New Meditation Hall

  France

Durations of Program: 9-12 weeks, 3-6 months, 7-12 months, 1-2 years and over 2 years
Typical Duration of Program: 3-6 months
Dates: current

Description: Nalanda has a new meditation hall which is currently being used by about 22 monks and 15 lay people. We are in a very peaceful part of Southern France, and have a friendly and calm environment for people to volunteer. You don't have to be buddhist to visit, but we do ask volunteers to abide by certain guidelines to keep the community happy.

Work includes:
* Art Workshop
* Cooking and shopping
* Gardening

Skilled people such as carpenters, electricians, cooks.

Highlights: Nalanda Monastery is a unique monastery for Western monks in the Tibetan Geluk tradition. It offers an ideal environment to live and combine practice and study in an appropriate lifestyle. Currently, around 15 monks and some lay men form the core of the community.

Nalanda is located close to Lavaur, about 40 km from Toulouse in the Tarn district of Southwest France. It is located on the river Agout and is set in its own gardens. The monastery is surrounded by farmers fields, and so enjoys a peaceful and quiet location. Nearby is our sister center Institut Vajra Yogini. Lama Thubten Zopa Rinpoche is the Spiritual director of Nalanda.

Together with his teacher, Lama Thubten Yeshe, he founded Nalanda as the first Western monastery of the Foundation for the Preservation of Mahayana Tradition (FPMT). Our abbot is Ven. Geshe Jampa Gyatso, and Geshe Lobsang Jamphal is the current teacher.

Additionally, we are extremely fortunate to welcome other high teachers during the year. The Director is Ven. Tendar, the building manager is Ven. Jean Francois. Primarily, Nalanda aims to be a home for monks.

Traditionally, it has been difficult for monastics to live in their vows whilst remaining in society, and this perhaps even more so in the West. Therefore our aim is that Nalanda can offer a protective and conducive environment for monks to train in philosophy, monastic discipline and retreats.

We also hope to respond to the increasing requests for qualified teachers around the world. This community supports monks in trying to make their lives more meaningful, thus fulfilling the wishes of our great teachers. We are not trying to reproduce a Tibetan monastery in the West, but rather to create a monastic community in the Gelukpa tradition which is adapted to westerners needs. Alongside the monks, lay men can also stay in Nalanda to do retreat, to follow our program, or to do volunteer work. Nalanda offers an atmosphere of welcome for all visitors. Visitors are welcome every Sunday afternoon between 2 PM and 6 PM.

Experience Required: no

Typical Volunteer: Usually male as this is a Monastery

This Program is open to American, Australian, Canadian, European, Kiwi, South African and World Wide Participants.

Application Process Involves:

• Other

Nalanda Buddhist Monastery's Mission Statement: Nalanda Monastery is a unique monastery for Western monks in the Tibetan tradition. It offers an ideal environment to live and combine practice and study in an appropriate lifestyle. Currently, around 22 monks and a number of lay men form the core of the community.

Year Founded: 1981

Nalanda Buddhist Monastery is a FPMT - Buddhist (Tibetan Tradition) based organization. We do not require our participants to be of the same faith. Our volunteers will not be involved in religious proselytizing.