Venerable Geshe Tsultrim from Gaden Jangtse Monastery. Click to enlarge.

The scholar and teacher Venerable Geshe Tsultrim Tenzin is from Gaden Jangtse and I am from Gaden Shartse. Both colleges make up Gaden Monastery. While I was in the monastery, I did not have a personal relationship with Geshe Tsultrim, neither did I interact with him. However, because we were in the same monastery, I did see him here and there. I have friends who are his students and it is through them that I learnt more about Geshe Tsultrim.

Geshe Tsultrim used to live in a small house in Gaden Jangtse Monastery, with a tiled roof that used to leak from time to time. He had a very simple kitchen and a simple bedroom. He spent his entire day teaching to his students, who numbered in the hundreds. He was one of the Geshes from Gaden Jangtse who was always busy giving classes, from early in the morning, through the afternoon and into the evening. And he was very passionate about teaching classes because he wanted to disseminate the Buddha’s teachings to the younger generation before he passes away.

He is extremely passionate and a very good teacher. He is a teacher that was extremely patient when we were in Gaden, as he was well known to answer questions to the best of his ability and gave classes over and over again, expecting nothing back in return. His students used to go to his house in order to receive teachings from him and they noticed that he lived in a very simple, very monk-like manner, and his sole focus was to educate the younger monks.

Geshe Tsultrim was born in Kham, Tibet and became a monk at the age of 12, enrolling at Gaden Jangtse Monastery. Completing the study of all the divisions of Tibetan Buddhist Philosophy, he was awarded the highest degree of Geshe Lharampa. He also received an Acharya (Masters) degree at the Varanasi Sanskrit University in India. Furthermore, he gained qualifications in Vajrayana Buddhism after studying for one year at Gyume Tantric College. Geshe Tsultrim teaches at many Buddhist temples and monasteries in India, Tibet, Europe and North America. He has been responsible for the education of many monks, guiding them from a young age to maturity. Geshe Tsultrim is a very dedicated and compassionate teacher. (Adapted from http://www.meditationtsongkhapa.org/ven-geshe-tsultrim-en.html)

The hundreds of students in Gaden Jangtse were very appreciative of him and due to his teachings they received their Geshe degrees. He was basically one of the pillars of education in Gaden Jangtse Monastery when I was there. I repeat, he was one of the pillars of education. What is a pillar? A pillar is something that holds up the roof of the house, and because it holds up the roof, the building becomes a house. If the pillars collapse, the roof falls down and we would not have a house, we would not be able to live in it. So, he was one of the pillars. Geshe Tsultrim was requested numerous times to travel to foreign countries, but he refused to go. He did not want to neglect his students. Geshe Tsultrim is not interested in money, neither is he interested in fame. Instead, he lives very simply and this is his general reputation. He never involved himself in politics, he never involved himself with petty things. Whenever you saw him, he would be attending pujas and meditations, or was giving classes. He basically engaged in the actions of a monk, especially an educated monk. So, Geshe Tsultrim of Gaden Jangtse Monastery had a very excellent reputation of being a learned monk and a scholar of the highest degree. And on top of that, he was extremely caring towards his students and very caring towards the spread of Buddhadharma.

However, when the ban against the practice of Dorje Shugden came along, we heard something that was quite heart-breaking. We heard that the monastery as a whole had demanded him to give up his Dorje Shugden practice. Can you imagine? Another very great teacher who does Dorje Shugden, another great debate master, another great logician, another great scholar who can think through whether Dorje Shugden is good or bad chose to practice Dorje Shugden. Scholars can see the good and bad, they can debate it out in their minds, they are like scientists. A scientist collects data, he examines it, he thinks about it, he debates with his colleagues about it and he arrives at a solid conclusion. That is exactly what a Geshe does. A Geshe takes various phenomenon within samsara, looks at it, gathers all the information about it and contemplates on it. He debates things through with his colleagues and arrives at a conclusion. This can include if the phenomenon is part of samsara and creates suffering, or if it does not create suffering; if this type of phenomenon is real; if it is something we grasp at or something that is not real and we are gasping at nothing. That is exactly what a Geshe does. A Geshe is a scientist, except a Geshe is a scientist of the mind. A Geshe takes something within samsara and examines it to see if it has an inherent reality or not, whether it is real of not. So, he was asked to give up Dorje Shugden practice, and he would not. He did not give up his Dorje Shugden practice because his lama gave it to him. As a result, it became very bad for people to go get teachings from him because then others would say that they were collaborating with a Dorje Shugden practitioner, that they were supporting a Dorje Shugden practitioner. Therefore, a lot of his students were forced not to be able to go to his teachings. There were some very naughty people who threw rocks at his house, broke his windows, and asked him to leave. Can you imagine a great teacher like him who was of benefit to the monastery for 20-30 years, through his giving of teachings, had his windows broken because people were throwing stones just because he would not give up Dorje Shugden practice?

