Preserving Tradition in Impermanence
The Tibetan diaspora and modern technology are changing Tibetan Buddhism.
Thupten Rinpoche, a high-level lamain the Gelug lineage, spent the last ten years building the Thupsung Dhargyeling Monastery in Dirang, India at the request of the Dalai Lama. This monastery is intended to be a center of Buddhist study and practice for laypeople, to re-connect them with their culture and spiritual traditions.
As a student of Buddhism, I have spent a great deal of time at Thupten Rinpoche's temple in Los Angeles. I traveled to Dirang to participate in the consecration ceremony at Thupsung Dhargyeling Monastery and immersed myself in the daily life of the monastery "“ sleeping there, eating and praying with the monks and local practitioners.
I am fascinated with the Tibetan Buddhists' steadfast preservation of their culture and traditions and how that intersects with influences from western cultures, as well as their infatuation with modern technology. Maintaining religious authenticity is a priority for the preservation of Tibetan culture, but the idea of impermanence is the foundation of Buddhist teachings "“ they believe that it is our fears and attachments that cause suffering in this always-changing world. This body of work explores the juxtaposition of tradition and modernity as the monastery prepares for a visit from their most sacred religious leader, the Dalai Lama.
