2010-11-04 07:02

BEIJING - Eleven Tibetan Buddhists received the "Tho Ram Pa" degree, one of the highest academic degrees for Tibetan Buddhism, here on Wednesday.

They were granted the degree, which is equivalent to a doctorate degree, from Beijing's High-level Tibetan Buddhism College of China.

They were awarded the degree after taking exams on Tibetan Buddhist sutras, passing a dissertation defense and being interviewed by a judging committee composed of respected monks.

Since 2004, 66 graduates from the college have received the degree. The degree system was launched in an effort to improve the study of Tibetan Buddhism and the training of outstanding monks.

Before the degree awarding ceremony, the monks paid homage to the 11th Panchen Lama. Eminent monks from Tibet, Qinghai, Sichuan, Gansu and Yunnan, along with teachers and students from the High-level Tibetan Buddhism College of China, joined the religious ceremony.