The Dharma Protector Dorje Shugden. Click to enlarge or click here for more high resolution downloads.

When people started throwing rocks at his house and breaking his windows, some of his close students requested him to leave for his safety. This great scholar, a pure monk who gave his time educating others in the monastery was told to leave the monastery completely. This I know for a fact. Of course, his students were heartbroken, Geshe Tsultrim himself was heartbroken. Where would he go? His home was the monastery, so where could he go?

Through one way or another, I do not know the details, he was invited to Austria, to stay in Tashi Rabten Monastery. So, he immigrated to Austria and he is safe there now, giving teachings. He is free from people throwing rocks at him or scorning him. He is not the type of Geshe that is outspoken, but he is firm in his practice. I know he is very firm in his practice. He is firm in whatever he does because he has that kind of character and reputation in the monastery. When Geshe Tsultrim decides to do something, he goes all the way with it. Geshe Tsultrim is a veritable and high level scholar of Gaden, and a pure monk. So, I know Geshe Tsultrim by reputation.

Geshe Tsultrim pictured on the left

In the monastery he was not a political person, he was not a person that spoke out. He was a person that was quiet and engaged in his meditations. That is what his students told me. In between teachings he was always in meditation, he was always in his room, reciting prayers and doing meditation.

I do not have the honour or can say that I have a personal relationship with Geshe Tsultrim. But because we all lived in the monastery, everybody knows of everybody else’s reputation. And reputation is based on repetition. I repeat, reputation is based on repetition. When you do something enough times and people see it, they talk about it, and when they talk about it, they share it, and that becomes your reputation. So if you are someone that always tells the truth, gets your work done, are enthusiastic, are a pleasure to work with, and do your work in a way that benefits other people, when you do that over and over, it becomes repetitive. When you do that enough, it becomes your reputation.

Geshe Tsultrim. Click to enlarge.

Similarly, if you lie, if you do not do your work well, you are difficult, you are arrogant, you always make excuses, you always do not finish things well, and you do that repetitively, over and over, when you do it enough, people will talk about it. Then when people talk about it, due to your repeating of it, it becomes your reputation. So, repetition becomes reputation.

Geshe Tsultrim has a reputation, from his time in the monastery, of being a great scholar, devoted to his students, devoted to the Buddhadharma, hardworking, a simple monk, very poor and only concerned with educating others. This was told to me by his students personally. I am happy to share this with all of you about this wonderful, kind and learned Geshe Tsultrim. Currently he is in good health and continues to teach.

Humbly, Tsem Rinpoche

Geshe Tsultrim giving tantric teachings to the senior monks of Ganden Monastery.

History of Gaden Monastery

Gaden Monastery is one of the six main monasteries of the Gelug lineage. The others are Sera, Drepung, Tashi Lhunpo, Kumbum and Labrang Monasteries. Gaden Monastery was founded by the Tibetan Buddhist reformer Lama Tsongkhapa Lobsang Drakpa in 1409. It is a monastic university, located in central Tibet. Sera and Drepung Monasteries are also located in the same area. Gaden Monastery consists of two colleges, Jangtse (or North Peak) and Shartse (or East Peak).

Gaden Monastery in Tibet

Over the last 600 years, Gaden Monastery has produced many erudite Geshes, teachers and meditation masters. At its peak, Gaden housed more than 5,000 monks. After the passing of Lama Tsongkhapa in 1419, his preserved body was entombed within a silver and gold encrusted reliquary stupa by his students at Gaden.

