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Abbot Geshe Loden with nuns in the Monastère Dorje Pamo gompa, Fiac, France, 2021
Monastère Dorje Pamo is a monastery for FPMT nuns. It is located in southeastern France near Institut Vajra Yogini and Nalanda Monastery. Ven. Chantal Tenzin Dekyi, coordinator of the monastery, shares this update:
Lama Yeshe and Lama Zopa Rinpoche, who together founded the FPMT organization, have both explained that the continuity of the teachings of the Buddha depend on the sustainability of the Sangha, which is the community of monks and nuns. They have advised that it is important, once ordained, to be able to live in a place that brings together the best conditions for studying and practicing Dharma, living in harmony, and taking care of each other.
Monastère Dorje Pamo aspires to be such a place.
The property that houses the monastery was donated in 2016 by a volunteer who was involved at Institut Vajra Yogini in the early eighties. After quite extensive renovation works on the building, three nuns took up residence during autumn 2018. They were myself, Chantal Tenzin Dekyi, in the role of project coordinator; Ven. Losang Dekyi, who since has moved to O.Sel.Ling Centro de Retiros in Spain and has done a long retreat; and Peggy van der Hoogen, a postulant from the Netherlands. Following our settling in, there has been a lot of comings and goings of visitors, until more recently when the community stabilized.
Indeed, in December 2019, Béatrice, a long-time FPMT student, came to join us. Then a year later, Inge arrived from the Netherlands. Both stayed as aspirants preparing for ordination.
This year, on the auspicious day of July 14, 2021—which was Chökhor Duchen, the Wheel Turning Day that commemorates the First Teaching of the Buddha on the four noble truths—the ordinations finally occurred. Geshe Gyaltsen from Nalanda Monastery conferred novice ordination on three new nuns and three new monks.
Therefore, our two aspirants, Béatrice and Inge, became Ven. Gyaltsen Chökyi and Ven. Gyaltsen Palmo, in addition to Sophie, a student of Nalanda Monastery, now Ven. Gyaltsen Chötso. There are now altogether four nuns residing at the Dorje Pamo. Two other French nuns are regular visitors: Ven. Detchen, who is taking care of her sick father, and Ven. Lhamo, who came out of a long retreat in autumn 2020 and is currently visiting friends and family.
There are also several nuns who are part of our community although not as residents. They join us for regular pujas, special events, and to help with service. Ven. Tenzin Pema is our accountant. Some of the nuns take turns in guiding meditations and participating in our program. The program has been very reduced due to the pandemic’s restrictions. However, we continue to offer weekly meditations and Tara pujas online through Zoom. Some of our friends are glad to stay connected in this way.
In addition, on the auspicious full-moon day of July 24, we welcomed our abbot, Geshe Tenzin Loden, who was appointed by Lama Zopa Rinpoche. The enthronement was a very joyous celebration day. After inviting Geshe-la to the gompa, we recited Requests and Homage to the Sixteen Arhats, who are specially connected to the Sangha. The Sixteen Arhats, also known as the Sixteen Elders, were personally chosen by Shakyamuni Buddha, who asked them to remain in the world to maintain the Dharma. They vowed to stay until the time of the future Buddha Maitreya in order to help the Dharma flourish.
Geshe-la gave an inspiring talk about the importance and role of Sangha in preserving and developing the Dharma; the importance of training in ethics as the basis of all trainings; and the importance of harmony in monastic community as the necessary condition for temporal and ultimate happiness. And that is exactly what we are trying to implement.
After these happy events, our community life is taking shape. We are settling in a rhythm of joint, as well as personal, practice, study, and offering service to the community. And we are preparing for the expansion of our program and resources for our community to grow in harmony among ourselves and with the environment.
You can learn more about Monastère Dorje Pamo on their website, MonastereDorjePamo.org.
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