A BRIEF ANTOBIOGRAPHY
A THEMATIC ANTOBIOGRAPHY
1. Birth
My name is Dorjee Choedak. I was born on 7th June, 1978 at a refugee camp in Mundgod in south India. I was then born to a middle class family with two siblings; my brother and myself. My father’s name is Tseten and mother’s Kalsang Dolma. Frankly speaking, being refugees, we were not rich but we were surely happy and fully satisfied with what we had back then.
2. Formal schooling
Unlike the children inside Tibet, who were not sent to school but often either kept at home to look after cattle or sent to monastery at very young age, I was sent to study in a junior SOS Tibetan Children Village school in Mundgod in 1985. I was exactly seven years of age then. I studied for three years in this school. But I, like all other children, was hardly fond of the studies at this tender age.
3. Monastic studies
Then at the age of ten, as if was the custom of every Tibetan family back then, I was withdrawn from the school and sent to the near by Drepung Loseling Monastery. It is one of the largest monasteries of Tibet. Truthfully speaking, I was quite happy at this transfer as I did not like to study in that school. But my delight did not last long. The studies in the monastery and that of monastery and that in school were totally different. That is monastery was far more difficult. I had lots and lots of things to learn by heart. However, under the good guidance of great Gurus (teacher) I did not face as much difficulties as I anticipated. I studied Sutras (Do) and Kyetri under the guidance of Guru Dorjee Rabten. I studied them for about five years.
After that I undertook the dialectic debate and philosophical studies under the guidance of Guru Choephel. It was difficult on one hand but quite interesting on the other hand. I could study on various topics and I also had to debate with my classmates or other co-monks.
4) Monastic services
It was in 2003 then, I was transferred to Drepung Loseling Institute in Dharamsala of Himachal
1. Birth
My name is Dorjee Choedak. I was born on 7th June, 1978 at a refugee camp in Mundgod in south India. I was then born to a middle class family with two siblings; my brother and myself. My father’s name is Tseten and mother’s Kalsang Dolma. Frankly speaking, being refugees, we were not rich but we were surely happy and fully satisfied with what we had back then.
2. Formal schooling
Unlike the children inside Tibet, who were not sent to school but often either kept at home to look after cattle or sent to monastery at very young age, I was sent to study in a junior SOS Tibetan Children Village school in Mundgod in 1985. I was exactly seven years of age then. I studied for three years in this school. But I, like all other children, was hardly fond of the studies at this tender age.
3. Monastic studies
Then at the age of ten, as if was the custom of every Tibetan family back then, I was withdrawn from the school and sent to the near by Drepung Loseling Monastery. It is one of the largest monasteries of Tibet. Truthfully speaking, I was quite happy at this transfer as I did not like to study in that school. But my delight did not last long. The studies in the monastery and that of monastery and that in school were totally different. That is monastery was far more difficult. I had lots and lots of things to learn by heart. However, under the good guidance of great Gurus (teacher) I did not face as much difficulties as I anticipated. I studied Sutras (Do) and Kyetri under the guidance of Guru Dorjee Rabten. I studied them for about five years.
After that I undertook the dialectic debate and philosophical studies under the guidance of Guru Choephel. It was difficult on one hand but quite interesting on the other hand. I could study on various topics and I also had to debate with my classmates or other co-monks.
4) Monastic services
It was in 2003 then, I was transferred to Drepung Loseling Institute in Dharamsala of Himachal