Category Archives: Dolma Ling Nunnery

Nuns Take on Leadership of Dolma Ling Nunnery

Change from Male Principal to Leadership by the Nuns

On April 17, 2025, the nuns celebrated big changes in the leadership at Dolma Ling Nunnery and Institute. For the first time since the nunnery was inaugurated 20 years ago, Dolma Ling has transitioned from having a male principal to leadership by the nuns themselves.

Tibetan Buddhist nuns take on leadership of Dolma Ling Nunnery April 17 2025 for blog

Three Tibetan Buddhist nuns have taken on the leadership of Dolma Ling Nunnery. From left to right: Venerable Ngawang Palmo, Rinchen Khando Choegyal (TNP’s Founding Director and Special Advisor), the former principal who is stepping down, Nangsa Choedon (Director of the Tibetan Nuns Project in India), Geshema Delek Wangmo (new principal), Geshema Tenzin Dolma, Tenzin Palkyi (Assistant Director, TNP India).

In a change that reflects a shift toward a more collective approach to leadership, responsibilities will be divided between three nuns instead of having one principal. The leadership terms will last three years. After that, the Tibetan Nuns Project and the Nuns’ Committee will decide if they want to keep the nomination process or switch to an election system.

Tibetan Buddhist nuns gather outside prayer hall at Dolma Ling April 17 2025

Tibetan Buddhist nuns gather outside the prayer hall at Dolma Ling carrying kataks, traditional Tibetan ceremonial scarves that they will offer the three nunnery leaders as a sign of respect and congratulations.

For the academic side, Geshema Delek Wangmo will take on the role of the nunnery’s principal, handling all academic matters. Two other nuns, Venerable Ngawang Palmo and Geshema Tenzin Dolma, will share the responsibility for the administration of the nunnery.

The Three Nuns Taking on the Leadership

“It is so inspiring to see the nuns taking on the leadership of Dolma Ling and becoming even further role models for their community,” says Lisa Farmer, Executive Director of the Tibetan Nuns Project. “We are so grateful to our supporters for their kindness and generosity. Our work would not be possible without their dedication to the nuns.”

presenting kataks to nunnery leaders at Dolma Ling

Rinchen Khando Choegyal (right), TNP’s Founding Director and Special Advisor, and Nangsa Choedon, Director of the Tibetan Nuns Project in India, present kataks to the leaders of the nunnery at a special celebration on April 17, 2025.

Dolma Ling Nunnery and Institute of Buddhist Dialectics is a non-sectarian nunnery located in the Kangra valley near Dharamsala, northern India. The large campus is currently home to about 277 nuns. It is one of two nunneries built and fully supported by the Tibetan Nuns Project. Here are brief biographies of the three nuns now leading the nunnery.

Principal Geshema Delek Wangmo

Geshema Delek Wangmo’s journey to become a principal, Geshema, teacher, and a role model has been long and arduous. Her remarkable life story exemplifies resilience, determination, and a deep commitment to spiritual growth, inspiring others on their paths to enlightenment.

Born in 1970 in Litang in the Kham region of eastern Tibet, Delek Wangmo was ordained at 15 with Tenzin Delek Rinpoche. Her village, Detsa, did not have a school and she spent most of her time tending animals with her nomadic family.

When she was 19, Tenzin Delek Rinpoche led her and other nuns on an 18-month, 950-mile pilgrimage from their home province to Lhasa with the group prostrating the entire way. She began learning the Tibetan alphabet on the pilgrimage. After escaping from Tibet in 1990, she and other nuns lived in a rental house funded by the Tibetan Nuns Project, studying in the early morning and late evening while actively participating in the construction of their new nunnery, Dolma Ling.

Geshema Delek Wangmo new principal of Dolma Ling April 17 2025

Geshema Delek Wangmo, the new principal of Dolma Ling, being offered Tibetan ceremonial scarves as a act of respect and congratulations. She was virtually illiterate when she escaped from Tibet and now holds the highest degree in her tradition. Photo by the Dolma Ling Media Nuns.

After years of study, Delek Wangmo earned her Geshema degree in 2017. She then became part of the first group of nuns allowed to study at Gyuto Tantric University, also a part of the traditional education for monks. After completing her education, Geshema Delek Wangmo became a philosophy teacher at Dolma Ling Nunnery and Institute in 2019. In 2020, she was appointed as an election commissioner by the Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile. You can read more of her remarkable story here.

Venerable Ngawang Palmo

Venerable Ngawang Palmo knew from the time she was little that she wanted to be a nun. She and her friends used to pretend to teach each other scriptures when they were playing. She was born in 1975 to a farming family in Central Tibet. She had some opportunities for education in Tibet. At age 7, she went to school for three months a year and began learning Tibetan, but the 9-month gaps in learning made it hard to progress.

nuns take on leadership at Dolma Ling Nunnery

On April 17, 2025, the nuns and special guests gathered in the prayer hall at Dolma Ling to celebrate the nuns taking on the leadership of the nunnery. Photo by the Dolma Ling Media Nuns.

At 13, she became ordained as a nun and lived at Gari Nunnery until 1992. However, because of Chinese restrictions, she received no proper and systematic education there. Moreover, after some of the Gari nuns celebrated His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s Nobel Peace Prize in 1989, Chinese authorities arrested and expelled many nuns. In 1992, Ngawang Palmo escaped on foot from Tibet seeking education and the freedom to practice her religion.

Venerable Ngawang Palmo brings a wealth of experience to her new role. In addition to her years of studies, she has held many administrative positions at Dolma Ling, including as librarian and treasurer. She served in the Changdzö office, which is responsible for the nunnery’s finances and property. The Changdzö nuns have several duties. They receive and distribute offering money. They also run the nunnery store and make purchases for the nunnery. Venerable Ngawang Palmo was one of seven nuns on the Administration Committee overseeing major decisions for the institution.

