ZANGDOK PALRI ACTUALITES
Sambhota Primary School – Orphanage
No 28 – February 2016

Our priority: the school-orphanage

In Tibet, sending a child off to school is not always an easy choice: there is always plenty of work to do in a nomad community, and letting go of a pair of helping hands can lead the family into financial difficulties.

That is why our three secondary school students in Chengdu have answered their parents’ calls and have returned home, interrupting their training for the time being. We have faith in their accomplishments, though: their thorough knowledge of Tibetan and Chinese and their notions of English and ICT are assets that will prove very useful in the future.

Because there are no primary school students ready to take over from them yet, our secondary school is put on hold for the time being, and we focus all our efforts on the school-orphanage, which continues to serve its 35 students, most of them in boarding school.

Around Dzogchen, the effects of this training sometimes come very quickly: several girls who have finished primary school and have started their own families now give literacy courses to the villagers in their region, securing a modest income for themselves. We are naturally very happy with this indirect transmission of knowledge!

Tibetan culture: Pilgrimages, the quest for the sacred

A cultural tradition as much as a religious one, a pilgrimage is called né kor in Tibetan, literally to circle a (holy) place, because Tibetan Buddhists walk around sacred buildings and places clockwise as a sign of respect and devotion.

These holy places can be manmade sites like monasteries, temples or hermitages; in Lhasa, such sites include the Potala (once the primary residence of the Dalai Lamas) and the Jokhang temple, a high-ranking spiritual site containing a famous Buddha statue.

Other pilgrim destinations include holy natural sites like mountains, lakes, caves and springs, one of the most visited being Mount Kailash in western Tibet. The koras (circumambulations) of these sites sometimes turn into arduous long-distance hikes over hills and rough terrain.

The pilgrimage is often an opportunity to live an adventure. But it is above all a spiritual quest, a period during which the pilgrim focuses on meditation, on reflection, on the development of human qualities.
Throughout the journey, Tibetans offer hospitality to the pilgrims as they feel honoured by their presence.

Some pilgrims complete the journey doing prostrations, making their trip last several months or even years, depending on their destination. The pilgrim prostrates by first joining his hands above his head, then level with his throat and heart. Then he stretches out on the ground, belly down, arms outstretched. Putting down a pebble at the end of his outstretched fingers, he rises, moves forward right up to where the pebble is, and repeats the practice. Circling Kailash prostrating like this takes at least four weeks.

Colin Thubron has left a colourful description of a group of Tibetan pilgrims circumambulating Kailash:

“The Tibetans set off cheerfully round the mountain as if it were a plateau. They twirled prayer-wheels and murmured  mantras. Some carried babies on their backs, others shepherded little children. Their faith was practical and sensuous. Every rock formation was a god to them, or commemorated some mythic action. The earth itself was holy: the herbs it grew, even its dust. At the four little monasteries that staked out the cardinal points of the mountain, they offered incense or barley to a pantheon of deities. They prayed for better fortune – a son, another yak (…). Hindus and westerners may take four days to complete the circuit. A Tibetan can do it in less than 36 hours.”

(Colin Thubron: To a Mountain in Tibet, Ed. Chatto & Windus)

And then…

a few popular sayings, examples of Tibetan common sense and sense of humour both. Some of these are even quite similar to our sayings!

• It is easier to cover one’s feet in leather than to cover the entire earth in leather.
• Before changing the world, we need to change ourselves.
  If you drink the valley’s water, respect the valley’s laws.
• When the cat is away, the mice celebrate New Year.
• It is easy to spot the flea in another’s hair and ignore the yak on one’s own nose.
• Watery mouth before the meal, watery eyes when the bill arrives.
• Thieves never steal bells.
• If it works, it’s yoghurt, if it doesn’t, it’s curd!

ZANGDOK PALRI ACTUALITES
Sambhota Primary School – Orphanage & Sambhota Secondary School
No 27 – Septembre 2015

For 2016
the Tibetan year of the Fire Monkey 2143

the Wisdom Treasury publishing house presents a magnificent wall calendar containing a series of pictures of the Dzogchen school and orphanage.

