Gyuto (also spelled Gyütö or Gyüto) Tantric University is one of the great monastic institutions of the
Gelug
file:DalaiLama0054 tiny.jpg, 240px, 14th Dalai Lama, The 14th Dalai Lama (center), the most influential figure of the contemporary Gelug tradition, at the 2003 Kalachakra ceremony, Bodh Gaya, Bodhgaya (India)
The Gelug (, also Geluk; 'virtuous' ...
Order.
History
Gyuto () was founded in 1475 by Jetsun Kunga Dhondup and is one of the main
tantric colleges of the Gelug tradition. In Tibet, monks who had completed their
geshe
Geshe (, short for ''dge-ba'i bshes-gnyen'', "virtuous friend"; translation of Skt. ''kalyāņamitra'') or geshema is a Tibetan Buddhist academic degree for monks and nuns. The degree is emphasized primarily by the Gelug lineage, but is also awar ...
studies would be invited to join Gyuto or Gyume, another tantric institution, to receive a firm grounding in
vajrayana
''Vajrayāna'' (; 'vajra vehicle'), also known as Mantrayāna ('mantra vehicle'), Guhyamantrayāna ('secret mantra vehicle'), Tantrayāna ('tantra vehicle'), Tantric Buddhism, and Esoteric Buddhism, is a Mahāyāna Buddhism, Mahāyāna Buddhis ...
practice. Both of these monasteries used to be in Lhasa, Tibet, but they have been re-established in India. At the time of the Chinese invasion in 1950, about 1000 monks were part of the monastery. On 21 March 1959, soon after the
14th Dalai Lama
The 14th Dalai Lama (born 6 July 1935; full spiritual name: Jetsun Jamphel Ngawang Lobsang Yeshe Tenzin Gyatso, shortened as Tenzin Gyatso; ) is the incumbent Dalai Lama, the highest spiritual leader and head of Tibetan Buddhism. He served a ...
had left Lhasa for
exile in India, Ramoche was a focus of military operations by the Chinese
People's Liberation Army
The People's Liberation Army (PLA) is the military of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and the People's Republic of China (PRC). It consists of four Military branch, services—People's Liberation Army Ground Force, Ground Force, People's ...
. "One especially valuable memoir is provided by the Fifth Yulo Rinpoche, a monk at Gyuto Upper Tantric College and organizer of defense of
Ramoche Temple, who says that 'the Chinese Communists shot Tibetans indiscriminately, whether they had taken part in the resistance or not, and ambushed and killed many Tibetans who ran to
Ngabo's house for sanctuary.' Another witness, Jampa Tenzin, has stated in a personal interview that he saw fleeing beggars and children slain near Ramoche Temple, a report corroborated in other Tibetan memoirs."
60 Gyuto monks fled to India in 1959. After initially gathering in Dalhousie, India, the monastery was established in Tenzing Gang, in Arunachal Pradesh, India. The main monastery is now based in
Sidhbari, near
Dharamsala
Dharamshala (, ; also spelled Dharamsala) is a town in the Indian state of Himachal Pradesh. It serves as the winter capital of the state and the administrative headquarters of the Kangra district since 1855. The town also hosts the Tibetan ...
, India. Today, there are nearly 500 monks in the entire order.
Ramoche Temple in Lhasa was located inside Gyuto Monastery.
The Gyuto monks are known for their tradition of
overtone singing
Overtone singing, also known as overtone chanting, harmonic singing, polyphonic overtone singing, or diphonic singing, is a set of singing techniques in which the vocalist manipulates the resonances of the vocal tract to arouse the perception ...
, also described as "chordal chanting" which is said to have been transmitted by their founder. It achieved renown in the West following the release of recordings made by
David Lewiston
David Sidney George Lewiston (11 May 1929 – 29 May 2017) was a London-born collector of the world's traditional music. He is best known for his recordings initially released on LP on the Explorer Series of Nonesuch Records beginning in 1967.
