Homes for Western Monks and Nuns

I finished one class yesterday with my final paper and presentation.  I presented on the connection between the Ellora caves in Maharashtra (west-central India) and the rise of tantra.  I didn't know this before this paper, but Saraha, the teacher of Nagarjuna, was born in Maharashtra.  This may be part of the connection that drew tantra, which was mainly a phenomenon of central and eastern India into the area around Ellora.  Ellora thus preserves some of the earliest know carvings of tantric buddhas and bodhisattvas known.  There is even an image of Vajradhara, the buddha who taught Tilopa.  Tilopa then taught Naropa, who then taught Marpa the Translator (the first Tibetan in the lineage) who then taught the famous Tibetan yogi, Milarepa.  In other words, I found a picture of an image of the progenitor of the Kagyu lineage, of which I am a part.

The photo of Vajradhara is from Geri H. Malandra's Unfolding a Mandala: The Buddhist Cave Temples at Ellora.  I recommend the book.

The reason for this post, however, is to reintroduce the Vancouver Monastic Center.  I think I mentioned it in a previous post a few months ago, and I've had it linked at left for a while, but I thought I'd give it some more exposure today. 

The center is the idea of Lama Tsewang Dorje, a Canadian who did the Great Retreat (the 3-year retreat) under Kalu Rinpoche years ago.  He and his son are both monks (he returned to lay life for a brief period) and now he is offering his home for the development of a monastery for Western monks, recognizing that there are precious few opportunities to live the monastic life and little support for monastics in the West.  Any one who joins up may keep their affiliation with their own teachers.  The monastery is simply meant to provide a home and supportive environment for monastic practice.

There is also, of course, Sravasti Abbey in Washington state near Spokane.  This abbey is headed by Ven. Thubten Chodron of the Gelugpa lineage.  I think currently there is just Ven. Chodron, a Bikkshuni, and one novice nun there now, but in the future I believe they hope to expand with more nuns and have housing for monks as well.

There is also Gampo Abbey in the Shambhala tradition founded by Trungpa Rinpoche.  Located in Nova Scotia, Canada, they have quite a few monks and nuns living there and a well developed monastic system in place.

Finally, there is Vajra Dakini Nunnery in the Drikung lineage.  This will be a nunnery in Vermont.  They have the land, but I'm not sure if there is any housing or other facilities yet. 

These are all the options (most of them still just getting started) for Western monks and nuns in North America.  If you're not interested in becoming a monk or nun, but recognize the importance of supporting the monastic way of life, please consider giving to one of these monastic communities.

The Buddha taught that the Dharma is not present in a land until the Four Fold Assembly is fully present: Monks, Nuns, Lay men and Lay women.  Currently, we have numerous centers geared toward the needs and desires of the lay community, but precious few options for those drawn to the monastic way of life.  In order for the Dharma of the Tibetan traditions to be rooted in the West, we need self-sustaining communities of native-born monastics.

OK, I'll get off my soap box now.  I've got to get back to a paper I'm writing due tomorrow.