Vinaya Study Program for Nuns May 31 to June 17 2013

Sravasti Abbey, a Buddhist monastic community in eastern Washington State, USA, will host a residential Vinaya program featuring Venerable Master Wu Yin’s teachings from May 31 to June 17, 2013 (18 days). It is open to new nuns as well as seniors, be they bhikshuni/bhikkhuni, siksamana, or sramanerika/samaneri, from all Vinaya traditions. The daily schedule will include meditation, teaching, discussion, and offering service, with time for private study and getting to know each other. We will also do posadha (sojong) together.

source: Sravasti Abbey website

This is a rare opportunity for nuns to study the Vinaya especially here in America. Space is limited, so register now.

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Ani Ngawang Pema in Solitary Retreat

Once in a while it’s good to remind ourselves that there are true spiritual seekers in the world today. Ani Ngawang Pema is a Tibetan Buddhist nun who has been meditating alone for the past 45 years. Here’s a short video about her.

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Fully Ordination for Nuns Update

According to an article in the Tibetan Nuns Project newsletter (Fall 2012), a special Gelongma Research Committee was formed in Dharmasala to do conclusive research on the issue of full ordination for nuns. The committee began its work in August 1 and was to conclude by early November. Samdhong Rinpoche presided over a committee organized by the Department of Religion and Culture of the Tibetan government in exile.  More information about the meeting and a brief background about the issue can be found on phayul.com.

I checked the Tibetan Nuns Project website  but didn’t find any information regarding the outcome of the meeting. If anyone has more information, please share!

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Rejoice: Tibetan nuns and the Geshema degree

After years of deliberation, Tibetan Buddhist nuns are finally set to receive Geshema degrees, or the equivalent of a PhD in Buddhist Philosophy.  The Central Tibetan Administration reached this unanimous and historic decision on May 19^th 2012 after a two-day meeting in Dharamsala attended by high lamas, representatives of nuns from six different nunneries, and members from the Tibetan Nuns Project. (source: email from the Tibetan Nuns Project)

This is a really exciting opportunity for women to deepen their studies and to train for leadership roles as educators for future generations of Buddhist practitioners.  There’s a shortage of well qualified teachers here in the West especially of Tibetan Buddhist nuns. I look forward to learning from my Dharma sisters.

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Sangha: causes for losing the vows

Geshe Tenzin Tsephel (FPMT, ILTK) warned us recently about the causes for losing the monastic vows:

There is something that the ordained need to be very careful about. His Holiness the Dalai Lama often confers lay vows during teachings, initiations, etc., to large crowds. You may think that it is a great opportunity to take lay vows from His Holiness, but if you take lay vows you lose your ordination and become a lay person. You are no longer a monk/nun because you repeated after the master “I am a lay person. Take care of me in that way.”

The causes to losing the vows are four: not knowing, not having respect/interest, lacking diligence, strong afflictions. One can make many mistakes because of not knowing.

For those of us who are recently ordained, this is an easy mistake to make accidentally.

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First Female Geshe: Ven Kelsang Wangmo

(source: email forwarded by Ven Tenzin Lhamo)

Great News!

Yesterday, the Institute for Buddhist Dialectical Studies [IBD] conferred a Rimey Geshe degree upon Ven. Kelsang Wangmo and her remaining classmates!

Thus, Geshe Kelsang Wangmo (a native of Germany) is the first woman to be awarded that recognition. Please SPREAD THE NEWS!

The diploma itself specifies that it is the equivalent in Tibetan Buddhist tradition of Ph.D. in Buddhist Philosophy.

His Holiness the Dalai Lama authorized IBD to confer the Rimey Geshe degree. Rimey highlights the non-sectarian character of IBD’s advanced Buddhist philosophy program. Those who qualified for the diploma (in additional to completing rigorous annual exams and submitting a dissertation per current requirements for higher Geshe degrees at the three great monastic universities in south India) studied the philosophical presentations of all four major Tibetan traditions. Additionally, Geshe Kelsang Wangmo studied Tantra in the final two years of IBD’s program.

