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| Spring 2021 |
| Nalanda’s Newsbites 🍪 |
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Hello,
While Spring brings us rain and sunshine and an almost ideal temperature in the South of France, we are happy to share parts of our monastic life. In general we are grateful and joyful to live our lives virtuously and constructively during this pandemic in such an inspiring beautiful place, and being able to follow up on many of our gurus and teachers’ wishes and instructions.
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Our Study Programs
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Since we started the Lamrim Chenmo Course in January 2021, around 150 students from all over the world, from Europe, America, Asia, Australia & Africa, from the USA to the Philippines, from Colombia to Mongolia & India have participated in the course. Most of them online and around 20-30 residential students. Keeping a residential study program alive during the pandemic brought some challenges, nevertheless, things worked out just fine. We are glad that we can offer this opportunity to so many people around the world, especially during these difficult times. We are looking forward to starting the subject of Calm Abiding in September and afterwards move on to the last topic of Special Insight which will keep us active for the rest of the course.
The Basic Program continued with Chapter Four of the Ornament of Clear Realisations. Unfortunately, Geshe Gyaltsen needed some time off, but fortunately our abbot, Geshe Jamphel, broke up his retreat and came as quickly as possible to teach the Basic Program. In this way the study program could be continued.
New Cycle of Study Programs in 2023
We plan to start new seven-year Masters Program in January 2023, which will also be available online. To learn more, please visit this page.
In the same year of 2023, we also hope to start a new five-year Basic Program. If you want to learn more about it, visit this page. If you want to stay informed about it or ask questions, email the director@nalanda-monastery.eu. |
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Long-life Puja Dedicated to our Teachers
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| At Nalanda we organized a long life puja under the guidance of Geshe Loden and in the presence of Geshe Jamphel, Geshe Gyaltsen, Geshe Yeshe Rinchen and Geshe Losel (Graham). It was meant for all our gurus and teachers, but we kept Geshe Gyaltsen strong in our hearts, as this specific practice was recommended to us by Lama Zopa Rinpoche for Geshe Gyaltsen's long and healthy life. Ven Tsultrim Jr made a lot of effort to get it all organized. |
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Update from Nalanda’s Workshop
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In our workshop Ven Thekchok makes almost on a daily basis tsatsas for the "Prayers for the Dead" for all those who ask the FPMT and Lama Zopa Rinpoche for prayers for their loved ones.
There is still a big demand for tsa-tsa molds from all over the world, and that keeps Pete, our workshop manager, quite busy.
Ven Rigchok and Ven Thubten continue to bless and fill statues, and coordinate all the mantra rolling, etc... One big Maitreya Statue, made by Jonathan Partridge, is to be filled and destined to go into our big altar. Also, Ven Thubten Gendun is working on making roofs for our eight stupas outside. Repairs on our main stupa has been done by Thierry Neveu, a former monk living close to Nalanda. |
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Renovation Works
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| Meanwhile a lot of renovation work is going on, both at Maitreya Pure Land (Gachepel) and at Rouzegas. The coming two months our two gompas will be uplifted, and at Maitreya Pure Land the house which was used as a family house for more than a hundred years, is being transformed into a more conducive place for individual retreats. With the help of local craftsmen and volunteers, we are finalizing the gompa of 33m2, creating one new room, building a new shower, toilet, isolating some rooms from the external sounds, and renewing the electrical system. Ven Sherab is doing a good job in coordinating it all, keeping costs as low as possible. Toine and Ven Tenzin Michael together with some skilful volunteers work on the two gompas. |
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More Animals Liberated
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Another successful animal liberation puja was organized at Nalanda. This time we liberated thousands of worms and maggots, honoring the advice that Lama Zopa Rinpoche gave to one of our monks.
