Six Monk representatives from Gaden Shartse Monastery return to Austin once again for an event filled 10 days. Their last visit to Austin in February 2005 included many events at St. Edwards University.
This time the Monks will have events all over town in an effort to make them more accessible and promote intercultural exchange.
The Shartse monastery to which these monks belong, has a long history beginning in the 15th century. Today the monastery provides educational opportunities and is a thriving community. Accommodation, food, and instruction are all free and are provided by the monastic administration. Shartse offers complete basic courses in Tibetan History, Literature, Poetry, Grammar, English, and Mathematics as prerequisites for more advanced courses. Additionally, there are optional subjects such as Painting, Calligraphy, Tailoring, Tibetan Butter Sculpture formation, and Sand
Mandala creation. Aside from the two English language and mathematics teachers who are recruited from outside the Monastery, every member of the staff has graduated from the Monastery. Teachers are considered to be the source of both academic and spiritual development of their students.
Following the democratic constitution promulgated by His Holiness the Dalai Lama in 1964, all Tibetan institutions now function as parts of a democratic government. Although privately administered,
the College is also administered on an election basis.
Every three years eight board members are elected to serve as directors. Unlike other active educational centers of its size in India, Shartse does not receive any government funding from India or abroad.
Thus the need to meet the financial obligations of the Monastery is urgent.
There are very limited and unreliable sources of income,
and the majority of revenue comes from tours abroad.
Every monk who comes to Shartse has their own individual story
of how they came to be at the monastery. Some stories are common,
others are difficult to stomach, while some are heartbreaking.
There will be several opportunities during their stay in Austin,
to hear some of the Monks own stories
and their experiences of Tibet now.
