„we are all related“

His Holiness the Dalai Lama advised geshe-la to revive and promote the Bodong Tradition. Most of  the lineage, oral transmissions, and instructions had nearly vanished though being fundamental to Buddhism. As geshe-la summarized the situation: „there were almost no monastics and nunneries despite the fact that Vinaya is fundamental in Buddhism“.

Geshe-la and his friends share the same vision here as His Holiness: „We are trying to keep Tibetan Buddhism alive as a whole, which means that each tradition must also be kept alive. When five fingers are healthy, the hand is also healthy. Without the five fingers, there is no hand, isn’t that so? We can talk about the preservation of Tibetan spirituality in a similar way. This is our responsibility.“

After some years of preparatory work and communication, in 1989 the Pelmo Choeding Monastery (“porong gompa”) in exile was established. With regard to reviving the Bodong Tradition, a specific study program was developed which included a program for religious rituals, study of basic principles of Buddhism and Tibetan language. Finally, together with the Porong Community, the education of young monks at Pelmo Choeding Monastery in Kathmandu was initiated. The monastery has become an essential foundation for the revival of the Bodong Tradition and is well connected to the Research and Publication Center in Dharamsala (India). Here, commentaries are selected, study syllabus formulated for the learning centers, and research studies progress along the lineage. “It is essential for all of us to work hard for this monastery to become a good learning center for the followers of the Bodong Tradition,” says Geshe Pema Dorjee.

The constant increase in the number of students and the nessessity foradditional space motivated the construction of another wing at the monastery. This includes two additional classrooms, dining space, and a better equipped kitchen. This is essential not only for the infrastructure of the monastery but is also an important premise for a good modern education, health issues, and basic standards for the increasing number of monks. For further questions and contributions please contact – any donation helps a lot and is an act of generosity.

monastic impressions