Source: Xinhuanet

04-15-2009 17:15

　　BEIJING, April 13 (Xinhuanet) -- Nine monks from seven monasteries of the Gelug Sect (Yellow Sect) were conferred on the Lharampa Geshe, the highest degree of Tibetan Buddhism, in front of the Sakyamuni statue in the Jokhang Monastery on Sunday.　

　　The ceremony was the fifth one after the resumption of Lharampa Geshe conferring on Tibetan Buddhist monks in 2005 and a grand one after the March 14 Lhasa riot in 2008. In the previous four ceremonies, 22 monks got the degree after various tough examinations.

　　Lharampa Geshe is the highest degree for monks of the Gelug Sect of Tibetan Buddhism and is a rough equivalent to a doctoral degree in the academics.