As you may be aware, Geshe Kelsang Wangmo has been teaching Advanced Buddhist Philosophy Courses in English at IBD for several years on Monday, Wednesday & Fridays (4:00 – 5:30 p.m.). You can see photos with explanatory text on our course blogspot here.

The blogspot post GESHE Kelsang Wangmo links to more photos which you can link to on Flickr here.

It is traditional to offer khatag to new Geshes with whom one has a connection, etc. We’ll arrange an occasion for that and publish it here.

** The IBD website has recordings and hand-outs (in English) related to on-going classes such as Abhisamayalamkara, what an incredible resource!

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In Loving Memory: Thubten Wangchuk (Daja Meston)

This weekend marked the end of Thubten Wangchuk’s time in the bardo. I can’t say that I knew him well, he came to my wedding and afterward my now former husband and I had a chance to get together with him and his Tibetan wife. He grew up with my former husband’s family in Nepal after his mother left to take ordination. He was just like an adopted brother eating, sleeping and playing with all the kids. He took ordination at a young age and studied at Kopan Monastery for many years.

I found his death particularly unsettling. His passing highlights the challenges that Western sangha face. We’re spiritual followers of Tibetan Buddhism, and yet we’ll never be Tibetan even if we speak the language fluently and live in a monastery. We’re also a bit out of sorts in our native culture, never quite fitting in any more. Caring for and relating to our family members — whether children or parents, etc. is our sacred duty. These relationships must be handled with great sensitivity as family members try to come to an understanding of what ordination means. Even for non-ordained practitioners of Buddhism, there can be a sense of isolation if family and friends are not open to or familiar with Buddhism.

Thubten Wangchuk was a brave and sensitive person, and I guess no one will really know what prompted his death. Over time, our phone calls to his home went unanswered. I hope that the many prayers that I said on his behalf were of some benefit to him and that he will find true happiness some day. I offer my sincere condolences to his family.

A star, a visual aberration, a flame of a lamp,
An illusion, a drop of dew, or a bubble,
A dream, a flash of lightning, a cloud –
See conditioned things as such!

Boston Globe obituary dated August 1, 2010

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A Guru’s Love: His Eminence Tsem Tulku

I came across a moving article by His Eminence Tsem Tulku of Gaden monastery. He rejoices in one of his long-time student’s decision to become a nun and explains what it means for her and for him. He expresses his love for all of his students ordained or lay.

I think in some ways he speaks on behalf of all our Dharma teachers who shower us with their immeasurable, unconditional love.

http://www.tsemtulku.com/en/teachings/contemplations/adeline-become-nun/menu-id-15.html

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Pre-ordination Course: Tushita Meditation Centre

Considering ordination? The office of His Holiness the Dalai Lama strongly advises that you attend a pre-ordination course to learn about the monastic vows and what joining the sangha means. Tushita Meditation Centre (FPMT) in India is offering a class February 3 – March 10, 2010. The website gives a detailed description of the course and states,

“Tushita’s Pre-Ordination Course is designed for those who have already been accepted by the Office of His Holiness the Dalai Lama for ordination in that same year (please note that there is no certainty if and when His Holiness gives ordination until it really happens – so please come with an open and flexible mind!), or those recently ordained getsuls (srameneras), getsulmas (srameneris), gelongs (bhikkshus) and gelongmas (bhikkshunis) of any tradition.”

For more information please visit: Tushita Meditation Centre .

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The Meaning of Sojong

Here’s a thought provoking article  from the FPMT International Mahayana Institute about the monastic confession ceremony known as “sojong” in Tibetan. Bhikshuni Thubten Saldon discusses how the sojong practice can build a sense of community for Western sangha. She describes ways in which several North American sangha have adapted the traditional sojong practice and are keeping alive this important tradition.

Her explanation of the importance and underlying motivation for confession and purification in general apply to lay persons as well.

I encourage both ordained sangha as well as lay persons to read this great article. Please share your thoughts about sojong, or the meaning of confession.

Reference: Sojong as Skillful Means for Building Community, by Bhikshuni Thubten Saldon

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