Geshe Wangyal
Encyclopedia
Ngawang Wangyal (c. 1901-1983), popularly known as "Geshe Wangyal," was a Buddhist priest and scholar of Kalmyk
origin who was born in the Astrakhan province in southeast Russia
sometime in 1901.
Geshe Wangyal was the youngest of four children and had chosen at age six to enter the monastery as a novice monk. After the Russian Civil War
, Geshe Wangyal went to Lhasa
, Tibet
, where he studied at the Gomang College of Drepung Monastic University in Lhasa until 1935 when he decided to return to his homeland to obtain financial support to complete his studies.
Due to Communist persecution of religious clergy, Geshe Wangyal decided to end his return trip home. Instead, he found a job in Peking, China, comparing different editions of the Tibetan collections of Buddha's word (Kanjur) and of the treatises of Indian commentators (Tanjur). In 1937, Geshe Wangyal left Peking to return to Tibet via India
after earning enough money to support himself until he received his geshe
degree
While in Calcutta, Geshe Wangyal was hired as a translator to Sir Charles Bell, a well known British statesman, scholar and explorer, and accompanied him on a trip through China and Manchuria
before returning to Tibet. Afterwards, he received his geshe degree in Lhasa and used his remaining earnings and many newly established contacts to raise funds for the purpose of assisting poor scholars to obtain their geshe degree, especially Mongolians in India
, who, like him, were cut off from support from a Communist home country.
When the Communist Chinese invaded Tibet in the early 1950s, Geshe Wangyal escaped to India. Then in 1955, he went to the United States to work as a priest among the Kalmyk Americans who were newly resettled in New Jersey
, New York and Pennsylvania
as refugees from Central Europe.
In 1958, Geshe Wangyal established a Buddhist monastery in Washington, New Jersey
called Labsum Shedrub Ling. He served as the monastery's head teacher until his death in January, 1983. He taught many students of Western background and contributed greatly to the spread of Tibetan Buddhism
in the United States.
Geshe Wangyal later taught at Columbia University
and during the 1960's and 1970's, he sponsored visits by several monks and lama
s from the Tibetan emigre settlement in India
and instructed them in English so they could serve the Buddhist community in the United States.
In 1972, the American Institute of Buddhist Studies was founded as suggested by the Dalai Lama and Geshe Ngawang Wangyal.
Dr. Wangyal translated two volumes of popular Tibetan and Sanskrit
stories illustrative of Buddhist teachings, The Door of Liberation and The Prince Who Became a Cuckoo. With Brian Cutillo
, he also translated the "Illuminations of Sakya-Pandita" published by (LOTSAWA 1988). The book is now out-of-print. ISBN 0-932156-05-3
Among his students are the famous Robert A. F. Thurman,, Dr. Jeffrey Hopkins (Professor Emeritus University of Virginia), and the painter and drawing teacher Ted Seth Jacobs
Kalmyk people
Kalmyk people is the name given to the Oirats, western Mongols in Russia, whose descendants migrated from Dzhungaria in 1607. Today they form a majority in the autonomous Republic of Kalmykia on the western shore of the Caspian Sea. Kalmykia is Europe's only Buddhist government...
origin who was born in the Astrakhan province in southeast Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
sometime in 1901.
Geshe Wangyal was the youngest of four children and had chosen at age six to enter the monastery as a novice monk. After the Russian Civil War
Russian Civil War
The Russian Civil War was a multi-party war that occurred within the former Russian Empire after the Russian provisional government collapsed to the Soviets, under the domination of the Bolshevik party. Soviet forces first assumed power in Petrograd The Russian Civil War (1917–1923) was a...
, Geshe Wangyal went to Lhasa
Lhasa
Lhasa is the administrative capital of the Tibet Autonomous Region in the People's Republic of China and the second most populous city on the Tibetan Plateau, after Xining. At an altitude of , Lhasa is one of the highest cities in the world...
, Tibet
Tibet
Tibet is a plateau region in Asia, north-east of the Himalayas. It is the traditional homeland of the Tibetan people as well as some other ethnic groups such as Monpas, Qiang, and Lhobas, and is now also inhabited by considerable numbers of Han and Hui people...
