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.