LNA Newsletter - Summer 2002

Construction of Prayer Hall

The construction work of a prayer hall at the LNA centre G.H. Air Port Road, Lower Skara was started in May 2002, and is now near to completion. The Block Development Agency, Leh, has financed the expenses of this work and the inauguration ceremony is expected to take place in September 2002. The Women’s Alliance in Leh has volunteered since the beginning in raising the boundary wall and giving firm helping hands in roofing the Hall.

A dinner meeting was held at the LNA centre on 11th June, in which among others Shri T. Samphel President of the Ladakh Buddhist Association, and Mrs. Jill Jameson from Melbourne, Australia, were invited. A good length of discussion and interaction was held with all guests and members of LNA. Shri T. Samphel expressed his happiness over the activities being done by the LNA over the last few years, and he assured his full support to the LNA in the years to come. Jill Jameson was overjoyed to see the enterprising and enthusiastic work being done by the LNA, particularly a portion of building accomplished in such a short span of time. She expressed her contentment and appreciation to all members of the LNA and all those who are involved in constructing the building of the LNA centre.          

Ven T.Palmo expressed her gratitude to all the guests for their participation and pointed out the priorities, which the LNA hopes to carry out.        

At the end of the meeting gifts were presented to two members of construction committee for their unflagging effort to complete the LNA building last year expenses of, which has generously been born by the Singaporean Buddhists and Monica Boni of Switzerland and Barbara Dichgans of Germany.

During 2002 under this scheme a plan was taken up for the plantation of apple and apricot trees at Thardot choling Nunnery at Redzong, and the plantation of willow and poplar trees at Deachen Choling nunnery at Skidmang. Out of the above allocated budget, some portion of the money will be utilized to meet the expenses for holding workshops on Buddhism and Ecology and some for collection of herbs for incense etc, some for imparting training to nuns in trees and fruit trees plantation in the above two nunneries. This year Jill Jamson visited the Thardot Choling Nunnery, Redzong with some LNA members to have an on the spot inspection of fruit plantation done by the nuns of the nunnery, and later she showed her satisfaction over the work of fruit plantation progress made there. 

Seven LNA Amchi students have successfully passed their first year course in July this year and are already reading in the second year Amchi course sponsored by BIOLIGO, Switzerland. They still need to continue for three more years. We are grateful to BIOLIGO for their kind help. The LNA is highly grateful to Corinne Wacker who arranged sponsorship funds in favour of ten students and her friends. Ruth Hofer and Elisabeth (co-ordinater of LNA in Switzerland) also collected donations for the LNA for organizing seminars.

With the initiative of Ven. Rita a familiarization was arranged so that they could fully adapt the mode of functioning of the office of the Tibetan Nuns Project, Dharamsala, to enable them to follow the same pattern for running the LNA in an appropriate manner. The LNA is highly thankful to Rinchen Khando la, Elisabeth Napper and all staff members for providing such a valuable opportunity to the LNA. The LNA is also indebted to the Director of the Tibetan nuns' project for granting admission to five LNA students in their nunnery at Dharamsala.

Peace rally at Leh:

Jill Jameson, a member of the International Buddhist Peace Fellowship, organized a peace march on 8th of June 2002 with the co-operation of all sections of the society, especially the various religious organizations of Leh, Ladakh. This march was started from Devi Mandir and culminated at the Polo Ground. A large number of people from all walks of life, and students from different Schools participated. Shri T. Samphel (President, Ladakh Buddhist Association), Ven Angchok (President, Ladakh Gonpa Association), and all heads of religious associations addressed the gathering for instant stoppage of the war between India and Pakistan keeping in view the present heightened border tension between the two countries.

LNA team tour to historical monuments in Purig area of Kargil.

After the barbaric act of the Taliban in Afghanistan of destroying the world's largest rock carved statue of Lord Buddha in the year 2001, the importance to preserve and protect such ancient and invaluable, sacred sculptures drew worldwide attention. These sculptures are known as Ghandara Arts, which are about 1500 to 2000 years old, a heritage of human civilization. Human civilization received a setback in the year 2000 when the Muslim fundamentalist Taliban callously destroyed the statue despite worldwide pleas not to blemish such a valued figure of the Buddha. No doubt it was a lamentable and condemnable action and an incursion on civilization, and the future generation of civilization can hardly forgive such deeds of stupidity as faiths and sentiments of millions all over the globe shattered.

In the month of June, a team of the LNA visited the Purig area of Kargil to assess on the spot the present condition of invaluable figures of enlightened ones, carved on rocks and felt an urgency as to how best such hitherto neglected and undervalued monuments of Buddhist art can be protected in the years to come.

A week’s teaching on Gyalden Lhagyma & a three-day Tara Puja was organised at Thekchen Chatsan ling, Thiksay Nunnery in May 2002 during the Buddha Janti. Ven Geshe Tsulrtim Tharchen gave the teachings to the nuns and the laywomen. It was sponsored by Ven Tenzin Chodron and her friends (Chomo) from Netherland. The Tara Puja was organized for the longevity of sponsors, and for the prevailing of peace and harmony in this mundane world, to develop compassion and love for all sentient beings. At the end of the puja the nuns decided to build a nunnery of their own to lead a peaceful life in future.

With this view they approached Most Ven. Khenpo Rinpoche (Thiksay) for donation of a piece of land for the construction of a nunnery.  Rinpoche has been kind enough to allot a piece of land from a place known as YARMA (Thiksay) which happened to be an ancient and sanctified site, with many old clay stupas in dilapidated conditions dating back to Lotsawa Rinchen Zangpo, a great spiritual and divine person. It is a peaceful and calm location, and is an ideal place for seeking a harmonious life for nuns.

LNA Newsletter - Summer 2002 (ctd)

Book on Bki.Palmo:-  A book in Tibetan on the life of Bki. Palmo, a great yogini, was printed and  will soon be distributed to all the nunneries. Richard and Carol Weingarten from USA sponsored the printing of the books.  

Nana from Germany has been kind to the LNA as she printed about more than three thousand postcards depicting various pictures of nuns for sale. The proceeds will go towards the overall welfare of the nuns in Leh. May she accrue a lot of merits by this kind and altruistic gesture. 

Longevity Puja in honour of Rgal Rtsas Bakula Rinpoche

A one day Tara Mantra Puja (Rtansjuks) for the long life of H.H. Bakula Rinpoche was organized on behalf of all the nuns of Ladakh, in which about 100 nuns participated coming from different nunneries at the newly completed Fotang of Bakula Rinpoche, Samker. The audience was also blessed by the presence of Most Ven. Jangtse Chojay Sras Rinpoche. At the end of the devotional function, a Tsogs offering was presented to accumulate merits and sending love and compassion to all sentient beings in this mundane world, particularly in view of the prevalent animosity faced by the innocent ones due to a lack of humane warmth.