Appeal For Funding Support To Triten Norbutse

Since 1987, Triten Norbutse Monastery has been developing significantly both in terms of external structures and its spiritual and academic curriculum. The number of students and teachers is always increasing.

We are most grateful to all organizations and individuals who have contributed either financially or in other ways, however large or small. Without their support Triten Norbutse would not have been able to reach the level of development which it has today.

However, since new monks arrive regularly, and because we strive to preserve our unique yet endangered tradition for the benefit of future generations, Triten Norbutse needs to be able to maintain the monastery in good working order. This depends largely on the financial and spiritual support of our friends. Many monks come with limited family support, or fled Tibet with nothing but the robes they were wearing and as such are unable to pay regular contributions for their food and accommodation. By accepting these monks, our community accepts the full responsibility for their welfare. Although the monastery is currently able to feed and clothe all the monks, and has recently completed several necessary buildings, it still has no independent funding. This creates uncertainty regarding the future, and does not provide a good basis for a young, growing community. It is imperative to secure the financial future of the monastery in order to enable it to survive and fulfill its responsibility towards the tradition and the members of the community.

Monk Sponsorship

We offer education to the monks free of charge and provide food, shelter and study materials. In order to meet the expenses involved we rely on sponsorship for individual monks or groups of monks. Providing one monk with these basic needs costs 1.00 Euro per day, or 360.00 Euro a year. The full educational program (Geshe Degree) takes at least thirteen years, so for 4,680.00 Euro you can support a monk throughout our spiritual university. Any sponsorship is very welcome, be it for a day, a week, a year or any other period.

Food Endowment

We are planning to start a professional perpetual investment fund, the interest from which will eventually enable the monastery to take care of its members and provide for their daily necessities. If you would rather not take on the commitment to sponsor a monk but would like to help, you may prefer to make a contribution to this Food Endowment project. In this way you can help to ensure that the monastery will continue to be able to look after its community, not just now, but also in the future.

Post-Graduate Research Scholarships

As a spiritual and academic institution, we support various research projects. We have developed a program to enable our Geshes to undertake research on religious and academic topics such as ancient Bönpo historical records.

One example is the book and DVD “Sacred Landscape and Pilgrimage in Tibet”, based on the pilgrimage made by Geshe Geleg Jinpa, Charles Ramble and Caroll Dunham in 2002.

The Scholarship Program includes detailed studies of the works of particular Bönpo saints or other ways of research leading to a publication. As such, research should be taken as part of the monk’s path, study and practice, and the monastery will try to continue supplying the Geshes’ basic needs. However, any additional expenses such as travel costs, study materials, etc. cannot be met from the monastery’s budget.

Therefore we would be most grateful for any donations to these study grants which would enable out gifted graduates to further explore and preserve our tradition’s rich history and heritage. The Scholarship Program also includes the funding of special long term retreats focused on specific practices.

Teacher’s Stipend

In order to maintain a stable teaching staff at Triten Norbutse and to allow the teaching Geshes to earn at least a small income, we are hoping to introduce a basic stipend for teachers. A teacher in Nepal earns about 180 Euro a month. If we consider paying about one third of this in addition to providing food and lodgings, the annual stipend for one teaching Geshe would be around 700 Euro. This means that the basic monthly stipend for all nine teachers together would come to 540 Euro.

Health Care

As far as possible we rely on the preventative and curative methods of our own spiritual and medical tradition for treating the monks. However, they often arrive at the monastery in poor health after a long and arduous trek from Tibet or from the remote and high altitude areas of Himalayan Nepal. In the Kathmandu Valley they must adjust to the low altitude and disastrous ecological situation, which leads to various and sometimes serious medical conditions. Donations can be made either as one-time offerings whenever one can, or as regular contributions. It is also possible to send medicines, dietary supplements or anything else related to healthcare directly to the monastery, but it is best to check what supplies are most needed at the time.

Gifts for Prayer

In a monastery monks traditionally perform prayer ceremonies for the long life, health and success of their teachers, friends, benefactors and all sentient beings, as well as for world peace. The prayer ceremonies are performed to avert or purify three kinds of obstacles:

• External adversities that manifest from karmic imprints and affect everyday life influencing relationships and business etc;

• Internal hindrances arising from fear, doubts and superstition that affect our health or mental state;

• Secret/hidden obstacles of inherent Ignorance obstructing the realization of the Ultimate Nature.

Prayer ceremonies are also performed for the dying to help pacify their mind, and for the deceased to support and guide their spirit to a higher state of rebirth and liberation. Each day 150 monks perform the practice and prayers of Jama (Loving Goddess), protective rituals of guardians, healing and purification rites. Every full moon, the Drenpa Namkha Offerings for the Accumulation of Wisdom and Merits (tshogs mchod) are performed, while on the day of the New Moon the monks perform Accumulation Offerings (tshogs mchod) of the Lineage Masters of the Zhangzhung Nyengyu (bla ma mgon po dbyer med) and of Nyam-med Sherab Gyaltsen (mnyam med bla sgrub). Every summer one hundred thousand Accumulation Offerings of Drenpa Namkha are performed and every winter one hundred thousand Accumulation Offerings of Sipai Gyalmo are completed.

These ritual practices are dedicated to the long life and success of all the great masters, our teachers, to peace on earth and harmony among people. You may make a donation to request any of these prayers for yourself or a loved one or to offset the costs of the Gompa during the daily, monthly or yearly prayers.