Do you want to learn more about the buddhist practice of animal liberation and why it's important? Watch this video of Geshe Sherab giving a very good explanation. |
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Supporting Local Animal Sanctuary
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Lama Zopa Rinpoche has requested a few Nalanda students & monks to liberate goats. Due to this we came into contact with Stephanie, who owns an animal sanctuary close to IVY. She is taking care of hundreds of animals, ranging from goats, dogs, ducks, pigs, pony’s and much more. All of this while she has just recovered from cancer and has no stable income. Now we try to help her regularly by mobilising people who can help her out.
She definitely could use some financial support as well to improve the conditions of these animals. If you like to contribute any amount, please click here, choose "General Donation" and mention "Animal Sanctuary" in the comments to your donation. |
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Nalanda's Managers Improving their Skills
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| Yael, our Basic Program teaching assistant, who also has a lot of experience as a professional trainer for companies, gave communication training to a group of 15 monks and managers during four Sunday mornings. All monks and all lay managers were invited, and her expertise and personal enthusiasm were highly appreciated. The course included role plays of situations we find difficult to deal with, and also communication theories. With the things we learned we hope to guide our coming and going volunteers and local volunteers in a more skillful way. |
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Lotus-Born Project: 53% funded so far!
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| We thank all who kindly donated towards this project and hope that the making of the Padmasambhava Statue will start soon in Nepal. We can not share photos yet. We have raised 20,000 of the 32,000 Euros necessary for the costs of the statue itself, including a donation of the FPMT Holy Objects Fund. Additionally, we will need another 10,000 Euros for shipping, taxes, the platform in the lake and the filling of the statue. To contribute, please click here. We will keep you informed. |
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Are you ready for the Saka Dawa?
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We are fast approaching the auspicious merit-multiplying day of Saka Dawa Duchen — the fifteenth day of the fourth month in the Tibetan lunar calendar — which commemorates Shakyamuni Buddha’s birth, enlightenment, and parinirvana.
Saka Dawa Duchen, which is on May 26 this year, is one of the four great holy days of the Tibetan calendar. On this day, the karmic results are multiplied by 300 million times, as it commemorates Shakyamuni Buddha’s three major life events.
Click here to find Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s advice for Saka Dawa.
At Nalanda, we also aim to have a meaningful Saka Dawa day by following the advice of Rinpoche. After taking the 8 Mahayana Precepts, the monastic community will participate in Sojong, then Geshe Gyaltsen, our resident teacher, will give the oral transmission of Chanting the Names of Manjushri, which will be recited afterwards. After lunch, the recitation of The Hundred Deeds (Karmaśataka), together with the 84000 Project is also in our to-do list.
The Saka Dawa day here at Nalanda will finish with the special Guru Puja (Lama Chöpa) with Tsog. If you like to contribute towards extensive offerings for this Guru Puja, please donate here using General Donation, mentioning in the comments "For Saka Dawa Guru Puja". Please note, the final day for donation would be Tuesday morning, because shopping needs to be done and altar nicely arranged prior to the Puja. |
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Sangha is Growing: New Ordination Ceremony is Due Soon
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| Another ordination ceremony has been planned on July 14th, as three students of Nalanda have asked Geshe Gyaltsen for ordination. Three ladies connected to nearby Dorje Pamo Nunnery will take ordination as well. We look forward to this auspicious event! |
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The Kindness of the Kitchen Team
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| Our voluntary kitchen team with Benjamin, Donatas and Laura as central figures, cook every day vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and precepts food. It is really amazing and nutritious! |
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Yamantaka Self Initiation at Nalanda
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| There is a Yamantaka Self Initiation happening at Nalanda on Saturday, May 29th. If one is interested, please contact director@nalanda-monastery.eu. |
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More developments are coming soon...
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There are more developments, like preparing plans for a new building and Nalanda's Prevention from Abuse policy, which we will share with you in one of our next Newsbites.
Thank you for your kind support and keeping us in your heart!
Ven. Tendar
Director |
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Nalanda Monastery, Rouzegas, Labastide St. Georges, 81500 France.
Affiliated with the FPMT. |
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