# If a lama and a llama fought... **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [July 17, 2006, 4:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-a-lama-and-a-llama-fought/364814 "2006-07-17T04:45:58Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Mellifluous\_Appoggiatura](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ecae2f/32.png) [@Mellifluous\_Appoggiatura](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mellifluous_Appoggiatura)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2006, 4:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-a-lama-and-a-llama-fought/364814/1 "2006-07-17T04:45:58Z")
Or more accurately, a lama and a lama; I’ve been looking into the various differences between monastic buddhist traditions in various parts of asia, and it got me wondering: Tibetan Geluk monks and Japanese Shingon monks seem to study very similiar things (many of the same sutras and literature, very similiar types of meditation, and the like), but they seem to have markedly different pacing: I understand that your average Geluk monk will spend between fourteen and sixteen years studying before he sits for his Geshe exam, whereas your average monk scholar in the Shingon discipline only spends 6-8 years, or 10 if he’s serious, studying for his formal exams. So what’s the difference in the two systems, that allows a Shingon monk to complete his or her education years earlier? Do they have a smaller canon, or is the lack of emphasis on debate in the Shingon tradition enough to cut five years out of their program? ---
**Author:** ![MLS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/919ad9/32.png) [@MLS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MLS)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2006, 10:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-a-lama-and-a-llama-fought/364814/2 "2006-07-17T22:27:57Z")
An this has what do do with a llama, which is an animal? Or have I been whooshed? ---
**Author:** ![awldune](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c77e96/32.png) [@awldune](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/awldune)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2006, 1:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-a-lama-and-a-llama-fought/364814/3 "2006-07-18T01:11:16Z")
Do you know what the Lama says? Gunga galunga… gunga, gunga-galunga. ---
**Author:** ![DrFidelius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drfidelius/32/3447_2.png) [@DrFidelius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrFidelius)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2006, 1:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-a-lama-and-a-llama-fought/364814/4 "2006-07-18T01:49:03Z")
But if they fought violently enough to cause bystanders to call the fire departmenty for assistance, could that be a three-alarmer? (Apologizes to Ogden Nash.) ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2006, 2:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-a-lama-and-a-llama-fought/364814/5 "2006-07-18T02:23:18Z")
[The monk from the Shaolin monastery wins!](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kung_Fu_%28television%29) ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2006, 2:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-a-lama-and-a-llama-fought/364814/6 "2006-07-18T02:24:36Z")
BTW: You find Buddhist monks all over Asia, but you only find [lamas](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lama) in Tibet. ---
**Author:** ![danceswithcats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9e8a1a/32.png) [@danceswithcats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/danceswithcats)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2006, 2:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-a-lama-and-a-llama-fought/364814/7 "2006-07-18T02:33:28Z")
[If a lama fought a llama and the fight alarmed a llama would that be a three alarma llama llama duck?](http://www.albinoblacksheep.com/flash/llama.php)