News from Shar Gaden

[Midakpa]

This is great news. I'm sure many monks will benefit from the programmes. I will also try to help you.

[Losang_Tenpa]

Hello friends,

I really need your help with these programs if you are able.

Please help me with the pen-pal club if you have the time! Also, it would be helpful if others would help me spread the word about this program. The monks are very eager to begin and I am still looking for others from English speaking countries who can write them a short message every so often.
Email: shargadenpenpalclub@ for more infromation.
PLEASE HELP IF YOU CAN!

Still trying to find a cheap laptop for use in tutoring the monks and friends of the monastery here at Shar Gaden.

 


Today is the big Protector Puja. The puja will last most of the day. Very exciting.

I will update more soon.

[emptymountains]

What's the email again? All I see is "shargadenpenpalclub@"

[Mohani]

Dear Empty,
It says a couple of posts up: [email protected]

[Geronimo]

Serpom Monastery News
(India) 
April 25, 2010
Address delivered by Abbot Kyabje Yongya Rinpoche Jetsun Ngawang Lobsang Thupten Thinley Gyatso Rinpoche on the occasion of 2nd Anniversary of founding of Serpom Monastery.

To all levels of staff members of the precious monastic community, to the bodhisattva reincarnate masters, to the aged senior Sangha members, and to the monastic Sangha in general: From the depth of my heart I would like to thank you for the responsibility you are taking and the unified way you are working to benefit the cause of the Dharma. I felicitate you all on this commemorative occasion.

Along with the most important thing of living together like the complete mingling of water and milk in terms of harmony, ethical purity and religious commitment, the venerable Sangha should engage in the practice of listening, contemplation and meditation. The thought of tending one's friend and suppressing one's enemy should not be harboured at any cost. Why? Because such thoughts go against the Dharma. We did not start with a thought like that. Therefore it is important from the outset to maintain a pure motivation devoid of such negative thought.

I would like to make a suggestion, a request, of our Staff members. With resolute intent and truthfulness, the staff members take great responsibility in order to clear the strains and difficulties of the Sangha. For this I extend my appreciation and praise. At the same time I urge you to continue your noble service.

As organized by Zawa Rinpoche of Canada, a doctor went to the monastery and kindly provided medical check-up and instruction about health care to our monks. Good health is priority for everyone. If the precious human body with which we practice Dharma is not fit, the physical condition will not sustain despite what we wish.

The rules prescribed by Lord Buddha have broad and narrow connotation, such as in the case of a sick person. As such, there is no fault when the sick take dinner. Bearing so in your mind, you must take care of your health.

Since the source of the welfare and happiness of all our Sangha members is Serpom Thoesam Norling Monastery, our loyalty and cherishing it are crucial. For the sake of Buddhdharma, everyone – senior or young – is requested to fulfill one's responsibility and exert efforts like the continuity of a river.

Based on the monastery's text books, our academic instructors and disciples must consult and refer to the authoritative texts written by Indian and Tibetan great masters. Without emphasizing on simply debating, one should understand the root verses and commentaries of the texts of these great masters. And thereby distil their essence or gist in practice. The understanding of pre-eminent qualities in each of the great texts is like the quotation 'The expert not led astray and the diligent not confounded'.

It is important to preserve the traditional manner of teaching, and listening and the practice and mediation, which came down from those lords of the Hearing Lineage Tradition led by Je Phabongkhapa, Kyabje Trijang Dorje Chang, Kyabje Zong Dorje Chang Jetsun Losang Tsondue, Zemey Dorjechang, and the great scholar Geshe Yeshe Wangchug and others. Furthermore, during the religious ceremonies such as Geshe and Rig-Chung in the monastery, one must pay attention to the method of debating and reciting with melody required of the specific occasion. Otherwise it would be like the case example of a faulty film that will produce only tainted photos no matter how many copies you make of it.

Concerning the monastic staff members, the Abbot, Disciplinarian and Chant Master represent the body, speech and mind respectively. As I said earlier, your respect and regard towards them are vital. Generally speaking, it is possible that a staff member might lack adequate knowledge and therefore be inconsistent in a particular area of his duty. There will be persons who wrongfully criticise a staff member although the latter had done right. This is quite possible. There is no option, for the time being, but to take such persons as the objects of one's understanding and compassion.

We lack the confidence about not taking rebirth in hell or other lower realms, and hence we take refuge in the Three Jewels for protection from such fearful consequences. Our ultimate refuges are indeed the Three Jewels. We should work without contradicting the law of cause and effect. In view of law of karma, in terms of virtuous and non-virtuous actions, it is important to observe what needs to be abandoned and what needs to be practiced.

Gelug Tradition—the stainless and comprehensive teaching of the union of Sutra and Tantra— is like a king of the best jewels. Therefore everyone should according to their ability make earnest effort to study both Sutra and Tantra. In the end, my prayer is:

May Buddhdharma in general remain for long!
May the glorious, incomparable Riwo Gadenpa in particular —
The tradition holding the yellow hat crown—
Flourish in every direction!

May the tradition of Je Tsongkhapa,
The Lord of Dharma, flourish!
May all signs of obstacle (against it) diminish!
May all favourable conditions (for it) abound!

Through the two accumulations of others and mine
Collected throughout the three times,
May the doctrine of Conqueror Lobsang Dragpa
Flourish forever more!

May all migratory beings live in benefit and happiness!
The continuum transformed by precious bodhicitta,
May they be like Conqueror Tsongkhapa
In upholding the Dharma by teaching and practice!

