Dalai Lama taps American as monastery abbot

[WisdomBeing]

I found this interesting piece of news today. Does anyone know if this is the first time a Westerner has been chosen as the abbot of a Tibetan Monastery in India?

I researched a little on Rato Dratsang and am posting some background from http://www.ratodratsangfoundation.org/about.html here:

Rato Dratsang was known as a great center for intellectual development and spiritual practice. It was located just outside Lhasa, Tibet, from its founding in the fourteenth century by Tak Pa Zang Bo until the destruction of its physical structure in 1959. Rato Dratsang has been reestablished in Mundgod, in the south Indian state of Karnataka, by a group of scholars and monks educated at the original monastery.

In Tibet, Rato Dratsang was a scholastic monastery of over four hundred residents. While studies in all branches of Buddhism were pursued, leading to the Doctor of Divinity or "Geshe" degree, it was most renowned as a center for the study of logic. Students were expected to become completely familiar with the methods and rules of traditional Buddhist logical analysis. Texts were memorized and meditated on until their meaning was thoroughly absorbed. A student's grasp of the subject was tested and tempered by frequent intense debates held under highly formalized rules.

The great fifth Dalai Lama (1614-1682) said the following verse in praise of Rato Dratsang, also known as Tiger Nest Monastery:

    In the heart of the dense forest of
    Scriptural knowledge,
    Lies the Tiger Nest sounding
    The roar of the wisdom of logic.
    May the study of logic to clear the minds,
    Forever develop in the boundaries of the upper,
    middle, and lower parts of the land of snow.

As Rato Dratsang is a Gelugpa monastery, does anyone know if they practised Dorje Shugden?



Dalai Lama taps American as monastery abbot
http://www.timesunion.com/local/article/Dalai-Lama-taps-American-as-monastery-abbot-3674749.php
Religion & Ethics Newsweekly
Updated 12:55 a.m., Saturday, June 30, 2012

Nicholas Vreeland will become the new abbot of Rato Monastery in southern India.

For many observers, the Dalai Lama's choice of the director of the Tibet Center in New York to be the new abbot of Rato Monastery in southern India is surprising, given the background of this particular American.

On July 6, Nicholas Vreeland will begin a daunting assignment at one of the most important monasteries in Tibetan Buddhism. He will be the first Westerner to hold such a position.

Vreeland had a privileged upbringing — he is the son of a U.S. diplomat and the grandson of Diana Vreeland, the legendary editor of Vogue magazine. When he first encountered Tibetan Buddhism in his 20s, he was working as a photographer in some of the fashion industry's top studios.

Vreeland was born in Switzerland and also lived in Germany and Morocco before his family returned to New York. They were Episcopalians and sent 13-year-old Nicky to a boys' boarding school in Massachusetts. He was miserable there — until he discovered photography.

Vreeland had a good relationship with his famous grandmother. "I went to NYU to study film, and at that time initially lived with her and became very close," he said.

She opened the door for him to work with prominent photographers Irving Penn and Richard Avedon. In 1977, Avedon's son John introduced Vreeland to Khyongla Rato Rinpoche, founder of the Tibet Center. Under Rinpoche's supervision, Vreeland began learning about Tibetan Buddhism.

In 1979, he went to work on a photography assignment in India. Because of his growing interest in Tibetan Buddhism, he included a stop in Dharamsala, the headquarters-in-exile of the Dalai Lama. Vreeland photographed the Tibetan leader.

"I had been so moved by the way in which the Tibetan people had helped me ... during my time in Dharamsala, and I asked His Holiness what I could do in return. And he said, 'Study,'" Vreeland recalled.

Vreeland explored the Tibetan Buddhist concept that logic can lead to developing compassion and attaining enlightenment.

In 1985, Vreeland decided to become a Buddhist monk. His grandmother was not happy.

"She was not a big proponent of following a spiritual life," he said, adding that she came to accept his decision.

Vreeland pursued his monastic studies at Rato monastery, the monastery he will now lead. Rato was established in Tibet in the late 14th century to preserve Buddhist teachings on logic and debate. After the Dalai Lama fled China in 1959, Rato was re-established in India.

When Vreeland arrived in 1985, there were 27 monks. Today, there are about 100 between the ages of 6 and 90. A massive construction project at the monastery was funded through the sale of his photographs, including $400,000 from a series documenting life in and around the monastery.

As abbot of Rato, Vreeland will have administrative and spiritual responsibility for the monastery and its monks. He'll also interact with abbots of the other Tibetan monasteries — and that's where the Dalai Lama has instructed him to help incorporate more Western ideas.

