Thrangu Tara Abbey Tibetan Monastery Tibetan Children's School International Awareness

Thrangu Tara Abbey Founded by Venerable Thrangu Rinpoche A Nunnery In Nepal for Buddhist Nuns The Abbey which was founded in 1992 provides monastic support of 114 nuns from Tibet, and the Himalayan regions of Nepal. It is located in Swoyambhu near Kathmandu Most of the nuns come from very poor families with almost no access to education. Now many of the young nuns are either attending schools or classes at the nunnery to learn to read and write in English, Tibetan and Nepalese as well as receiving a general education. Five nuns are attending Buddhist university in India with two in their sixth year of a nine-year study program. When their studies are completed they will be qualified to teach the other nuns and to fulfill Thrangu Rinpoche's aspiration to eventually establish a college for Buddhist studies for nuns at the monastery here in Nepal Eight nuns are in traditional three year retreat at their retreat center in Manang, near the Tibetan border. Two groups of nuns have already completed this retreat which qualifies them as "lamas" The nuns of Thrangu Abbey follow a daily schedule of prayer, study and work. They are very disciplined and hardworking

Thrangu Rinpoche Thrangu Rinpoche is the senior teacher and Abbott of the Karma Kagyu lineage of Tibetan Buddhism. He was teacher of all the regents and many other teachers of the lineage. Now he is main tutor of the lineage head, The XVIIth Karmapa, Urgyen Thinley Dorje. Thrangu Rinpoche has also established a monastery in Boudhanath, Nepal, a monastic college and retreat at Namo Buddha in Nepal, a center for Buddhist studies in Sarnath India, a secular school for Buddhist children in Boudhanath and Buddhist centers in Europe, North America and Asia For the future, Thrangu Rinpoche believes that it is extremely important that people have a secular education and the opportunity to engage in Buddhist studies. PLEASE HELP ! How You Can Help CONSTRUCTION OF THE TEMPLE The nuns to this date still do not have a temple. They have only living quarters, kitchen, a common room and a temporary prayer room. They are very crowded with each room sleeping five nuns. The prayer room is now too small for all the nuns to take part in the daily prayers and special ceremonies. Total Estimated cost of the Temple $15000 Cost per floor of temple: Foundation and ground floor (classrooms) $45,000 Main temple $58,000 Tara Shrineroom and Thrangu Rinpoche's room $29,000 Finishing of roof and traditional top $15,000 Construction will begin soon, floor by floor, as funds come in. ADDITIONAL LIVING QUARTERS There are now two wings each with two floors. A third floor on each wing is required. Many women and girls are on the waiting list to join the nunnery but there is no space for them. Estimated addition of one floor $25,000 Addition of two floors $50,000 GENERAL DONATIONS Donations for food and clothing. Only 58 of 114 nuns have sponsors. Often they do not have enough money for food Donations for medical needs A Playground. We would like to make an asphalt court for basketball and volleyball $1500 Funds for furniture and general furnishings INDIVIDUAL SPONSORSHIP OF NUNS Sponsorship of a nun $310 per year There are 56 nuns with no sponsor. Most of the nuns come from impoverished villages. Their families are devoted buddhists but are not able to support them. Your sponsored nun will write to you (in English) THRANGU TARA ABBEY EDUCATION FUND 16 nuns are now enrolled in school. These 16 are all sponsored now but we hope to place more of the nuns in school in the future. The nuns attending school will have requirements in future to attend the Buddhist university in India. The requirements are Level 8 education with the school system and fluency in Tibetan language. Cost of sending a nun to school $310 per year (This includes school fees, lunch and books but does not cover hiring of the school bus) General donations for books for the nuns studying in the nunnery A sponsor has given money for the teacher but funds will be required in future to increase her salary. A MOTOR VEHICLE The nuns live a long way from the main road. They have no vehicle for shopping or for taking a nun who is ill to the hospital. We soon hope to purchase a two cab pickup truck for them. The school bus is expensive so a lot of money can be saved by transporting the nuns to school in the truck. Several of the nuns can drive. Cost of pickup truck. $12,750 If you wish to help with this project, please contact: Toni Lubetsky, President The Neydo Foundation 589 Fifth Avenue, Suite 909 New York, NY 10017 (212) 414-0080 phone (212) 262-9799 fax E-mail: tonibet@aol.com Website: www.neydo.com Click here to make a donation towards this project