Greetings to you from everyone here at
Jampa Ling for the Tibetan New Year.
This year will be very auspicious for us.
At Easter, Jampa Ling Centre will celebrate its Tenth Birthday.
When the Ven. Lama Panchen Otrul Rinpoche was invited to become Spiritual Director of Jampa Ling Buddhist Centre in Southern Ireland, there was no idea of where that would lead. To have the opportunity to study dharma, in Ireland, under the direction of a highly realised Buddhist Lama was just a tremendous gift to have received.
Now looking back we can see the steady progress made under his care ; a teaching centre which is firmly established; a growing number of dedicated students from all over Ireland and other countries; a spiritual resource for many people, both Buddhists and non-Buddhists; and growing connections with fellow Buddhists in other parts of the world. We had no idea the gift would be so great!
Bringing Buddhadarma to Ireland.
Panchen Otrul Rinpoche has taught both at Jampa Ling and in Northern Ireland on a regular basis during this period. He also now teaches in Co. Clare, and will start teaching in Co. Kilkenny this year. Many people come to take refuge with him, for private interviews, blessings for marriages, children and homes. Increasingly the centre is asked to provide people to give talks both in schools, colleges and other organisations.
As the number of people coming for the teachings increases so does the demand for space. We finally purchased the old farm buildings and three acres of land on our west boundary for future development. This year should see the first outbuilding finished to provide more accommodation and another community room for courses.
Links with other countries..
Panchen Otrul Rinpoche also established a fund raising organisation in Northern Ireland called Tashi Khyil. Together Tashi Khyil and Jampa Ling s are raising funds for the building of a new hostel for the monks of Gungru Khangsten in Drepung Gomang Monastic University , Mundgod. We were all delighted when the ground floor was finished this year and the monks moved in!! 70 monks are now individually sponsored, two nuns and six children.
Fund raising has now started for the work that Panchen Otrul will do in Mongolia. He has visited Mongolia four times and will do so each summer as long as he is able. Students of Panchen Otrul now accompany him to Mongolia and visit Gomang Monastery in India. This is useful for Rinpoche and also brings closer contact with Rinpoche`s other students.
We try to help Tibetan Refugees by selling Tibetan goods at the centre and hope to increase this in the future.
The Millenium
A large crowd of people celebrated the Millenium at Jampa Ling starting with a smoke puja and purification practises We had been invited to join in a Celebration of Life service in the Catholic Church in Bawnboy and many people from the centre were involved. Panchen Otrul Rinpoche was asked to say a final dedication which he chanted in Tibetan. A Tibetan text along with other items was put on the altar. Flags of the world were carried by children, including a Tibetan flag. We then returned to the centre for food, after which we chanted praises to Tara which took us into the new Millenium. It was a wonderful end and an even more wonderful beginning.
Many Thanks!
We thank all those people who are making Panchen Otrul Rinpoche`s work possible in Ireland, India and Mongolia. As these projects grow they will give many people the opportunity to develop in peace and happiness.
Please continue with your help and support for any of these projects
- we are part of one world family - all looking for happiness and freedom from suffering.
We hope that the Year of the IRON DRAGON brings you much happiness and fulfillment