Vreeland will divide his time between India and New York, where he'll continue as director of the Tibet Center, which promotes Tibetan Buddhism in the West.

[Big Uncle]

It's really neat that a Westerner was chosen to become the abbot of a Tibetan monastery. I find that very encouraging and open-minded on the side of the Tibetan monastics. It is after all not an exclusive institution but one that is designed by Lama Tsongkhapa and his spiritual sons to be democratic and fair to all. All elected positions within the great monasteries are chosen based upon not just academic results but also upon their spiritual conduct and attainments. I find that very liberating and fair.

I heard from a monk that in the monastery, a ordinary monk could climb up the monastic hierarchy via his completion of his 20 over year Geshe examinations first. Then he is elected as Lama Umsey (lead chanter), then he is in position to be Lama Geykul (disciplinarian) of the monastery. Mind you, these are prestigious and important position within the massive Gelug monasteries. Then, he is in line to be the Abbot of the monastery or a Tantric College. After becoming the abbot and if one is so revered with one's learning and conduct, one can be in line to be Jangtse Chojey or Shartse Chojey, representative of Gyaltsab Je and Khedrub Je's position. In that position, one would be considered one of the highest and most elite Lamas of the Gelug lineage. From then on, respective Jangtse Chojeys and Shartse Chojeys would be elected into position as Gaden Tri Rinpoche, the highest Lama with the Gelug tradition.

From the position of the Abbot onwards, they would be so revered that usually their line of incarnations would start. Kyabje Trijang Rinpoche was a recognized incarnation of 2 Gaden Tri Rinpoches and Kyabje Zong Rinpoche served as the Abbot of Gaden Shartse before the fall of Tibet. That illustrates the point the most elite (meaning attained) are chosen to be in these positions.

[Positive Change]

I do not see what the big deal about having a westerner as an abbot of a monastery, Rato Monastery no less. It is about whether the person is qualified and is the best man for the job! I would think in this day and age, racial barriers especially in Buddhism should be eradicated or at the very least blurred!

Niholas Vreeland seems to have the qualifications and experience. Moreover he is the perfect bridge between East and West. Here is his CV in brief:

Nicholas Vreeland was educated in Europe, North Africa, and the United States, after which he pursued a career in photography. In the late sixties and early seventies, Nicholas worked as an assistant to Irving Penn and Richard Avedon. He was introduced to The Tibet Center in New York by John and Elizabeth Avedon, followed the teachings of Khyongla Rato Rinpoche and, after many years of study, became a monk in 1985.
 
He was awarded a Geshe Degree (Doctorate of Divinity) in 1998. Nicholas now serves as director of The Tibet Center and was the editor of An Open Heart: Practicing Compassion in Everyday Life, by the Dalai Lama. Nicholas is also founder of Photos for Rato, a series of fund-raisers that have been held in France, Italy, Germany, India, and the U.S., which underwrote, through the sale of his photos, a large part of the construction of Rato Monastery in India. He divides his time between The Tibet Center in New York and Rato Dratsang monastery in India. "

If we do not base on his above CV alone, the fact that he was personally chosen by HHDL is enough for me!

[Positive Change]

And here is how the man, the Photographer, the Editor, the Geshe, the Philanthropist, the Monk looks like!

Some samples of his amazing photography that one can order online to support Rato Dratsang Monastery: http://www.ratodratsangfoundation.org/photos_for_rato/photos.html

[thor]

Wisdom Being, I believe Nicholas Vreeland is the first Westerner to hold such a position in the monasteries of South India. No westerner or foreigner unless he is a reincarnated trulku, to my knowledge, has led any of the  monastic institutions before Mr Vreeland. However, the idea of a Western Abbot in itself is not new across the different schools of Buddhism.

For instance, there have been other Westerners to be named as an abbot of a buddhist monastery, across all tradition. In theravadan Buddhism, we have Ajahn Brahm (an Englishman) of Bodhiyana Monastery in Southern Australia, Ajahn Pasanno (American) of Wat Pah Nanachat in Thailand, and Ajahn Sumedho of Wat Pah Nanachat in Thailand and Amaravati Buddhist Monastery in England.

In the Mahayana tradition, we have Ven. Karuna Dharma (American from Wisconsin) who is the Abbess of the International Buddhist Meditation Center in Los Angeles (first Vietnamese temple in USA), Roshi Kennett (English) who was appointed the Abbess of Unpukuji Temple in Japan and founder of Shasta Abbey in California, and Zentatsu Richard Baker, abbot of San Francisco Zen Centre and dharma-heir of the great Shunryu Suzuki.

