Modern Life of Young Lamas in Tibet

. 

. 

. 

. 

. 

. 

. 

. 

. 

. 

. 

. 

. 

. 

. 

. 

. 

. 

. 

. 

. 

. 

. 

. 

. 

. 

. 

. 

 ◆ Modern Life of Young Lamas in Tibet

Clicks on the keyboard and the chanting of scriptures come together from a dorm in Zhaxi Lhunbo Lamasery, where a young lama is operating on a computer.

Dawa Cering was tonsured at 12 and devoted himself to the study of Buddhism and Tibetan. Having studied Chinese, English and computers in his spare time, he is now a computer expert in the lamasery.

Modern "mundane" things, like computers, second languages and trade, are filtering into reclusive lamaseries as a growing number of tourists swarm into the Tibet Autonomous Region.

"Welcome to beautiful Tibet and to Jokhang Temple," said Nima Cering, a young lama in Jokhang Temple who speaks fluent English and Chinese to visitors when introducing the frescos in Jokhang Lamasery.

"Study and exchanges with the outside world have raised my horizons. The Tibet Autonomous Region will integrate further with other parts of the world as many visitors hold distorted pictures of us, especially Western tourists," said Nima Cering, who together with his colleagues hoped to make the genuine Tibet known to the world through their efforts.

Nima Cering's other seven colleagues can all speak Tibetan, Chinese and English fluently.

Trade has also been introduced into some of the lamaseries. In Zhaxj Lhunbo Lamasery, for example, you can see lamas wearing white doctor's overcoats over red cassocks, busy examining patients.

A corporation set up by the Tenth Panchen Lama is reporting a healthy turnover. It is the first company run by lamas and its general manager has Gexe Degree, the highest lamaist scholarship.