Monks bring the vow factor
By Gretchen Ammerman
Oregon Coast TODAY
In their plum- and saffron-colored robes, Tibetan monks radiate a hard-won sense of tranquility, joy and inner peace.
From Tuesday, Nov. 1, to Sunday, Nov. 6, five monks from Gaden Shartse Monastic University will be touring the Oregon Coast to share and teach Buddha's wisdom, while helping fund their monastery in the process.
The monastery currently feeds and houses more than 1,700 monks aged four to 90 years old, most of whom were exiled by the Chinese government from their occupied Tibetan homeland.
“The primary purpose of the tour is to present the Tibetan perspective of the Buddha's teachings through numerous empowerments and lectures,” said tour manager and former monk Lobsang Wangchuk, who studied at Gaden Shartse for more than 20 years.
“We have four ‘geshis’ on this tour; usually there are just two, so we have a powerful group this year. They each have spent more than 25 years studying Buddhist wisdom.”
For Wangchuk, one of the strengths of Tibetan Buddhism is that it is not a religion holding tightly to its dogma.
“There is always a question-and-answer period after each lecture when you can challenge anything you heard,” he said. “Even the Dalai Lama says that if science proves any of our beliefs to be wrong, we have to change them.”
The tour will also include a healing and purification ritual.
“It is theoretically possible for everyone to attain a clear and luminous mind, but they actually have to do some hard work to get there,” Wangchuk said. “Fortunately, just being around these more realized beings and receiving their blessings can give you a glimpse of it.”
The feeling is shared by Aracelly Guevara who, with husband Dr. Jerry Robbins, will be hosting the group during their Lincoln County stop.
“I think just being in their presence is healing,” she said. “During the empowerments, there is almost supernatural energy that is projected from them. They are sending their most highly skilled monks for the tour. The visa is tough so they have to be highly selective.”
The visa process can last from months to years, but having a Nobel Peace Prize recipient can apparently grease the wheels.
“With the Dalai Lama’s help, we were fortunate to get the visa quickly, because he knows that tours are how we sustain the monastery,” Wangchuk said. “It is on land given by the Indian government to replace the monastery in Tibet that was completely destroyed.”
All events are by donation, which goes to help maintain the university temples and libraries and provides food, clothing and shelter for the monks; a cost of about $2 per monk per day.
Though required to study many hours daily in order to be able to share the wisdom and actions of Tibetan Buddhism, Wangchuk said the monks are still just people, especially the young.
“They are still normal little boys,” he said. “They love to play and I’ve seen classroom desks that have been carved with pictures of things like soccer balls.”
Though India seems quite far away, the message the monks are bringing is still relevant to all.
“The Tibetan people are non-violent,” Wangchuk said. “This is one thing the US really needs, to introduce non-violence to the West. No one wants to be harmed and everyone wants to be happy — our job is to show how the negative mind affects ourselves, our neighbors and our towns. It’s an internal problem that becomes external.”
Guevara said the monks’ sense of humor as well as their wisdom are great reasons to show up to any of the stops on the tour.
“It’s a clean philosophy that can be applied to all religions,” she said. “You always learn something and will find that their wisdom rings true.”
For more information, go to sacredartsoftibettour.org or call 503-392-4187.
Tuesday, Nov. 1 • 6 to 8 pm
Climate Change
(The Six Dissolutions)
Atonement Lutheran Church
2315 N. Hwy. 101, Newport
Wednesday, Nov. 2 • 6 to 8 pm
Manjushri
(Buddha of Discriminating Wisdom)
Atonement Lutheran Church
Thursday, Nov. 3 • 6 to 8 pm
Principal Aspects of the Path
Renunciation, altruistic intention and emptiness.
Atonement Lutheran Church
Friday, Nov. 4 • 6 to 8 pm
Vajrasattva
(Buddha of Purification)
Atonement Lutheran Church
Saturday, Nov. 5 • 3 to 5 pm
Wisdom of Dependent Arising
(The teachings of Buddha)
Lincoln City Cultural Center
540 NE Hwy. 101, Lincoln City
Sunday, Nov. 6 • 3 to 5 pm
Vajravidarin Healing Ritual
Purification of Three Stages
Center For Health Education
740 SW 9th Street, Newport