Photos of the Zangdok Palri Institute complete the calendar.

Printed on high quality paper, the calendar shows the  main Tibetan holidays.

25x25cm, price 12€.

You can order your calendar on the Wisdom Treasury website

www.wisdomtreasuryshop.com

A few notes on prayer wheels

Hand-powered prayer wheels (Dzogchen, 2010)

Found all over Tibet, prayer wheels are among the many religious symbols of a people steeped in the Buddhist tradition.

A prayer wheel is a metal or wood cylinder that is often richly decorated and engraved. It contains strips of paper or fabric filled with prayers and rotates freely around an axle, helped by a small lead weight attached with a chain.

The wheel is held in the right hand and must always rotate clockwise, in the same way as one would read the texts inside.

These cylinders contain the wisdom and compassion teachings of the Buddha, condensed into profoundly meaningful syllables called mantras. For the faithful, each turn of the prayer wheel equals a recitation of the mantras inside, for one’s own benefit and that of all other beings. The cylinder’s rotation is a metaphor for the setting in motion of the wheel of Dharma, which is the sacred way of referring to the Buddha’s very first teachings.

The most often used mantra is OM MANI PADMA HUNG, the syllables representing compassion.

Each turn of the prayer wheel is meant to spread the blessings it contains in order to reach all beings. In return, this enables the practitioner to accumulate merit and ensure positive karma. Many Tibetans turn their prayer wheels as soon as their hands are free while walking along or when seated, all the while softy reciting the mantras. You constantly come across people, often the elderly, who do this practice as an integral part of their daily activities.

Prayer wheels are often found outside the entrance to a residence, to be set in motion by whoever enters or leaves.

Large-sized wheels are often arranged in long rows in front of monasteries, temples or places of pilgrimage, set in motion one after the other by the right hand of the faithful passer-by. In this case, the beneficial effect is greatly multiplied as these cylinders contain thousands of mantras.

But prayer wheels are not moved by human energy alone. Some wheels are powered by the wind or by the current of the stream they are placed in, others by the heat of a candle, a hearth or a light bulb, still others are powered electrically. As a result, the wheel’s owner finds himself constantly engaged in prayer.

Moreover, present day technology lends an unexpected helping hand to spiritual practice. Not only do some cylinders today contain an extraordinary number of mantras on microfilm, but His Holiness the Dalai Lama explains that uploading mantras to your computer produces the same effect as a traditional prayer wheel, except that the high speed rotation of the hard drive helps spread the prayers of compassion much more powerfully in all directions!

Looking inside a prayer wheel, we find a rolled-up roll of paper, several meters long, inscribed with mantras. The script is Devanagari, an ancient writing system used for Sanskrit but also for a number of present-day languages in India and Nepal.

 

 ZANGDOK PALRI ACTUALITES
Sambhota Primary School – Orphanage & Sambhota Secondary School
No 26 – March 2014

Early winter, in Dzogchen…

Time for a new set of warm clothes! Each item has been chosen in a generous size in order to last more than one season… Down jackets, lined trousers and boots were more than welcome this particularly rough winter, and it’s not over yet either.

Part of the students, octobre 2014

Good news for the Dzogchen school children: we have been able to purchase a total of four cows to add to the school’s small herd, which is now once again capable of furnishing the school with essential dairy products. The four dri have been entrusted to a nomad family, which takes good care of them and processes the milk, allowing the children to enjoy fresh butter and cheese every day.

Tibetan medicine (continued)

Today, Tibetan medicine is practised in Tibet itself, in other Himalayan countries like Nepal, Ladakh and Bhutan, in China, Siberia and Mongolia, and in India, where the small town of Dharamsala, residence of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, hosts the Tibetan Medical and Astrological Institute (the Men Tsee Khang). Its mission is to safeguard, develop and promote this precious ancestral knowledge, locally as well as in some fifty hospitals throughout India and Nepal.

The doctors, called amchis, traditionally start their learning at a very young age, and the knowledge is often passed on from father to son. Their training includes the study of Buddhist texts, medical works and astrology as well as healing techniques and the identification of medicinal plants. The amchis search the mountains for these plants and transform them into medicine using techniques that have remained unchanged for millennia.

