Weekly living expenses of a GWBI monastic approximate CAD200. Such expenses include food, stationery, clothing, basic medical supplies, utilities etc.
To date, White Lotus has complete funding its 2018 “GWBI Monastics’ Living Expenses” grant of USD500,000. In addition, White Lotus has disbursed USD193,000 to GWBI as part of the 2020 “GWBI Monastics’ Living Expenses” grant of USD500,000.
Great Wisdom Buddhist Institute (“GWBI”)
To fulfill its vocation, GWBI offers the Five Great Treatises curriculum, a 15-year program that educates and trains Buddhist scholars. Upon completion of this 15-year curriculum, the monastic attains the status of a Geshe. The Geshe degree is equivalent to a PhD in Buddhist philosophy within the Buddhist culture. It is a very esteemed status within the monastery and held for life. The first male received the Geshe status in 1102. Yet, this degree was not initially available for everyone, including lay people and Buddhist nuns. Not until 900 years later in 2011, did the world have its first female Geshema, hailing from German. In 2016, the first Tibetan woman attained the Geshema status. GWBI is currently one out of seven monasteries in the world to offer this Buddhist curriculum to females; and the only monastery outside of Tibet and India to do so.
