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LNA Newsletter - Winter 2005 Retreat & admission in Nuns Institute out of Ladakh:-
Thiksay ChatnangLing Nunnery Project ( DFLN):- Marlies Bosch along with four volunteer students from America reached Leh by air. During their stay at Leh they rendered a commendable help for the construction of Nunnery at Thiksay Nyerma for about two months. With the result a considerable amount of money was saved. The LNA working committee and all nuns are grateful to them for their valuable service. Besides these volunteers managed to find time to teach English to the nuns and also to Geshey Tsultrim Tharchin to enable them to communicate easily. On 26 th of September ten nuns moved to their newly constructed Nunnery (Nyerma) at Thiksay. We helped them with the transport and offered lunch for them. They are very happy happy to stay together and to pray together for the generous support from the Dutch Foundation for Ladakh Nuns and all the donors and volunteers those helped them to build the rooms. Two nuns are staying together in each room. We hope next year the other five rooms kitchen and dinning rooms to be complete. All the nuns praying from their depth of the heart for the long life, success for all the sponsors and supporters.
Dharma Gaia Project at Thiksay Nunnery:- Jill Jamsang & Gramme conducted survey of the newly constructed Nyerme Nunnery and prepared a project for the development of this nunnery, which has been supported by the Dharma Gia Trush for its plantation and walling etc.
Land to build the Institute of the Nuns in future:- We got a piece of land (35 Kanal) donated by the people of Saboo village, which duly allotted by the District administrative of Leh Autonomous Hill Development Council. We prepared all requisite records and accounts for auditing and submitted the same to the Chartered Accountant at Delhi for the year 2004 to 2005 and was further submitted to the Ministry of Home Affair for their information., as we are supposed to send the information in respect of all accounts to the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act, Division New Delhi every year.
Inspection our accounts report and activities:- In the month of Oct 2005, a team of two officers from the Ministry of Home Affairs New Delhi visited & inspected all the activities, related documents fonder name and address, people involved with our projects and the accounts records of the LNA from 2001 to 2005. They shown satisfaction with the activities and the projects which are going on in different nunneries. As regarding maintenance of records in future, which proved quite beneficial.
Bioligo Support for our Medical students:- Unfortunately the Director of the Chakpori Meidical Institute Ven. Dr. Trogawa Rinpoche la passed away. Its was a great shocked for all the nuns in Ladakh. We did pray for one week for the quick rebirth of r Rinpoche la to help the sentient being. All the medical students will reach Ladakh for the winter holidays. We are very thankful for the Bioligo and their members for the support.
Workshop for our Nuns:- The LNA co-coordinator from Thailand Ms Ouypom and her friends visited Ladakh and stayed at LNA center, Leh to help in the activities. After spending few days they proceeded to four nunneries to see on the spot inspection to know the real situation and problems of our nuns. During their stay at Leh they guided the nuns to participate in various activities for the present and future. During their short stay at Leh they arranged and purchased an enough amount of furniture for the LNA centre.
Consultation and Free Medicine distribution:- With the support of the Dutch Chomo Foundation we were able to buy medicines and distributed them to all the nuns in the various nunneries and students. Thiksay Chatnangling,Thardot Choling Rezong Phunsong Choling Nunnery Hemis Shokpachan, our nuns in the Centre at Leh and the students at our Hostel. Tingmosgang Nunnery;- We sent the medicine for them. Ven Amchi Thubten Dolma the head of the nunnery. She takes care of the nun’s health care. I do visiting them two times a year. But most of the nuns when they traveled to Leh they come to meet me and same time they are asking for the support for their health. We collected building materials to build a Pharmacy for preparing medicine in the future with the help of the Dutch Chomo Foundation
Buddhist Scholar visited:- Ajaan Sulak Sivaraksa is one of the world’s leaders of engaged Buddhism, for an exploration into the power of compassion, loving kindness and mindfulness in creating concrete change in the structure of our global Society. He visited Leh, with his office team right after the International Conference at Nagpur in India in such a harsh weather on our request. We are very grateful to him and his organization for the especial visit. He gave talk for our Buddhist youth, elderly people and also met with our expertise. Most of the people are very happy to meet him and to listen to his talk.