Geshema Tenzin Dolma

Geshema Tenzin Dolma was born in Kinnaur, a small village in the Indian Himalayas. Her family were farmers and she spent a lot of time working in the fields and helping her mother at home. There was a nearby Indian government school. However, her school life was brief. She attended primary school until Grade 5, then dropped out to help her family.

After a nun from Dolma Ling came to her village for holidays, Tenzin Dolma decided to become a nun and pursue her education. She became a nun at 18 and came to Dharamsala, joining Dolma Ling first as a day student before she got full admission in 1999. She found the early days challenging because she couldn’t read and write Tibetan, and she struggled to learn the alphabet. Also, the temporary living conditions for the nuns were difficult. She recalled, “During those days, Dolma Ling Nunnery was under construction and we had to help the builders most of the days. We didn’t even have a proper kitchen and we didn’t use gas. We had to go out to find wood for cooking.”

When Tenzin Dolma joined Dolma Ling as a day student in 1998, the nunnery was under construction. Here’s an archival photo of a nun holding a paper model of the nunnery in front of the construction site. Thanks to your support, Dolma Ling is now a thriving educational center.

Tenzin Dolma worked hard and excelled. She earned her Geshema degree, equal to a PhD in Tibetan Buddhist philosophy, in 2017. She was one of the second group of nuns to achieve this. Like Principal Geshema Delek Wangmo, in 2019 she completed a year-long course in Tantric Studies at Gyuto Tantric Monastery. This groundbreaking program funded by Tibetan Nuns Project donors provides dedicated senior nuns training in tantric theory, rituals, and mind-training techniques used by those engaged in advanced meditation.

“I have learned lots of new things at Dolma Ling. I think to myself that if I were in my village, I would have missed all these opportunities to develop myself and find a meaning and value of life.” Geshema Tenzin Dolma is very grateful to the supporters of the Tibetan Nuns Project and to Dolma Ling.

About Dolma Ling

Dolma Ling Nunnery and Institute of Buddhist Dialectics is a non-sectarian nunnery near Dharamsala, northern India. The large campus is now home to 277 nuns.

Rinchen Khando Choegyal TNP Founding Director and Special Advisor

Rinchen Khando Choegyal, the Tibetan Nuns Project’s Founding Director and Special Advisor, with a nun at Dolma Ling at the celebration on April 17th.

Officially inaugurated by His Holiness the Dalai Lama on December 8, 2005, the nunnery is fully funded by the Tibetan Nuns Project and was the first institute dedicated specifically to higher Buddhist education for Tibetan Buddhist nuns from all traditions.

Dolma Ling is unique because it offers a 17-year curriculum of traditional Buddhist philosophy and debate, as well as modern courses in Tibetan language, English, basic mathematics, and computer skills. The nuns also receive training in the ritual arts such as sand mandalas and butter sculpture. The nunnery was completed after 12 years of hard work. The nuns helped to build the nunnery and work diligently to maintain it.

For the first nuns who fled to India, such academic and leadership successes would have seemed almost impossible. Almost all the nuns who arrived as refugees had received no formal education. Many could not even write their names.

Tibetan Buddhist nuns in India building a nunnery photo Jessica Tampas copy

Tibetan Buddhist nuns in India building Dolma Ling. Photo by Jessica Tampas.

When the nuns arrived in India, they were ill, exhausted, traumatized and impoverished. Many nuns had faced torture and imprisonment at the hands of the Chinese authorities in Tibet and endured immense physical and emotional pain. The existing nunneries in the struggling Tibetan refugee community in India were already overcrowded and could not accommodate them.

The Tibetan Nuns Project, with your support, had to focus on the basics of education. This included setting up classes, building a curriculum, ensuring regular attendance, and administering tests. Those who have always had access to education might take these systems for granted. However, for the nuns, every part of an education system had to be established from scratch.

The new academic year began at Dolma Ling on March 17, 2025. Unfortunately, the nunnery is now so crowded that it is not possible to take in new nuns for this academic year. In April, we launched a project to help build special housing for elderly nuns. The Tibetan Nuns Project has set up a Long-Term Stability Fund to support our main programs. These include education, food, shelter, clothing, and basic medical care for the nuns.

Dolma Ling Nuns Thrilled With Renovated Kitchen

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Nuns Celebrate Completed Kitchen Repairs

Last year, we asked for your help to renovate the kitchen at Dolma Ling Nunnery and Institute, home to about 277 nuns. The old kitchen space was plagued with poor ventilation, intense heat, and leaks, especially in the monsoon, so working in the kitchen was almost unbearable for the nuns during the spring and summer. Thank you for supporting this project and making it safer and healthier for the nuns on kitchen duty!

Improving working conditions in Dolma Ling kitchen

The Dolma Ling kitchen is safer and more comfortable for the nuns on kitchen duty. The renovations included changing the roof line to stop leaks, raising the walls, improving ventilation, and putting in larger, low-maintenance windows.

The nuns are all extremely happy with the increased space, light, and ventilation of the renovated kitchen. It feels very fresh and clean. The nuns spent hours scrubbing and cleaning all the equipment as they moved it from their temporary kitchen in the dining hall, where they had been cooking over the winter.

celebrations of kitchen repairs at Dolma Ling Nunnery April 2025

On April 7th, 2025, the nuns celebrated their first day in the renovated kitchen with a small impromptu ceremony at morning tea time. They invited the teachers and staff.

Space, Light, and Ventilation: A Recipe for a Healthier Kitchen

The kitchen at Dolma Ling is the most heavily used part of the nunnery complex and the nuns on kitchen duty cook for 277 nuns and 20 staff daily. However, the lack of adequate ventilation and the leaking roof made working in the kitchen very uncomfortable and dangerous.

Dolma Ling kitchen renovations 2025 showing roof changes

Part of the renovations included removing the old sloped slate roof which leaked and replacing it with a flat concrete roof.

All the cooking takes place in huge pots on gas burners and the kitchen used to become extremely hot. Last June, the outside temperature in Dharamsala reached 105°F or 41°C. Inside the Dolma Ling kitchens, it was even hotter! Northern India experiences heatwaves between April and June, but in recent years, climate change and global warming have caused extreme temperatures to arrive earlier and last longer. Already in early April 2025, there have been extreme heat warnings for parts of northern India so it is a great relief that the kitchen repairs are completed.