In the Vajrayana tradition, we have Khenmo Drolma, abbess of Drikung Kagyu Vajradakini nunnery in Vermont. She is also the first Westerner to hold such a position in Tibetan Buddhism. Some may also have heard of Ven Thubten Chodron, who is the Abbess of Sravasti Abbey in Washington.

Moving away from the idea of Westerners, and looking at the idea of foreign abbots as a whole, Chatsumarn Kabilsingh is a Thai national ordained in Sri Lanka, who is the Abbess of the only monastery in Thailand where there are fully ordained Buddhist nuns.

The significant thing to me is the degree of how Westerners have occupied many positions of authority and importance in all three traditions. Apart from those named above, there are so many more Westerners, as well as foreigners from non-Western origins who have played and are playing a significant role in the growth and spreading of buddhism in the world, be it through teaching, founding of buddhist institutions, books, and so many more ways. It is also common to hear of monasteries, temples or centres that have been founded by a Westerner. Below are a few more names of significant foreigners in Buddhism who did great things despite not being an abbot:

Lama Govinda - German monk who founded the International Buddhist Union and Order of the Arya Maitreya Mandala   
Ayya Khema - German born Buddhist nun, author and founder of the International Conference of Buddhist nuns
Bikkhu Bodhi - American from New York who was the 2nd president of the Buddhist Publication Society and fount of Buddhist Global Relief
Sangharakshita - Englishman from London, founder of Friends of the Western Buddhist Order
Lama Ole Nyedahl - founder of the Karma Kagyu Diamond Way Buddhist Centres
Geshe Michael Roach - founder of Diamond Mountain
Bernard Glassman - American Buddhist Zen teacher and founder of Zen Peacemakers
Lama Jampa Thaye - dharma regent of Karma Thinley Rinpoche, member of the Karma Kagyu Trust and founder of the Dechen International Buddhist Association

And of course, the number of reincarnated western Trulkus are growing as the years pass - some of the more well-known ones includes Lama Michel, Jetsunma Ahkon Lhamo, Lama Osel, Lama Denys, Gesar Mukpo, Steven Seagal etc.

Conclusion? Buddhism is well on its way to becoming a global religion (if it hasn't already). The most popular and common in the west is theravadan tradition, followed by the Zen and Tibetan schools, most likely because the Theravadan tradition arrived first. The other schools continue to grow in popularity, and with more and more Western Trulkus being identified, I must say that Buddhism is here to stay, despite the fall of Tibet.

Now, what we need is to grow Dorje Shugden much more one global scale!

[Galen]

Rejoice that an American is appointed as the Abbot of Rato Monastery. For Nicholas Vreeland to be appointed by the Dalai Lama means that he is qualified to head this position and that the Dalai Lama is at least sure that he will do a good job.

Buddhism all this while comes across as an Asian religion even though it has spread worldwide. With the appointment  of a Westerner as the Abbot of a renown monastery, this breaks barriers and creates a bridge (like what Positive Change says) between the East and the West. This also shows that the appointment is based on merits and not biased. Maybe through his appointment, there will be increased interest in Buddhism in the West and will attract more people into the monastery and Buddhism.

This is the first appointment of a Westerner and therefore open doors for others in the future. For Nicholas Vreeland who had knowledge and experience in both secular and spiritual work, sure we will see growth in Rato Monastery.

[sonamdhargey]

Being a foreigner or a westerner will be good to bridge the gap and also expose Buddhism to another level. With the current mindset of Buddhism are very asian based religion, it is good that a Westerner become an Abbot to dispel and create a whole new view about Buddhism. By having a westerner Abbot, it also clearly shows that Buddhism is for all walks of life.

[Rihanna]

it is wonderful news to hear that a Westerner has become selected to be the Abbot of a Tibetan monastery in India. It must be that Nicholas is a reincarnation of someone who is attained, otherwise why would the Dalai Lama pick him. Attained masters do reincarnate in the West, like Lama Osel.

However, i don't think Nicholas was chosen to be Abbot as is normally done under monastic tradition, as per what Big Uncle mentioned earlier, that an ordinary monk can become geykul then umsay (is there an order to this?) before he is chosen as the Abbot? It seems like Nicholas was just selected to be the Abbot directly. I guess that the Dalai Lama is permitted to circumvent any rules in the monastery as Spiritual Head of Tibet, but I was wondering if this selection process was unusual.

[biggyboy]

Hmmm...Wonderful to hear of a Westerner being selected to be an Abbot of a Rato Monastery, an important Tibetan Buddhist Monastery based in South India patroned by HHDL.  He is bridging the West and the East as mentioned by HHDL.

