Drepung Gomang Monastery of Southern India:

The Tibetan Monks of Drepung Gomang Monastery in Southern India tour the United States to share the compassion and wisdom of Tibetan Buddhism, to demonstrate the artistic accomplishments of the people of Tibet, and to generate funds to insure the survival of Tibetan culture.

The Sacred Arts Tour:

The Drepung Gomang Monks are on a Sacred Arts Tour of the United States. The Tour helps to raise funds to support the Drepung Gomang Monastery in Southern India. The donations are used to house, feed, and educate everyone wishing to study at this monastic center of higher learning– including orphans and refugees fleeing Chinese-occupied Tibet. The monastery wishes to establish a Food Foundation Fund which will help the monastery to provide a continuous food supply to the student monks in years to come. Information about Drepung Gomang Monastery, visitwww.gomang.org.

Schedule:
* 12:00-5:00pm: Tibetan Goods Market
* 1:00pm: Puja For World Peace
* 4:00pm: Snow Lion Dance

Puja for World Peace:

Buddhist Prayer is a ceremony in which prayers are offered to the Gurus, Buddhas and Bodhisattvas to request blessings or invoke their help. Prayers/pujas are performed to avert and clear worldly, inner and secret obstacles, and conditions which prevent us from achieving our worldly and spiritual goals. Worldly obstacles affect day to day life involving relationships, business, and etc. Inner obstacles affect health or mental states. Secret obstacles obstruct the attainment of innate wisdom.

Prayer/pujas are also performed for the dying to help pacify their mind, and for the deceased to bless and guide their mind to a higher state of rebirth, liberation, and enlightenment.

Snow Lion Dance:

The Snow Lion of Tibet is a celestial creature representing the playfulness of bliss and joy, similar to the western Unicorn. The Snow Lion does not fly and yet their feet never touch the ground. Their existence is a playful continuum of leaping from mountain peak to mountain peak. The energetic potency of the Snow Lion is infinite. It is so deeply a part of Tibetan mythology that It’s image is featured on the Tibetan Flag.

The roar of the Snow Lion embodies the sound of ’emptiness’, courage and truth. It is often recognized as the Buddha’s teachings, as it implies freedom from suffering and challenges us to be like the Buddha. It was considered to be so powerful that just a single roar could cause seven dragons to fall from the sky.

This event is open to the public. Donations are appreciated to support the charitable good work of the Drepung Gomang Monastery in India. At the Healing Center the monks will have a pop-up shop and be selling Tibetan Dharma items, jewelry and gifts.

The Drepung Gomang Monks’ visit to New Orleans is sponsored by
Tibetan House: Cultural Gift Store & Meditation Center
4900 Tchoupitoulas Street