Department of Home (Choerig)

Overview: The Department of Religion and Culture supervises 262 monasteries and nunneries in India, Nepal and Bhutan and looks after the welfare of approximately 39,479 monks and clergies. Choerig is also affiliated with several non-monastic institutions like the Tibetan Institute of Performing Arts, Tibet House (New Delhi), Library of Tibetan Works and Archives, Central University of Tibetan Studies (Sarnath), Norbulingkha Institute and the Manjushree Center of Tibetan Culture.

Vision and Mission: The department seeks to revive, preserve and promote Tibetan religion and culture.

Objectives: The department seeks to:

• Plan and implement CTA’s religious and cultural policies
• Support Tibetan monasteries, nunneries, temples and other cultural institutions that preserve and promote Tibetan cultural heritage
• Promote unity and harmony amongst the various Tibetan religious schools
• Organize and participate in conferences and seminars on religion, culture and Tibetan studies
• Sponsor and conduct research in the areas of Tibetan and Buddhist studies
• Hold public discourses and teachings for the promotion and preservation of unique and rare Tibetan oral religious transmissions
• Liaise with important religious associations of other faith

Key Programs: The department holds a biannual gathering of religious leaders and representatives of the four major Tibetan Buddhist schools and Bon religion. It organizes annual Chotrul Monlam Chenmo and Guru Bumtsok and conducts special services like long life prayers for this Holiness the Dalai Lama. Scholarships are offered to newly escaped monks and nuns and more than 10,000 scholarships have been offered to date. Support is provided to old, sick and needy monks and nuns who are not registered with any monasteries and nunneries. Choerig provides salary and stipends for religious teachers and caretakers of smaller monasteries and nunneries. The department also provides small grants to projects that are aligned with the goals of the department. One of the department’s new project is research into the possibility of introducing bhikshuni order compatible with the Tibetan Buddhist Vinaya tradition.

Leadership: Kalon: Pema Chonjor. Secretary: Ngawang Choedak

Website: www.tibet.net/religion

2012 Tibet Corps Opportunities:

• Project and Web Designer