On April 7, the 2017 annual exam of Larampa Geshe, the highest academic degree in Gelug sect of Tibetan Buddhism, was successfully completed. Ten monks from Drepung Monastery, the largest of all Tibetan monasteries, were given the degree.

This is the 13th time the degree promotion exam has been held since 2005, when the exam was resumed after being stopped in 1988 and a total of 105 monks have received the degree in the following 13 years.

Geshe means “good knowledge” in Tibetan. The Gelug sect of Tibetan Buddhism divides the Geshe degree into four grades, namely Dorampa, Lingtse, Tsorampa and Larampa. Among them,  Larampa Geshe is the highest, which is equivalent to a doctorate degree of Buddhism in modern education and is a goal for every Gelug monk.

 
Monks are debating scriptures during the examination for the highest academic degree of the Tibetan Buddhist Gelug sect, the  Larampa Geshe, April 7.

Monks are debating scriptures during the examination for the highest academic degree of the Tibetan Buddhist Gelug sect, the  Larampa Geshe, April 7.

Examinees are debating scriptures during the examination with other monks, April 7.

The 10 monks who received the Geshe Larampa degree take a photo in front of the main hall at Jokhang Temple, April 7.

Gyaltsen Namdrol (left) from Drepung Monastery takes first in the exam.