Heirs to this knowledge, today’s amchis face new challenges. Firstly, with a view to international recognition, Tibetan medicine will need to conform to international classification systems and quality standards without losing its unique character.

Secondly, to practise their science, the amchis depend entirely on the Himalayan ecosystems, which are in many places fragile. Overharvesting botanical resources might prove disastrous and quickly lead to an impoverishment in ecological diversity. Deepening the knowledge of their global environment is therefore crucial and may lead, as a partial solution, to the systematic cultivation of medicinal plants.

To youngsters wishing to become amchi, a new avenue has recently opened: medical faculties are proposing an approach to the Tibetan medical system similar to what we know in the West, respecting nevertheless all the particularities of the amchis’ science. Students are trained for a period of at least seven years.

In the West, Tibetan medicine is presently not officially recognised in the majority of countries. As a result, Tibetan doctors are not authorised to practise. Nevertheless, Tibetan medicine sparks plenty of curiosity and interest, as crowded conferences and seminars testify. Could they not learn from each other, highly specialised and technological western medicine and Tibetan medicine with its global approach of the individual as a whole? Could they not prove complementary in the end?

For more information, please visit the website of the Tibetan Medical and Astrological Institute (in English):  http://www.men-tsee-khang.org

Feel like trying a typical Tibetan dish?
Here is the recipe for Tentuk.

Ten means to pull/draw and tuk is short for tukpa, which means soup. Tentuk is a noodle soup hugely popular in the whole of Tibet.

Ingredients for two:

½ oignon, 250 gr of beef, 3 tablespoons of oil, 1 teaspoon of vinegar, 1 tablespoon of soy sauce, barley flour, various vegetables (e.g. Chinese cabbage or carrots), pepper, salt, finely chopped hot pepper.

Preparation:

1. Prepare the dough: add water to the flour to make a quite tough mixture, then knead and let rest for 30 minutes.
2. In a pot, lightly fry the meat in some oil.
3. Add the meat and vegetables to boiling water and let boil for about 10 minutes.
4. Flatten the dough by hand. A few minutes before the meat and vegetables are done, cut the dough into pieces and add to the boiling water.
5. Let boil for 2 to 3 minutes.
6. Your tentuk is ready!

ZANGDOK PALRI NEWS
Sambhota Primary School – Orphanage & Sambhota Secondary School
No 25 – Septembre 2014

To all our sponsors and donors, a big thank you from the children of Dzogchen!

Primary school…

is over for the first generation of students. Today’s seniors have passed their final exams in primary school and after some ten years of studies are now headed for higher education.

Two boys will focus on Chinese language studies, whereas six girls have registered in the newly created school for Tibetan medicine in Dzogchen, connected to the equally new local hospital. After four years of study, they will either become nurses in the hospital or embark on medical studies to become physicians. These youngsters are obviously very pleased to be on the right track to realising their dreams…

As a result, 15 new students have found a spot in our primary school. For them, the first order of business in student life has been the purchase of a winter wardrobe, padded jackets and sturdy shoes to face the harsh Dzogchen winters (see cover picture). Two additional outfits will serve for summer and spring/autumn. We are all set for the new school year!

Tibetan medicine, a brief overview

Traditional Tibetan medicine is one of the oldest medical systems still practised today. Its approach is holistic, taking into account the whole individual, including all physical, mental and spiritual aspects, the person’s internal as well as external environment. Informed by Indian ayurvedic medicine and the Chinese, Persian and Greco-Arabic medical traditions, Tibetan medicine is a perfectly coherent synthesis of all these insights, deeply infused with buddhist spirituality.

Observing how the whole universe consists of the five elements (water, earth, fire, air and space), Tibetan medicine concludes that the basic forces of nature are in constant interaction with our organism, influencing it and making themselves available for its healing.

