Support For Tibetan Monks Of Gaden Jangste Monastery Resident In Italy

Related projects

• Support to the People and Culture of Tibet (Mother project)
• Adoption of Tibetan Monks in the Gaden Jangtse Monastery
• The Nando Peretti School for Children: Construction of a School and an Hostel for Children
• Support to the Gaden Jangtse Tibetan Medical Institute
• Tuberculosis Prevention and Community Health-Dental Care in Gaden Jangtse Medical Buddha Clinic
• Urgent Surgical Procedure for The Tibetan Monk Tamding Tsering
• A Program to Promote and Preserve Tibetan Cultural Awareness for Tibetan Refugees
• Purchase of a Solar Water Heating System for the Gaden Jangtse Monastery
• Supporting the Three Years “Oceans Of Knowledge” Project for the Protection and Promotion of Tibetan Culture
• Library Furniture and Equipment at the Dalai Lama Institute for Higher Education in Bangalore - India

Project location: Italy, Rome
Project start date: November 2009 - Project end date: November 2010
Project number: 2009-59
Beneficiary: Compassion and Care Center

Due to the high rent rates in Rome, the numerous guarantees requested, as well as the low number of enrolments to the Compassion and Care Center, the President and Vice President of the Association set the initial plan to rent a flat in Rome aside. Since the 26th of August 2009 to the end of March 2010, the monks were hosted in a small flat in the center of Rome, owned by the Compassion and Care Center's Vice President. All the other initiatives and activities were instead provisionally held in a space in Rome, rented from time to time. Over a period of about two years, the following activities were organized:

The first initiative organised by the Center was the seminar entitled "Karma, the cause and effect law, happiness and pain in Samsara", taught by Ghesce Lobsang Scerab and held on December 12, 2009 at the bookstore "Harmonia Mundi" in Rome.

To raise funds in support of the Gaden Jangtse Monastery in India, on December 6, 2009 the Compassion and Care Center was given a free stand at the Antique Market "Rigattieri per hobby", Borghetto Flaminio, Rome, where the Lamas Sonam Chodak and Tenzin Tashi offered rosaries and other Tibetan articles to be sold.

The year 2010 was inaugurated with a sacred sand Madala, staged by the Lamas at the Alberto Sordi Gallery in Rome, which lasted for 15 days. This event turned out to be a success, attracting a great deal of visitors and funds. What is more, this event had many Roman citizens and tourists familiarize with Tibetan religiosity and culture.

As for the spiritual support to the sick and needy people, in view of the principles of "Compassion" and "Care" suggested by the H.H. the Dalai Lama, home visits were organised to a woman affected by Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), Mrs. Rosma Scuteri, to allow her practice meditation, prayer and mantra sessions together with the Lamas.
Mrs Scutieri, who had previously attended the Tibetan Monastery in Pomaia, Tuscany, but was no longer able to reach the Monastery, declared herself very happy and grateful for the visits. Until the end of February 2010 (at the beginning of March they left for 10 days to India), the Tibetan monks visited Mrs. Scutieri once a week.

On March 8 2010, first anniversary of the Master Ghesce Sonam Cianciub's death, a "Guru Puja" was organised at the Holistic Center "Harmonia Mundi". A Guru Puja ("Lama Cioepa" in Tibetan), is a ceremony for the offer of tsog (in Tibetan "tsog" means accumulating, that is accumulating merits), celebrated by the Lamas, led by Ghesce Lobsang Scerab. At the end of the puja, everyone eat the food blessed during the ceremony.

Having the Lamas a return ticket to India for March 2010, the President and Vice President of the Compassion and Care Center decided to come back to the Monastery, relying on Ghesce Lobsang Scerab for the organisation of Dharma teachings in Rome. Ghesce Lobsang Scerab lived in Bergamo, but declared himself willing to go to Rome in occasion of single meetings. Ghesce Lobsang Scerab, differently from the other Lamas who do not speak any Italian, could teach directly in Italian.

The Ghesce Lobsang Scerab, instead, preferred to have the Tibetans Lamas remain in Italy, together with the Ghesce Antu and the Lama Urgyen, coming from the Tibet House in Reggio Emilia, and gathered them in a small house in Cisterna di Latina, rented by the Gaden Jangtse Federation Europe. The Tibetan Monastery of the Gaden Jangtse Federation Europe in Cisterna di Latina was thus created, under the guidance of Ven. Ghesce Lobsang Scerab.

On April 21, 2010 a seminar on "Lojong (Lojong zig-ghema) - mental training in eight lines of verse", was held at Bibliothè, in Rome, led by the Ghesce Lobsang Scerab.
On October 29, 2010 the Ghesce Tenzin Sangpo, hosted at the Monastery of Cisterna Latina, taught a lesson, during a meeting held at Bibliothè, Roma.
The Mandalas realised in July and October 2010 by the Lamas of the Monsatery of Cisterna di Latina, were organised by the "Ganden Jangtse Federation Europe".

To summarize, due to the difficulties in settling the Compassion and Care Center in Rome, the organization moved its activities to Cisterna di Latina. Here, the following activities were organized:

a) Several Dharma meetings, and other spiritual, artistic and cultural events;
b) Fundraising activities in support of the Ganden Jangtse Monastery in India;
c) Logistic support to the Tibetan Lamas for the creation of the Monastery of the Ganden Jangtse Federation Europe in Cisterna Latina (April 2010);