12 monks obtain highest Tibetan Buddhism degree

Twelve monks passed the Dharma debating exam and were accredited as Geshe Lharampas — the highest academic degree of Tibetan Buddhism — at Jokhang Temple, Lhasa, on Friday.

Obtaining the Geshe Lharampa degree represents the highest level of academic attainment for Tibetan Buddhist monks, and gaining it requires at least two decades or a lifetime of learning.

The 12 new Geshe Lharampas are from some of the region's key Gelukpa school monasteries, preliminary exam the degree was held in Tibet's Sera Monastery in the summer of 2018, the annual exam usually consists of two parts — the sutra debate and a test focused on other cultures.