Chotrul Monlam Chenmo, also known as The Great Prayer Festival, falls from the 10th to the 15th day of the First Tibetan month. This event was established in 1409 by Tsong Khapa, the founder of the Geluk tradition of Tibetan Buddhism. Traditionally, during this festival in Tibet, thousands of monks from the three monastic universities of Drepung, Sera and Gadhen, gather to pray for the long life of spiritual masters of all traditions, for the discovery and flourishment of Dharma in the minds of all sentient beings, and above all, for world peace. The full enactment of this tradition which includes mass participation by the citizens of Lhasa and other parts of Tibet has been severely disrupted since the Chinese occupation.
This week’s Kunleng looks at the gradual revival of The Great Prayer Festival both in Tibet and in exile. Our guests include Yeshi Khedrup from Tibetan Service, an expert on Tibetan Buddhist philosophy, Hortsang Jigme, former Tibetan Legislative member, and Ven. Lobsang Jinpa, Editor of Tibetan Sheja Publication, from Dharamsala.
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