There was an old extractor fan, but it didn’t provide sufficient ventilation. Moreover, the noise and smell from the exhaust fan in the kitchen wall disturbed the teachers living adjacent to the kitchen.

Before and after Dolma Ling kitchen renovations

With about 300 people to feed every day, the nuns do most of their cooking in big pots and the heat is intense. The new extractor fan, ceiling fans, larger windows, and raised ceiling make the kitchen cooler and brighter.

This area of northern India experiences heavy monsoon rains and summer heat. During the monsoon, heavy rains overflowed the gutters between the original roof and the roof extension and water would pour into the kitchen, distressing the nuns and making the floor slippery.

Urgent kitchen work needed at Dolma Ling

Here is a photo of the old kitchen roof with solar panels. The existing sloping roof was dismantled, the kitchen walls raised, and a flat roof created. Now there is extra work and seating space and the solar panels can be easily accessed for maintenance and cleaning.

The existing sloping slate roof was dismantled and the kitchen walls were raised. This change also provides an easily accessed rooftop that can be used for many things such as food preparation, additional outdoor seating, for drying cleaning cloths, and to set bowls of the nuns’ homemade yogurt in the sun to set during the colder months.

Dolma Ling Kitchen repairs in Decemeber 2024. Part of the renovations involved changing the roof to prevent leaks and create a better space inside and outside the kitchen.

The new flat roof has been designed to incorporate the bank of solar panels which used to be fixed on the slate roof. The solar panels are now re-established on the open section of the flat roof and are producing lots of hot water for washing up. It is much easier to access them for cleaning and maintenance.

Changing the roofline brings other advantages. The resulting large covered floor open at the sides will be used as an overflow from the now quite congested dining hall. This will be especially useful during the monsoon when the nuns cannot spill out onto the courtyard to sit and eat outside. The top floor space is wonderful and will be much appreciated by the nuns during the hot season and the coming monsoon.

Inside the renovated kitchen at Dolma Ling April 2025

It’s now so bright and airy inside the kitchen that we had to adjust the photos so that they wouldn’t be overexposed. The new, larger windows will also require less maintenance than the old wooden-framed ones. Notice the big extractor fan about the grill stove.

The old kitchen windows with their wooden shutters provided insufficient ventilation and were very difficult to maintain. The renovation involved replacing the windows with larger UPVC windows with sliding glass and mesh shutters. “UPVC” stands for “unplasticized polyvinyl chloride” and the new windows are lightweight, strong, and low maintenance.

Nuns grateful for newly renovated kitchen at Dolma Ling

The nuns are extremely grateful for the newly renovated kitchen. For many months they have been working from a temporary kitchen set up in the dining hall and they moved into the renovated kitchen on April 7, 2025.

In 2024, the Tibetan Nuns Project put out a call for help to renovate the kitchen ideally before the onset of the intense monsoon rains that year. However, both the funding and the work took longer than expected, but we’re thrilled to let you know that all the renovations are completed and the nuns will be able to work more comfortably this spring and summer and in the years to come. April 8th was the first full day of cooking in the renovated space. Thank you!

See our Current Needs section for projects we are working on now.

Annual Graduation Ceremonies Held at Shugsep and Dolma Ling Nunneries

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In April, the two Tibetan Buddhist nunneries built and fully supported by Tibetan Nuns Project donors held their annual graduation ceremonies. We are delighted to share this news and the nuns’ photos. We send deepest thanks to all those who sponsor a nun at the nunneries.

Shugsep Nunnery Graduation Ceremony on April 5, 2025

Shugsep Nunnery and Institute, now home to about 100 nuns, is a Nyingma nunnery re-established in northern India and inaugurated 15 years ago in 2010. On April 5, the nunnery held its annual graduation ceremony. The chief guest was Speaker Khenpo Sonam Tenphel of the Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile, alongside our Founding Director and Special Advisor Kasur Rinchen Khandro, Secretary Dudrul Dorjee from the Department of Religion and Culture, and Nangsa Choedon, Director of the Tibetan Nuns Project in India.

Rinchen Khando Choegyal, the Tibetan Nuns Project Founding Director and Special Advisor, at the annual Shugsep graduation ceremony on April 5, 2025.

The ceremony recognized the nuns’ various achievements. The Speaker presented certificates to 4th, 7th, and 9th-year students. Other dignitaries awarded certificates to first-year philosophical college students, as well as to first-year and 4th-year students, primary school students, and those who received special recognition for root text memorization.

Shugsep Nunnery annual graduation ceremony April 2025

Chief guest, Venerable Khenpo Sonam Tenphel, Speaker of the of the Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile, presented certificates and the Shugsep graduation ceremony.

In his address, the Parliamentary Speaker emphasized the special responsibilities inherent in monastic life, stressing the importance of continuous mindfulness beyond routine practices. Drawing from the teachings of Acharya Vasubandhu, the Speaker outlined the core monastic educational path, which includes maintaining discipline, engaging in comprehensive study and contemplation, and dedicating oneself to diligent meditation. He noted that this approach has formed the foundation for accomplished scholars across all Tibetan Buddhist traditions.

Nangsa Choedon at the Shugsep Graduation ceremony

Nangsa Choedon, Director of the Tibetan Nuns Project in India, at the Shugsep Graduation ceremony.

The Speaker provided detailed explanations of these educational pillars, including maintaining discipline through adherence to monastic vows; learning through study by pursuing education with focused attention; contemplation, which involves repeatedly examining teachings through scriptural authority and reasoning; and meditation, which focuses on internalizing knowledge to transform one’s life.

He emphasized that true education should lead to visible personal transformation, stating, “If you remain unchanged year after year, your study, contemplation, and meditation are inadequate.” The Speaker urged students not only to change themselves but also to positively influence those around them.

