BEIJING, Nov.4 (China Tibet Online) Eleven lamas were conferred with the advanced degree of Tibetan Buddhism and 19 with certificates of sutra teachers at the High-level Tibetan Buddhism College of China.

This was the ninth class of advanced degree or "Tho Ram Pa"，with which lamas from the Gelug Sect and Jonang Sect of Tibetan Buddhism graduated after passing a strict examination of sutras debates and dissertation defenses.

The 19 sutra teachhers, or Yongzins from the Nyingma Sect, Sakya Sect and Gelug Sect of Tibetan Buddhism and Bonism also received their certificates to be eligible sutra teachers in the High-level Tibetan Buddhism College.

At the ceremony, Jamyang Lozang Jigme Thubten Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche, vice president of the Buddhist Association of China and president of the High-level Tibetan Buddhism College of China, awarded 11 winners the certificates of the "Tho Ram Pa" advanced degree，symbolizing their profound knowledge of and great honor in Tibetan Buddhism.

Initiated by the Tibetan Buddhist figures and established in 2004, the "Tho ram pa" advanced degree system aims to nurture highly qualified lamas who love both their motherland and religion by inheriting the monastic mode of sutra learning and examination and incorporating the modern education system. A total of 99 monks have received this degree by far.

Originated in 2011, the Yongzin evaluation system was created by the High-level Tibetan Buddhism College of China in an effort to consolidate the academic rank system and explore the promotion system of outstanding sutra teachers as an internal part of the academic titles' system.

It has been basically established after two terms of evaluations and recruitments. By a traditional test mode of sutra debating, candidates were jointly evaluated by the judging committee and the review committee on their mastery and teaching ability of the five major Tibetan Buddhism scriptures including Mahaprajna-paramita-sutra, Mulamadhyamaka-Karika, Abhidharma Kosha Karika Shastra and Vinaya Pitaka.

Leaders from the United Front Work Department of the CPC Central Committee, State Bureau of Religious Affairs and the Buddhist Association of China attended the awarding ceremony together with hundreds of high-level lamas and monks of the college.

Sita, vice minister of the United Front Work Department of the CPC Central Committee delivered a speech during the ceremony.