LNA Newsletter - Summer/Winter 2004

Audience with Most Venerable Changse Chosje Rinpoche (Patron of LNA): - The working Committee member of LNA has a detailed discussion with the Rinpochey and presented a full progress report of LNA make over the last three year. Rinpochey expressed satisfaction and advised all members to work with zeal and earnestly in future for the wellbeing of nuns

Teachings:- From 1 st to 8 th January, we organised teachings on the Five Path and the Ten Stages of Meditation (Salam Namjak) at the Atisha Dharma Centre of the Ladakh Buddhist Association (LBA.) More than one hundred people of different ages, male and female, participated, including twenty nuns. The week long talks on the above topic were recorded in order to distribute the cassettes among aspirants of the Dharma. After this valuable and rare talk, the Religions Propagation Committee of the LBA arranged a five day Dharma talk on the (Druptha) given by Dr Lobzang Chewang, a scholar of the Central Institute of Buddhist Studies (CIBS)

From 26 th April for one month, the Most Venerable Changtse Chosjay Sras Rinpochey gave teachings of Lama Tsongkhapa’s Graded Path (Lamrim Chenmo) in Leh. This year also, more than 200 nuns participated in the Ladakh Monlam Chenmo (Great Monlam Festival) in Leh.

In the month of June, Venerable Geshey Lobzang Topgyal-la, the former Abbot of Galden Choling Nunnery in Dharamsala arrived. During his stay at the LNA Centre, he gave the initiation, instructions and guidance on Tantric practice to the nuns which proved immense benefit to the devoted nuns. In addition to these teachings, Geshey-la gave Medicine Buddha oral transmition and Amitabha Buddha long life initiation. At the end of the teaching, he was cordially requested to visit again in 2005 by Dr Palmo, which Geshey-la accepted.).All nuns, students and office staff of the LNA actively participated during the entire period of all these teachings..

We organised nine day training in a village two hours drive from Leh from 26 th October to 3 rd November. Venerable Khenpo Dorje acquaint with the death and dying procedures to the villagers which is highly significant. This is an old custom in which the text is read immediately after the death of a person. However, our teachers advised us that it is very important for the public in Buddhist faith to listen before once death, so that they can understand about the different stages of visualisation and also they can prepare themselves for their own death. A total number of eighty people participated.

Dharma Books:- In February, the LNA prepared shorter versions of the Salam and Druptha texts and the life story of Bhikshuni Lakminkara, and a brief history of the LNA. These were put into computer and duly edited by Dr Jamyang Gyaltsen,

Talk on Preventation of Sickness, Consultation and Free Medicine distribution: - With the support of the Dutch Chomo Foundation we were able to buy various medicines and distributed them at Gaden Chhatnyanling (Thiksay), Tashi Choling (Tingmosgan), Phunsog Choling (Hemis Shokpachan), Thardot Choling (Chulichan Rezong),besides more than forty students studying in Leh apparently. All the nuns are getting physically better every year, and have gained enough weight, and many of the elderly nuns do not have to rely on walking sticks for support. They send deep thanks and are praying for the good health and success in the spiritual practice of all their donors. From 1 st to 3 rd November, we had an exchange of views with the public at Shara Village; the last day covered the prevention of diseases. The villagers appeared incredibly happy for the first time in their lives, they had a chance to sit & discuss trying to understand one another’s problems and hardship.

Women Literacy Programme and Seminars:- We organised a seminar in the Village Shara on the importance of education in the present world. Five days seminars were also organised in Nubra Valley in collaboration with the Central Institute of Buddhist Studies from 7 th Sept to12th of Sept . The women indicated keen interest to learn reading and writing. and requested the LNA to send nun teachers during the winter months to teach them. in their village, the LNA decided to send two nuns for one month during the winter to teach them in the village.

Prayer for all LNA Sponsors:- Sixteen Dharma text books were read out last year and also from 3 rd December for about a week by all nuns at the LNA Centre twice for the well off our sponsors, supporters, donors and for the world peace. At the conclusion of this recital, Most Venerable Choegon Rinpochey was invited to the centre to give a short Dharma talk and blessings to the nuns and staff.

Bioligo Support for Amchi (Medical Students) Tibetan Medical Institute at Darjeeling; This year, all medical students received permission for one month’s summer holiday from their colleges. They returned to Ladakh and came to meet their families and relatives in their villages. On their way back, they stopped for one week to collect herbs in the mountains of Himachal Pradesh, introduced by two teachers. These students are very thankful to the Bioligo ( Switzerland) for their great support and are now in their second years of study, having passed their first term exams with good marks. During the winter two and half months (holidays), they will stay in Darjeeling to attend tuition.

Students out of Ladakh and in Leh:- In January, four nuns were allowed to appear in the entrance test of Dolmaling Nunnery in Dharamsala, to get admission for further studies. Stenzin Skitpa was successful and the remaining nuns unfortunately could not pass the exam. Lobzang Dolma was later admitted into the monastery of Shadrapling Nungur Nyingmapa Nunnery in South India. Jigmet Dolma and Konchok Tsomo are studying at the Himalayan Buddhist and Culture Institute, in Manali (H.P.).

