His Holiness the Dalai Lama Inaugurates Shugseb Nunnery and
College[Tuesday, 7 December
2010, 4:07 p.m.]
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| A view of the newly-built Shubseb nunnery’s prayer hall and nuns’ residential quarter taken during its inauguration by His Holiness the Dalai Lama on Tuesday, 7 December 2010 |
DHARAMSHALA: His Holiness the Dalai Lama
today inaugurated and consecrated the new complex of Shugseb Ogyen Dzong
Nunnery and College near Dharamsala, where about 100 nuns undertake
nine years of study in Buddhist philosophy. It is located at Garoh
village, some 15 km from Dharamsala.The ceremony began with the
lighting of ceremonial lamp and consecration of the temple by His
Holiness the Dalai Lama, following which Tibetan Nuns Project
co-director Ven Lobsang Dechen offered Mendel Tensum (three auspicious
offerings) to His Holiness. Senior officials of the Central Tibetan
Administration, including Chief Justice Commissioner, Deputy Speaker and
Kalons were present.Kasur Rinchen Khando, the director of the
Tibetan Nuns Project, under whose aegis the nunnery was built, briefed
the gathering about how the nunnery came into being in exile.
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| His Holiness the Dalai Lama (c) with Kasur Rinchen Khando, the director of Tibetan Nuns Project (L), on his arrival at the inauguration and consecration of Shugseb Nunnery and College near Dharamsala on 7 December 2010 |
The director said over 100 nuns from Tibet and
Nepal are undertaking Buddhist studies in the nunnery. The duration of
study is nine years and the syllabus for the first four years is
philosophy of middle-way, paramita or teachings of perfection in the
fifth and sixth year, and the two classes of tantric teachings for the
last three years. Till date thirty-one nuns have graduated after
completing studies from this nunnery.She expressed deep
gratitude to the donor organisations, which include Norwegian Committee
for Women, for their valuable financial contribution towards the
nunnery. The total cost for the construction of the new nunnery cum
college is about Rs 72 million.The Tibetan Nuns Project
established in 1985 also looks after the education and welfare of 710
Buddhist nuns in eight nunneries and retreat centers in India, including
those in Spiti and Ladakh’s Zanskar region and in Nepal, she said.In
his address, His Holiness the Dalai Lama said: “Shugseb nunnery is
doing a commendable work in the academic study and practice of Buddhist
text and commentaries as Buddhism passes through a critical period in
Tibet.”Praising the donor organisations for their support and
financial contribution towards the building the nunnery, His Holiness
said the great merit earned by them would bear fruit.His
Holiness encouraged the nuns to become 21st century Buddhists by
developing inner values through study and practice. He emphasised the
need to undertake study and practice of key Buddhist text and treatises
rather than merely carrying out religious rituals. One can offer genuine
service to Buddhism only through studying it, he added.
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| His Holiness presides over the inaugural ceremony of Shugseb Nunnery and College |
Referring to his health condition, His Holiness
said he has fully recuperated from the indisposition. The
Shugseb nunnery in exile was first established two years after twenty
nuns from the original nunnery based near Tibet’s capital Lhasa escaped
to India in 1990 following persecution by the Chinese government. As
instructed by Holiness the Dalai Lama, the Department of Religion and
Culture of the Central Tibetan Administration, the Tibetan Nuns Project
and the Tibetan Women’s Association
helped in the establishment of the
nunnery in Dharamsala after it shifted from Amora.The
construction of the new nunnery complex was started in 2004 and it is
now completed with a prayer hall, library, office, staff quarters,
hostel for one hundred and eight nuns.Shugseb Nunnery follows
the Nyingma School of Tibetan Buddhism and its origin dates back to
1181. Following the invasion of Tibet by the People’s Republic of China,
the nunnery faced complete destruction during 1966-76 Cultural
Revolution and persecution of nuns in 1989.