Separately I would like to make a special request. To remove obstacles and accumulate merit each day on the part of all senior, middle and junior Sangha members, there will be immense benefit if they can recite a rosary of Mig-tse-ma in conjunction with Hundred Gods of Tushita, a cycle of Guru Puja, and the great Dharmap?la's entrustment.
www.serpommonastery.org

[Midakpa]

Very good advice from the Abbot of Serpom Monastery, especially the part about maintaining "pure motivation devoid of negative thought".

Let me quote from the Venerable Abbot:

"The thought of tending one's friend and suppressing one's enemy should not be harboured at any cost. Why? Because such thoughts go against the Dharma".

Thank you, Lhakpa Gyaltshen, for posting this.

[Losang_Tenpa]

Update:

Yesterday I went for a walk to see the new temple of Gaden Jangste. Right at the entrance was a poster warning people that a family from camp 3, who own a restaurant there, are practicing Shugdenpas and others should not support their establishment. It was very sad to see this as the first sight upon entering such a beautiful courtyard.

Two days ago we had an English coversation quiz for all of the students. The principal gathered all of the English students into the large prayer hall and set up microphones for me to ask the students questions. It was a little difficult at first, due to having about 200 students in one place, but the students did very well and I felt very proud of them all. We are going to try this again sometime in the coming weeks and I will take pictures next time so that you can see all of the students lined up in rows waiting for their turn to answer a few questions.
It was very kind of the principlal to set all of this up and I think that he really enjoyed the event as well.


 

 
The pen-pal club is growing every day. We are going to try using email as a means to pass the messages, but I also hope that friends from abroad will send regular letters as well. Email is quick, yet I am sure that it will be very time consuming for me to type out all of the messages from the monks back to their pen-pals. 
We still need a few more people to become pen-pals with the monks, so please contact me if you are interested.


Please...many here have said that they want to help and I REALLY NEED YOUR SUPPORT....here is your chance. PLEASE HELP ME IN WHATEVER WAY YOU CAN! These programs may sound very insignificant, but they are a part of a larger picture for the future of our precious lineage. I BEG YOU...PLEASE!

I hope to write again soon.

With much love from Shar Gaden,

T.S.

[Losang_Tenpa]

Today is Saka Dawa Duchen and the monks have been doing pujas since 4am. They will continue until about 9pm with a few short breaks in between.
Amazing!!!



Another update:

New construction has begun for added monks quarters due to the overcrowding here at the monastery. Right now some of the tiny rooms house up to 4 monks. There are almost 700 monks who call Shar Gaden home now.
I have pictures of the construction that I will post on my blog soon.

See some of the other pictures, including a few of the statue being constructed of Gangchen Rinpoche by a Nepali artist here at Shar Gaden, at my blog- http://friendsofjetsongkhapa.blogspot.com/

[Midakpa]

Thank you for the pictures. From the description of the lesson plan, I think you are a very good English language teacher. I'm sure your students will learn a lot from you. What a wonderful way to give. The blessings will come. They already have.

[a friend]

Indeed!
You are very fortunate.
Great job!
Happy Saka Dawa!

[LosangKhyentse]

Dear Tenzin Sungrab,

I would be happy to offer you a nice laptop. Please get a better one. I will offer you a budget up to Indian Rupees 40,000 (fourty thousand rupees). You can get extension wires, cds, and whatever else you need. Please keep this laptop and take it with you wherever you go because that is the link to the world. Carry it with you everywhere. Get a nice protective case for it please.

I will have the money forwarded to you in a few days.

I rejoice in your work and keep up your work. Thank Dorje Shugden for all the wonderful direction he is sending you to.

TK

[Geronimo]

MY HEROES!

[Losang_Tenpa]

This is such wonderful news! Thank you so much T.K.
Everything that I am working on here will be much easier with this help.
I can't wait to tell the monks and the family in camp 2 that we will be starting lessons soon.
I will take many pictures so that you all can see the smiles that I am sure this will bring.

A million thank yous for your help T.K.!!

I will let you know how everything goes.

Much love and gratitude from Shar Gaden
T.S.

[LosangKhyentse]

Dear Tenzin Sungrab,

I have sent Indian Rupees 40,000 to you for the computer already.

I am sure you have recieved it. If I may ask, to try to upload the picture of the new computer on this thread when you can. It will be something to rejoice about.

I thank you for your devotion to the heroic monks of the Dorje Shugden lineage in Shar Gaden Monastery.

I am very happy and rejoice in your deeds.

It is great to be on this forum and talk, express, share and debate, but if coupled with action like you, then it is a total INSPIRATION AND SETS A GREAT EXAMPLE.

I thank you for everything.

Humbly,

TK

[honeydakini]

Another update:

New construction has begun for added monks quarters due to the overcrowding here at the monastery. Right now some of the tiny rooms house up to 4 monks. There are almost 700 monks who call Shar Gaden home now.
I have pictures of the construction that I will post on my blog soon.

See some of the other pictures, including a few of the statue being constructed of Gangchen Rinpoche by a Nepali artist here at Shar Gaden, at my blog- http://friendsofjetsongkhapa.blogspot.com/

Tenzin Sungrab,
thank you for your updates which I've been following and love to hear. It is great to hear about how Shar Gaden being so vibrant, lively and a strong institution of learning for the young monks.

I was intrigued to hear that the numbers of monks are on the rise at that monastery and am wondering if you have information as to where they are coming from. Does this mean more monks are leaving the "mainstream" of Gaden etc and joining Shar Gaden? Or are these totally new monks coming in from the villages or from Tibet etc?

And would you have information on how they will acommodate the increasing numbers of monks?
Once again, I really appreciate the news you're sharing with us! thank you!