In March, all students reported back to school after spending the winter holiday with their parents. All are in good health and cheerful. In November, all the junior students received high marks in their exams and distributed gifts to them by us. The exams of senior students started from 20 th November. and ended on 3 rd of Dec. Their results will declare next year in April.There are nine students studying in the Central Institute of Buddhist Studies in Higher Secondary Classes. This year, we decided to send students to their home for winter holidays.

The students studying outside Ladakh are doing very well except one who fell sick. She is now receiving treatment and is slowly getting better. There are now more than fifty students studying outside Ladakh, sent by the LNA since 1999.Total number of thirty students are in the Hostel and two in the Leh Lamdon School and two in the Shey Lamdon School.

Study Tour & Pilgrimages:- The staff and other members of the LNA began a three day pilgrimage to the ancient monasteries of (Sumdho, Alchi and Mangu)..Four nuns will leave to attend the teachings of H.H The Dalai Lama in South India starting from 24 th of December for about five days. They will manage to find out time to meet the students studying there.

Leadership Training and Workshop: - In May, training on Leadership was organised by the Tibetan Women’s Association and was attended by Dr Palmo for five days. Later took the time to meet the nun-students studying in various nunneries and Tibetan Dialect Schools, such as Jamyang Choeling, Dolmaling Nunnery and so on, and checked their requirements and problems. The nuns put forth their progress regarding studies and problems before Dr Palmo.

The DFLN members organised and facilitated a three day workshop on Community Building in which 27 nuns of all age groups participated (i.e. from the 50 to 84 age group). The nuns felt a unique change in their outlook and experienced a wonderful opportunity by sharing their life stories with each other. which according to them, they had never experienced in their lives.

Invitations & Rain Retreat at Nakhon Pathom Bangkok Thailand : - Two nuns from the LNA journeyed to Thailand on 1 st August 2004 to attend a three month rain retreat course on the invitation of Venerable Dr. Dharmananda.

Dr. Palmo also went to Thailand on the invitation of the International Women’s Partnership for Peace and Justice (IWP) to give a talk on Buddhism and Spiritual Healing for five days.

Gaden Chhatnyanling Thiksay Nunnery Project: - In the months of August, two important board members of the Dutch Foundation for Ladakh Nuns (DFLN) visited Ladakh.They presented donation for the construction of Gaden Chhatnyanling Nunnery Thiksay (Nyerma) a historical site, few kilometres from Thiksay Monastery. The plinth area has now been fully completed and this year, progress has been made with the completion of five rooms with two toilets and a corridor. The completion target of the whole nunnery building has been earmarked for five years. Doris, a German friend and well-wisher of the LNA, was gracious enough to raise donation for the construction of nunnery during 2005.

Volunteers & English Teachers and Meeting with Women Activists:- By the middle of April, Markus from Germany arrived to extend his help to make window frames of nuns’ hostel in Choglamsar voluntarily. Several volunteers from UK based organisation Mondo Challenge visited Ladakh and were sent to various schools and nunneries to impart free teaching of the English language. Three volunteers from the UK based organisation Beautiful World were received by the LNA and were sent to teach at Rezong and Matho Monasteries. All were a great help to the students. The monasteries are expecting for such experienced volunteers to teach the young monks in the future. Doris ( Germany ) helped a lot to teach English to our student and especially in translating all the LNA articles and newsletters in Germany. She also helped to teach Computer to our staff.

An important meeting was held at the LNA centre in which prominent women activists participated regarding some serious and unfortunate problems that have occurred to women in some of the remote parts of Ladakh in recent times. The participants spoke in depth about eradicating such unfortunate occurrences and to check that such similar events do not arise in future by providing financial and moral support, and keeping in close contact with the victims of such crimes, and mentioned to create awareness of such occurrences among the masses.

Gifts Received & Visitors (Supporter of LNA):-I n this spring we received four fruit trees and one flower tree from Jikmat Guest house and LNA neighbour Madam Sonam Palskit which were planted in the office premises. Isolde Walter and her friends also brought warm clothes, school bags and stationery for all the students. The staff members thanked Dr. Corrine Wacker, Barbara Steinmann, Nana and her friends. Elisabeth Gardener (Switerzerland) Doris, Isodle Wacker and her friends ( Germany), and Ginyten Brummethuis, Willemiem Frencken and Ad Van (Stitching Prana Planet) we received donation through DFLA for LNA... Dr. Nel de Jong,Anne Renken, Marjan Gerritse, and Catheren Humberger ( France) . Kay and his sister from Germany helping by raising fund for the construction of the Thardot Choling (Chilchan Rezong ) since the last couple of years in Ladakh. We are very thankful to all supporters for the very kind support and donation for LNA...Sorry in case the names of any well wishers of the LNA have not been mentioned in this newsletter.

We all wish a Merry Christmas and very Happy New Year to all of you.