - He was elected as the director of Gaden Shartse Library for the term period of 3 years .
Venerable Jampa Tsultrim is the Chanting Master of the Phukhang USA tour 2023-2024. In 1980, he was born in De-rong district, Tibet and studied in a primary school till grade 4th. At the age of 13 year, enrolled in Nang-sang Monastery and took the novice monk vows from Shoue-pa Rinpoche and continued to study Buddhist texts and Buddhist cultural studies. In 2005, he fled from Tibet at the age of 25 year and enrolled in Gaden Shartse Monastery, south India. In 2009, at the age of 29 year, took the fully ordained monk vows from His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama. From 2005 to 2020, for 15 year devoted to study the Epistemology and five treatises of Buddhist Philosophy ( Pramana , Prajanaparamita, Madhyamika, Abhidharma and Vinaya) along with other spiritual practices and completed the monastic course of education. From 2013 to 2019, took the responsibility of Chant Master at Gaden Shartse Phukhang Khangtsen for six years.
Venerable Jampa Tsultrim is the Torma (Butter Sculpture ) Master the Phukhang USA tour 2023-2024. In 1985, he was born in Tibet. At the age of 11year, studied in a primary school of Pe-do town, De-rong district. At the age of 17 year, enrolled in Nang-sang Monastery and studied Buddhist texts and Buddhist cultural studies. At the age of 18 year, took the novice monk vows from Shoue-pa Rinpoche.
In 2006, he fled from Tibet at the age of 21 year and enrolled in Gaden Shartse Monastery, South India. At the age of 24 year, took the fully ordained monk vows from His Holiness the Dalai Lama. From 2006 to 2020, for 14 year devoted to study the Epistemology and five treatises of Buddhist Philosophy (Pramana, Prajanaparamita, Madhyamika, Abhidharma and Vinaya) along with other spiritual practices and completed the monastic course of education.
Joe Benson is a teacher, farmer, DJ, Botanist and a record collector based in Omaha, Nebraska. He has been the driver of 2 previous tours for Gaden Shartse over 2.5 years.