| Auspicious Wishes for Tibetan New Year 2148 | On the occasion of the New Tibetan New Year, all of us at Kopan Monastery express our sincere thanks for all the help and support we have received from you. All the monks and nuns are making special prayers during this time for the success, well-being and good health of all students, and benefactors of the monastery and the FPMT and all sentient beings. May Peace, Health and Happiness prevail. | | Some news from the monastery while the lock-down continues | Kopan was blessed with Lama Zopa Rinpoche's presence throughout this year. Many pujas were performed to ease the suffering of those all over the world affected by the virus. Lama Zopa Rinpoche, together with other high lamas, performed a series of fire pujas for this purpose. Read more about this on the FPMT website**
Usually, all our sponsors and supporters receive a Losar card through the mail. We apologize that this is not possible this year. The monastery has been in lock-down since March last year.There is still no postal service in Nepal.
But the internet works!! So you are receiving our wishes for thecoming Tibetan New Year online.
It is an extraordinary situation for the monastery. All courses were cancelled, many of the staff such as school teachers, cooks, cleaners and various other helpers had to stay in the monastery accommodation, some of them with their families, to reduce the risk of infection with Corvid virus.
A group of monks were tasked with bringing in the necessary provision. This means everybody, all the more than 400 residents, were very well protected - nobody was infected with the Corvid Virus. | Helping Hands - Providing food to poor people during the pandemic Whole communities in Nepal usually supported by overseas work ended up in extreme poverty after the pandemic forced thousands back to their home country. Kopan has been distributing food parcels to people in remote areas who lost their jobs and income during the pandemic. So far, more than 6000 people have received this food assistance. Read more about this here Kopan Helping Hands | Special Rituals at Losar time During this special time, many pujas will be performed. On the day before the start of the New Year, special purification pujas are performed.
The New Year Day starts with Palden Lhamo Puja in the early morning at around 4:30am, followed by Guru Puja with Extensive Tsog Offering at 8am. After the pujas, everyone will receive blessings from Lama Zopa Rinpoche in his rooms. | Asangha School - Combining science with Dharma Asangha School, the Kopan School, is a Government Registered School. It completed successfully another year, and the first group of monks were sitting for the year 10 government exam. It putting them on the path toward the High school Leaving Certificate, after completing the year 12 exam in another two year. This is an important mile stone for the monastery school. 200 students are enrolled, mostly from very poor back grounds.
Volunteer teachers are still needed to help with the English, math and science classes. If you have time (three months minimum) and are a qualified teacher, we would love to hear from you | The 16 year Geshe study is now fully integrated into the school. Four senior monks graduated from this program this year and received their certificates from Lama Zopa Rinpoche. They are continuing their studies at Lumbini University, joining the Buddhist study program there that will lead them to a Bachelor or Master degree. | Monlam – The Great Prayer Festival Usually during this time of the year, the Great Prayer Festival (Monlam) takes place at Kopan.
The Prayer festival has been cancelled this year, as no large gatherings are recommended due to the corona virus pandemic. Instead, the Kopan monks and nuns will participate in a retreat. | Our Little Monks Every year, a number of young boys joined the monastery and were ordained by Lama Zopa Rinpoche. Most of them come from poor families in very remote areas. The young monks join Kopan School, memorizing their prayers and otherwise having a very happy life at Kopan. You can sponsor any of these monks on a monthly or yearly basis. Click here for more information | Rigsel Rinpoche Rigsel Rinpoche, the incarnation of Khensur Geshe Lama Lhundrup, celebrated his 8th birthday a few days ago. He is starting class 3 in February. He is doing very well in his studies and now speaks English, Tibetan and Nepali. Class mates and friends were invited for snacks, cakes and the popping of a large number of balloons. | | Khensur Lama Lhundrup's Memorial Stupa | The stupa is being built in the grounds of the nunnery. It will have a prayer room underneath, with a large prayer wheel right next to it. Much has been achieved. The external structure is now completed.The process of filling the stupa with holy objects prayers and mantras has started with filling the top of the stupa with Dharma texts and Lama Zopa Rinpoche led the blessings for this part of the consecration. Make a donation here | Kopan Daily Dharma Talks and Meditations Check out the Daily Dharma talks on YouTube by Kopan geshes and teachers. It features teachings and meditations on different topics of the lam rim. Check for details on the Kopan website
Kopan Daily Dharma Talks | Do you know about Gift of Prayers? Gift of Prayer is an easy way to arrange prayers for your friends and loved ones. You can choose between several types of prayers, such as Tara Praises, King of Prayer, Medicine Buddha, and others. Find out more on the Kopan website | Sagharmatha School Sagharmata School, part of the Thubten Shedrup Ling Monastery Complex In the eastern part of Nepal, has now more than 200 students, and is still growing. Future plans for the school include upgrading to class twelve over the next few years, which will open the door to higher education for the mainly underprivileged children living in that part of the country. | Maitreya Children's Home The hostel provides a supportive and safe environment for students who come from remote areas of Solu Khumbu. Most of them are from poor families who can’t afford to pay school or hostel fees. Due to the big demand for hostel places, an extension to the hostel was built and is now ready in time for the new school year. It will offer accommodation for 100 children. The monastery is providing scholarships for most of these these children.
Read more about the background of the hostel and the school on our website. | All of us at Kopan wishing you a very | | ©2021 Kopan Monastery | GPO Box 817 Kathmandu Nepal | |
