As you can see in the pictures posted in the gallery below, the monks study and work very hard despite the challenging conditions. Without complaint, and usually cheerfully, they sit on cushions in bare classrooms that are often over 90 degrees and still manage to excel in their studies.

The main project we are proposing is the construction of a shade roof on top of the school. This roof would significantly reduce the temperature in the classrooms. It would also provide a sheltered space during the rainy season for the monks to do their calligraphy class. The picture on the left is an example of a building with the type of shade roof we want to build (just click on it to make it bigger).

The second project is a power storage system for their computer lab. The monks have received donated computers to create this wonderful computer room. Unfortunately they cannot use them much of the time because of the random electrical supply here. The electricity here is only on during half the day and alternates between mornings and afternoons with constant, random outages. Our goal is to purchase a backup power system like this one pictured on the right. This type of system would allow the computers to operate even when the electricity is off and then regular classes could be scheduled.

The third project is to purchase new books. Every school needs books and our school is in desperate need for new ones. Not only are there not enough, many of the ones we do have are very worn and difficult to read.

The combined total of these 3 projects is about $10,000. If just 500 people were able to contribute $20 we could meet this goal. If you cannot afford $20, please consider a $10 donation – every little bit helps! If you able to contribute significantly more, all the better. It is a great cause!

Update – We have met our goal as of June 24th, 2009. Thank you all so much for your kindness.

On behalf of the Principal, Venerable Geshe Sangye , and all the monks at the school, I thank you for your kindness and consideration. May you have much peace, happiness, and many blessings.

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Six Gaden Shartse monks will spend the next three days creating sand artwork and spreading the message of tolerance and compassion at Washington & Jefferson College.

The Buddhist monks are traveling across the world to share their message and raise money for monasteries in India.

The Gaden Shartse monastery was located in Tibet until the Chinese crackdown in 1959, monk and tour director Jangchub Chophel said Tuesday. The Chinese destroyed 5,000 monasteries and India was kind enough to give the monks refugee status, he said. Gaden Shartse monastery has 3,000 monks, and there are 100,000 living in exile, he said.

Nineteen years ago, the tours began, combining education with fundraising. The monks sell Indian and Tibetan goods.

During the last tour, the monks raised enough money to build a small hospital in southern India that serves the entire population in the area, including the monks. This tour will raise money to help operate the hospital, including buying items like X-ray machines and medicine, he said.

However, the tour is about more than raising money. The monks have a mission of spreading tolerance and unity. That has happened in some places they have visited, where labels such as Democrat and Republican have fallen away as people talked to one another, he said.

“Everywhere we go, we talk about unity,” he said, including the unity of religion since so many are similar at their core. “All give practitioners a chance to grow and develop a spiritual path.”

On the tours, they teach about Tibetan culture and demonstrate their arts. The monks will be working on the sand artwork from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. at Olin Fine Arts Center gallery until Thursday night. The public is welcome.

The monks create the artwork by scooping sand into two cones and rubbing one on top of the other, guiding the amount of sand released.

“The creation of it is a spiritual practice,” Chophel said as music softly played in the background. “It takes a lot of concentration and meditation to do it.”

This particular artwork is a symbolic representation of the celestial home of the Buddha of Compassion, he said. It has a center and four entrances, each of which symbolizes a different path to enlightenment.

On Friday, they will have a dissolution ceremony to bring the Buddhas present and purify the negativity, he said. Anyone who attends will get a bag of sand from the artwork and the remaining will be put to rest in a body of water to allow the purifying to continue, Chophel said.

The Mandala artwork is a lesson in impermanence, just as life is temporary, he said.

“Every day we live is special and sacred because it’s never going to come again,” he said. “Sweeping it up is reminding us not to waste each precious day we have.”

Schedule of events:

Wednesday

9 a.m. to 9 p.m. – Mandala construction at the Olin Fine Arts Center

1 p.m. – Buddhist-style debate at Yost Lecture Hall

6 p.m. – Lecture on World Peace and Unity of All Religions at Ski Lodge

8 p.m. – Healing ritual at Ski Lodge

Thursday

9 a.m. to 9 p.m. – Mandala construction at the Olin Fine Arts Center

6 p.m. – Small Group: Eastern Views on the Environment in Yost Lecture Hall

7 p.m. – Butter sculpture in Ski Lodge

Friday

1 p.m. – Dissolution ceremony at Olin Fine Arts Center

For more information about the monks, visit their tour Web site at www.gadenshartsetour.org.

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