Buddhist scriptures and books are stacked high, filling most of the room and the cup of butter tea, resting on a small square table, has long since gone cold as a Tibetan monk becomes engrossed in his mantras.

The monk, Ngagwang Ziji, is from Tibet's Drepung Monastery and he received the Geshe Lharampa in 2014 - the highest academic degree in the Gelukpa school of Tibetan Buddhism.

But the accolade, in his view, was not the end but a beginning.

"I find that I have more questions and unknowns after obtaining this degree," Ngagwang Ziji said with a smile.

Born in Tibet's Lhundrub county, he embraced the austere existence of a Buddhist monk at the age of 16. He was an apprentice to Lamrim Rinpoche - a renowned teacher of Buddhist philosophy at the Drepung Monastery.

"For the sake of learning Buddhist scriptures, I devoted myself to spiritual, rather than worldly matters," the 46-year-old said.

Ngagwang Ziji has been a monk for more than 30 years and he has devoted himself to obtaining wisdom and enlightenment, in part by following the same daily schedule for three decades.

At 6 am he recites mantras for two hours and after breakfast he attends courses from 9 to 11 am. Lunch is followed by two hours of debating class, and two hours of Buddhist theory. From 10 pm he studies for three or four hours.

Before becoming a monk he attended his local primary school and junior middle school, where he learned Mandarin which came in useful when he used his knowledge of the language to teach Mongolian monks.

"Both my family and I felt honored when I became a monk and we knew that my true path was to lead to peace and wisdom," he said.

He started his life as a monk by mainly studying the Five Volumes of Tibetan Buddhist Teachings, including the Valid Cognition, Perfection of Wisdom, the Middle Way School and Compendium of Knowledge and Discipline, as well as grammar, spelling and poems.

"Lamrim Rinpoche was a well known scripture teacher in Drepung Monastery. He had been teaching Lamrim Chenmo, a book written by Je Tsongkhapa, founder of the Gelukpa school of Tibetan Buddhism, for many years.

"In order to learn from monks and masters in other monasteries, I spent several months in the Jang Monastery in Tibet's Chushul county," he said.

Effective learning

The Tibetan word "Taksal" refers to religious, logical dispute or debate.

"I debate and argue with my dharma friends every day. I appreciate it, because all my questions and doubts become clear when I debate and exchange ideas with them.

"I feel relaxed at the end of a debate when one of my doubts is settled and I feel I make progress with each debate," he said.

"During a debate the person who raises questions stands and those who respond sit. The two sides take turns this way," he said.

Work division

Not all monks are engaged in learning and gaining degrees, he said. Some monks work in the monastery as doctors, shopkeepers, cooks and caretakers.

"They all get paid by the public monastery. The monks who dedicate their life to studying get an average of 50 yuan ($8) each day as an allowance, besides what they get paid when they attend the assembly chanting," he said.

In the past he depended on his family to support him with food and robes. As the monastery has become more prosperous he no longer has to rely on his family.

"The government also supports monks with medical insurance, free health checkups and they have invested heavily in the preservation and renovation of temples and frescoes."

Contact the writers at palden_nyima@chinadaily.com.cn and phuntsog-tashi@chinadaily.com.cn

(China Daily USA 08/29/2014 page5)