A reform tradition of the fifteenth century
The Gelug school, also called Gelugpa, is the most recent of the four main Tibetan Buddhist schools. It takes its origin from the teacher Tsongkhapa (1357-1419), a scholar and practitioner from the Amdo region who is traditionally said to have studied widely with teachers of other schools before developing his own synthesis. His followers founded Ganden Monastery near Lhasa in 1409, and the name Gelug is often explained as “the virtuous tradition”, linked to the name Ganden.
Tsongkhapa drew heavily on the earlier Kadam tradition, with its stress on monastic discipline and on graduated stages of the path. The Gelug is often described as the school that combined those emphases with a rigorous programme of philosophical study. Other schools also value scholarship, so this is a matter of emphasis and not of exclusive claim.
Study at the centre
What most visitors learn quickly about Gelug monasteries is that they are large teaching institutions. Monks traditionally pass through a long curriculum that includes logic and epistemology, the perfection of wisdom literature, Madhyamaka philosophy, monastic discipline and treatises on the Abhidharma. The study is in the form of debate as much as reading. Debate practice is usually performed in courtyards, with a standing questioner using loud claps and gestures, and a seated respondent. Visitors who see it should remember that this is a form of study and not a performance; the Sera Monastery debate courtyard is a well-known place to observe it, with permission and at the proper times.
The degree known as geshe is the highest traditional academic qualification in the school. More about the general idea of monastic education is covered in another article.
The Gelug also gives importance to the vows of a fully ordained monk or nun. Many Gelug monasteries have strict community rules about daily gatherings and conduct, which affects the way visitors are asked to behave.
The great seats
Three monasteries in central Tibet are often called the “three seats” of the Gelug:
- Ganden, founded by Tsongkhapa himself in 1409 on a mountain east of Lhasa. It was heavily damaged in the twentieth century and rebuilt in later decades. The Ganden Monastery has its own articles, including one on Ganden kora, the circuit path around it.
- Drepung, near Lhasa, historically one of the largest monasteries in the world. By tradition the early Dalai Lamas lived here before the Potala became the centre.
- Sera, also near Lhasa, with a long tradition of debate.
Other important Gelug centres include Tashilhunpo near Shigatse, the seat of the Panchen Lama lineage, covered in the Tashilhunpo Monastery article. In the Amdo region, Kumbum and Labrang are major Gelug institutions. In Ladakh, Thikse and Spituk follow the same school.
The Dalai Lama and the Gelug
The Dalai Lama institution is closely connected with the Gelug school. The title is traditionally traced to the sixteenth century, when it was conferred on Sonam Gyatso, and later Dalai Lamas became the political and spiritual leaders of Tibet under the Ganden Phodrang government from the seventeenth century. The present, fourteenth Dalai Lama is a monk of the Gelug school and has been a prominent public figure for Tibetans of all schools.
It is worth keeping this distinction in mind: the Dalai Lama belongs to the Gelug lineage, but other schools have their own heads, such as the Karmapa of the Karma Kagyu and the Sakya Trizin. Tibetan Buddhism has no single central religious authority.
After 1959
After the political events of 1959, many monks left Tibet. The three great seats were re-established in South India, where they continue to train large numbers of monks. Gelug institutions are also found in Nepal, Ladakh, Mongolia and in many countries abroad, including centres that welcome lay students. Teaching is generally given to those who ask in an appropriate way, and some practices are not for public description.
Visiting a Gelug monastery
If you visit a Gelug monastery, the Tibetan gompa layout is usually clear: a large assembly hall for chanting, chapels for specific deities, and quarters for monks. Pay attention to the portraits of Tsongkhapa, who is often shown with a pointed hat and two small figures at his side. Offerings, photography and access vary from monastery to monastery; ask a monk or an attendant.
Many Gelug sites in Tibet are high up. Altitude affects visitors seriously, and the notes on altitude sickness awareness are worth reading before travelling. Entry rules for Tibet change, so confirm them on official sources before making plans.