Surmang

Surmang refers to a vast alpine nomadic and farming region, historically a duchy under the King of Nangchen, with vast land holdings spreading over what is today the Tibet Autonomous Region and Qinghai Province. In Tibetan King of Nangchen's realm was called the "nyishu dza nga" or the 21 (provinces). Since 1959 it is mainly within the Yushu Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture of Qinghai province in China (historically part of Kham, eastern Tibet) [Surmang Foundation web site] . The Surmang region is one of the poorest regions in China ranking it among the world's highest infant and maternal mortality, almost 100% illiteracy, and personal income of less than US 14¢/day. [Surmang Foundation web site] It is part of the catchment in China of the 30 million ultra-poor.

Surmang also refers to a complex of nine or ten Kagyu monasteries in that area. These include: Surmang Namgyal Tse, Surmang Dutsi Til, Surmang Do Gompa, Surmang Doka Gompa, Surmang Kyere Gompa. The lineage held therein, known as the Surmang Kagyu, is a subschool of the Karma Kagyu, itself a subschool of the Kagyu lineage.

urmang Kagyu

History

Surmang Monastery bo|t=ཟུར་མང་དགོན་པ|w=zur mang dgon pawas founded about 600 years ago by Trungmase, a student of Deshin Shekpa, the 5th Gyalwa Karmapa. The name in Tibetan means "many cornered" referring to the irregularly shaped reed huts used by the first monastics in the area.

The 1st Trungpa Rinpoche, Kunga Gyaltsen, was a principal student of Trungmase. Surmang is the seat of the Surmang Trungpa tulkus, the line of incarnate lamas that heads Surmang and is particularly associated with the sub-complex "Dudtsi-til". The Surmang Trungpa Rinpoches, the Surmang Gharwang (abbot of the largest sub-complex, "Namgyal-tse"), and the Surmang Tenga Rinpoches were historically the three closest students of Trungmase, along with the 8 tongdens (other close students of the founder of the Surmang group). They are together considered the "Three Pillars of Surmang," although the late Chogyam Trungpa XI, called the original 3 the "Three Idiots."

The Surmang monasteries, through their long history, were exposed to violence. Dutsi til Monastery was razed twice by the armies of the Central Government of Tibet, the most recent being in the 1930's, when the Central Government tried to collect taxes in Tibetan areas of Qinghai.

The Surmang monasteries were again largely destroyed during the Chinese invasion of Tibet and the subsequent Cultural Revolution. ["The Surmang Project," Konchok Foundation website. One result of the Chinese invasion was the dis-establishment of all the monasteries, meaning that they lost all their land holdings after 1959 and thus ceased to be an economic or political force. ^{[http://www.konchok.org/surmang.html]} ] ["Trungpa Rinpoche XII and Surmang Monastery," Rokpa Foundation website. [http://www.rokpa.ca/surmang.htm] ] ["Born In Tibet (4th ed.)" by Chogyam Trungpa. Shambhala Publications, 2000 ISBN: 1570627142 pg 153-4.] In recent years Namgyal-tse has been largely restored under the leadership of the 12th Surmang Gharwang Rinpoche. Dutsi-til Monastery is being steadily reestablished under the leadership of Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche, the spiritual leader of Shambhala Buddhism and son of Chögyam Trungpa, the 11th Surmang Trungpa. [Konchok foundation fall 2006 newsletter] . The present head of the Surmang Dutsi-til monastery is Choseng Trungpa Rinpoche, the 12th Trungpa Tulku.

urmang Foundation

Surmang Foundation was founded in 1988 by Lee Weingrad following his trip to the region in 1987, making him the first Westerner to visit the region. In 1991, the Foundation went into partnership with the Dutsi Til Monastery and the Qinghai Provincial Government resulting in the construction of a clinic. The agreement, the first one signed by the Chinese Government with a foundation in Qinghai, opened the door for other foundations in Qinghai, Konchok Foundation most notably. Since 1991 the foundation provided community development and health services to the region, and included support of monks, nuns, and retreatants and facilities at the retreat center of Dorje Khyung Dzong. The Foundation was also responsible for the arrangements and logistics of the 2001 visit of Trungpa Tulku XI's son, Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche.

ee also

*Chögyam Trungpa
*Surmang Foundation

References

* [http://www.konchok.org/news_2006_fall.html Konchok foundation fall 2006 newsletter]
* [http://www.surmang.org/intro.php Surmang Foundation web site]

External links

* [http://www.konchok.org/ Konchok Foundation] dedicated to the well-being of Surmang Dudtsi-til
* [http://www.zurmangkagyud.org Zurmang Kagyud Buddhist Centre] founded by 12th Surmang Gharwang Rinpoche
* [http://www.surmang.org Surmang Foundation] established to alleviate poverty by promoting health