Geshe Kesang Menlom Co-Founder

Greg Schultz  (Gomang Samdup) - Co-Founder/President

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  Geshe Kesang Menlom (Co-Founder)                

I’ve been a Tibetan Buddhist monk ever since the age of 5.  Today, I’m an Octogenarian and unfortunately, the samsaric suffering of illness has taken a hold of me.  I joined the monastic order at such an early age as I came from a miserably poor family.  I never saw my father, my mother was sick and I could not be fed.

I joined Drepung Gomang in Lhasa, the capital city of Tibet at the age of 25.  When the repressive regime of communist China stormed Tibet in 1959, Tibet was divested.  Tibetans were massacred in thousands.  I was shot on my left ear and completely injured by an explosion.

I managed to escape into India by the end of 1959.  I’ve been in Gomang order until 1983.  I came to the United States in 1983 and until now, I have lived in Philadelphia.  I have served the Dharma and the Sangha community to the best of my ability.  In my own capacity, I’ve supported Drepung Gomang monastery and its monks while I was able.

My long time friend and student, Greg Schultz has volunteered to rescue and enable the completion of the project.  Greg has been a backbone in enabling Drepung Gomang to be able to raise a lot of funds.  True to a Buddhist value, he has been a very sincere, honest, compassionate, self sacrificing and placing others before self.  Greg has all my blessings and my best wishes on the “Pure Inspiration” non-profit organization to enable him to serve the immediate and pressing needs of Tashi Choeling and such other cultural and religious reservation projects, as and when the need is felt most.

On this very auspicious day of initiation of “Pure Inspiration”, I think and wish Greg a lot of success and fulfillment in this totally selfless endeavor.  However success is not possible without the thoughtful and considerate help of concerned individuals.  So for the sake of saving this valuable culture and near extinct race, I humbly request all of you to join hands and help us to save Tibet and its very distinct culture and most peaceful people.

Thank you so very much and my warmest regards to everyone.

        Geshe Kelsang Menlom

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Greg Schultz   (Gomang Samdup)

In 1996 I had the pleasure of meeting a Tibetan monk (Palden Gyatso) at an evening event while he was a 300-mile march from the Chinese Consulate in Washington, DC to the United Nations in New York City.  During the program Palden spoke about being imprisoned for 33 years and enduring torture that was unimaginable.  At the end of the event I asked Palden how he endured such pain and he responded by simply telling me “While being tortured, I meditated on the thought that somewhere in the world someone was suffering worse than I was”.  His answer touched my heart to the point that I knew that I needed to become part of solving the Tibetan situation. 

From that day forward, I decided to dedicate my life to the ultimate return of the Tibetan people to their home land of Tibet in addition to ensuring that their culture survives.