Ladakh Nuns Assocation: History

Since the 10^th Century, Buddhism has flourished in Ladakh – a vast and beautiful desert high in the North-Western Indian Himalayas. The purity of Buddha’s teaching has been well preserved by the Ladakhi people, who have been isolated from the outside world until recently.

It became custom for families to have one daughter who shaved her head, lived a celibate life, and worked to serve the family - parents, siblings, and eventually nieces and nephews. While these girls and women longed to live a spiritual life, all too often they were ignorant of the precepts and the religious practices that support the life of a nun. In effect they were unmarried servant daughters, for whom the ordained life was but a dream.

Historically, nuns had a presence in Ladakh dating back over 500 years. Their practice was based in a temple near Thiksey Monastery. However, the nuns at that time had no designated accommodation facilities and lived in their family homes or in isolation from others and worked as laborers for sustenance. These conditions remained nearly unchanged until the 1990s.

By 1994, the traditions of Buddhist nuns and nunneries had seriously declined. Moral and financial support from the villagers had ceased and nuns were given no respect or status by the community or within monasteries and monastic institutions. There were approximately 300 nuns in all of Ladakh. Having served their families all of their lives, the overwhelming majority of these nuns were elderly and illiterate. The ordained female Sangha of Ladakh was close to extinction.

Venerable Dr. Tsering Palmo, born in Matho Village, Ladakh, was the first Ladakhi nun trained as a Tibetan medical doctor. She graduated from the Tibetan Medical and Astro Institute in 1993 and returned to Ladakh in 1994 to work in a medical clinic. At this time Dr. Palmo learned of the miserable conditions for nuns in Ladakh and felt that she could not be silent about the situation. She conducted surveys of several nunneries around Ladakh to find out first hand what support was needed and how she could help.

One year later, in 1995, Dr. Palmo helped organize the 5th International Buddhist Women’s Conference (Sakyadhita) held at the Mahabodhi International Meditation Center in Choglamsar, near Leh. She spoke at the conference about the destitute conditions of the nunneries in Ladakh. In addition, many other nuns had the opportunity to share their own stories about the exploitation they had faced. During and following the conference, Dr. Palmo had discussions with many women about the dismal state of the nuns and they began seriously considering ways to offer support.

In response to an overwhelming need, Dr. Palmo established the Ladakh Nuns Association (LNA) in 1996 in an effort to revive and rejuvenate the tradition of nuns in Ladakh. Recognizing that unless nunneries were built and opportunities for education created, few young women would ordain. LNA aims to raise the education level of the nuns as well as give them a safe and practical means of pursuing the study of the Dharma. LNA also wants to reach out to lay women to show the right path and help to impart spiritual education in the community.

The Ladakh Nuns Association is under the patronage of The Most Venerable Jangtse Choje Redzong Sras Rinpoche and was registered officially under the Jammu and Kashmir government in 1997. There are currently over 1000 Ladakhi nuns, the majority of whom are under 30 years old. There are 25 nunneries, 10 of which are active and fully functioning. Nuns are able to attend retreats, teachings and workshops provided by LNA, activities they never had access to in the past. LNA has established sponsorships for nuns to study in Ladakh and throughout India, creating opportunities for education long denied to women choosing a spiritual life. LNA has also helped to create a network among the nunneries so that they can work together and overcome the feeling of isolation many nuns have experienced for so long.

Taking an active role in the community, LNA also provides Ladakhi lay women with access to dharma teachings and literacy. LNA supports nuns to study as Amchis, Tibetan medical doctors, so that they can take care of their own health and the health care of villagers. LNA also assists construction projects in nunneries around Ladakh to improve the living conditions.