Youth Trainings:- Two students studying at Central Institute of Buddhist Studies at Varanasi sent for Thailand to attend one month Buddhist Youth Training in Bangkok organized by the International Network of Engaged Buddhism. Ven Lobzang Dolma and Thubten Angmo also sent to attend six weeks course at Chaing Mai in Thailand organized and invited by the International women for peace and justice ( IWP ).
Leadership training:- During summer holidays LNA arranged leadership training, conflict resolution, prevention from illness, health care through Helga, Seng, Marrian and Dr Palmo. At the sometime a course of basic and most important canon to follow the instructions of one’s guru ( Shesnen-stentsul) was given by Geshey Tsultrim Tharchin. After the closing of this Dharma course all nuns students were taken for sight seeing as well as pilgrimage to Hemis Gotsang, Dakthok, Camdey and Stakna monastries, and the way back they spent the night at newly constructed Nyerma Nunnery though the climate was not suitable and friendly.
Dharma teachings:- On 5 th of August 2005 LNA extended offering (Stenjuks) for the long life of The Most Ven. Rezong Sras Rinpochay. Richpche la is 74 year old now. We did this puja in collaboration with three other monasteries at the Tantric Centre at Phey village; a few kms away from Leh headquarter.
The LNA organized five-day teachings for the nuns of Thiksay Nunnery at our centre in Leh by Venerable Geshey Tsultrim Tharchin on the important text of (JORCHOS). About twenty nuns attended these teachings. Amchi Palmo gave consultation for all the nuns and distributed medicines free of costs for all nuns and also gave talks on the prevention of various diseases. Marlies Bosch gave talk on breast cancer and its prevention in the life. All nuns showed good interest in the prevention of such diseases. They all expressed their happiness and rejoice for the arrangement made for staying and eating together by expressing their ideas sharing with other fellow nuns for a period of one week.
Later on all nuns were taken to pilgrimage to the nearby monasteries of Leh. As daily practice have been meditating and doing prayers both morning & evening about two to three hours daily for the good health and prosperity of all supporters and friends of LNA. An important teaching of (Kundik Nambarnangzat ) was given by the Most Ven. Lochos Rinpochey for two days at Alchi. All nuns attended the teachings. On 21 st & 22 nd an initiation on Yamatake was given by Ven Lhocho Rinpochey, which was attended by both Sangha.. At the conclusion of the teaching Rinpochey advised and instructions to the monks and the public to support the nuns. Rinpoche la also gave talk to our staff members to work hard for the well being of nuns as well as lay people to guide them on the spiritual path in the future.
Nuns Ordination:- 25 th of August 2004 has been an important and auspicious day, as sixteen young nuns received an ordination from the Most Venerable Changtse Chosje Rsas Rinpochey at Rizong Monastery. All nuns spent two day at Thardot Choling Nunnery Chulichan just adjacent to the main monastery.
Tour and Pilgrims to ancients Monasteries:- After the ordination all the nuns proceeded to Tingmosgang Nunnery to see their fellow nuns and spent night. They did prayers for the success and long life to the supporters and sponsors of nuns of Ladakh. Also had a good interaction with the aged nuns and shared each other’s problems & experiences. Venerable Amchi Palmo devoted her full time in giving lesson to the newly ordained nuns about the precepts that all should practice every day in the whole life. About the importance to attend Sojong (Confessing) during full & lunar moon. All the students visited Alchi and Liker monasteries & arrived back to LNA centre in the evening. The students were advised to go through their studies very seriously by Ven. Palmo and the students started attending school after finishing the summer holidays. All students expressed beneficial for conducting such tour and pilgrimage to the various ancients Monasteries and Nunneries in Ladakh.
Visit to Zangskar :- On 10 th of August our vice President and two members went to Zanskar to meet the nuns and to help the situation. They discussed with the nuns and the villagers of the Dorey Zong Nunnery to settle down the conflict about their land. Fortunately the nuns got their land back from the villagers.
Meeting with our students studying out of Ladakh:- Later on the President of LNA went to see the students studying at Dharamsala and other Buddhist Institutions in India and was delighted to know that all students found excellent and were doing well in their studies.
Students visited :- During summer one student from Dharamsala two from Manali and two from Varanasi came to Leh for spending their holidays. They shared their teachings and experience with our nuns. |