“Ploughing Ashes vs. Ploughing a Field”: Studies of Lamrim Texts at Buddhist Monasteries

The article discusses the role of lamrim texts in the curriculum of Buddhist monastic universities of the Gelug tradition. Texts of the  lamrim genre in a concise manner describe the stages of the  Buddhist path — development of one’s mind from the present  supposedly deluded state to the omniscience of a Buddha —  according to the canonic texts of the Mahayana tradition. Within such texts, the narration is typically based on the classifi cation of  spiritual aspirants into three categories — persons of modest, medium and high scope — depending on their motivation of  spiritual practices. Ever since the fi rst lamrim text “A Lamp for the  Path to Awakening” was introduced to Tibet by the 11th century  Indian pandita Jowo Atisha, lamrim texts have been extremely  popular among followers of the Tibetan Buddhism, particularly  among Gelug adherents. It is believed that the most famous and authoritative work of the genre, “Lamrim Chenmo” by Je Tsongkhapa, played a formative role in institutionalization of the  Gelug tradition; it is also considered to be an encyclopedia of the Buddhist doctrine and practice in the interpretation of the  Gelugpas. However, despite their popularity, none of the lamrim  texts are included in the offi cial curriculum of Gelug monasteries.  The author suggests an explanation that might help us have a closer  look at some certain characteristics of Buddhist monastic education and the role it plays in lives of Buddhist practitioners; it will also help us define the role of the lamrim genre in the Tibetan Buddhist  literature. The article provides a brief history of the development of  the genre in Tibet and lists the most significant lamrim texts in the  Gelug tradition. It is suggested that the importance of these texts is attributed not to the uniqueness of their contents or even its  presentation but rather to the authority and influence their authors had in the religious and political life of Tibet. The article gives an overview of the curriculum of the three largest monastic universities  of the Gelug tradition — Ganden, Drepung and Sera. It also  discusses the latest changes introduced into the study program  along with their reasons, as well as the prospects of including the lamrim texts in the study program at later stages.

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