LNA Newsletter - Winter 2006

Dear Friends,

Greetings from all of us here nestled in the heart of the Himalayan Mountain!

We are happy to report to you that the ten years of our existence is coming to an end and many inspiring moments have unfolded, setting a path for the years ahead. It is important for us to keep you informed on all that has happened and to let you know of your future plans. We hope that all of you are happy and well as we approach the winter months.

Chatnyanling Nunnery Nyerma (Thiksay):

During the summer we handed over the Nyerma Nunnery project, which is being funded by the Dutch Foundation for the Ladakhi Nuns in the Netherlands to the Thiksay Monastery. The Thiksay Rinpoche, who has given the land on which the nunnery for older nuns is being built, has taken over the supervision of the construction site and is working together with the DFLN directly. The LNA initiated the project to be completed in time. The responsibility for the construction was too big, so we asked the Rinpoche to step in.

The Dharma Gaia Project at Nyerma funded by the Buddhist Peace Fellowship U. S. A. completed fencing the whole compound wall and also planted trees. The nuns helped in planting the three hundred trees, which will give a beautiful look and help to keep the compound green.

Training:

The Amchi class (Sponsored by BIOLIGO in Switzerland) consisting of nine students, has started again in March. All of them came back to Ladakh from Darjeeling in December 2005. Dr. Thinly Yangjor, who is the teacher of the Central Institute of Buddhist Studies and has been coaching the medical students, has decided to complete the theoretical part of the medical textbooks in 2007, holding three monthly examinations. Rest of the practical side is taken up in the year 2008/2009.

Buddhist Philosophy Class:

Ven. Geshe Tsultrim Tharchen taught Dharma to all the nuns for the whole winter. We organized a one-month tuition for all the hostel students in January 2006. After that we sent all of them home to meet their respective families and relatives. All the students came back after one-month winter holidays and joined their School as usual.

In September 2006 the Most Vernerable Jangtse Chosje Redzong Rinpoche inaugurated the Thubten Choslor `Ling Nunnery in Leh, which is being situated and run by the LNA. There are already more than twenty-one nuns, of whom nine are learning Tibetan Medicine and the rest are learning Buddhist Philosophy. For the first year they have had Classes with a Geshe (highly qualified teacher). At the inauguration the Most Venerable Jangtse Chosje Redzong Rinpoche distributed Certificates to all the students of “Buddhist Philosophy and Tibetan Language”. He extended his wholehearted support to the Nuns Association and wished that this Nunnery is the place for all the nuns in Ladakh to learn and to share their knowledge with the public. One expert from the International Women for Peace and Justice (IWP) trained our nuns in how to write proposals and other projects. They also invited one of their friends to teach the nuns for about two weeks how to perform foot massages.

Literacy Program for the women:

The literacy program for the women started at the LNA centre in Leh. Every day for one hour Ven Thubten Dolma gave Dharma classes for the village women. They are now able to read and write. They also did lot of chanting without the help of the teacher. We started to introduce this training for the other neighboring villagers. During the winter holidays two nuns will spend about two months to teach reading and writing to the villagers.

Teachings:

The Sakay Luding Khenpo Rinpoche visited our centre and gave talk to the nuns. Earlier all the nuns received teachings for about one week from Rinpoche. The Most Taklung Tsetul Rinpoche la (Nyingma) also spared his valuable time and gave talk and blessing to the nuns at the Centre.

In the month of April Ven. Jangtse Chosje Redzong Rinpoche gave teachings of the rare Buddhist text to the masses in the Jokhang Vihara of the Ladakh Buddhist Association. All the nuns from different nunneries attended these teachings which benefited them spiritually.

Preparation of (Tsa-tsa) Stupas:

In the summer months of this year the nuns residing in the Centre in Leh prepared about more than six thousand small tsa-tsa’s with the village women by collecting the requisite materials and ingredients required to be mixed religiously from the religious point of view to put in the 32 feet high Stupas being constructed in the religious Congregation Centre in the Summer Palace of the Dalai Lama. By donating such a quantity of tsa-tsa’s the people of Buddhist faith gain tremendous merits in general.

Construction at the Centre:

This year we started to build more rooms on the first floor of the LNA building, keeping in view the shortage of rooms for the students and teachers. It will be hopefully completed next year as this year we faced shortage of building fund.

Consultation and free distribution of Medicine:

The Chomo foundation in the Netherlands funded to build the pharmacy and a clinic. We managed to give consultation to the physically handicapped children and we also distributed medicine free of cost to the needy nuns-patients.

Youth Training:

Two youth got the opportunity through LNA to join the Buddhist Youth Training in Thailand for about five weeks, which benefited a lot to them. They valued this opportunity to visit a foreign county and to have interaction with other students on various subjects both on spiritual and secular fields. The youth shared their experience with the nuns. They also started to teach the youth in Leh.

Volunteers:

This summer many volunteers cam to Ladakh to help out with many projects. Some came from the USA to help building, others came from Holland, Australia and Germany to teach the nuns. They also helped to set up the “Saturday-Program”. Tourists were invited to come to the LNA to gather information about the situation of nuns in Ladakh. This program was very successful.

Dr Palmo visits the Netherlands:

In the weekend of the 18/19 th of November the Dutch Foundation for Ladakhi Nuns organized a Ladakh festival. Dr Palmo was invited to attend and to give information about the unique situation of Ladakhi Nuns. She spent three weeks in the Netherlands, where various activities had been planned for her to spread the information about Ladakh and to gain more sponsors for LNA projects. A photo book (“Light in Ladakh”) has been published for this occasion, in which the photos are accompanied by texts. The proceeds of the festival will also go to the building of the LNA top floor. After her visit to the Netherlands, Dr Palmo was invited to visit with friends in Japan for a short visit.

Global Fund for Women:

The LNA is happy to announce that the Global Fund for Women (USA) has approved a Grant for educational projects of the LNA in the amount of $ 10.000,00.