6th International Seminar of Young Tibetologists

Three Bon Geshes Give Presentations

The Department of Religious Studies and the Tibet Center at University of Virginia, located in Charlottesville, was host to the 6th International Seminar of Young Tibetologists recently. Rinpoches, tulkus, Ph.D. students and graduates came together to share their areas of study and research. From the Bon community, Geshe Nyima Oser Choekhortshang Rinpoche, Geshe Tri Yungdrung and Geshe Yungdrung Kalsang attended and each gave a presentation.

Geshe Choekhortshang Rinpoche's presentation, The Secretly Coded Languages of Tibet, talked about the special ethnic and regional secret communication that is slowly disappearing and has never been properly documented or studied academically. He explains, "Two examples are: dkrug-yig (interchanging two alphabets), and any-yig (replacing letters with numbers). . . . It is used for various purposes, such as to keep information secret from enemies; to communicate, mostly among nomads and salt-men, when they wish to ensure that discussing their daily plans will not cause misfortune or bring about unfavorable consequences, as they strongly believe that evil beings would understand if they communicated in normal terms; and for vulgar conversation among youths."

Geshe Tri Yungdrung, director of the library at Menri Monastery, presented A Study of the Meteoric Iron of Great Lightning Being the Ordinance of the Skygoer Od dan Bzang mo. This ordinance was issued in 1903 by the princess Od dan bzang mo (1849-1923). This ordinance is also known as the Code of the Convent, with rules that must be observed by her followers at the nunnery of Dozhi. She was a great practitioner and taught meditation to her disciples in Dozhi.

Geshe Yungdrung Kalsang, who received his geshe degree from Menri Monastery, was in the same graduating class as Geshe Tri Yungdrung. Geshe Kalsang participated in a session whose topic was Emerging Himalayan Voice.The title of his talk was "New Discovery of Bonpo Manuscripts in Mon, Arunachal Pradesh, India." His talk was based on a specific manuscript from northeast India which describes the ritual for Summoning the Forces of Prosperity (Tib. g.yang 'gugs). Most of the present Bonpo ritual texts mention sheep as a support for this ritual, but the manuscript describes the deer as a base of the ritual. Geshe Kalsang shed light on how sheep have been replaced with deer and possible reasons for this change. He also connected why there often are images of deer in ancient rock paintings in Tibet.

In honor of this first-time Young Tibetologist Seminar being held at UVA, Geshe Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche sponsored a dinner for the Tibetan guests, organizers, representatives of the local Charlottesville Tibetan Association and local sangha. About 50 people attended, driving about 35 minutes from UVA to Serenity Ridge. On arrival, everyone was greeted with Tibetan tea and chai, followed by a tour of Serenity Ridge. At the end of the tour, everyone joined together for a meal in Kunzang Khang, Serenity Ridge's "House of All Goodness." It was a joyous occasion, with laughter and conversation.

This was the first time where attendees for the International Seminar of Young Tibetologists gathered for an evening at a dharma center. There is now talk of offering similar events at future conferences in locations where there is a dharma center nearby.

View video of Geshe Choekhortshang Rinpoche presenting his work.