, where he studied at the Gomang College of Drepung Monastic University in Lhasa until 1935 when he decided to return to his homeland to obtain financial support to complete his studies.
Due to Communist persecution of religious clergy, Geshe Wangyal decided to end his return trip home. Instead, he found a job in Peking, China, comparing different editions of the Tibetan collections of Buddha's word (Kanjur) and of the treatises of Indian commentators (Tanjur). In 1937, Geshe Wangyal left Peking to return to Tibet via India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
after earning enough money to support himself until he received his geshe
Geshe
Geshe is a Tibetan Buddhist academic degree for monks...
degree
While in Calcutta, Geshe Wangyal was hired as a translator to Sir Charles Bell, a well known British statesman, scholar and explorer, and accompanied him on a trip through China and Manchuria
Manchuria
Manchuria is a historical name given to a large geographic region in northeast Asia. Depending on the definition of its extent, Manchuria usually falls entirely within the People's Republic of China, or is sometimes divided between China and Russia. The region is commonly referred to as Northeast...
before returning to Tibet. Afterwards, he received his geshe degree in Lhasa and used his remaining earnings and many newly established contacts to raise funds for the purpose of assisting poor scholars to obtain their geshe degree, especially Mongolians in India
Mongolians in India
There is a small community of Mongols in India, comprising mostly Buddhist monks and scholars as well as international students from Mongolia.-Onward migration from Tibet:...
, who, like him, were cut off from support from a Communist home country.
When the Communist Chinese invaded Tibet in the early 1950s, Geshe Wangyal escaped to India. Then in 1955, he went to the United States to work as a priest among the Kalmyk Americans who were newly resettled in New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
, New York and Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
as refugees from Central Europe.
In 1958, Geshe Wangyal established a Buddhist monastery in Washington, New Jersey
Washington, New Jersey
Washington is a borough in Warren County, New Jersey, United States. As of the United States 2010 Census, the borough population was 6,461. The borough is located in the eastern most region of the Lehigh Valley....
called Labsum Shedrub Ling. He served as the monastery's head teacher until his death in January, 1983. He taught many students of Western background and contributed greatly to the spread of Tibetan Buddhism
Tibetan Buddhism
Tibetan Buddhism is the body of Buddhist religious doctrine and institutions characteristic of Tibet and certain regions of the Himalayas, including northern Nepal, Bhutan, and India . It is the state religion of Bhutan...
in the United States.
Geshe Wangyal later taught at Columbia University
Columbia University
Columbia University in the City of New York is a private, Ivy League university in Manhattan, New York City. Columbia is the oldest institution of higher learning in the state of New York, the fifth oldest in the United States, and one of the country's nine Colonial Colleges founded before the...
and during the 1960's and 1970's, he sponsored visits by several monks and lama
Lama
Lama is a title for a Tibetan teacher of the Dharma. The name is similar to the Sanskrit term guru .Historically, the term was used for venerated spiritual masters or heads of monasteries...
s from the Tibetan emigre settlement in India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
and instructed them in English so they could serve the Buddhist community in the United States.
In 1972, the American Institute of Buddhist Studies was founded as suggested by the Dalai Lama and Geshe Ngawang Wangyal.
Dr. Wangyal translated two volumes of popular Tibetan and Sanskrit
Sanskrit
Sanskrit , is a historical Indo-Aryan language and the primary liturgical language of Hinduism, Jainism and Buddhism.Buddhism: besides Pali, see Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit Today, it is listed as one of the 22 scheduled languages of India and is an official language of the state of Uttarakhand...
stories illustrative of Buddhist teachings, The Door of Liberation and The Prince Who Became a Cuckoo. With Brian Cutillo
Brian Cutillo
Brian A. Cutillo was a scholar and translator in the field of Tibetan Buddhism. He wasalso an accomplished neuro-cognitive scientist, musician, anthropologist and textile weaver.-Studies at MIT:...
, he also translated the "Illuminations of Sakya-Pandita" published by (LOTSAWA 1988). The book is now out-of-print. ISBN 0-932156-05-3
Among his students are the famous Robert A. F. Thurman,, Dr. Jeffrey Hopkins (Professor Emeritus University of Virginia), and the painter and drawing teacher Ted Seth Jacobs