Ways to Help
Donations from students and patrons that support the goals of the monastery have always been essential to the survival and the development of the monastery.
How do we survive
For more than 30 years now Kopan Monastery has taken care of its ever-increasing number of monks and nuns. In 1975 only 40 monks and nuns were living here; now there is a population of 760 people to support, feed, clothe, educate and take care of their health. The monastery has been able to do this due to the blessing of the Buddha, the untiring efforts of our teachers and the generosity of benefactors all over the world.
The financial situation has improved somehow since those early, difficult times, when there was not enough food, no transport and no health facilities. However, accommodation is still poor, sanitary facilities are still rudimentary, and there are not enough teachers to keep up with the growing number of students. The financial burden of looking after such a large community is quite considerable.
Income comes from offerings for prayers and puja's done on behalf of others. Visitors attending the regular meditation courses and retreats also provide income.
However, donations from students and patrons that support the goals of the monastery have always been essential to the survival and the expansion of the monastery. We appeal to your generosity in order to continue with our work of providing a place of study and practice to young people of the Himalayan region, and to preserve the religious and cultural heritage of Tibet.
You can help us provide the daily needs for the 760 monks and nuns of Kopan by donating to any of the following funds. The monastery will acknowledge all donations and the donors' name will be included in the daily prayers of the monks and nuns.
- General donation - helps pay for the day to day expenses of the monastery
- Sponsorship Fund - directly covers the living and education costs of the monks and nuns
- Building Fund - rebuilding after the recent landslide at the monasteyr; buidling a new hostel and gompa at the nunnery..
- Special events fund - Assisting with travel to special teachings events
1. General donation
The monastery will use this donation as is needed.
2. Sponsorship Fund
This fund provides for the daily living and education of the monks and nuns at Kopan Monastery and Khachoe Ghakyil Ling Nunnery. A large percentage are refugees from Tibet, having fled with nothing but the robes they are wearing. Sponsoring a monk or nun is acknowledgement of the courage that many of the young people here show, having left their families and homeland where they can neither follow their religious beliefs nor pursue their spiritual development.
3. Building Fund
At the Monastery several buildings that were damaged in the landslide several years ago need to be replaced. One of them is one of the accommodation block that also houses the reception and library.
The Nunnery is scheduled to build a new asembly hall, as the present seats only 250 people and now there are more than 390 nuns in the nunnery.
The prayer gatherings therefor have to be held in two separate buildings, one of them being the dining room. The new building will also include a new hostel with 100 rooms, to ease the very tight accommodation situation, with at times up to five people sharing a small room.
Sponsorship and Donation Form >>
At the Monastery several buildings that were damaged in the landslide several years ago need to be replaced. One of them is one of the accommodation block that also houses the reception and library.
The Nunnery is scheduled to build a new asembly hall, as the present seats only 250 people and now there are more than 390 nuns in the nunnery.
The prayer gatherings therefor have to be held in two separate buildings, one of them being the dining room. The new building will also include a new hostel with 100 rooms, to ease the very tight accommodation situation, with at times up to five people sharing a small room.
Sponsorship and Donation Form >>
At the Monastery several buildings that were damaged in the landslide several years ago need to be replaced. One of them is one of the accommodation block that also houses the reception and library.
The Nunnery is scheduled to build a new asembly hall, as the present seats only 250 people and now there are more than 390 nuns in the nunnery.
The prayer gatherings therefor have to be held in two separate buildings, one of them being the dining room. The new building will also include a new hostel with 100 rooms, to ease the very tight accommodation situation, with at times up to five people sharing a small room.
Sponsorship and Donation Form >>
At the Monastery several buildings that were damaged in the landslide several years ago need to be replaced. One of them is one of the accommodation block that also houses the reception and library.
The Nunnery is scheduled to build a new asembly hall, as the present seats only 250 people and now there are more than 390 nuns in the nunnery.
The prayer gatherings therefor have to be held in two separate buildings, one of them being the dining room. The new building will also include a new hostel with 100 rooms, to ease the very tight accommodation situation, with at times up to five people sharing a small room.
Sponsorship and Donation Form >>
At the Monastery several buildings that were damaged in the landslide several years ago need to be replaced. One of them is one of the accommodation block that also houses the reception and library.
The Nunnery is scheduled to build a new asembly hall, as the present seats only 250 people and now there are more than 390 nuns in the nunnery.
The prayer gatherings therefor have to be held in two separate buildings, one of them being the dining room. The new building will also include a new hostel with 100 rooms, to ease the very tight accommodation situation, with at times up to five people sharing a small room.
Sponsorship and Donation Form >>
4. Special Event fund
Assisting with travel to special teachings events
Special teachings in Bodhgaya
For the past few years, His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama has given teachings and initiations in Bodhgaya, the site where Shakyamuni Buddha attained full Enlightenment. The whole monastery usually attends these teachings, a unique and special opportunity to receive teachings from the supreme leader of all the Tibetan Buddhist schools. At this time the monastery is closed, the kitchen packed up, and everybody piles into buses to travel to Bodhgaya. A large block of land has to be leased, and temporary accommodation and kitchen is built to accommodate the more than 600 people. Your contribution helps to defray the expenses of this very special event.
Annual one-month inter-monastery debate
The fund also helps to pay the travel expenses for selected monks and nuns to participate in the annual one-month debate between the various monasteries. This year 30 nuns traveled to South India at the invitation of the Tibetan government in exile to participate in the month long inter-monastery debate. Nuns from several nunneries in India and Nepal gather to compete with other nunneries in public debate and challenging each others understanding of the great philosophical texts. It is considered a great honor to be invited to these debates and a crucial test of the quality of the study program of the nunnery.
5. Monlam Chenmo
Details on how you can assist with the Monlam Offerings
Offerings for the Great Prayer Festival (Monlam) March 6 - 11, 2009
Click Here for details and to to download a donation form
Please Note: Donations made by US tax payers are not tax deductible as Kopan Monastery does not have tax-deductible status in the USA.