The Tibetan Nuns Project’s Founding Director and Special Advisor, Kasur Rinchen Khandro, and Nangsa Choedon, Director of the Tibetan Nuns Project in India, both spoke at the event.

Quoting from Shantideva’s Bodhicharyavatara, he said, “There is nothing that does not become easier through familiarization,” and added the Tibetan proverb, “All activities are practice; who is skilled among practitioners?” to underline the idea that consistent effort inevitably yields results.

The Speaker further highlighted the importance of diligence and comprehensive education, quoting The Words of My Perfect Teacher to discuss the relationship between wisdom and diligence. He noted that moderate wisdom, paired with excellent diligence, can yield superior results compared to excellent wisdom coupled with poor diligence.

Khenpo Sonam Tenphel of the Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile at the Shugsep graduation ceremony April 2025

Khenpo Sonam Tenphel, Speaker of the Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile, said that, in addition to traditional knowledge, students should also pursue modern sciences and languages to maximize their contributions to Tibetan religion, culture, and society.

The Speaker warned of the irreparable damage that educational deficiencies can cause, particularly concerning cultural and linguistic preservation. He concluded by calling for harmony among all present, quoting Bodhicharyavatara: “May the Sangha always be in harmony, and may the purposes of the Sangha be fulfilled.”

Annual Award Ceremony at Dolma Ling Nunnery

On April 9, 2025, the Dolma Ling Nunnery and Institute held an award ceremony to honor the top achievers of the 2024 final examinations.

Dolma Ling Nunnery and Institute of Buddhist Dialectics is a non-sectarian nunnery near Dharamsala and is home to about 277 nuns. It was inaugurated in 2005 and was the first institute dedicated to higher Buddhist education for Tibetan Buddhist nuns from all traditions.

Dolma Ling academic award ceremony April 2025

The Dolma Ling academic award ceremony on April 9, 2025. Photo by the Dolma Ling Media Nuns.

Kabjye Yongzin Ling Choktrul Rinpoche was the Chief Guest at the award ceremony. Secretary Dhondul Dorjee from the Department of Religion and Culture and Secretary Jigme Namgyal from the Department of Education attended the event as special guests.

Tibetan Buddhist nuns at Dolma Ling receive awards from Kabjye Yongzin Ling Choktrul Rinpoche April 9 2025

Tibetan Buddhist nuns at Dolma Ling receive academic awards from special guest Kabjye Yongzin Ling Choktrul Rinpoche at a ceremony on April 9, 2025.

It was also attended by the Tibetan Nuns Project’s founding director and special advisor Kasur Rinchen Khando, and Nangsa Choedon, the Director of the Tibetan Nuns Project in India.

Academic award ceremony at Dolma Ling Nunnery April 9 2025

Over 270 Tibetan Buddhist nuns gathered in the debate courtyard at Dolma Ling on April 9th for the annual ceremony honoring academic achievements. Photo by the Dolma Ling Media Nuns.

The ceremony began with the principal’s report on the history and educational activities of the Dolma Ling. Then the distinguished guests gave the awards of academic excellence to the top-performing students.

How You Can Support Nuns’ Education

Tibetan Buddhist nuns in India rely on outside support. There are many ways that you can help educate and empower the nuns including:

Sponsor a nun for $1 a day.
Become a monthly donor at any amount you choose.
Support teachers by helping to fund teachers’ salaries at various nunneries
Donate to our Long-Term Stability Fund to put our core programs on solid ground.
Leave a legacy gift to the Tibetan Nuns Project.

Blog credit: With reporting from tibet.net

Brighten Your Day With Two Slideshows from Dolma Ling Nunnery

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To brighten your day and to convey the impact of your support, here are two slideshows with the latest photos from Dolma Ling Nunnery and Institute. The photos were taken from June to October 2024 by the Dolma Ling media nuns.

First Slideshow: Snapshots of Education at Dolma Ling

In October, dozens of nuns departed by bus for the holy city of Bodh Gaya to take part in the month-long inter-nunnery debate. The debate event runs from October 25th to November 27th 2024 and, at the conclusion, 13 more nuns will graduate with their Geshema degree, including one from Dolma Ling.

Debating has a vital role in monastic education and the nuns practice debate daily. Each year in September, students from the Tibetan Children’s Village in Dharamsala come to the nunnery to learn about monastic debate and to practice debating with the nuns.

Can’t see the slideshow? Click here.

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Opening up education to women and girls, particularly in conjunction with training in debate, has been transformative for the nuns. Your support gives them access to the full intellectual richness of their Buddhist tradition. Even the youngest nuns are gaining confidence and experience and they can look to the Geshema nuns as role models. This fall there was a reading competition for the young nuns plus the annual nunnery quiz competition held in the nunnery courtyard. It is always a fun event.

The nuns take classes in many subjects including Tibetan, Buddhist philosophy, English, math, and science. The academic year begins in early spring after Losar, the Tibetan New Year. Throughout the year, the nuns have exams and quizzes as they pursue their degrees. One of our current projects is to purchase two new classroom projectors and essential media equipment. Another is to make kitchen repairs at Dolma Ling.

Second Slideshow of Life at Dolma Ling

In this second slideshow, you can see snapshots of daily life at Dolma Ling including the nuns praying, making offerings, and doing chores, and cooking. There are also photos of the nuns celebrating His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s birthday. Each year, the nuns celebrate with prayers, an essay-writing day, and their annual flower competition.

Can’t see the slideshow? Click here.

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The Tibetan Nuns Project established Dolma Ling to educate and empower nuns of the Tibetan Buddhist tradition as teachers and leaders, and to sustain Tibetan religion and culture. The Tibetan Nuns Project aims to elevate the educational standards and the position of women within the monastic community.

Dolma Ling is the first institute dedicated to higher Buddhist education for Tibetan Buddhist nuns from all traditions. Currently, there are about 270 nuns at Dolma Ling. We are deeply grateful to those who sponsor nuns. More sponsors are always needed.

