Making Connections

On our last trip to Dehradun our Office Manager, Tashi Wangchuk took us on a side trip to the Vocational Training Centre,  part of Tibetan Children's Village, where he himself attended school. Here we were introduced to a very talented group of young people.  These young people are learning valuable skills such as Secretarial and Computer Education, Solar Energy, Automoblile Mechanics, Carpentry, Food service, so many important skills to creating a future for themselves.
       We were excited to make this connection for many reasons: 
    In the very near future with the building in Jiagon and  the continuous growth of SHS in Delhi we will be involved with a variety of projects which will require many different skills.  It is our hope to offer internships and possible future employment to these bright young people, those who are  interested, and have the skills to help with these ongoing projects.

With Tashi's teacher and adviser,  Madam Choezom discussing possible internship programs

Electronics Student

Because it is also an important goal of SHS to preserve the Tibetan Culture.  Making a connection with these young, educated, passionate, Tibetan's,  can help us work toward this goal. By providing fresh input, energy, and their skills around the  present and future needs of the Tibetan community.

Don't miss the Lhasa license plate

Here we are with our wonderful hosts and that is Michael,  our visiting English teacher that accompanied us on our travels

Potala Painting on hood of the "Coolest Car Ever"

 The Coolest Car ever  this car was a class project. The amazing thing about this is that the Auto mechanic shop  instructor is teaching not only  how to build, Fix and repair things but how to do it by using recycled parts or fabricating their own.

  One Student's solar water heating project that is being used by the school

In the Solar Education Dept  they are able to build and install large scale solar water heaters and much more I am sure.  Tibetan Children's Village in Suja. and in Dasa are only two of the places they have installed their work. 








And to top the visit off we were treated to a very special lunch prepared and served by the students of the food and beverage department, here they are training to work in the high end Hotel and Restaurant industry.  The lunch and service was perfect!

New Beds for Monks!

Thanks so much to an anonymous donor we now have much needed beds, pillows and linens for our young monks!

Such Focus!

These bed frames were made locally and arrived here by bicycle rickshaw two at a time. ( I am still looking for a picture)

             

They were freshly painted  and the wood for the mattresses trimmed up and put in place


    

         The finished bedroom

Visiting Teachers

     Our monks here at SHS have  inquiring minds and a voracious hunger to learn.  So you can imagine how happy they were  to have two teachers visit the Phodrang and offer their knowledge and skills.  Lhamo Dhondup to teach  Tibetan grammar, and Michael Madrone teaching English Grammar.
     

        Lhamo Dhondup

Lhamo Dhondup was only able to stay for a short period of time due to his own ongoing education. Because of this,  his time here was very special. The monks happily attended his classes during Losar, when they  usually have extra time off from their studies.

Michael Madrone presently lives in Italy but you may have seen him at the Sakya Monastery in Seattle.  He teaches English as a profession.

I have to say, I was also very happy to have Michael here.  These super bright students in the English class I have been teaching   had some very tough questions for me. Like "What is the Past Perfect participle?" or the "Present Progressive?) Yikes too tough for me!!!! So thank you so much Michael for helping with that !!!!! along with your help with some teaching ideas and a great reference book for others that come here to teach English.


As a side note:
 Sponsoring a teacher is a truly  wonderful way to help these amazing young monks! if anyone is interested please contact the Sakya Heritage Society website http://sakyaheritage.org/

                                                Kunga Yeshe in English class

PS> I should mention that we have an incredible full time teacher on staff here as well as the visiting teachers his name is Genla Sonam Wangchen. Please stay tuned for a photo, he is very hard to catch!!! very busy : )

More Visitors...

Larry and I were so happy to hear from some old friends of ours from Sravasti Abbey in Spokane WA U.S.A. Bikshuni's or Ani's Semkye and Chonyi, Students of Venerable Thubten Chodron decided to stop here for a few days before meeting up with another group to go to Varanasi and Bodhgaya.  We were so happy to have them here, it has been over 2 years since we saw them last.