...
in 1974 and in 1986 by
Windham Hill Records
Windham Hill Records was an independent record label that specialized in instrumental acoustic music. It was founded by guitarist William Ackerman and Anne Robinson (née McGilvray) in 1976 and was popular in the 1980s and 1990s.
The label was ...
.
In 1995, a group of Gyuto Monks travelled to the United States and performed during a series of concerts with the
Grateful Dead
The Grateful Dead was an American rock music, rock band formed in Palo Alto, California, in 1965. Known for their eclectic style that fused elements of rock, blues, jazz, Folk music, folk, country music, country, bluegrass music, bluegrass, roc ...
. Under the name "Gyüto Monks Tantric Choir", they appeared on the
Mickey Hart
Mickey Hart (born Michael Steven Hartman, September 11, 1943) is an American percussionist. He is best known as one of the two drummers of the rock band Grateful Dead. He was a member of the Grateful Dead from September 1967 until February 19 ...
/
Planet Drum album ''
Supralingua
''Supralingua'' is an album by former Grateful Dead drummer Mickey Hart and his percussion ensemble Planet Drum. It was released on CD by Rykodisc, Rykodisc Records on August 4, 1998.
Like the band's previous album, ''Planet Drum'', ''Supraling ...
'', as well as the
Van Halen
Van Halen ( ) was an American rock band formed in Pasadena, California, in 1973. Credited with restoring hard rock to the forefront of the music scene, Van Halen was known for their energetic live performances and the virtuosity of their guit ...
album Balance.
Gyuto monks in Australia
Since 1994 Gyuto monks have been visiting Australia taking part in cultural exchanges, tours, school visits and performances.
In 2003, a group of Gyuto monks performed at the wedding of Australian actress and singer
Toni Collette
Toni Collette (born Collett; 1 November 1972) is an Australian actress, singer, and songwriter. Known for her work in television, blockbusters and independent films, her accolades include a Primetime Emmy Award and a Golden Globe Award, wit ...
.
In 2008, the monks assisted in the preparations for the five-day visit of the
Dalai Lama
The Dalai Lama (, ; ) is the head of the Gelug school of Tibetan Buddhism. The term is part of the full title "Holiness Knowing Everything Vajradhara Dalai Lama" (圣 识一切 瓦齐尔达喇 达赖 喇嘛) given by Altan Khan, the first Shu ...
at the Dome in
Sydney Olympic Park
Sydney Olympic Park is a suburb of Greater Western Sydney, located 13 kilometres west of the Sydney central business district, in the Local government in Australia, local government area of the City of Parramatta, City of Parramatta Council. It i ...
. As tantric masters, the monks play a very specific role in the
Gelug
file:DalaiLama0054 tiny.jpg, 240px, 14th Dalai Lama, The 14th Dalai Lama (center), the most influential figure of the contemporary Gelug tradition, at the 2003 Kalachakra ceremony, Bodh Gaya, Bodhgaya (India)
The Gelug (, also Geluk; 'virtuous' ...
tradition of
Tibetan Buddhism
Tibetan Buddhism is a form of Buddhism practiced in Tibet, Bhutan and Mongolia. It also has a sizable number of adherents in the areas surrounding the Himalayas, including the Indian regions of Ladakh, Gorkhaland Territorial Administration, D ...
and thus were able to advise on, and carry out, the ritual requirements necessary for the Dalai Lama's program throughout the five days.
They created a full-size 2 metre
sand mandala
Sand mandala (, THL ''kyinkhor''; ) is a Tibetan Buddhist tradition involving the creation and destruction of mandalas made from colored sand. Once complete, the sand mandala's ritualistic dismantling is accompanied by ceremonies and viewin ...
of Chenrezig (also known as
Avalokiteśvara
In Buddhism, Avalokiteśvara (meaning "the lord who looks down", International Phonetic Alphabet, IPA: ), also known as Lokeśvara ("Lord of the World") and Chenrezig (in Tibetan), is a Bodhisattva#Bhūmis (stages), tenth-level bodhisattva associ ...