Thank you to all our wonderful sponsors and supporters! We hope that these photos brightened your day.

Celebrating 20 Years of Thiusar Magazine: A Blossoming Journey

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This year Tibetan Buddhist nuns in India are celebrating a remarkable milestone: 20 years of Thiusar Magazine, a literary publication of the nuns supported by the Tibetan Nuns Project. Since its inception, Thiusar has been a beacon of creativity and expression for the nuns, and we are delighted to reflect on its journey and growth.

In 2024, the Tibetan Buddhist nuns at Dolma Ling celebrated the 20th anniversary of the nuns’ magazine Thiusar. Detail of photo by Robin Groth

The Beginning

Thiusar Magazine started as a heartfelt gesture of gratitude to Kasur Rinchen Khandro, whose leadership and guidance have been foundational to the Tibetan Nuns Project. In the early 2000s, nuns began writing small letters and prose, which they would leave on her desk. These heartfelt notes, filled with gratitude and personal reflections, caught her attention. Recognizing the potential in their writings, Kasur Rinchen Khandro encouraged the nuns to formalize their efforts and create a magazine. Thus, in 2002, Thiusaur Magazine was born.

Growing Together

Over the past two decades, Thiusar has evolved from a budding flower into a fully bloomed one. This transformation is beautifully captured in the 2024 magazine cover design, which features a youthful flower symbolizing the vibrancy and growth of the nuns. The magazine now reflects the incredible progress and blossoming talents of our community. What started as a small gesture has grown into a significant publication, celebrated for its quality and depth.

Tibetan Buddhist nuns holding copies of their magazine

Thiusaur means “budding flower” in Tibetan. When the Tibetan Nuns Project began most of the nuns were illiterate; now they write, edit, and publish their annual magazine in Tibetan. The yellow one is the first edition and the blue on the right is the most recent magazine. Photos by Robin Groth, 2024.

Diverse Voices

The pages of the magazine are filled with essays, articles, short stories, and poems, each piece a reflection of the unique experiences and creative outlet of the nuns. The magazine is distributed annually to every nunnery and various NGOs in India, and its reach and impact are widely appreciated. Thiusar offers a rare glimpse into the hearts and minds of Tibetan nuns, sharing their journeys and perspectives with the world. The diversity of topics and styles in the magazine underlines the varied thoughts and feelings that our nuns bring to their writing.

Embracing Change

Reflecting on the early days, Venerable Delek Yangdron, a dedicated member of the magazine committee, recalls the challenges of receiving handwritten submissions and painstakingly typing each one. Today, technology has revolutionized our process. Nuns now send their writings via email, making the editorial process smoother and more efficient. This shift has not only eased the workload but has also empowered the nuns, boosting their confidence in their technological and design skills.

Tibetan Buddhist nun working on computer.

Early days. Venerable Delek Yangdron, one of the Dolma Ling media nuns and a dedicated member of the magazine committee remembers receiving handwritten submissions and typing up each submission.

Adapting to digital tools has also opened up new possibilities for collaboration and creativity. Nuns can now work together on projects, share ideas more easily, and access more resources for inspiration. This technological advancement has brought a new dynamism to Thiusaur, enriching the content and making the production process more collaborative and inclusive.

Looking Forward

As we celebrate 20 years of Thiusar Magazine, we look forward to the future with great hope and excitement. The nuns are eager to continue contributing their voices and sharing their stories. The magazine’s journey from its humble beginnings to its current stature exemplifies their dedication and creativity.

Tibetan Buddhist nuns receiving computer training in 2013. The mission of the Tibetan Nuns Project is to educate and empower nuns of the Tibetan Buddhist tradition as teachers and leaders; and
to establish, strengthen, and support educational institutions to sustain Tibetan religion and culture. Photo by Harald Weichhart.

The celebration of Thiusar’s 20th anniversary is not just about looking back but also about coming together to acknowledge the collective effort that has made the magazine a success. We are immensely grateful to everyone who has contributed to Thiusar over the years — the writers, editors, designers, and supporters.

Tibetan Buddhist Nuns Celebrate Dalai Lama’s 89th Birthday

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Each year the Tibetan Buddhist nuns at Dolma Ling celebrate His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s birthday with various activities including prayers and games. Here are wonderful photos by the Dolma Ling Media Nuns.

On July 6, 2024, His Holiness the Dalai Lama turned 89. He spent his birthday in the United States recovering from knee replacement surgery. To reassure Tibetans inside and outside of Tibet about his health, he created a special video message. Can’t see the video? Click here.

In his message he said, “There may be people trying to confuse you about my health, saying that the Dalai Lama has gone to a hospital and is undergoing treatments, and so on, making my condition sound grave. You don’t need to trust such misinformation.” He added, “I am nearly 90 now but I don’t feel unhealthy, except for the slight discomfort in my legs. I would like to thank all my fellow Tibetans in and outside Tibet for your prayers on my birthday.”

His Holiness the Dalai Lama's birthday celebrations

The nuns played games and had cake as part of the birthday celebrations.

Among the festivities was Dolma Ling’s annual flower competition which was held on July 5th. The old debate courtyard at the nunnery fills with beautiful potted flowers placed in front of portraits of His Holiness. Scoring for the competition is done by the teachers.

Tibetan Buddhist nuns laughing at annual flower competition

The annual flower competition to mark His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s birthday is always fun. The nuns spend months preparing and taking care of the flowers.

His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s birthday is a sacred occasion for Tibetans. The nuns pray for his good health and long life and make offerings of khatas (ceremonial white scarves) and burn fragrant juniper branches.

His Holiness the Dalai Lama birthday celebrations 2024

Tibetan Buddhist nuns pray and make offerings including sweet smoke from branches of burning juniper and other fragrant substances as part of the celebrations of His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s 89th birthday.