                                               Taking time to tour the classrooms with Tashi

 In the short time we had we enjoyed several meals and a trip to the National Museum - Best museum ever! so many ancient Buddhist carvings. The best surprise for us when we went there the first time was finding out that there are actually relics of Buddha there!   Jamyangla and Gen Kusangla joined  us as well,  it was a really nice day for everyone.

Such beautiful Buddha statues and artifacts

 Gen Kunsang tells us the heartfelt story of his close relationship with his friend the elephant : )

                           Impermanence


















Making a Dharma Connection

 Offerings  presented to Venerable Jamyang Gyaltsen and our monks for Sakya Heritage Society       from Sravasti Abbey

 Our monks were so happy with the yummy snacks of apples and peanuts

Many received
 new monks shirts

And these beautiful deity cards.
the monks were so excited about these!

 

Thank you so much Venerable Chonyi and Venerable Semkye for your visit and the special gifts from Sravasti Abbey, We hope to see you again soon!

Cold weather Laundry, Moonphaliwala, and those aren't Ruby slippers!

 It can be cold in India at this time of year mid 60's during the day and about 40 degrees or less at night I think Actually it is a record cold for Dehli this year (according to Yahoo ) what makes it tough is that most buildings in India have no heat and are made of concrete and lots of marble flooring so it gets a bit chilly! it has been foggy as well,  very moist and cold early on.

 

From our window... 

Clothes hang fruitlessly from the clothesline sometimes taking days to dry

 

                             But then the sun comes out and 
                                 we all climb trees  to get warm 
                                                              well some of us : )

                      

Sakya Heritage Monks go to Monlam 2012

      Here they are getting on the bus to head for Lumbini, Nepal the birth place of the Buddha where they will stay in tents for 10 days and almost continuously recite" The Aspirations of Samantabhadra Prayer" for the  benefit all beings.

 for many of the younger monks this was their first year to go. and they were very excited.  I was excited for them as well.
as a lay practitioner and one receiving the benefit of these prayers I think it is an incredible thing  that so many take the time to do this, and not for themselves but for all sentient beings. I am very grateful for this wonderful festival done each year.

 

Sakya Monlam 2012 In Lumbini The Great Prayer Festival for World Peace

      His Holiness Sakya Trizin
                                         with  His Eminence Abhaya Rinpoche

... the benefit of reciting Samantabhadra’s Aspiration to Noble Deeds is inconceivable and beyond description. Because of this great benefit, many masters in Tibet instituted large prayer gatherings where the Aspiration to Noble Deeds was recited by hundreds or thousands of monks, nuns, and lay people. These prayer, or monlam, festivals were performed by all the major schools of Tibetan Buddhism, and were often held where holy masters of the past had dwelt, taught the Dharma, or passed away, or near temples or other places of great religious significance. 
For more information click this link http://www.hhthesakyatrizin.org/teach_monlam.html

     

                                       

 H. E. 
 Abhaya  Rinpoche   
                    

                                           "As a Buddhist practitioner, I believe the Monlam is a very important holy event and I was very fortunate to attend this year's Sakya Monlam as the representative of the Phuntsok Phodrang. By reciting the Samantabhadra numerous times, we accumulate immense amounts of merit and by dedicating it to all sentient beings, we are fulfilling our roles and our main purpose of being Mahayana Buddhists. Spreading Bodhicitta in this forum was both rewarding and exciting as I was in the presence of Spiritual Leaders such as H.H. Sakya Trizin, H.E. Ratna Rinpoche, H.E Gyana Rinpoche and other renowned Dharma Masters. After those ten heartfelt days at the Sakya Monlam, I felt inspired and hopeful that events such as this will continue to create harmony throughout the universe."

                                      - His Eminence

                                                                        Abhaya Rinpoche              

 

                                                                    

 H.H. Sakya Trizin, 
H.E. Ratna Rinpoche, 
H.E. Gyana Rinpoche and
 H.E. Abhaya Rinpoche

                                  
      

   

                          

Here are just some of the Monks attending Monlam

Just some of the monks attending Monlam

   Photos Provided  by Gen Kunsang Gyatso (H.E. Abhaya RInpoche's Teacher)