The joyful
nun
by Loke
Poh Lin, New Straits Times, June 15, 2006
If anyones life has taken a complete 180-degree turn as a resultof
a book, it is the Venerable Tenzin Palmos. From her first brush
with Buddhism to her setting up of the Dongyu Gatsal Ling Nunnery
in 2000, hers is a fascinating tale of self-discovery, compassion
and joy. LOKE POH LIN has the story.
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia -- Meeting the Venerable
Tenzin Palmo is like breathing clean, fresh mountain air. Its
calming and exhilarating at the same time. Robed in saffron and
red, she spoke with a gentle voice, a smile ever ready on her
radiant face.
Tenzin Palmo was in Kuala Lumpur to speak at the upcoming
International Conference on Buddhist Women from Saturday to June
21, and we took the opportunity to have a chat with her.
Amazingly, her spiritual journey started in London when she was 18,
after reading a book.
Up to
that time I was searching for a spiritual path. Then I joined a
Buddhist society in London. Mind you, that was in the early 60s,
before the hippie movement and general interest in Eastern
religions.
I got involved in the Sri Lankan Society as I was interested in
Theravada Buddhism. Then I read a book dealing with an overview of
Buddhism and while reading about Tibetan Buddhism and its four
traditions: Nyingma, Sakyapa, Kargyupa, Gelugpa, a voice said
Youre a Gelugpa.
The last thing I wanted to be involved in was Tibetan Buddhism!
But this voice inside said You are a Gelugpa. I went to see a
woman about this and she advised me to read The Life of Milarepa,
about a great yogi of the 11th century. It was one of the few
translated books at that time. When I read that book, I realised
that this is my path.
I started to learn Tibetan. And when I was 20 I went to India to
look for a teacher.
In 1964, she met her Tibetan guru, His Eminence the 8th Khamtrul
Rinpoche, and became one of the first Westerners to be ordained as
a Tibetan Buddhist nun.
She studied under him for six years, after which she was sent to
Lahaul for more intensive practice.
For a further six years, she practised in the monastery there and
remained in isolation during the long winter months.
Eventually, Tenzin Palmo sought more seclusion and found a nearby
cave where she stayed 12 years in solitary retreat. This became the
subject of a book by Vicki Mackenzie, Cave in the Snow.
The cheerful Tenzin Palmos main focus now is the Dongyu Gatsal
Ling (DGL) Nunnery she founded in 2000.
The
lamas of my monastery (Khampagar, at Tashi Jong) requested that
since there was nothing at that time, we should start a nunnery.
For the last 13 years we have been raising funds for the nunnery.
We have 38 nuns now but we are building for 100. Every year, we
take in 20 more. They study Buddhist philosophy, meditation,
language.
Teachers are senior lamas and nuns who have had the opportunity of
an education.
A browse through Tenzin Palmos website (www.tenzinpalmo.com) shows that
the nuns receive accounting and budgeting lessons too so that
they will be able to run the nunnery well in the future.
The DGL Nunnery offers young women from Tibet and the Himalayan
border regions of India, Bhutan and Nepal an opportunity to develop
their intellectual and spiritual potential.
Tenzin Palmo adds, In the past, nuns were regarded as girls who
couldnt get married. In the last 10 years this has changed. They
have met nuns from Korea and Taiwan and seen how confident they
are, how respected and empowered. And it inspires them.
Tibetans should introduce higher ordination for nuns. Nuns should
have the opportunity to become more educated, same as the monks,
but this has been denied women. The lamas themselves are most keen
to help teach the nuns. Certainly the ones who have taught our nuns
love teaching our girls. And have been apologetic that they have
not thought about this in the past.
Historically, the trend among women to not appreciate their own
gender has not served aspiring nuns well. Their needs were not
expressed. It is changing now, with a gentle, quiet revolution.
Hopefully they will progress to advanced degrees. Now our concern
is for higher ordination for nuns.
We have discussed the introduction of higher ordination for nuns
in the Tibetan tradition. Things are moving along. Now young
scholars are also researching the bikkshunis (ordained nuns) and
how ordination has come about.
At present nuns in the Tibetan tradition can only receive the vows
of a novice. The lamas were supportive while raising some points
which would need to be addressed before the full ordination can be
bestowed within their tradition.
When asked why there has been a lack of interest in training nuns
and integrating them into the mainstream of Buddhist clergy, she
answered: It has been pointed out that if they had introduced
ordination of nuns 20 years ago, it would not have been successful.
The nuns were not educated. It would not have worked. Now its
different. Nuns are more confident and have more self esteem.
The nuns always had more difficulty in surviving. The nunneries
rely on the generosity of lay patrons. When resources are scarce,
the monks would get the vote. Women are not supportive of their own
gender. Somehow the monks seem more meritorious. So generally
theres much less devotion towards nuns.
Even now, with nuns coming into their own, their nunneries are
rundown and struggling. Each monastery has a head, but the nuns
have no one to represent them. Its always a struggle to keep
going. So through the ages, there has been fewer and fewer
nuns.There werent enough good teachers to teach. Now, its
different. Our professors really love our nuns and are proud of the
fact that they teach them. The Dalai Lama is very supportive of the
nuns also. He himself says that the future of the Dharma is in the
hands of the women.
The world lives in fear, intolerance and distrust. I asked Tenzin
for advice on how to help us cope.
She said, Buddhism is a path which leads to peace and
lovingkindness and compassion. The world is full of violence and
greed because its inhabited by minds which are working by
themselves. Many disasters are brought about by the humans. We are
unbelievably destructive. We have to change our minds, and purify
our minds and cleanse ourselves.
Greed, anger, arrogance, jealousy all the negative energies
would be gone if we can control our minds. Greed goes closely with
anger and frustration. Materialism is nothing to do with levels of
happiness. Buddha said greed is like salty water. You can swallow
the whole ocean and never satisfy your thirst.
-------------------
Tenzin Palmo and a host of international speakers will be sharing
their insights at the 9th Sakyadhita International Conference on
Buddhist Women in Kuala Lumpur from Saturday to June 21, 2006. For
more details, log on to www.sakyadhita.org.
