(rtag Ita) The belief that there is a permanent and causeless creator of everything; in particular, that one's identity or consciousness has a concrete essence which is independent, everlasting and singular. Drepung was the largest monastery in Tibet and in the world until the Chinese occupation of Tibet in 1959. Thousands of monks had to flee to India to practice their religion. Originally 59, the number of monks of this monastic college in exile has grown to 1700. Every year an average of 120 new monks arrive having great difficulties adjusting to the very hot climate and suffering from diseases unknown in Tibet. Many monks have a bleeding stomach ulcers caused by the bad water quality. Malnutrition, tuberculosis and dysentery take their toll. The monastery cannot provide enough food, shelter and medical care for all. 200 of them are under the age of 18. Many of the children are orphans.

shasvata vadin (Skt); rtag lta (Tib). One of the two extreme philosophical views said to hamper practitioners from achieving realisation of emptiness. Historically, this described the position of certain early Indian philosophical schools. The term is applied to a philosophical or religious view which postulates the existence of an eternal soul. See also Nihilism and Madhyamika.

Eternalism is a view in the philosophy of time according to which the past, present and future are all equally real. To clearly distinguish it from presentism, the view carries an ontological commitment to more than just the present instant or moment.