On July 6th, the US Secretary of State issued this official message:
“The United States extends best wishes to His Holiness the Dalai Lama on the occasion of his 89th birthday. Through his promotion of nonviolence and compassion, as well as his commitment to advancing human rights for all, His Holiness serves as an inspiration for the Tibetan community and many around the world. The United States reaffirms our commitment to support efforts to preserve Tibetans’ distinct linguistic, cultural, and religious heritage, including the ability to freely choose and venerate religious leaders without interference.”

Nuns line up to offer kataks on His Holiness the Dalai Lama's 89th birthday

Nuns line up to offer kataks, ceremonial prayer scarves, to the portrait of His Holiness the Dalai Lama.

At celebrations in Dharamsala, Penpa Tsering, the executive head of the Central Tibetan Administration, announced that 2025 will be the “Year of Compassion” in honour of the Dalai Lama’s 90th birthday.

games to celebration the Dalai Lama's birthday

Fun and games to celebrate His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s birthday.

Bulletin board at Dolma Ling Nunnery and Institute with special birthday messages from the nuns to His Holiness the Dalai Lama.

Bulletin board at Dolma Ling with birthday messages from the nuns to His Holiness the Dalai Lama.

Part of the birthday celebrations included an essay-writing day.

Helping the Nuns: A Little Goes a Very Long Way!

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A little goes a very long way when you support Tibetan Buddhist nuns in India!

In this blog post, we want to share the cost of some basic food items at the largest nunnery we support so that you can see the impact of your support. We are extremely grateful to those who sponsor a nun and our monthly donors. If you would like to sponsor a nun the cost is just $1 a day and we are always looking for sponsors.

Inside the kitchen at Dolma Ling Nunnery by Robin Groth

Here is a list of items that $5 could buy at Dolma Ling and Institute:
FLOUR: 28 pounds or 14 kg of rice
NOODLES: 13 packages
COOKING OIL: one gallon or almost 4 litres
RICE: almost 14 pounds or 6 kilos
POTATOES: 60 pounds or 28 kilos
COOKING GAS: almost half a cylinder
ONIONS: over 50 pounds or 22 kg

Rice

Rice is a staple food in all the Tibetan Buddhist nunneries we support in India. One of the most common meals for Tibetans in exile is rice and dal. Here’s a recipe for you. This simple vegetarian dish is nutritious and inexpensive.

Just $5 will buy about 14 pounds or 6 kilos of rice. Each month at Dolma Ling Nunnery and Institute, the nuns use about 1,411 lbs or 640 kg of rice to feed the 270 nuns plus staff. The cost of the rice for the whole month is $507.

$10 buys 28 pounds or 13 kg of rice

A nun on kitchen duty at Dolma Ling checks rice. Photo courtesy of Brian Harris.

Flour

Flour, like rice, is used daily at the nunneries to make bread, noodles, and steamed buns. A donation of $5 will purchase 31 pounds (14kg) of flour and the nuns use over 1,000 pounds of flour per month.

$13 provides a day’s flour for about 300 nuns and staff

Tibetan Buddhist nuns in kitchen using flour Brian Harris copy

A few years ago donors helped the nuns purchase dough-making machines. Until then all the kneading had to be done by hand.

Potatoes

All the nunneries have a vegetarian diet and potatoes are important staple food. The nuns at Dolma Ling use 600 kilos or 1,323 pounds of potatoes a month and the cost is just $108.

$5 buys 60 lbs or 28 kg of potatoes

The nuns at Dolma Ling use over 1,000 pounds of potatoes a month. That’s a lot of peeling! $5 buys about 28 lbs of potatoes.

Onions

Some Buddhists follow a strict diet that avoids aliums including onions, garlic, and chives but Tibetan Buddhists use onions and garlic in their cooking, especially in exile in India and Nepal. India is one of the largest producers and consumers of onions, however the price of onions fluctuates.

$5 can buy over 50 lbs of onions

Tibetan Buddhist nuns at Dolma Ling Nunnery and Institute chopping onions ⓒ Robin Groth

Other necessities at the nunneries include cooking oil, tomatoes, other vegetables, dals of various types, thukpa (noodles) and canisters of cooking gas.

Tibetan Buddhist nuns cooking at Dolma Ling

Tibetan Buddhist nuns on kitchen duty at Dolma Ling. Photo by Brian Harris. Thank you for supporting the nuns!

Thank you again for helping the nuns!

The Textbooks for Nuns Have Arrived!

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Thank you to everyone who donated to purchase textbooks for the Tibetan Buddhist nuns in India. Four of the seven nunneries in northern India have already received them and the nuns are delighted with their new books on English, math, science, and general knowledge. Here are photos of the nuns receiving and using the textbooks.

Tibetan Buddhist nuns with new textbooks

Thank you for purchasing new textbooks for the nuns! As you can see, they are delighted. Photo taken in May 2024 by the Dolma Ling Media Nuns.

At Dolma Ling, home now to 270 nuns, the nuns have received 274 new textbooks. The teachers there needed higher grade books which were not previously available and grammar and composition books.

Photos from May 2024 taken by Robin Groth showing some of the new textbooks in use at Dolma Ling Nunnery and Institute.

At Geden Choeling, the oldest nunnery in Dharamsala, the 200 nuns and their teachers are excited to have good sets of books. Geden Choeling’s abbot wants the nuns to learn math, but the nunnery didn’t have any math textbooks until now. Thanks to the generous support of Tibetan Nuns Project donors the Geden Choeling nuns now have these 362 textbooks.

Nuns at Geden Choeling nunnery carefully protect their new textbooks. Tibetans have a deep respect for books. Photo by the Dolma Ling Media Nuns.

Eight boxes containing 369 textbooks were delivered in May to Shugsep Nunnery and Institute, home to about 100 nuns. The Shugsep nuns needed math, science, and English grammar and composition books. The English teacher also asked for help to improve the stock of English textbooks so the students could complete coursework up to Grade 8. The nunnery’s last big purchase of books was many years ago and those books were so well-loved and used that they were falling apart.

Nuns at Dolma Ling using some of the new textbooks. A single book can transform hundreds of lives over the years and we are very grateful to the donors who funded the textbooks. Photo by the Dolma Ling Media Nuns.

