Geshema Graduation and Annual Debate Event
Seven Tibetan Buddhist nuns recently received their Geshema degrees at a special ceremony in Bodh Gaya, India.
This degree is the highest academic achievement in the Gelug tradition and is equivalent to a PhD.
This was the sixth cohort of Geshemas since the degree was opened to women in 2012 and the first 20 nuns graduated in 2016.
At the event, Nangsa Choedon, the leader of the Tibetan Nuns Project in India, talked about the work being done to ensure a successful future for Tibetan nuns.
Kunga Gyaltsen, the additional secretary of Religion and Cultural Affairs for the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA), was also present and congratulated the new Geshemas on behalf of the CTA.
He encouraged the nuns to educate their communities about important Buddhist principles and to promote involvement in projects that bring together traditional monastic practices and modern scientific knowledge.
The Geshema degree allows women to take on leadership positions in their monastic and lay communities that were previously only available to degree holders, thus expanding opportunities for women.
This year, a total of 132 nuns participated in the Geshema exams, which is an increase of 38 compared to the previous year’s 94 participants.
