HH the Dalai Lama commends Geshe Kelsang Wangmo

One of Tushita’s happiest developments in recent years has been the deepening of our friendship with Geshe Kelsang Wangmo; Buddhist nun, scholar and teacher – and the first – and currently only – woman to be awarded a Geshe title (only for monastics, it is equivalent to a PhD in Buddhist philosophy), and we were so proud to hear of her recent acknowledgment by His Holiness the Dalai Lama.

Geshe Kelsang Wangmo attended the August 23 – 26, 2014 teachings of His Holiness in her native country, Germany, where His Holiness found an occasion to ask Geshe-ma (an abbreviated title of respect and affection for a female Geshe) to be an assistant to his German translator, Christof Spitz. Both translators are pictured above, onstage with His Holiness the Dalai Lama in Hamburg, taken from HHDL’s online photo gallery.

During the afternoon session of the first day of his three day teaching, His Holiness paused during his teaching to take the opportunity to commend Kelsang Wangmo as the first woman to be granted a Geshe-ma degree. He then announced to the monks, Geshes and general audience that Lord Buddha himself had established Bhikkhuni (the role of ordained female Buddhist monastics), so surely the role of Geshe-ma was in accordance with the Buddha’s intent, and that soon there would be many more…

Despite being very busy with her own study, practice and teaching schedule at the Institute for Buddhist Dialectics, Geshe-ma has been extremely generous with her time, acting as Tibetan – English translator at many of our events (with senior Tibetan teachers such as Jhado Rinpoche, Gen Gyatso, and very memorably, with Khadro-la), and teaching courses such as our upcoming Grounds & Paths: Advanced Course, June 22 – July 4, 2015, and we love and value her dearly – so forgive our pride in her amazing pioneering achievements!

(Thank you for sharing, Dana & Venerable Nordron)