Bouddha Sangye Menla

The three ‘humours’ (bile, wind and phlegm) are the energetic expressions of an individual’s state of health and need to be balanced for the person to enjoy good health. Various mental and physical factors can disrupt this balance: the prime causes of ill health are the ‘mental poisons’, i.e. negative emotions, closely linked to the humours. There is an additional range of secondary causes, however, such as nourishment, lifestyle or unfavourable surroundings, lack of exercise etc.

The diagnosis is based on pulse reading, in which the physician palpates both the patient’s arms simultaneously with three fingers of each hand, gaining information on all the vital organs. To this are added urine analysis, examination of the eyes and the body as a whole,  as well as a consideration of the patient’s lifestyle in its various aspects. The physician, named amchi, may also turn to astrology, identifying the patient’s astrological make-up and determining favourable days for treatment.

To restore the balance of the humours, amchis will prescribe lifestyle changes, physical exercise and dietary adjustments. Other therapies include acupuncture, moxibustion, cupping, massage and of course Tibetan drug-making, always natural, based on plants and minerals, sometimes even precious stones, gold or silver.

In Tibetan medicine, however, healing of the body is achieved primarily through healing of the mind. As illness is caused by emotions triggered by unsuitable thought patterns and behaviour, it is essential that the patient adjusts his take on life and increases his understanding of his own internal world and the emotional factors that give rise to his illness.

to be continued…

A special thank you

goes to the children from the primary school in Weiler-la-Tour and their teacher, Mr Christian Schartz. They offered the funds raised through their annual book market, which was, like the years before, a great success!

A new yak cow for the school

We were able to purchase a new yak cow, in addition to the two cows already belonging to the Dzogchen school.

Yak cows, called ‘dri’ in Tibetan, produce less milk than cows but their milk has a high nutritional value. Being rich in carotene, it is of yellowish colour with a delicious taste, and its high content of butterfat makes it perfect for yogurt, butter, and cheese. A very welcome enrichment of the school’s menu, helping us to take care of the students’ health in a tasty and natural way!

ZANGDOK PALRI ACTUALITES
Sambhota Ecole Primaire – Orphelinat & Sambhota Ecole Secondaire
No 25 – Septembre 2014

A tous nos parrains et donateurs, un grand merci de la part des enfants de Dzogchen!

L’école primaire…

se termine pour les plus grands élèves, ceux et celles de la première génération qui y étudient depuis une dizaine d’années, qui ont passé avec succès leurs examens de fin d’étude primaire et se dirigent maintenant vers une structure secondaire.

Deux garçons se spécialiseront dans l’étude de la langue chinoise, tandis que six filles se sont inscrites dans l’école de médecine tibétaine nouvellement créée à Dzogchen et qui dépend de l’hôpital, tout récent lui aussi. Quatre années d’études leur permettront, soit de travailler comme infirmières à l’hôpital, soit de s’inscrire dans une faculté pour devenir médecin. Il va sans dire que tous ces jeunes sont heureux d’être sur la bonne voie pour réaliser leur rêve…

Les bancs de l’école primaire ont donc pu accueillir 15 nouveaux élèves, pour qui la vie scolaire a débuté par l’achat de vêtements d’hiver, doudounes épaisses et chaussures solides pour être parés contre les hivers rudes de Dzogchen (photo en couverture). Deux autres tenues complèteront leur garde-robe, pour l’été et pour le printemps/automne.
Nous voilà fin prêts à nous lancer dans la nouvelle année scolaire!

La médecine tibétaine, un bref aperçu

La médecine traditionnelle tibétaine, un des plus anciens systèmes médicaux à exister encore aujourd’hui, se base sur une approche holistique : elle prend en compte l’individu dans son ensemble, incluant tous les aspects physiques, mentaux et spirituels, l’environnement intérieur de la personne aussi bien que son environnement extérieur.
Inspirée de la médecine ayurvédique indienne et des médecines traditionnelles chinoise, perse et gréco-arabe, la médecine tibétaine est la synthèse parfaitement cohérente de tous ces savoirs, imprégnée profondément par la spiritualité bouddhiste.

Se basant sur la constatation que tout notre univers se compose de cinq éléments (l’eau, la terre, le feu, l’air et l’espace), la médecine tibétaine en déduit que les forces basiques de la nature sont dans une interaction incessante avec notre organisme, l’influencent et peuvent être utilisées pour le guérir.

