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Monday, April 7, 1998

Special event: Green Tara Meditation with Geshe Lobsang Tsetan, Tibetan Buddhist Lama from the Buddhist Learning Center in Washington, New Jersey. Sponsored by the East Asian Studies Program and the Department of Religion (Ada Howe Kent Program).

4:15-5:15 p.m., Wright common room*

Notes on Phase VII (Part 2)
23 - 25 June 1995

Compiled and edited by
Brother Aaron Raverty, O.S.B.
Saint John's Abbey
Collegeville, Minnesota 56321
araverty@tiny.computing.csbsju.edu  

24 June 1995 (Saturday)

Today, we visited two locations, just on the outskirts of Lhasa. In the morning, we went to Chupsang, a nunnery. In the afternoon, we traveled to Sera Monastery

Chupsang, the name of the nunnery, means "Holy [pure, fresh] Spring." It was founded in the seventh century, and then later completely destroyed, only to be restored again. As we entered the temple, or main shrine room, we beheld several images, among them Visiah, the Goddess of Longevity. Snow lions (typically Tibetan) were frequent decorations, but the dragons smacked of Chinese influence. Another female image, Namgoe, is a special one here, we were told, a protector of the nuns. In the realm of Tibetan spiritual beings, the dakini are similar to our angels. Sakyamuni was located in the center, the "Lord Buddha," and a tanka of the Green Tara (who is considered "fearless") also hung on the wall. Typical objects set before these images are yak-butter lamps, metal (aluminum?) bowls of water (symbolizing purification, I was told), and money. Some of these butter lamps are always kept burning.