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Welcome To Jangchub Choeling Nunnery A Place of Learning for Nuns in Exile |
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About Jangchub Choeling
Jangchub Choeling Nunnery is a Tibetan Nunnery located in Mundgod, in southern India. It is located between two of the largest monasteries in India: Drepung and Gaden. Jangchub Choeling is one of the most recently built nunneries in India.
How Jangchub Choeling Nunnery Was Established
14th Dalai Lama, whose vision includes the preservation of Tibetan culture and heritage, recommended the building of a nunnery which would foster philosophical education and training in Mundgod, India. His recommendation was delivered to the Representative Chairman in India, as well as the local Tibetan Women’s Association (TWA). They then requested Venerable Thupten Lhatso La to establish the nunnery.
In 1986 a small prayer hall was built with the help of the Tibetan Government in Exile. This prayer hall was used for schooling 18 young and eager nuns, who also used it for dharma practice in the evenings. The nuns were housed, two to a room, in a very dark and damp building, which had been bought from a local retirement home. Venerable Lhatso dedicated herself to the care and nurturing of the young nuns.
Venerable Lhatso is now 72 years old and still lives at Jangchub Choeling. We feel very grateful to this courageous woman, who with her great kindness and wisdom, has helped to bring the dream to reality.
LIVING CONDITIONS HAVE IMPROVED The original dilapidated buildings were not conducive to proper living because of their extremely small, dark and insect-infested conditions. Fortunately the buildings have been properly renovated. BY WHOM? Since 1991, many new nuns have been arriving from Tibet, Nepal, the Himalayan Regions and other Tibetan settlements in India. The number is now up to 165. Jangchub Choeling has continued to flourish, with the help of Carola Roloff (Bikshuni Jampa Tsedron) of the Tibetan Center in Hamburg, and Mrs. Irmtraut Wager of the German Aid to Tibetans. The nunnery now includes offices, a larger prayer hall, a debate hall, a small shop and hotel, and a kitchen and hostels. There are a total of 82 dorm rooms, all of which are occupied.
The practice of Buddhist Philosophy is now thriving at Jangchub Choeling. Some of the nuns from Tibet are unable to read even Tibetan, as they have never had the opportunity to go to school or to practice dharma, due to so much restriction. Thus they eagerly come to join this nunnery, where the conditions for study are so much better than in Tibet.
In Tibet the Chinese occupation limits the freedom to practice religion. Most of the monasteries have been completely destroyed, and those which have been re-created are very small. Religious studies and ritual practice is controlled by the Chinese government. Because of this many nuns and monks are forced to flee from Tibet and live in India.
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Venerable Thupten Lhatso Founder and Abbess
First Nuns of Jangchub Choeling
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Another Project Donated by www.tibetech.org This site was last updated 01/30/08. Copyright 2005 Jangchub Choeling Nunnery. |
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