Idgaa Choizinling Dratsang: Help Sustain a Sangha's Life

Ganden Monastery was founded in 1838. It quickly grew and became one of the largest monasteries in Mongolia with 9 Dratsang's (school's) and over 5,000 monks. During the communist regime, Ganden was partially destroyed and hundreds of monks were either tortured or killed. After the collapse of the regime, it was possible to begin rebuilding this historically important center of Tibetan Buddhist learning.

In 2000, a project was established by FPMT Mongolia to rebuild the Idgaa Choizinling Dratsang within the Ganden monastery complex. Idgaa Choizinling Dratsang is strongly connected by spiritual practice and history to Sera Je Monastery in India.

Through the heart warming generosity of numerous donors, the rebuilding of Idgaa Choizinling Dratsang was completed in the Fall of 2003. Idgaa now serves as a focal point of Buddhist learning in Mongolia.

Idgaa's completion has helped restore a rich heritage to the Mongolian people. Already, the completed building has become home to many monks who are using the residential complex as a place to study and develop their spiritual practice. Over the past few years the number of new monks within Idgaa Choizinling has grown and currently their are 101 full time monks studying and practicing in Mongolia with a further 32 monks continuing their studies in Sera Je monastery in South India.

The rebuilding of Idgaa Choizinling Dratsang has been a key project to help the development of Mongolia's monastic community. This monastic community will become the country's future teachers and holders of the Buddhist doctrine.

Our next objective is to work closely with the Idgaa monks enabling the monastery to be self sustaining and to continue to become a great center of learning. One current difficulty is the lack of funding for the monastery to offer breakfast and dinner to the monks. Hence very few monks can stay fulltime at the monastery. Many return home to their families each night which disrupts their monastic training.

Once again, we seek your generous support in the quest to reawakening Buddhism in Mongolia by sustaining the life of the Sangha in Idgaa Choinzinling.

Click here to View Idgaa Choizinling College Photos

 
 Donations accepted here...