Activities
In Tibet itself, and amongst the exile Tibetan community, monasteries are powerful centres of Buddhist practice and learning, sometimes home to hundreds of monks, and an important focus for the lay community. Monasteries of this type are rare in Mongolia today. By building our Monastery we will have the place not only to pray, but to study and live. It will be complex of buildings where beside the temple, there will be a school of Sakya tradition and living compartments. Creating these conditions will help the monks with better schooling and learning, solve their living problems and most importantly, will enable them to successfully keep their vows.
The Sakya tradition played a vital role in Mongolia becoming a Buddhist country, and it should have its own place in the re-establishment of Mongolia’s Buddhist culture. While it is wonderful that there are some Gelugpa monastic institutions working to this end, in the face of ‘competition’ from aggressive evangelizing missionary movements Mongolia needs more Buddhist centres, with more traditions represented, if Buddhism is to become a vigorous part of the country’s life once more.
To develop Buddhism in Mongolia as a whole and revive The Sakya tradition our Monastery aims in particular to creating a monastic centre to accommodate 50 monks to study and practise Dharma.
The monastery’s name has been registered and the land bought with a generous gift of over $44,000 from H E Ratna Vajra Rinpoche. Research on the land and first architectural drawings are also completed. With the fundraising by Peter Willats, Chairman of Building Committee of Monastery's construction, drawing of monastery is completed - In 2008, $15,000 USD donation from Peter Willats was used for construction drawing and making budget for construction, and it has been approved by concerned authorities. In 2009, $70,000 USD donation from Peter Willats was spent for temple and monks accommodations foundation, garage and basement. This work was done from May to July 10th, 2009.
HH Sakya Trizin visited Mongolia from July 20th to 31st 2009. He gave teaching to Mongolian people, did many activities to revive Sakya Tradition In Mongolia. Pethub monastery organized this visit and our monastery made the visit very successfully. HH Sakya Trizin visited our monastery and conducted Sakya Pandita's 3 vows explanation.
Now we are running activities;chanting ritual and puja in a Mongolian traditional tent. Also we were granted a license to organize a branch of Sakya monastery which would be named Sakya Lekhshey Norbuling monastery in Erdenet (Erdenet is second biggest city in Mongolia).
With the support of Ven Ani Wangmo, sponsor of Pewar Rinpoche, who had donated USD 98 330 $, we had completed temple's main structure from April 23rd,-June 11th, 2010.
In July 7th 2011, a Trustee meeting was held at Ulaanbaatar and the following agenda was discussed:
- Presence and Proxies
- Appointment of chairman
- Resignation and Appointment of trustees
- Presentation of Accounts
- Building Progress and Plans
- Fundraising (local and outside of Mongolia)
- Local Dharma Activities
- Monks Preparation in India and Return
Peter Willats was approved as chairman of the board of Trustees during the meeting.
In 2011, $ 28,685 USD donation from Peter Willats, $ 31,700 USD donation from Mr.Enkhbold, the Minister of Mongolia and $ 23,400 USD donation from Mr. Altangerel the UK Ambassador were spent on the Temple’s wooden decoration work which included roof tiles, water protection cover and insulation foam, internal and external sand with cement insulation-decoration work, temple walls, temple’s surrounding fence, outside communication alarm work, vacuum windows, wooden doors and connections with the central heating system. 20% of the work is complete.