) in honour of the
Dalai Lama
The Dalai Lama (, ; ) is the head of the Gelug school of Tibetan Buddhism. The term is part of the full title "Holiness Knowing Everything Vajradhara Dalai Lama" (圣 识一切 瓦齐尔达喇 达赖 喇嘛) given by Altan Khan, the first Shu ...
,
Buddha
Siddhartha Gautama, most commonly referred to as the Buddha (),*
*
*
was a wandering ascetic and religious teacher who lived in South Asia during the 6th or 5th century BCE and founded Buddhism. According to Buddhist legends, he was ...
of Compassion himself and subject of the initiation ceremony.
In December 2008, the Gyuto Monks held their Happiness Tour of Australia at
Bondi Beach
Bondi Beach () is a popular beach and the name of the surrounding suburb in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. Bondi Beach is located east of the Sydney central business district, in the Local government in Australia, local government area of ...
Pavilion with a program of activities that included meditation, tantric art class and public talks.
In February 2009, the Gyuto monks performed a harmonic chanting ceremony at the Sydney premiere of the documentary ''Tibet: Murder in the Snow'' at Chauvel Cinema,
Chauvel Cinema
. Chauvel Cinema. Retrieved on 2010-12-17. Paddington, New South Wales
Paddington is a suburb of Sydney in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Located east of the Sydney central business district, Paddington lies across two Local government in Australia, local government areas. The portion south of Oxford St ...
.
In May 2009, the monks hosted early morning meditation sessions for attendees of the "Happiness and its Causes" conference in Sydney.
''Chants: The Spirit of Tibet'' (2013)
In June 2013, The Gyuto Monks of Tibet announced their signing to Universal Music
Universal Music Group N.V. (often abbreviated as UMG and referred to as Universal Music Group or Universal Music) is a Dutch– American multinational music corporation under Dutch law. UMG's corporate headquarters are located in Hilversum ...
, the world’s biggest record company. Their forthcoming album, ‘Chants: The Spirit of Tibet’, will be produced by Youth
Youth is the time of life when one is young. The word, youth, can also mean the time between childhood and adulthood (Maturity (psychological), maturity), but it can also refer to one's peak, in terms of health or the period of life known as bei ...
, the bassist for the post-punk rock band Killing Joke, whose production and remix credits include Primal Scream, U2, Paul McCartney, Depeche Mode and The Verve.
Youth said of the music "The Monks exemplify, in their mystical chants, the essence of Tibetan Tantric Wisdom and the profound philosophy of the Dalai Lama
The Dalai Lama (, ; ) is the head of the Gelug school of Tibetan Buddhism. The term is part of the full title "Holiness Knowing Everything Vajradhara Dalai Lama" (圣 识一切 瓦齐尔达喇 达赖 喇嘛) given by Altan Khan, the first Shu ...
. This is a musical system intentionally designed to alter your consciousness towards an illuminated and enlightened state."
In addition to this, The Orb – widely known as the inventors of "ambient house" from the late 1980s – are remixing the famous Buddhist "chordal chanting" which has become the Buddhist musical trademark. The recording is co-produced and mixed by Tim Bran whose production and mixing credits include The Verve, La Roux and Scissor Sisters. Due for release on the Decca Records
Decca Records is a British record label established in 1929 by Edward Lewis (Decca), Edward Lewis after his acquisition of a gramophone manufacturer, The Decca Gramophone Company. It set up an American subsidiary under the Decca name, which bec ...
label, the album is being recorded at the monastery in Dharamsala, a remote former British hill station in the foothills of the Himalayas. It combines the Gyuto monks' distinctive chanting and the finest Tibetan musicians with the aim of transporting the listener to another world.
Glastonbury 2013
To mark the 100th anniversary of the Tibetan Declaration of Independence, the Gyuto Monks of Tibet performed at the 2013 Glastonbury
Glastonbury ( , ) is a town and civil parish in Somerset, England, situated at a dry point on the low-lying Somerset Levels, south of Bristol. The town had a population of 8,932 in the 2011 census. Glastonbury is less than across the River ...
