ANSWERERS OF THE OVERNIGHT DEBATE SESSION IN LOSELING COLLEGE
The two standing debaters of that year are the ones who must be the answerers during the overnight debate session on the texts of Vinaya and Abhidharma.
During the Third Spring Religious Festival they have to be able to answer all questions on these texts and also pass down the teachings of the four possible combinations to the first year students of Abhidharma. During the Summer Religious Festival the two standing debaters of both the Drepung Colleges have to take turns in the overnight debate sessions on Vinaya and Abhidharma, which last for four days.
Overnight debate sessions are also held on the texts of Madhyamika and Prajnaparamita for which the Disciplinarian instructs every class to prepare two questioners each and the answerers are the ones who have passed their Geshe Larampa examinations that year. All of the monks gather on hearing the bell for the overnight debate session and Tri Rinpoche, Shartse Choeje, Jangtse Choeje, both the former and present abbots and the honorable teachers must be present at this overnight debate session. Then the Chant Master begins by reciting Manjushrinamasangiti and when it reaches the line “the victorious banner of Dharma is completely hoisted”, the Lama Zhunglenpa signals for the debate to start.
DEBATE SESSION AT KHANGTSENS IN LOSELING COLLEGE
Throughout the year, on every Sunday, a debate session should be held in every Khangtsen. Generally during the debate sessions two monks from each Khangtsen sit as the answerers while the other monks of each Khangtsen debate with them. However, during the first Spring Religious Festival, Geshe Lharampas must do a debate tour in all the Khangtsens as the answerers for these debate sessions. Here, the topics of debate range from the Collected Topics (Duedra) to the Five Major Buddhist texts. At the same time, during this festival, the standing debates (tsoglang literally meaning ‘standing up in the assembly’) take place, where, in the large monastic colleges, amidst thousands of monks, two monks stand and debate with each other. These debates are held on the Middle Way philosophy, Perfection of Wisdom, Monastic Discipline and Higher Knowledge. The answerers for the debate must first inform the Khangtsen masters and get their consent. If a student from a lower class receives consent from the Khangtsen Master to be an answerer, and if a student from a higher class or a Geshe enlists as the answerer afterward, the student from the higher class or the Geshe is given the first preference.
Just before Tibetan Losar (New Year), an overnight debate is held in each Khangtsen on the Epistemology (Pramana). In this debate the monks who have participated in the Jang Gunchoe Religious Festival debate with the monks who have not participated in the Jang Gunchoe Religious Festival. The questioner begins the debate firstly by reciting the verses of homage and the contents-outline from the Pramanavartikakarika text and then commences the syllogism or syllogistic debate. Every syllogism or syllogistic debate should commence with the same line from Manjushrinamasangiti, “The victorious banner of Dharma is completely hoisted!”
During this debate, the thangka paintings of the Six Ornaments and the Two Supreme Ones (the eight famous Indian masters) and Lama Tsongkhapa and his two disciples are displayed in all the Khangtsens. A throne for the Khenpo is also prepared. During the overnight debate, the Khenpo, the Disciplinarian and the Chabril visit each and every Khangtsen.
STANDING DEBATE IN LOSELING COLLEGE
Standing Debate (Tsoglang) is the typical way of doing debate on chosen topics, during which the participants stand in front of all the monks and debate. It was first initiated by Je Rinpoche himself. During their fourth year of Prajnaparamita studies, Je Rinpoche chose Khedup Je and Jamyang Choeje as opponents in debate and asked them to do the Tsoglang debate in front of all the monks. There were many auspicious signs during that time and ever since this tradition has been carried on. Because of their founders, there is a slight difference in the Tsoglang tradition between Sera and Drepung monasteries. Generally this is an important academic activity in all the Gelugpa monasteries.
As for the details of Tsoglang in this monastery, after the Great Monlam Festival, those who want to participate in Tsoglang debate need to receive permission from the Lama Zhunglenpa. It is entirely his choice to whom he gives permission. On special occasions, reincarnated Lamas will be allowed to participate. Otherwise, these days, the participants are chosen through a lucky draw system and those chosen ones practice at their respective Khangtsens, every Sunday after the end of the First Spring Festival. During the Third Spring Festival debate sessions, participants need to practice at their monastery’s assembly hall in front of all the monks. Likewise, even during the Summer Festivals, there are practice sessions in the common debate courtyard of Drepung University, where Loseling participants must debate with Gomang participants. Especially, Vinaya and Abidharma classes have to prepare their points on paper a few months in advance. Actual Tsoglang sessions start on the first day of the seventh month of the Tibetan calendar. On this auspicious day, when Je Rinpoche asked Khedup Je and Jamyang Choeje for Tsoglang, there were many signs which were beyond the grasp of our common mind – when Jamyang Choeje hit his hat on a pillar, it passed through the pillar unobstructed and a hundred thousand Nagas came to take blessing from him, and the celebration of Drepung Lubum (Hundred Thousand Nagas) Day came into being. Semkye Tsoglang must be held on the fifteenth day of the same month but the other Tsoglangs have no fixed date.
To start the actual standing debate session, the Lama Zhunglenpa calls upon the participants of Tsoglang and they need to recite some prayers. The two monks doing Tsoglang wear a yellow hat each and must come in front of the line to do prostrations to the altar. This is followed by the actual debate and the Lama Zhunglenpa keeps the time for debate. After finishing the debate, the Tsogchen Zhelngo offers a scarf to each to the participants and the meeting is adjourned. Their respective Khangtsens may organize a small celebration where participants are offered gifts and scarves by fellow classmates and Khangtsen-mates. The two participants may call each other for dinner as a sign of good gesture.
SUPERVISION OF DEBATE SESSION IN LOSELING COLLEGE
In general, supervision (tsizhag) means watching over attendance, but here it refers to the periodic visit of the Khenpo to the debate session for observation of the students at the debate. The purpose of the supervision by the Khenpo is: to avoid the generation of incorrect ideas within the students on the major Buddhist texts, and to make them understand the unmistaken meaning of each word in the texts without duplications and omissions.
The Chabril invites the Khenpo from his residence – which is on the top of the prayer hall – and receives him in the debate courtyard. When the Khenpo arrives in the debate courtyard the debate is paused for a while. All the monks stand and bow down their heads to the Khenpo, in respect, until the Khenpo is seated on his throne. When the Disciplinarian signals, the students approach the Khenpo, according to class, beginning from the senior-most class. The students of each class do prostration three times to the Khenpo. Then the Khenpo recites three times, from his heart, the text on which each class is presently debating. In return, as a mode of giving examination, the monitor of each class recites the same, once from his heart. When the Khenpo declares, “You can go!” the students of each class prostrate three times and right away start their class debate session in the courtyard.
