Life at Geden Choeling Nunnery
Geden Choeling is the oldest nunnery in the Dharamsala area and is located in McLeod Ganj, Upper Dharamsala. The nunnery absorbed a steady stream of refugee nuns since 1975 and now 175 nuns live and study there. The name means which means “home of the virtuous ones who devote their lives to the Buddha Dharma.”
Geden Choeling is built on a steep hillside in the Tibetan refugee settlement of McLeod Ganj, Dharamsala. It is a 10-minute walk from the main temple and the residence of His Holiness the Dalai Lama. Photo from May 2022 by Olivier Adam.
The nuns’ daily routine consists of classes, debate sessions and religious activities.
At the end of March 2022, the nuns started a major building project to construct a debate hall and nuns’ hostel. The goal is to complete this work by the end of March 2025. The aim is to provide better educational facilities and improved accommodation for the nuns.
Nuns lining up for a simple vegetarian meal at Geden Choeling Nunnery. The Tibetan Nuns Project helps with sponsorship of nuns at Geden Choeling and has also helped the nunnery to set up a study curriculum and continues to support their educational efforts. Photo by Olivier Adam 2022.
During the holy month of Saga Dawa which ran from May 31st to June 29th 2022, the nuns recited special prayers for the well-being of all sentient beings and for lasting peace in the world. During this holy month, the nuns also recited the over 300 volumes of the Kangyur and Tengyur texts and chanted prayers and did prostrations in front of the Lord Buddha statue.
Geden Choeling is home to about 175 nuns. We are grateful to all those who sponsor nuns there. Photo courtesy of Olivier Adam.
Also during Saga Dawa, the nuns observed four pairs or eight days of Nyung Ne fasting during which they did not have any food or water.
Two nuns, Venerbale Passang Dolma and Venerable Tenzin Desel attended a special event organized by the Department of Religion and Culture held at Namdroling Monastery from June 16-19th. The speakers of the discourse consisted of 13 monks and 4 nuns representing each school and sect of Tibetan Buddhism.
On July 6, 2022, His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s 87th birthday, the nuns offered long-life prayers and recited sacred texts.
A collage of photos by Olivier Adam showing life at Geden Choeling Nunnery.
The nuns half-year exams took place from July 16-30 and all of them showed great enthusiasm to take part. The nuns have improved greatly in both their written and debate exams.
Geshema Exams 2022 and Training in Monastic Debate
This year the Geshema exams were held at Geden Choeling. Candidates for the exams arrived at the nunnery on July 6th to start the one-month final study period before the two weeks of formal exams started on August 7.
Nuns lines up for food during the Geshema exams held at Geden Choeling Nunnery in the summer of 2022. 94 nuns from 6 nunneries, including 18 nuns from Geden Choeling itself, took various levels of the exams this year. Photo courtesy of Dolma Ling Media Nuns.
Ninety-four nuns from six different nunneries in India and Nepal took the exams including 18 nuns from Geden Choeling itself. Three Geden Choeling nuns took their 4th and final set of exams. Two of those nuns graduated with their Geshema degree at a special ceremony in Bodh Gaya on November 18, 2022.
10 Tibetan Buddhist nuns receiving their Geshema degrees at the Geshema graduation 2022 in Bodh Gaya
At the closing ceremony for the Geshema exams, Kasur Rinchen Khando Choegyal, the Founding Director and Special Advisor for the Tibetan Nuns Project, attended as the event’s chief guest.
On August 10, 2022, the entire nunnery compound and surrounding area were cleaned and the stairs scrubbed with bleaching powder to prevent accidents because in the monsoon season it becomes very slippery.
From the start of September, the nuns began preparing for the annual Jang Gonchoe inter-nunnery debate to be held at Bodh Gaya from October 16 to November 17.
Nuns at Geden Choeling spread out to practice monastic debate in May 2022. Training in debate is essential for attaining higher degrees. Photo courtesy of Olivier Adam.
Finally, four nuns attended the Tibet Science Initiative program conducted by the Library of Tibetan Works & Archives from September 15 to October 7th.
Four nuns from Geden Choeling took part in the 7th Modern Science Education Workshop organized by the Department of Religion and Culture from October 24 to November 5, 2022 at the Library of Tibetan Works and Archives. Photo LTWA
Thank you for your support! Photo courtesy of Olivier Adam