Nepal, Sharminub children
Current status: August 2024
In 2016, the first group of scholars, known as Acharyas, from the Diwakar Institute moved to Sharminub. Around the same time, after the earthquake in 2015, many young children were left behind in the monastery because their parents had either been killed or were too poor to look after them. We reported on this and were fortunately able to provide the basic stock of school materials with the help of numerous donations. (Many thanks to all the generous donors from back then!)
The name Sharminub, bestowed by Shamar Rinpoche, means ‘that which rises but does not sink’.
Under the leadership of Khenpo Gyaltsen Zangpo, the Acharyas have been looking after these children ever since: today Sharminub is home to 120 children (originally there were 88; we reported), who receive free accommodation, food, education and medical care.
Celebrating curiosity: a special video
After completing their primary school education in Sharminub, some children decide to move to the Diwakar Buddhist Academy in Kalimpong to continue and deepen their Buddhist path. In view of the fact that the Sharminub Institute, as an educational and retreat centre, was not originally designed for children, this is a very positive development and of great benefit. And not only that: the joy of children has become an integral part of Sharminub. One of the Acharyas, Karma Chograb, describes how diligently the children study here and play and romp around at weekends. The time spent with them is one of his best memories as a monk in Sharminub.
Last year, during his visit to Europe, Thaye Dorje, H.H. the 17th Gyalwa Karmapa, emphasised the importance of supporting our educational centres in the East and the need to understand how Eastern and Western institutes are connected in spreading the Buddha’s teachings of love, compassion and generosity in the West.
As current and future challenges for the residents of the Sharminub Monastery lie primarily in accommodation and water supply, improving these two areas will be a top priority over the next two years and will be organised as follows.
Accommodation: There are currently no suitable dormitories available. Instead, the monks have been using classrooms within the institute as dormitories. However, since the young monks have grown up, the space has become extremely cramped. The construction of a dormitory is urgently needed.
Water: The monastery is regularly confronted with water shortages during the winter months. Whilst the tanks fill up during the rainy season, there was much less rainfall during the last winter season, resulting in empty tanks. The installation of more tanks is therefore also a high priority.
In addition, Khenpo Gyaltsen Zangpo has sent an urgent request for support, saying that Sharminub needs help to pay the teachers, nannies, cooks and cleaning staff.
We are once again reliant on your generosity for this. Individual donations or long-term financial commitment are equally valuable and continue to be very welcome. It is only thanks to them that vital accommodation, care and hygiene as well as general education and lessons in the Dharma philosophy can be guaranteed for the youngest children at the Sharminub site.
‘Your support also helps these children to develop into dedicated Dharma practitioners, which ultimately benefits countless sentient beings. Even if not all [children] excel in their practice, most will bring with them a deep understanding of the importance of compassion and generosity instilled during their time at Sharminub, so that they can continue to have a positive impact on others. By supporting these children, we also accumulate merit that we should use to benefit all sentient beings.’
– Lama Jigme Rinpoche