Curious, I have checked into The Tibet Center's website and would like to share further on Venerable Nicholas Vreeland ...

http://www.thetibetcenter.org/
Press Release –

The Tibet Center is proud to announce that His Holiness the Dalai Lama has appointed its Director, The Venerable Geshe Nicholas Vreeland, as the new Abbot of Rato Monastery, which is based in India.  This is a historic moment; this is the first time that a Westerner has been appointed as abbot of an important Tibetan Buddhist monastery.  On making the appointment, in Long Beach California on April 20, 2012, The Dalai Lama stated, “Your special duty (is) to bridge Tibetan tradition and Western world.”

Vreeland will split his time between The Tibet Center in New York and the monastery in India. The original Rato Monastery, located on the outskirts of Lhasa, Tibet, was established in the 14th Century to preserve the teachings on Buddhist logic. By 1959, Rato had grown to 500 monks, with scholars from all the great monastic universities of Tibet converging there every year for a month of intense philosophical and logical study and debate.  In 1983, the monastery was reestablished in a Tibetan refugee settlement in the south Indian state of Karnataka, where two years later Vreeland became a monk and began his monastic studies.  He sat for his Geshe degree (Doctorate of Philosophy) in 1998, after which he returned to New York to assume duties as the Director of The Tibet Center —Kunkhyab Thardo Ling — where he had first begun his studies of Buddhism with the Center’s founder, the Reverend Khyongla Rato Rinpoche in 1977.

The Tibet Center has been a co-host, with the Gere Foundation, of His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s visits to New York a number of times, including two public talks in Central Park and teachings at Radio City Music Hall.  Vreeland has edited the New York Times bestseller, An Open Heart, and the recently released, A Profound Mind, both authored by His Holiness the Dalai Lama.

Though there are over 1,000 Tibetan Buddhist monasteries, Rato Monastery is one of only a dozen important Tibetan Government monasteries under the Dalai Lama’s patronage.  Today there are approximately 100 monks at Rato ranging from the age of 6 to 90.

Vreeland has been a photographer since he was 13 years old, and assisted Irving Penn and Richard Avedon. A recent exhibition of his work, entitled Photos for Rato, toured major cities around the world and raised most of the funds needed for the construction of Rato Monastery’s new campus and temple, which was inaugurated by the Dalai Lama on January 31, 2011.


Am wondering did he go thru the process of becoming an Abbot like what was highlighted by Big Uncle...of which I was told by my senior dharma friend that before a Geshe becomes an Abbot of a Monastery, they would usually go through the similar process as mentioned.  Sorry, I don't mean to disrespect HHDL's decision on the appointment, just curious.  If it is, so be it and knowledge for all to know.

[Barzin]

I personally think that whether Nicholas Vreeland is the first westerner being elected as a abbot or not is not important.  After reading up his profile, it was really inspiring.  Knowing the fact that his grandmother is a huge and influential lady in the fashion industry and an icon in the 60's.  Alongside working with Irving Penn and Richard Avedon, two of the greatest photographers of all time is enough to have the fashion industry wrapped in Nicholas Vreeland's hands.

What is inspiring is that he decided to pursue Tibetan Buddhism and learned about Buddha dharma, and he has the great merits and honour to meet His Holiness The Dalai Lama.  As little advice His Holiness had given him, urging him to just "study".  Now not only he does not go for money and fame and he earned himself a title to become the abbot to Rato Monastery, which means he will use this very life to benefit others.  What a noble and great accomplishment.

What more can we explain this rather than it must be the imprint of our previous lives...  I wish Nicholas Vreeland a great spiritual journey ahead and his story alone will benefit and inspire many lives.

[WisdomBeing]

                                                                                                                    Thank you for everyone's feedback on this topic, especially Thor’s comprehensive list of Western/foreign abbots/abbesses. I do agree, as Barzin says, that it doesn’t matter if the person is a Westerner or not, but we should be more impressed by the character of the person, in this case Vreeland.

What I find interesting about Vreeland’s family background is that despite the samsara world he was born in, with his grandmother being the Grande Dame from Vogue, he was not caught up in the very trap of samsara. It would have been so easy to be swallowed up by the illusory world of celebrities and fame. Especially with his interest in photography, and his famous grandmother’s network, he could have been a top photographer. Instead, he chose to follow the Buddhist path and has so far gained acknowledgement of his pursuit with the appointment as Abbot. And he is even using his photography skills to fund raise for Rato!  Definitely Vreeland is someone inspiring.

By the way, I still haven’t found out whether Rato Monastery is (or was) practising Dorje Shugden.