In order to continue his legacy, the office of the Gaden Tripa or Gaden Throne-holder was created. This position effectively makes the occupant the emissary of Lama Tsongkhapa on earth. In order to inherit Lama Tsongkhapa’s legacy of spreading the Buddhadharma, chosen candidates are either the Sharpa Choje (the Abbot Emeritus of Gyuto Higher Tantric College) or the Jangtse Choje (the Abbot Emeritus of Gyume Lower Tantric College).

Gaden Monastery in Tibet prior to the 1950s. Click to enlarge. (Source: http://web.prm.ox.ac.uk/tibet/photo_1998.285.219.2.html)

During turmoil in 1959, Gaden Monastery was completely destroyed, including Lama Tsongkhapa’s reliquary. Lama Tsongkhapa’s holy body was burned but his skull and some ashes were saved from the fire. Fortunately, re-building of the monastery started to take place in the 1980s.

Following the turmoil, a great number of Tibetans, both lay and ordained, entered into exiled in India. As a result, Gaden Monastery with its two colleges was re-established in the Tibetan settlement near Mundgod, Karnataka State, India and continues to be the cradle of many great Buddhist scholars and masters.

Location of Gaden Jangtse in India

The gate of Gaden Jangtse Monastery

Gaden Jangtse Monastery is located at Doeguling Tibetan Settlement in Mundgod, Karnataka in South India. To visit Mundgod, you can take a flight to Bengaluru (also called Bangalore), the capital of Karnataka. From Bengaluru, you take an hour flight to Hubballi (also spelt ‘Hubli’), which is approximately 45 kilometres away from Mundgod. The drive takes about one hour. Alternatively, after reaching Bengaluru, you can drive from Bengaluru to Mundgod. The distance is approximately 400 kilometres.

Map showing the location of Karnataka state in India and its capital city, Bengaluru. Click to enlarge.

Detailed map from Bengaluru

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坚贞不屈的格西慈诚丹增之美誉

来自甘丹江孜寺的格西慈诚。点击图片放大。

这位学者和上师是来自江孜扎仓的格西慈诚，我则来自萨济扎仓。甘丹寺由这两座扎仓组成。在我住寺期间，我和格西慈诚并无私交，也从未跟他有过互动。然而，由于我们同处一寺，我还是看见他的踪影。我有好几个朋友是他的弟子，我从他们的口中进一步认识格西慈诚。

格西慈诚在甘丹江孜寺住的房子特别小，房子还经常漏雨，因为屋顶的瓦片已经破损。房子的厨房和睡房也非常简朴。每一天，他日以继夜地给百多名弟子授法。甘丹江孜寺众多大量授法的格西中，其中一位便有他。他早、午、晚都忙于授法，也十分热衷于授法，因为他心里念着、想着在自己百年归寿前能尽可能将佛陀教法传扬给年轻一辈。

对于佛法，他有满腔热忱，他绝对是一等一的上师，一个耐心十足的上师。甘丹寺上下无人不晓，对于人们提出的疑问他必会尽全力回答，也会反复授法从不言倦，也从不计回报。过去，他的弟子们会到他家听法。那时他们察觉他的居住条件非常简朴，他过的生活，就是一个清净僧人生活该有的样子。他唯一在乎的，就是给年轻僧人传法。

格西慈诚在西藏康区出生，于12岁加入甘丹江孜寺并接受沙弥戒。他在完成五部大论的学习后成功考取格西拉让巴学位。除此，他也考获印度瓦拉纳西梵文大学的阿阇梨学位。另外，他也曾在下密院就读一年并考取金刚乘佛教的学位。格西慈诚在多处授法，其中就包括印度、西藏、欧洲和北美洲。他的肩负教育众多僧人，尤其栽培年幼僧人直至他们成年的重任。 格西慈诚是一位非常富有奉献精神及慈悲的上师。 （译自：http://www.meditationtsongkhapa.org/ven-geshe-tsultrim-en.html）

