Will Speer

Rel 101

Slominsky

Buddhist Drepung Loseling Monastery

http://www.drepung.org/About.cfm

The Drepung Loseling Monastery is a group of Buddhists based in Atlanta, Georgia with

roots in India and Nepal, who practice and preserve traditional Tibetan Buddhism. The goal of

the monastery is to educate Westerners and contribute to North American culture on the subject

of Tibetan Buddhism.

The monastery’s website addresses the concern that the followers of Tibetan Buddhism

share about the endangerment and the dwindling of their culture back home and abroad. Tibetan

Buddhism is constantly threatened by the Chinese in refugee countries such as India and Nepal.

It seems as if war is on the horizon between the Chinese and Tibetan refugees which will result

in massive loss of culture in the forms of art, language, holy sites, and dress. The Dalai Lama is

doing everything possible to fight for the culture and religion but struggles to make headway

against the massive Chinese population taking over in Tibet and assimilating Tibetans into their

own culture. These are the reasons that monasteries such as the Drepung Loseling monastery do

their best to spread the culture and religion in places such as North America.

The Drepung Loseling monastery educates its members in a few different ways. Drepung

Loseling Monastery partnered with Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia which supplies the

monastery with necessary supples and encourages educational exchanges between between the

tradition of Western education and traditional Tibetan Buddhist culture. This vital relationship

with Emory University helps spread awareness nationwide of the Tibetan Buddhist culture. The
monastery also offers a spiritual development program for free at the beginner all the way to

advanced levels. The monastery boasts teachers that were trained at one of the original Drepung

Loseling monasteries all the way back home in India. The teachers/monks teach all sorts of

workshops and lead seminars to help advance Tibetan culture and educate the public on Tibetan

practices such as the Dharma which is the Buddhist teaching and religion as a whole.

Many cultural trends and historical events have affected the lives of Vajrayana

Buddhists worldwide such as the first bestowing of the title “Dalai Lama” onto Sonam Gyatsho

in the thirteenth century by Altan Khan, the leader of the mongols at the time. This began the

tradition of Dalai Lamas that would rule Tibet and spread the culture of Tibetan Buddhism. (page

161 in the book). Another historical event that greatly impacted this group was the Chinese

Communist takeover of Tibet in 1959 which unfortunately resulted in the destruction of the

majority of Tibet’s monasteries and the killing or imprisonment of most of the monks which

inhabited the numerous monasteries. This group is still to this day fighting to reestablish their

presence in Tibet.

The Drepung Loseling Monastery wants outsiders to know many things, but most of all it

wants everyone to know that anyone is welcome and has a place in Buddhism. Along with

acceptance, the monastery wants Tibetan culture to be known and shared within Western culture

and to not become extinct. The Drepung Loseling monastery also wants to make known its

numerous charities and programs such as the Drepung Loseling Educational Fund which sends

supplies to refugee monks in India. The non-profit company Tibetan Traditions, which

distributes “high quality Tibetan carpets and Tibetan ritual objects, artifacts and crafts”, is also

displayed prominently on the group’s website. The history of the Drepung Loseling Monastery is
also proudly displayed on its on page on the group’s website. This covers everything from the

Communist takeover of Tibet in 1959 to the reestablishment of the monasteries.

This group relates very well to other religions and fosters an understanding and exchange

of knowledge. For example, the Dalai Lama has met the Pope frequently and even attended

gatherings of the leaders of world religions in the Vatican. This group looks not for the

differences between other religions but instead the commonalities such as the fact that they all

want to positively affect humanity and make life better for all through compassion and

forgiveness. This group also shares methods with other religions from time to time. For

example, Buddhists have taught some Christians methods for mediation which helps them to

better relax as well as concentrate. Buddhists have also learned from Christians more about

social service and giving back to the community.

After further examining the website of the Drepung Loseling Monastery it is clear how

the group goes about accomplishing their mission of keeping Tibetan Buddhism alive in Western

Culture as well as spreading goodwill in the community.