Yarney, the Summer Retreat Begins

July 12, 2014

The three-month long summer retreat has begin at Namo Buddha Thrangu Tashi Yangtse Monastery. 

Special Health Camp For The Sangha at Namo Buddha

By Wangchuk Tenzin

With view to mainly helping the many monks who suffer from gastric illnesses and also other general health issues, a medical camp was sponsored and organized by our own benefactor and lotsawa Michele Martin.

During this health camp, doctors, a nurse, and a lab technician are brought from CIWEC Clinic in Kathmandu, which is famous worldwide for taking care of foreigners, especially trekkers and tourists, in Nepal. We have also had our volunteer doctor Ramin here for the past two years.

In addition to organizing the treatment of the monks, we have also been organizing a special public talk by the doctors to educate the monks about diseases and ways to prevent them. As it is said, "Prevention is better than cure."

During the last night, the selected topic for the talk was general hygiene and hepatitis. Dr. Rashila started the talk by explaining the improvements she has seen in the monks’ health, especially related to gastric problems. She said that this time most of the monks had problems more similar to the general population. They were suffering from respiratory problems, minor skin diseases, some infections and stomach problems, headaches, shoulder and back pain. Without too much trouble, she counseled, many of these illnesses could be avoided by some regular exercise, a good sitting posture, and drinking 3 liters of water per day during hot weather.   

She also expressed concern about the hygiene and cleanliness of small monks, i.e., proper hand washing, not sharing razors, towels, soap, and clothes, by which skin related diseases can easily spread.  

In speaking about hepatitis, she explained that it is a fatal disease as your liver is attacked and weakened. It is very communicative in nature and the virus can survive outside your body for six days. It can be transferred through blood, unprotected sexual intercourse, injections, and so on, in the same way as HIV/ AIDS is transferred. The difference is that hepatitis can be transferred 100 times quicker than AIDS.

Dr. Rashila advised that anyone suffering from Hepatitis B should not take other medications without consulting a doctor and informing her or him that you have the disease, because many of the medicines can give more work to the liver and kidneys, which is not good when you have hepatitis.

The talk was concluded with questions from monks about general health problems and  hepatitis. After the initial consultations and testing during the clinic, the monks who need it are referred to specialists and to labs for further care and testing.  

Celebrating His Holiness Karmapa̢۪s Birthday

June 26, 2014

In the morning, on this very auspicious day, the birthday of His Holiness the 17th Gyalwang Karmapa Ogyen Trinley Dorje, all the monks, khenpos, lamas, and lay disciples gathered at main shrine hall to perform rituals.

The Sangha made Mandala offings welcoming the His Holiness’ photo to the shrine. Everyone came to make offing of khatas and performed sixteen Arhats prayers, long life, and auspicious prayers. The students also expressed their best wishes and prayers for His Holiness through poems.

The cake cutting ceremony was held around 4pm at the very shrine hall. We are overwhelmed and blessed to celebrate this very day. LONG LIVE HIS HOLINESS! KARMAPA KHENNPO!