Bouddha Sangye Menla

Les trois ‘humeurs’ (bile, vent et phlegme) sont l’expression sous forme d’énergie de l’état de santé d’un individu et doivent être maintenus en équilibre pour que la personne soit en bonne santé. De nombreux facteurs mentaux ou physiques peuvent bouleverser cet équilibre : les causes premières d’une santé altérée sont les ‘poisons mentaux’, c’est-à-dire les émotions négatives, étroitement liés aux humeurs, mais il existe aussi toute une gamme de causes secondaires, comme une alimentation, un mode de vie ou un environnement inappropriés, le manque d’exercice etc.

Le diagnostic se base sur la prise du pouls, palpé simultanément sur les deux bras du patient par trois doigts de chaque main du médecin et qui donne des informations sur tous les organes vitaux du corps. A cela s’ajoutent l‘analyse des urines, l’examen des yeux et du corps dans son ensemble, ainsi que les différents aspects du mode de vie du patient. Il est possible que le médecin, appelé amchi, ait aussi recours à l’astrologie, établissant le thème astral de la personne souffrante et déterminant les jours favorables pour son traitement.

Pour rééquilibrer les humeurs, les amchis vont prescrire des changements dans le mode de vie, de l’exercice physique et des modifications du régime alimentaire. D’autres moyens thérapeutiques peuvent s’ajouter : l’acupuncture, la moxibustion, la pose de ventouses, le massage, et bien sûr la pharmacopée tibétaine, toujours naturelle, à base de plantes et de minéraux, parfois même de pierres précieuses, d’or ou d’argent.

Mais pour la médecine tibétaine, la guérison du corps passe surtout par la guérison psychique. Puisque les émotions qui causent la maladie sont engendrées par des modes de pensée et de comportement inadaptés, il est important que le patient ajuste son attitude face à la vie et développe d’avantage de compréhension par rapport à son propre monde intérieur et aux facteurs émotionnels dans lesquels sa maladie est enracinée.

à suivre…

Un merci spécial

aux enfants de l’école primaire de Weiler-la-Tour et à leur instituteur, M. Christian Schartz, qui nous ont offert la recette de leur Marché aux Livres qui a connu, cette année encore, un franc succès!

Une nouvelle vache pour l’école

Nous avons pu acheter une vache de yak qui rejoindra les deux vaches appartenant déjà à l’école de Dzogchen.

Les vaches de yak, appelées ‘dri’ en tibétain, produisent moins de lait que les vaches mais leur lait a une valeur nutritive élevée. Riche en carotène, il est de couleur jaunâtre avec un goût excellent, et par sa haute teneur en matière grasse, il est parfait pour le yaourt, le beurre et le fromage. Un enrichissement bienvenu du menu de l’école, qui contribuera à la santé des élèves d’une manière savoureuse et naturelle!

 ZANGDOK PALRI NEWS
Sambhota Primary School – Orphanage & Sambhota Secondary School
No 24 – February 2014

Tsering Dechid (left), student of Sambhota school in Chengdu, with Kunzang Chödrön, daughter of Mr Soga and Mrs Dechid, managers of both schools

At the Chengdu school

It has been a promising and very active start of the new year for our students!   On top of their regular courses, they have been able to participate in an editing project of ancient texts, an activity we hope they will have many more opportunities  to engage in.

Jamyang Drolma

Pema Yongtso

This project was launched by Patrul Rinpoche, founder of the Sambhota schools, and is managed by the Sambhota Translation Group. It involves revising,  translating and publishing traditional Buddhist texts collected over the  centuries, with a view to their preservation.

The Tibetan source texts are very  much in need of revision. As they were engraved onto wooden planks or  prepared for printed publication, many errors crept in. Keep in mind that  almost all of these texts have yet to be translated from Tibetan for the first time.

This particular project encompasses texts compiled in the 19th century and  running up to some 5,000 pages in 9 volumes. We have only the Tibetan version  today, part of which the students have reread and corrected in terms of spelling  and grammar.

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