My Life as a Lama

Nyima Cedng, male, was born in July 1967 in Lhunzhub, Lhasa. With a college level education, Nyima Cering is now the vice-president and secretary general of the Lhasa Buddhist Association, deputy director of the Management Committee of the Jokhang Monastery director of the Recepilon Office of the Jokhang Monastery member of the All-China Youth Federation, council director of the Tibet Red Cross Society, member of the China Folklore Photographers' Association, and member of the Standing Committee of the Lhasa People's Congress.

The Joldiang Monastery, built some 1,300 years ago in present-day downtown Lhasa, is not only a holy land for Buddhists but also a tourist attraction. I was tonsured to the monastery in 1985, and today is the deputy director of the Management Committee of the Jokhang Monastery and director of the monastery's Reception Office. While taking part in ormal Buddhist activities, I am charged with receivig pilgrims hailing from all parts of the world. I tell them history of the monastery, its cultural relics, Tibetan culture, and doctrines of Tibetan Buddhism. Many address me "tourist guide in kasaya".

The Jokhang Monastery was first built in 647. Called "Norsa" (meaning goats carrying clay) or "Jorkang" (meaning Hall of Sakyamuni), it features the architectural style of the Han and the Tibetan. It houses numerous cultural relics, including the statue of Sakyamuni, founder of Buddhism, which Princess Wencheng brought to Tibet from China's hinterland. Others include embroidered portraits of Buddha of the Tang Dynasty, large silver lamps of the Yuan Dynasty, and Buddhist gown formed with pearls and golden lamps of the Ming Dynasty. Frescos in the middle building were created hundreds of years ago. In front of the monastery is a willow Princess Wencheng planted some 1,000 years ago. North of the willow is the four-meter-tall Monument of Peace Pledgement of the Tang and Tubo (which is also called Uncle-Nephew Peace Pledgement Monument), erected there in 823. It bears inscriptions in Tibetan and Chinese, recording the decision made by the Tang and Tubo rulers to live in peace.

The industrious Tibetans, as a member of the Chinese nation, have created a brilliant culture and made important contribution to China's cultural cause. One of the historical and cultural heritages, the Jokhang Moastery has become the symbol of the unification of the motherland and unity between the Tibetan and the Han.

I came from Lhunzhub, some 70 km away from Lhasa. My parents were all farmers. Like many other Tibetans who are Buddhists, they often told me that "many celebrities came from monasteries".

I started to recited Buddhist scriptures when young. When I reached 17, I came to Lhasa where I passed examinations held to recruit lamas for the Jokhang Monastery. In the beginning, I was charged with adding buffer to buffer lamps, and clean Buddha halls and religious objects. Later, I studied Buddhism from Lobsang Dorge, then 70.

Tibet plays host to an endless flow of visitors. More and more people come to visit the Jokhang Monastery. I am proved to be a good tour guide, as I also know Egnlish and Chinese. I learned to speak English at a study class taught by British teachers. One year later, I could speak comparatively fluent English. The same period saw improvement of my spoken Chinese. All these paved the way for me to do a good job as a tour guide.

From September 1989 to September 1990, I studied Buddhism in the China Tibetan-Language Senior Institute of Buddhism. This gave me a chance to further enrich my knowledge on Buddhism and improve my Tibetan and Chinese language.

Upon return to the monastery, I purchased many books in Tibetan, Chinese or English on Tibetan Buddhism, history, culture, art and folklore. I also subscribed to China Buddhist Culture and other journals.

Over the years, I gained a good understanding of the fact that various ethnic groups in the big family of China enjoy national equality and freedom of religious belief; various monasteries and lamas must strictly abide by State laws, and Buddhist rules and regulations. As a patriotic lama, he should conscientiously safeguard the unification of the motherland, national unity and stability, the interest of the people and Buddhist doctrines.

Under the loving care of the CPC and the Government, the Jokhang Monastery bears in mind the teachings of President Jiang Zemin to hold high the banner of "loving the motherland, loving religion, seeking unity, and making progress". We strive to adapt Buddhism to the socialist society.

Every day, we hold Buddhist rituals and recite Buddhst scriptures for all in the evening. In the summer each year, we discuss Buddhist doctrines every day from six to seven in the evening. The discussion attracted all lamas with the monastery.

Senior monks with the monastery do their best to lecture on Buddhist doctrines, and young lamas are free to study doctrines of the open and secret schools of Tibetan Buddhism.

Since December 23, 1995, our monastery has held three study classes for monks aged 16-30 to study Tibetan, Chinese and English during their spare time. I serve as an English teacher.

Thanks to the above efforts, we lamas with the Jokhang Monastery have improved our quality and our monastery attracts more worshippers than ever before.

We do our best to satisiy the need of the worshippers and Chinese and foreign visitors. Everyday, I busy myself with showing visitors around in the monastery, explaining Buddhist knowledge and the history of the monastery to them. Over the years, I have received many letters from people who have visited our monastery. I feel satisfied with their understanding and respect. On the morning of November 29, 1995 (or the eighth day of the 10th Tibetan year), a grand ceremony was held in front of the statue of Sakyamuni, founder of Buddhism, to draw a lot from the golden urn to determine the soul boy of the late 10th Panchen Erdeni. I am satisfied with the contribution our monastery has made to Tibetan Buddhism.

(Recorded by Yexei Gyamco)