  
            Jangchub Ling Monastery is the main institute of the Drikung 
              Kagyu Order in exile. The institute was founded in 1985 by 
              His Holiness the Drikung Kyabgon Chetsang Rinpoche. It is located 
              in the foothills of the Himalayas, outside Dehra Dun, in the northeast 
              of India. Jangchub Ling is an education center which emphasizes 
              both traditional monastic education and also present-day training 
              to meet contemporary needs. There are currently over 200 monks 
              studying in two different schools. The first group of students 
              graduated in 1996.  
            The Lower School is programmed is like any other public school for young monks, 
              mostly aged between 8 and 17. They are taught Tibetan, English, 
              social studies, sciences, biology, mathematics, and stories relating 
              to Buddhism. They can stay up to the 8th grade. For their religious 
              education, the young monks are taught through reading and memorizing 
              a wide range of prayer texts, including Dhag-Dhag Ma (a collection 
              of prayers of D.K.), Zangchod (a prayer by Lord Buddha), Dolma 
              (Tara prayer) and Solkas (praise texts of Dharma Protectors). 
              After completing the Lower School, the monks join the Higher School.  
               
             The Higher School is designed for adult monks, who are mostly aged between 16 and 
              30. Today, the traditional Drikung Kagyu monastic system of educating 
              monks is applied. It takes 9 years to complete the course. For 
              the first four years, the following books are taught as the main 
              subjects: Bodhisattvacaryavatara ("Engaging in Bodhisattva 
              Conduct" by Shantideva), Pramana ("logic and reasoning 
              science"), Madyamikashastra ("Middle Way System" 
              by Nagarjuna), Madyamikaavatra ("Middle Way System" 
              by Chandrakirti). In addition, there are languages classes in 
              Tibetan and English. On completion of the course, the monks are 
              qualified in Madyamika philosophy. Over the next three years, 
              the main subjects are: Abhidharma ("manifest dharma"), 
              Prajanapramita ("the perfection of wisdom"), The Treatise 
              of Maiteria and Gong Chik ("the one thought"). At the 
              end of the three years, the students are awarded the degree of 
              Tencho (Shastri). In the final two years, the main subjects are: 
              Vinaya ("monastic codes of conduct"), and sets of Tantric 
              teachings. The monks are then awarded the degree of Lopon (Acharya). 
              Postgraduate studies in the various branches of Buddhist philosophy 
              will earn the title of Khanpo.  
             A short biography of the present 
              Drikung Kyabgon Chetsang Rinpoche 
             His 
              Holiness' full name is Drikung Kyabgon Chetsang Konchok Tenzin 
              Kunzang Thinley Lhundrup. He is the 37th throne-holder of the 
              Drikung Kagyu Order and is the 7th reincarnation of Konchok Rana. 
              His predecessor was Kyabgon Tenzin Shawe Lodro (1889-1943).  
             Drikung Chetsang Thinley 
              Lhundrup was born in 1946 near Lhasa, the capital city of Tibet. 
              At the age of 4, he was recognized as the reincarnation of the 
              previous Drikung Kyabgon, Shiwe Lodro, and was formally enthroned 
              in the seat of the head of the Drikung Kagyu School at Drikung 
              Thil Monastery. In 1957, at the age of eleven, during the great 
              Monkey Year Festival of Drikung Kagyu, Drikung Chetsang gave his 
              first public teachings and Phowa transmission. In 1959, his family 
              fled to India, his monastery was closed by the Chinese Government 
              and he was adopted by his former tutor, His Eminent Gyabra Rinpoche. 
              In 1960, Drikung Chetsang joined an elementary school in Lhasa 
              and was able to complete middle school in 1969, achieving great 
              success both in his studies and on the football field. In 1969, 
              he had to work as a farmer in the countryside. In 1975, he escaped 
              alone from Tibet to Nepal and his wish was fulfilled by two unknown 
              persons whom he met on the way and who helped him enormously. 
              On his arrival in India, Drikung Chetsang had an audience with 
              His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama and an official ceremony was 
              organized to again enthrone him as head of the Drikung Kagyu School. 
              After three months in India, Drikung Chetsang went to the United 
              States for two and a half years and was reunited with his family 
              after eighteen years of separation. In America, he took an adult 
              education course in English language and worked part-time in MacDonald's. 
              In 1978, he returned to India and resumed his monastic lifestyle 
              at Phiyang Monastery, in Ladakh, in the north of India. There 
              he engaged in religious studies. Drikung Chetsang then entered 
              into retreat for three years at Lama Yuru Monastery, under the 
              guidance of the master, Kyunga Rinpoche. In 1985, Drikung Chetsang 
              received his full monk's ordination law from His Holiness the 
              14th Dalai Lama, at Bodhgaya, where the Lord achieved his enlightenment 
              in India.  
            In 1985, Drikung Chetsang 
              founded the Jangchub Ling Monastery in India. The monastery has 
              now become the central Institute of the Drikung Kagyu Order and 
              is the center for many projects, including collecting all the 
              Drikung Kagyu texts (which are now rare) and setting up a "Computer 
              Library" and restoring and establishing new meditation retreat 
              centers, where many of the graduates will undertake a traditional 
              three year retreat upon completion of their training.  
            Though His Holiness the Drikung 
              Chetsang travels world-wide in the course of his religious activities, 
              he lives mainly at Jangchub Ling Monastery, in Dehra Dun, Northern 
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