The textbook order for Tilokpur Nunnery has been placed and includes a series of books called Cherry Blossoms for the new class of 15 young nuns who joined the nunnery this spring. Tilokpur nunnery has one English teacher who teaches all eight classes so she is pretty busy but most appreciative of the books.

The mission of the Tibetan Nuns Project is to educate and empower nuns of the Tibetan Buddhist tradition as teachers and leaders; and to establish, strengthen, and support educational institutions to preserve the Tibetan religion and culture. Photo by the Dolma Ling Media Nuns.

The books for Sakya College for Nuns are being purchased soon. The textbooks for Dorjee Zong Nunnery in the remote area of Zanskar will be purchased this summer and brought there. We’ll report on these in the fall.

Boxes of new textbooks for Tibetan Buddhist nunneries.

Meanwhile, the Tibetan Nuns Project will continue to work with all seven of the nunneries to establish good library practices and to have library time for informal reading of fiction and non-fiction books. Dolma Ling library is functioning well and the nuns regularly borrow books and read them. The teachers at Shugsep Nunnery will bring their classes to the library and display a range of books so the students can look through them easily and choose what they would like to read.

Textbooks needed for Tibetan Buddhist nuns in India

Nuns at Tilokpur. Traditionally Tibetan Buddhist nuns have not had equal access to education. The textbooks will help educate and empower the nuns to become teachers and leaders.

Geshemas Visioning Their Future

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TNP Holds Geshemas Strategic Visioning Workshop

From April 8-12, 2024, the Tibetan Nuns Project organized a Geshemas Strategic Visioning Workshop at Dolma Ling Nunnery and Institute in Dharamsala in conjunction with the Women’s Empowerment Desk of the Central Tibetan Administration.

The workshop was held with eight Geshemas from Dolma Ling and four Tibetan Buddhist nuns who are currently studying for their Geshema exams. The workshop aims to empower Geshemas in shaping the future of their role within Tibetan Buddhism.

The 5-day workshop aimed to explore the future vision of the Geshemas (holders of the highest academic degree in Tibetan Buddhism) and support their participation in the larger social realm. The goal is to empower the Geshema to contribute back to the community through various leadership roles.

The Geshema degree is the highest level of training in the Gelugpa tradition and is equivalent to a PhD in Tibetan Buddhism. The Geshema degree is the same as a Geshe degree but is called a Geshema degree because it is awarded to women.

The degree was only formally opened to women in 2012. Sixty nuns currently hold the Geshema degree and many nuns will take various levels of the four-year Geshema exams this summer. The degree makes them eligible to assume various leadership roles in their monastic and lay communities reserved for degree holders and hence previously not open to women.

Geshema Visioning Workshop Dolma Ling Timeline

As part of the workshop, the nuns used a big graphic illustration of Dolma Ling’s timeline called HERstory (rather than history) to help set the stage for the subsequent days. Hearing about their journeys from Tibet to the present was fascinating and awe-inspiring for everyone.

As part of the workshop, the nuns shared their stories. Several nuns started learning the Tibetan alphabet in their 20s and many only after they came to Dolma Ling. Many nuns had no schooling in Tibet or they were sent to Chinese schools with no opportunity to learn Tibetan. Here are some photos from the first days of the workshop.

The Workshop Organizers

The five-day workshop was conducted and facilitated at Dolma Ling by TNP board member, Dechen Tsering, with the help of TNP board members Tseten Phanucharas and Robin Groth.

Tibetan Geshemas take part in visioning workshop 2024

The Geshema degree stands as the pinnacle of educational attainment within the Gelugpa tradition. The workshop was aimed at enhancing leadership skills and awareness among Geshemas, empowering them to navigate life more effectively and cultivate their leadership qualities.

We are very grateful to our partner co-facilitators from CTA’s Women’s Empowerment Desk who helped prepare the workshop charts and banners and did the Tibetan-language translations. The team from the Women Empowerment Desk included Tsering Kyi (Lead Facilitator), Tenzin Tseten (co-facilitator), and Tenzin Dolkar (Tibetan language translator). They also offered a workshop on Gender and Leadership on April 10th.

Geshema Strategic Visioning Workshop April 2024

Geshemas at Dolma Ling offer prayers as part of the visioning workshop. The Geshema degree (called a Geshe degree for monks) was only formally opened to women in 2012. As of November 2023, 60 nuns hold this highest degree roughly equivalent to a doctorate in Tibetan Buddhist philosophy.

The Tibetan Nuns Project is also very grateful to our thought partners, Beckie Masaki and Nancy Wan from Bay Area’s Gathering Strength Coalition for working with Dechen Tsering in co-conceptualizing the workshop agenda and creating the HERstory timeline chart used to illustrate major milestones – past and future – by the workshop participants.

A Range of Workshop Activities

Over the five days, the participants took part in many group and individual activities including written vision statements about where they saw themselves in five years in 2029. Many of the nuns pictured themselves returning to their hometowns in Tibet or Spiti as principals of new schools they would start. Two nuns envisioned themselves as bilingual online Buddhist teachers. Four of the nuns already speak quite good English and want to improve so they can teach. One nun envisioned herself as director of TNP-paid staff at Dolma Ling. One nun saw herself in solitary retreat for five years to prepare for the next life.

Throughout the five days, attendees engaged in discussions on a range of topics, including effective communication, problem-solving, active listening, gender and leadership, leadership qualities and styles, team-building exercises, and visualization exercises.

Dechen Tsering wrote, “The Geshemas (and four future Geshemas) who took part were extremely enthusiastic, energetic, engaged, and participated fully throughout the five days! Together, we shared, we learned, we meditated, we played, and we laughed all week. We had fun!”

Rinchen Khando Choegyal speaks at Geshema workshop

Rinchen Khando Choegyal, Founding Director and Special Advisor for the Tibetan Nuns Project gave an inspirational talk. She emphasised the evolution and significance of the Geshema degree, highlighting how the Geshema’s contributions to the Tibetan community and Buddhist philosophy play a pivotal role in shaping history.

