Happy 80th Birthday Jetsunma

Dear Friends,

We are very happy to have the opportunity to celebrate Jetsunma Tenzin Palmo’s 80th Birthday this month. To mark the occasion, we created a slideshow with photographs featuring key moments in Jetsunma’s spiritual journey and the building of Dongyu Gatsal Ling Nunnery.

Please click on photo to enjoy slideshow

Long Life Prayer for Jetsunma Tenzin Palmo

A Message from Jetsunma

Founding the Nunnery and the Buddhadharma

How fast time passes! It has now been 24 years since Dongyu Gatsal Ling was first started at Tashi Jong back in 1999. We are very happy that now the nunnery is fully flourishing with 118 nuns from the various Himalayan regions living in harmony while studying and practicing the Dharma with both sincerity and cheerfulness.

The Buddhadharma shows us how to make this life meaningful by transforming our habitual responses of greed or irritation into positive factors that open the heart and encourage insight. Not just to ‘be kind’ but the techniques that can help us to become so. However, all the teaching in the world cannot change us if we do not put the advice into practice — throughout the day under all circumstances. The teachings on Mind Training (Lojong) are especially helpful and practical in these challenging times. The message is always contemporary and immediately useful for transforming our daily life into our Dharma practice.

DGL Nunnery news

In April, I was invited to speak at the Global Buddhist Summit in Delhi, which was honored by the presence of HH Dalai Lama and Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Twenty DGL nuns were also invited and enjoyed seeing Delhi for the first time in most cases.

Recently two of our DGL nuns, Lhachö Wangmo and Tsewang Chodron, were selected as the Kagyupa representatives by the Tibetan Ministry of Religion & Culture in Dharamsala to do a 4-year research program (rather like a PhD thesis) on some aspect of philosophy — Madhyamaka, Prajnaparamita, etc. Our Khenpo Sonam Wangyal was chosen as part of the Nyingmapa team (as the Kagyu slot was already filled by our nuns).

Recent visitors to DGL have included Tsoknyi Rinpoche in April who gave an enlivening and enlightening talk to the nuns — with lots of laughter — and also spent time with the retreat nuns. Then Penpa Tsering, the president of the Tibet government-in-exile, visited and was very charming to the nuns.

Our Khenpo and all the Genlas (nun teachers) went to Lahaul on pilgrimage recently and Kalden took them up to the cave and to Tayul and Peukar Gonpas. Meanwhile the nuns are absorbed in their revision and end-of-term exams.

May all beings be well and happy.

Tenzin Palmo

Endowment and Bequests

On this special occasion of Jetsunma’s 80th Birthday we are reminded of the enormous role Jetsunma Tenzin Palmo has played in championing Tibetan Buddhist nuns and bringing so many to the Buddhist path. Her dedicated work and focus have significantly influenced the lives of innumerable Tibetan Buddhist nuns and the manner in which ordained nuns are viewed. Her voice has touched the hearts of many people worldwide, always reminding us of the importance of loving kindness, compassion and generosity and of course, the “seventh paramita”, humor.

This is an ideal time to mention the importance of growing the Endowment. Ensuring that the nuns of Dongyu Gatsal Ling and the other projects under the auspices of Jetsunma have sufficient funding for decades to come is best achieved by means of a sizable Endowment. What better way to express our gratitude to Jetsunma Tenzin Palmo and her tireless work in improving the lives of nuns and their presence in the Tibetan Buddhist mandala than to donate to the DGL Endowment?

Donate to the Endowment

To receive more detailed information about the Endowment and how to make bequests, please email us at info@dgli.org. You may also visit our website: https://dgli.org/the-dgl-endowment. Donors in the United States are able to make tax-deductible contributions.

All of us at Dongyu Gatsal Ling Initiatives thank you for your ongoing generous support. None of the projects that support the activities of Jetsunma Tenzin Palmo would be possible without you.

With heartfelt gratitude,

Chrysanne, Lillia, Linda, Lindsay and May Ling

DGL Initiatives Board of Directors

Please support us by keeping up to date with news of Jetsunma Tenzin Palmo and our Nunnery projects and contribute to our social media outreach by sharing, liking, following, on our social media platforms:

About Us

Dongyu Gatsal Ling Initiatives is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization in the United States. For USA residents your donation is tax deductible to the extent allowed by law.

DGL Initiatives supports the mission of our Spiritual Director, Jetsunma Tenzin Palmo. We are dedicated to improving the education standards and living conditions of Tibetan Buddhist female monastics and their communities.

Offering Service

If you are interested in volunteering for DGL Initiatives, we would love to hear from you! Our most immediate need involves helping out with Social Media. If this or any other type of volunteering appeals to you, please click on the link below to complete our online application form to tell us more about yourself and your interests. Thank you!

Volunteer Application Form