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The monks of Sera Je Monastery, India. Photo taken prior to COVID-19 pandemic.
The current COVID-19 pandemic has impacted so many people around the world including ordained Sangha living in monastic communities (monasteries and nunneries) who have been faced with many new challenging realities due to the pandemic.
One way that monks and nuns are able to supplement their food, medical needs, or provide for other basic care items for themselves, under normal circumstances, is through offerings received during pujas. Unfortunately due to the pandemic, large groups of monastics are currently not able to gather for pujas in many monasteries and nunneries. One very kind benefactor and student of Lama Zopa Rinpoche was deeply concerned that due to reduced pujas, the monks and nuns may have been negatively impacted from the loss of these offerings and was moved to make a vast offering to over 20,000 Sangha, as well as to the abbots and abbesses, in twenty-four Nyingma, Kagyu, and Gelug monasteries and nunneries in India and Nepal. The offering was made on Lhabab Duchen (November 7, 2020), a merit multiplying day, when karmic results of actions are multiplied 100 million times.
The nuns of Kopan Nunnery, Nepal. Photo taken prior to COVID-19 pandemic.
Please take a moment to rejoice in this offering and also in the kindness of the benefactor. FPMT was so honored to be able to facilitate and arrange these offerings (as the logistics of sending twenty-four international wire transfers can be complicated). Lama Zopa Rinpoche also composed a one page dedication to be read out in each monastery and nunnery when the offerings were made.
In addition to the abbotts and abbesses of each monastery and nunnery, offerings were made to the 3,500 monks of Sera Je Monastery; 1,600 monks of Sera Mey Monastery; 1,350 monks of Ganden Shartse Monastery; 1,800 monks of Ganden Jangtse Monastery; 520 monks of Gyumed Tantric College; 2,500 monks and nuns of Namdroling Monastery and Tshogyal Shedrup Ling Nunnery; 140 monks of Rato Monastery; 370 monks of Kopan Monastery; 400 nuns of Khachoe Ghakyil Nunnery; 80 nuns of Tashi Chime Gatsal Nunnery; 1,830 monks of Drepung Gomang Monastery; 250 monks of Namgyal Tantric College; 413 monks of Tashi Lhunbo Monastery; 270 nuns of Jangchub Choeling Nunnery; 650 monks of Tawang Monastery; 40 monks of the Nyingma Monastery in Mundgod; 40 monks of Shang Gaden Choekhor Ling Monastery; 45 monks of Gaden Tharpacholing Monastery Kalimpong; 410 monks of Tergar Monastery; 265 nuns from Tsoknyi Nunnery; 143 monks and nuns from Singdak Rinpoche Retreat Center; 87 monks from Zigar Drukpa Kargyud Monastery in Tsopema; 75 monks and Nuns from Zigar Drukpa Kargyud in Darjeeling; 60 monks and nuns from Mu Monastery, Rachen Nunnery in Tusm, and Thubten Shedrup Ling Monastery in Chailsa; 500 monks of Gyuto Monastery; and 2,500 monks of Drepung Loselling Monastery.
Some of the monks of Thame Monastery, Nepal. Photo taken prior to COVID-19 pandemic.
Lama Zopa Rinpoche recently explained that the “value of Sangha is more than the whole sky filled with wish-granting jewels.” This is because living in morality is the most important way to achieve liberation from samsara and enlightenment, and benefit sentient beings by freeing them from the lower realms and bringing them to enlightenment. Supporting Sangha is investing in the benefit of all sentient beings.
Some of the young nuns of Tashi Chime Gatsal Nunnery, Nepal. Photo taken prior to COVID-19.
“Any practice that the Sangha do in the monastery [or nunnery], they do for all the six-realm sentient beings, to benefit them,” Rinpoche has explained. “Every sadhana or practice starts with the motivation for ‘mother sentient beings,”’ which means all the six-realm sentient beings. Every dollar offered, even just one dollar, even the smallest amount of money offered, has all these benefits. And the benefits go to all sentient beings: every mosquito, every fish, every pitiful chicken that is taken by a truck to be killed, every sentient being in numberless universes receives these benefits.”
It is due to the kindness of so many that we can make these incredible offerings to Sangha. Thank you for everyone who makes it possible.
Please learn more about the Supporting Ordained Sangha Fund and the ways it supports monasteries and nunneries around the world.