Festival on 27 June 2013 in the Green Fields. They also created a ceremonial sand mandala, a Tibetan Buddhist tradition of building a symbolic picture of the universe out of coloured sand which, on completion, is dissolved and returned to the waters of the earth.
Thupten Phuntsok of the Gyuto monks said: "We are honoured to be invited to take part in the world’s premiere music and performing arts festival, at the spiritual centre of the site."
Gallery
File:Gyuto University - monk carrying statue.jpg, Gyuto monk carrying images
File:Gyuto mandala.jpg, Gyuto mandala
File:Gyuto Tantric University.jpg, Dedication stone
File:Gyuto monk.jpg, Gyuto monks chanting
File:Small stupa at Gangchen Kyishong, Dharamsala.jpg, Small stupa
In Buddhism, a stupa (, ) is a domed hemispherical structure containing several types of sacred relics, including images, statues, metals, and '' śarīra''—the remains of Buddhist monks or nuns. It is used as a place of pilgrimage and m ...
at Gyuto University, Dharamsala
Dharamshala (, ; also spelled Dharamsala) is a town in the Indian state of Himachal Pradesh. It serves as the winter capital of the state and the administrative headquarters of the Kangra district since 1855. The town also hosts the Tibetan ...
Films
*1974 – ''Tantra Of Gyüto: Sacred Rituals Of Tibet'', directed by Sheldon Rochlin and Mark Elliott
*1989 – ''The Gyuto Monks: Timeless Voices''
Discography
* ''Chants: The Spirit Of Tibet'' (2013)
* ''Tibetan Chants for World Peace'', Gyuto Monks Tantric Choir (2008)
* Sounds of Global Harmony CD (2001)
* Om Mani Padme Hum
' (, ) is the six-syllabled Sanskrit mantra particularly associated with the four-armed Shadakshari form of Avalokiteshvara, the bodhisattva of compassion. It first appeared in the Mahayana ''Kāraṇḍavyūha sūtra'', where it is also referr ...
: The Jewel In the Lotus (2001)
* The Practice of Contentment : A Meditation Guide
* Tantric Trilogy : The Gyuto Monks of Tibet
* Seven Years in Tibet: film soundtrack
**''Track 2'' : Young Dalai Lama
The Dalai Lama (, ; ) is the head of the Gelug school of Tibetan Buddhism. The term is part of the full title "Holiness Knowing Everything Vajradhara Dalai Lama" (圣 识一切 瓦齐尔达喇 达赖 喇嘛) given by Altan Khan, the first Shu ...
and Ceremonial Chant (includes excerpt from "Mahakala" written and performed by the Gyuto Monks Tantric Choir)
**''Track 6'' : The Invasion (includes excerpt from "Yamantaka" written and performed by the Gyuto Monks Tantric Choir)(1997)
* Freedom Chants from the Roof of the World : The Gyuto Monks, The World (Rykodisc/Mickey Hart Series)(1989)
* Tibetan Tantric Choir : The Gyuto Monks (1986)
* Music of Tibet
The music of Tibet ( zh, 藏族音乐) reflects the cultural heritage of the trans-Himalayan region centered in Tibet, but also known wherever ethnic Tibetan groups are found in Nepal, Bhutan, India and further abroad. The religious music of ...
- Recorded by Huston Smith, CD produced by mondayMEDIA, released on the GemsTone label (1967)
References
External links
Gyuto Monastery, India
Gyuto Wheel of Dharma Monastery, Minnesota
Gyuto Varjrayana Center, of San Jose, moved and is now The Gyuto Foundation in East Richmond Heights, California
{{coord, 29.6586, N, 91.1306, E, source:wikidata, display=title
1475 establishments in Asia
Buddhist orders
Planet Drum members
Temples in Himachal Pradesh
Tibetan Buddhist monasteries and temples in India
Buildings and structures in Dharamshala
1959 establishments in Himachal Pradesh
Universities and colleges in Himachal Pradesh
Education in Dharamshala
Buddhist monasteries in Himachal Pradesh