The
Founding of the Colleges The founding of the colleges after Jamchen Choje
had established and administered Sera monastery for about two years, he was once
again invited to Beijing by the Emperor. During his absence, he appointed his
disciple, Choje Dhargye Sangpo, as the administrator of the monastery. During
this period, Choje Gyaltsen Sangpo (also known as Gung-ru Gyaltsen Sangpo) over
the instruction of the Buddhist texts to the existing four colleges of the Sera
monastery namely, tod, Med, Gya and Dromteng. Owing to the large numbers of monks
in the colleges Tod and Med, a favorable treatment was given by adding more teachers
in order to pravide thorough instruction in Buddhist principal subjects, namely,
Jamyang Phagpa to Gya college, Rangjung-wa to Dromteng college, Jamgchub Bumpa
to Med college, and Choje Gyaltsen Sangpo to Tod college. In the course of time
the colleges, Gya and Dromteng, were combined with To college, in which She-rab-gyatso
was apoinyed as the teacher; consequently the former four colleges were reduced
to two colleges, namely, Tod and med. But later, along with the new establishment
of Je and Ngagpa colleges, the Tod college once again got combined with Je college,
thus, the three colleges in existence today took shape: Je, Med and Ngagpa.
The Tod College We don't have any historical documents regarding how long
Tod college was in existence. However, we do have doouments pertaining to the
appointment of the Disciplinarian for Sera monastery which was alternately controlled
by Je and Me colleges only. Because of this inequality, Ngagpa and Tod argued
with je and Med for a share of the post of the Disciplinarian. Thus we can judge
the Tod college existed for some time after the establishment of Ngagpa college.
Judging by the tiny space of only 12 columns in the assembly of the Tod college,
it was not likely for this college to have a large number of monks. Later most
of the monks in this college joined the Je college (this college consisted of
two houses; Powo and Gungru. Powo joined Je and Gungru joined Med college. Since
then, it was only known as the Tod house but not the Tod college. |
