Thrangu Tara Abbey

Swayambunath is a very special and spiritual place named after the famous Swayambunath Stupa. There are many monasteries, temples and a large community of Tibetans and other Himalayan people in this area. Thrangu Tara Abbey which was founded in 1992 provides monastic support of nuns from Tibet, and the Himalayan regions of Nepal. It is located in Swoyambhu near Kathmandu.

 

History

 

In 1991, the first group of 17 nuns arrived from the province of Manang in Nepal near the Tibetan border.When the nuns first arrived in Kathmandu, they lived in rooms in a monastery owned by the Manangi community. In 1992 the land was purchased for the nunnery.

 

In 1995, the nuns moved into the first wing along with a kitchen and temporary shrine room. A second wing was finished in 1998 along with a new larger temporary shrine room.

 

Due to the generosity of sponsors, construction of the temple began in January 2001. The temple was built between the two wings. The outer structure of the temple is now completed and finishing has begun. The construction will be completed by 2007.

 

Education

 

In 1997 only 60 nuns were living here. In 1999, the number of nuns increased to 115 people, ranging from 4 to 50-years-old .

 

Most of the nuns come from the northern areas of Nepal but there arealso some from Tibet, India and Bhutan. Sometimes nuns from Hong Kong, Taiwan, Malaysia, Europe and North America come to stay at the Abbey. Tara Abbey now has over 230 nuns.

 

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.

 

In 1996, two nuns were first sent to the Central Institute for Higher Buddhist Studies in Sarnath. There are now have a total of nine nuns engaged in higher Buddhist studies (Shedra). Two have completed their seventh year receiving the degree of "Shastri" and will be returning soon to the Abbey to as teachers to the nuns. Seven of them are now studying at a shedra in Manali, India

 

The new Tara Abbey Monastic College for Higher Buddhist Studies (Shedra) was inaugurated in March 2004 and the college building in nearing completion. The teachers are two Tara Abbey nuns who graduated with Shastri degrees from Buddhist University in India.There is also a group of nuns attending the university in Sarnath, India.

 

Tibetan Medicine

 

Currently, eleven nuns are studying traditional Tibetan medicine with a doctor who was trained under the famous Shankar Rinpoche (known as Shankar Amji) who passed away in several years ago. Their classes are being held in Shree Mangal Dvip School in Boudhanath. They have been going on field trips in the Himalayan regions to find medicinal plants.

 

In addition, the nuns make very special incense. The one ingredient is from precious trees growing in the mountains around Tsurphu Monastery, seat of the Karmapas in Tibet. The legend is that the 3rd Karmapa, Rangjung Dorje blessed the mountains with his hair and trees rose up from the hair. These trees are widely known in Tibet for purifying obstacles, expelling evil spirits and being good fortune.

 

Dharmakara Publications

 

Some of the nuns have learned to use computers including use of a Tibetan program to use Tibetan fonts. They are transcribing Thrangu Rinpoche’s teachings, given in Nepal and abroad, as part of a project called “ Dharma Kara Publications ” which was initiated by Thrangu Rinpoche’s scholar monks. The tapes, which have been collected over many years, were translated into English and mostly transcribed in English. Now all these many commentaries will be available in Tibetan. The nuns are also now working on a project to input many texts into the computer.

 

The Retreat Center

 

The nun’s traditional three-year retreat center known as “ Sher Gonpa ” is located in Manang, near the famous Milarepa caves. Eight nuns completed a retreat. The retreat has a wonderful view of the Snow Mountains of Tibet. When the first nuns came to Kathmandu to help establish the Abbey, several of them had already completed three-year retreat. Since then, three retreats have been completed. The retreat gonpa is now undergoing renovation and extension.

 

Future

 

In the future, as room becomes available, there will likely be hundreds of nuns living at the Abbey. Thrangu Tara Abbey will be a source and inspiration for all women who wish to lead a religious life and not only for woman from the Himalayan regions and India but also for women from other parts of Asia and from the west.