Board member, Robin Groth, created this slideshow of the workshop.

Making Headlines

The workshop made the news. On April 10th, a media team from VOA Tibetan came to Dolma Ling and did a 20-minute feature video story and interview in Tibetan with lead organizer, Dechen Tsering. Within two days the story had been viewed by over 2,600 people.

On April 13th, the Voice of Tibet did this interview and feature story entitled “Conversation on building a strategic vision and challenges for Geshemas.” The video is in Tibetan and shows many of the activities in the workshop. Can’t see the video? Click here.

Helping Geshemas on the Path

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Please help build 16 rooms at Dolma Ling Nunnery and Institute for nuns who hold their Geshema degree so that they can get the education they need to become fully qualified teachers of their tradition.

The Geshema degree (called a Geshe degree for men) is the highest level of training in the Gelugpa tradition and is equivalent to a PhD in Tibetan Buddhism. The degree was only formally opened to women in 2012.

Geshema, Geshema degree, Geshema Endowment Fund

A Geshema holds the yellow hat that signifies her degree. Detail of photo by Olivier Adam.

Housing for Geshemas

There is a housing shortage for Geshemas who want to do Tantric studies. To solve this problem, we would like to construct 16 rooms plus bathrooms, kitchen and dining facilities, and a study hall. These 16 rooms and facilities will be on the third floor of the Yangchen Lophel Center at Dolma Ling Nunnery and Institute. Geshemas from nunneries all over India and Nepal will be able to stay here so that they can take the final year of advanced education at the nearby Gyuto Tantric University.

Part of the first group of 23 Geshema nuns who had the opportunity to do Buddhist Tantric Studies. Photo by the Dolma Ling Media Nuns.

The 16 rooms can either be single-bed study rooms or, as the groups of Geshema graduates become larger, accommodate two nuns per room. Now that this degree is open to women, more nuns from India and Nepal are studying to be Geshemas. It is difficult to predict how many graduates there will be each year, so the facility must be as flexible as possible. We also hope that the Geshema Organizing Committee’s office can be moved into this facility to free up the room they are now using in Dolma Ling Nunnery.

To help the Geshemas on their path you can:

Make a gift online
Call our office in Seattle, U.S. at 1-206-652-8901
Mail a check to The Tibetan Nuns Project, 815 Seattle Boulevard South #418, Seattle, WA 98134 U.S. (note that it is for Housing for Geshemas)
Donate securities

Background

December 22, 2016, marked an important day in the history of Tibet as 20 nuns became the first Tibetan women to receive their Geshema degrees, equivalent to a doctorate in Tibetan Buddhist philosophy.

Geshema, Geshema nuns, Tibetan nuns, His Holiness the Dalai Lama

Tibetan Buddhist nuns make history. Collage of photos from the Geshema graduation event on December 22, 2016. Photos courtesy of Olivier Adam and OHHDL.

The Geshema degree was only formally opened to women in 2012. Now Geshemas are paving the way for other nuns to follow in their footsteps. This degree makes them eligible to assume various leadership roles in their monastic and lay communities reserved for degree holders and hence previously not open to women.

Geshema, online Buddhist teaching, Geshema Delek Wangmo

Geshema Delek Wangmo has completed her Tantric Studies and now teaches at Dolma Ling Nunnery. In May 2023, she and Geshema Tenzin Kunsel gave an online Buddhist teaching and taught other Geshemas how to do this.

Their success fulfils a longstanding wish of His Holiness the Dalai Lama and marks a new chapter in the development of education for ordained Buddhist women and is a major accomplishment for Tibetan women. It is also a milestone for the Tibetan Nuns Project, which was founded in 1987 to provide education and humanitarian aid to Tibetan Buddhist nuns living in India.

Tantric Studies

After monks attain their Geshe degree (the male equivalent of the Geshema degree) they must study the Tantric treatises to become fully qualified masters capable of teaching their complete tradition. The monks normally join one of the two main Tantric Colleges to do this.

The Tibetan Nuns Project set up a Tantric Studies program out of Dolma Ling Nunnery and Institute for all the recent Geshema grads from India and Nepal. In 2018, 23 of the 26 nuns in the first two groups of Geshema graduates started Tantric studies. The nuns attended classes at nearby Gyuto Tantric University to receive the necessary empowerments and transmissions from the senior monks. The Tantric Studies Program generally takes around 12 months to complete.

The Need for Housing for Geshemas

After monks attain their Geshe degree (the male equivalent of the Geshema degree) they must study the Tantric treatises to become fully qualified masters capable of teaching their complete tradition. To do this, the monks normally join one of the two main Tantric Colleges.

The Tibetan Nuns Project has set up a Tantric Studies program out of Dolma Ling Nunnery and Institute for all the recent Geshema grads from India and Nepal. In 2018, 23 of the 26 nuns in the first two groups of Geshema graduates started Tantric studies. The nuns attended classes at nearby Gyuto Tantric University to receive the necessary empowerments and transmissions from the senior monks. The Tantric Studies Program generally takes around 12 months to complete.

The Current Problem

Since 2018, the Geshemas have been housed and fed at Dolma Ling, traveling daily by jeep to Gyuto Tantric University for their studies. These arrangements are currently funded by the Tibetan Nuns Project under the Geshema Endowment Fund.

Tantric studies, Tibetan nuns, Tibetan Buddhism, Dolma Ling

For the first time in the history of Tibet, Buddhist nuns have the opportunity to formally study Tantric Buddhism and become teachers. But they need your help to provide accommodation and food. Photo courtesy of the Dolma Ling Media Nuns.

Although there are many advantages for the Geshemas with this arrangement, it is placing a big strain on Dolma Ling to accommodate them. It also restricts the number of new nuns who can be admitted to Dolma Ling. Space must be available for young nuns to join Dolma Ling to give the nunnery fresh input each year.

Rinchen Khando Choegyal with Geshemas at Dolma Ling 2017