由于格西慈诚数十年孜孜不倦地教导，他座下的弟子才能考取格西学位。 所谓师恩如海，对格西慈诚，弟子们只有道不尽的感谢。在我住寺期间，格西慈诚基本上是甘丹江孜寺弘法事业的顶梁柱。 我重复，他是寺院弘法事业的顶梁柱。为什么说格西慈诚是顶梁柱？顶梁柱就是建筑结构中支撑房梁的柱子，若它毁了，我们就没有了房子，我们没办法住进那栋房子里。格西慈诚，就是其中一根顶梁柱。除此，格西慈诚也是一位心系弟子的上师。他无数次受邀到国外去，但他都婉拒了，因为他不忍弟子们无人照看。这位大格西对钱财名利毫无欲求，反而喜欢简朴的生活。这是格西慈诚拥有的名声。他从不涉足政治或无关紧要的琐事。每次你看见他，他不是在修法会，就是在禅修或授法中。他的每一举一动都是一个僧人的模样，尤其具备大格西之相。总括而言，甘丹江孜寺的格西慈诚拥有博学大格西的美誉。另外，他格外重视弟子有否被照看，圣教是否获得弘扬。

然而，当多杰雄登禁令出现之后，我们听到让人痛心的消息。我们得知全体寺院要求他放弃修持多杰雄登。你能想象吗？又另一个伟大的大师修持多杰雄登，又另一个能辨别多杰雄登是好是坏的学者、辩经师及因类学大师选择修持多杰雄登。学者们懂得分辨好坏，他们能自我辩论、审视，他们就像科学家。科学家收集资料，检视资料，然后进行思考，再与同事们辩论，然后得出一个实质的结论。这也是一位格所做的事。格西会审视娑婆世界中的各种现象，并且会收集资料，然后进行思考。 格西也会跟“同事们”辩经（藏传佛教中的辩论），然后得出一个结论。格西们研究的课题，可以是“某种现象是否是娑婆世界的一部分，并且会制造痛苦，又或是不会造成痛苦？”；“某种现象是否属实？”；“某个东西是不是我们所贪执的，又或是我们贪执的东西并不是真实的，所以我们并没有贪执某个东西？”这恰好是一个格西会做的事。格西就是科学家，不同的是，格西是心灵的科学家。 格西会审视娑婆世界现象是否拥有实有自性，并且辨别虚实。当人们要求他放弃修持多杰雄登，他坚决不从。他不放弃是因为多杰雄登的修持，乃上师所赐。他的坚决不从导致弟子前去向他求法这一件事变得十分艰难，因为人们会说他的弟子们与一位多杰雄登修持者勾结，他们支持多杰雄登修持者。因此，很多弟子被迫无法前去求法。有的怀有恶意之人甚至朝他居住的房子抛石头，打破房子的窗户，胁迫他离开。像格西慈诚这么一个二、三十年来不断授法，对寺院建树良多的人，竟然会因为他不肯放弃修持多杰雄登而遭受这样的羞辱，实在令人唏嘘不已。

佛教护法多杰雄登。点击放大或点击这里下载更多高清图。

随着人们开始向他的房子抛石头并把房子的窗户打破后，他的近身弟子为保上师的安全，立即请求上师离开。这位倾尽大半生心力于教育寺僧的伟大学者、清净僧人竟遭胁迫离开。我知道这件事千真万确，绝无虚言。他的弟子肯定为此痛心不已，格西慈诚本身也感到痛心。寺院就是他的家。离开寺院，他能到哪里去呢？

最后，格西慈诚被邀请到奥地利的“扎西饶登寺”长驻，至于过程的经历我并不晓得。他因此而移民到奥地利。目前在奥地利的他继续实现自己弘法利生的心愿，也没有受到安全威胁，更没有人向他抛石头或羞辱他。他并不是那种直言不讳的人，但对于修行，他非常坚定，不做半步退让。我知道他坚守自己的修行，不管做什么，他都会坚定不移地做下去。他的性子就是这样，在寺院中也有如此的名声。格西慈诚一旦决定做一件事，他就会全力以赴地做。他是一位名副其实的甘丹寺大学者和清净僧人。关于格西慈诚的为人和事迹，我都是从别人的口中听来的。

左边为格西慈诚

在寺院的时候，他并不是一个搞政治的人，也不是一个直言不讳的人。他是个寡言之人，只专注在禅修中。这是其弟子口中的他。弟子们听完法的座间之时，是他在座上（禅修）的时候。他常在自己简朴的房间内诵经、禅修。

