Sangha community at Lama Tzong Khapa Institute, Italy
News update by Venerables Tenzin and Tsultrim – Sept 2016
As you probably know the Sangha community in Pomaia has owned land for many years with the intention to build a monastery for monks and nuns. Unfortunately, until now we have not been able to receive the appropriate building permit. Two years ago, His Holiness the Dalai Lama visited the hill where the monastery will be built and blessed the ground of the future monastery of ‘Lhungtok Choekhor Ling’. It was a wonderful event with over 1000 people joining the ritual.
Since that time things seem to be moving. The local municipality elected a new mayor and Kyabje Zopa Rinpoche advised us to do specific pujas for the success of the project. We were advised to do the Nolsang puja three times a week for three months and the Lhasang incense puja once a month for the next three years.
The first Nolsang puja we did together with our resident Geshe, Jampa Gelek. Then it happened that the monks from Nagri Khamtsen were here to join in the second puja, and the third puja we were able to do with Serkong Rinpoche. A few days after the third puja was completed, we were with Dagpo Rinpoche on our future monastery place.
Thanks to the kindness of our teachers things seem to be moving! It has been a great experience to see how the Sangha community have worked together in preparing and performing the pujas. These past few months have benean excellent beginning and inspiration to us all.
The monks and nuns have taken turns performing these pujas for two weeks at a time. Fortunately we were able to keep up this schedule even during the summer holidays when many Sangha are away
As Dagpo Rinpoche suggested during a Sangha meeting:
“In the meantime, as long as the outer monastery is not yet built, work on the ‘inner monastery’ – take care of your Sangha community according to the vinaya, and specially strengthen your daily Lam Rim practice. The actual basement of the monastery is your experience and realization of the Lam Rim!”
We are full of confidence that we will receive the building permission for the monastery! Please dedicate with us together for this important project!