我没有这个荣幸能说自己跟格西慈诚有私交，但由于我们都住甘丹寺，每个人多少都曾听过彼此的名声。人的名声是怎么来的？是你重复某种行为举止后产生的。 当你重复做某件事做得多了，别人自然会看见，也会有所议论，而在议论的过程中，话会口耳相传，然后就会造就你的名声。因此，如果你是一个诚实的人，会将工作做好，是一个热心的人，跟你共事是一件愉快的事，当你不断展现如此的行为举止，那就变成一种重复性的行为和举止。做得多了，也就成了你的名声。

格西慈诚。点击图片放大。

同样的，如果你说谎，没将工作做好，你很难与人相处，你很自负，你经常找借口为自己开脱，你经常没有完善的完成工作，而你还重复这么做，一次接一次地这么做，做得多了，别人也就会议论你的行为举止。然后因为你不断重复这些行为举止，别人也就会不断议论你，最后那些议论就变成了你的名声。因此，反复的行为举止将造就你的名声。

至于格西慈诚的名声，自他在甘丹寺的时候，就是一个心系弟子、心系圣教的大学者。他非常勤勉，是一个清寒度日的简朴僧人，一心牵挂的只有将教法传授给众人。 这些都是他的弟子们亲自告诉我的。我非常高兴能跟你们分享关于这位仁慈的大格西——格西慈诚的事迹。如今他身体健朗，继续其弘法利生之愿。

詹杜固仁波切敬启

格西慈诚在甘丹寺给较为资深的僧人传授密法。

甘丹寺简史

甘丹寺，是格鲁派六大寺院之一。其他五座寺院为：色拉寺、哲蚌寺、扎什伦布寺、塔尔寺及拉卜楞寺。甘丹寺由藏传佛教的改革者宗喀巴大师·洛桑扎巴于1409年创立。甘丹寺不仅是一座寺院，她更是一座佛教大学，坐落在西藏中部。坐落在西藏中部的，还有色拉寺与哲蚌寺。甘丹寺由两座扎仓（学院）组成，分别是江孜扎仓（或称甘丹北顶寺、甘丹江孜寺）及萨济扎仓（或称甘丹东顶寺、甘丹萨济寺）。

位于西藏的甘丹寺

自过去600年来，甘丹寺是许多杰出的格西、上师及禅修大师的发源地。 在其鼎盛时期，甘丹寺曾住有超过5000名僧人。宗喀巴大师在1419年圆寂后，其法体就被弟子供奉在镶满金银的灵塔里。

为了继承宗喀巴大师的衣钵，于是就有了甘丹赤巴或甘丹法座持有人的制度。此人将肩负大师在人世的职责，作为格鲁派的领导者。甘丹赤巴的人选将从夏巴曲杰（上密院卸任住持）及江孜曲杰（下密院卸任住持）之间遴选而出。

1950年代前的甘丹寺。点击图片放大。(来源：http://web.prm.ox.ac.uk/tibet/photo_1998.285.219.2.html)

甘丹寺在1959年动荡之时被摧毁，宗喀巴大师的殊胜法体也被烧毁，所幸当时有人从烈火中将大师的颅骨及少许的骨灰取出。后来重建甘丹寺的工程于1980年代开始。

1959年的动荡导致大批藏人（在家众与出家众）离开西藏，逃往印度。随后，流亡在印度的藏人也就开始在当地扎根，将甘丹寺及其二院（扎仓）“搬迁”到南印度卡纳塔克邦的孟过（Mundgod）附近的藏人集居地，使得甘丹寺继续成为许多伟大佛教学者及大师的发源地。

印度甘丹江孜寺的所在位置

甘丹江孜寺大门

甘丹江孜寺坐落在南印度卡纳塔克邦孟过（Mundgod）的“多古林”藏人集居地。若你想到孟过去，你可以乘搭飞机，飞往卡纳塔克邦的首府——班加罗尔（Bengaluru），然后再从班加罗尔乘搭为时一小时的航班前往胡布利市（ Hubballi或Hubli）。胡布利市距离孟过有45公里之远。或者，你可以在抵达班加罗尔后开车前去孟过。路程大约有400公里。

此地图显示印度卡纳塔克邦及其首府班加罗尔的位置。点击图片放大。

从班加罗尔前去孟过的路线

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