Buddhist nuns have contributed to the development of Chenrezig Institute from its very beginnings, more than 30 years ago. The Chenrezig Nuns Community (CNC) was formally established in 1986 and it has flourished under the care and guidance of the centre's resident teacher Geshe Tashi Tsering. He is the abbot of many of the nuns who live here, but others were ordained by other lamas, including His Holiness the Dalai Lama and Lama Zopa Rinpoche, who sent them here for the experience of living in community and participating in the unique, intensive teaching programme offered by Geshe Tashi Tsering.

Western monks and nuns: straddling two cultures
The monastics at Chenrezig Institute live a spare and simple life. The nuns have built a number of small huts over the years, a single room with a tiny kitchenette and adjoining bathroom. A larger, two-storey building was finished in 1998. Originally planned as a facility block — an office, counseling rooms, art workshops, communal kitchen etc — it was quickly converted to accommodation to house the nuns seeking to join the community. Tiny A-frames without any facilities that were built 20 years ago are still in use, such is the need.

There are many practical ways you can support the Chenrezig monastic communities. Click here for ideas.

Daily life
Chenrezig Institute and its monastic communities are all members of the Foundation for the Preservation of the Mahayana Tradition (FPMT), an international network of Tibetan Buddhist centres and projects established by the late Lama Yeshe and Lama Zopa Rinpoche.

Rinpoche encourages nuns and monks to devote themselves to study for the first four or five years after ordination. In this way, they gain a solid foundation so they can be of most benefit to others. He has personally directed a number of nuns to Chenrezig Institute because of the unique programme of study offered by Geshe Tashi Tsering.

It is extremely rare for monastics or laypeople to be able to study in this way in the West, especially over a sustained period of time. While not started specifically for monastics, the CNC nuns have been the core student body over the years. The participation and financial support of lay students continues to make the programme possible. There is no fee for the teaching itself and the facility fee charged by the centre is kept to a minimum. Private fundraising has in the past funded scholarships for students in financial difficulty.

Geshe Tashi Tsering regularly emphasises the importance of the BSP and how crucial it is that such teachings continue to be available. His sustained efforts in this regard resulted in the arrival at Chenrezig in 2005 of Geshe Lozang Jamyang, one of his most accomplished students. Geshe Lozang Jamyang now leads the BSP tutorials and teaches the general programme so that Geshe Tashi Tsering can focus all his efforts on the BSP. This relieves some of the unbelievably heavy workload he has shouldered for many years. His extraordinary commitment and long term vision are very inspiring.

Can you help?
The most urgent need of Australian monks and nuns is for more accommodation and assistance with basic living expenses. In this way, monastics without their own income or benefactors can concentrate on study and practice. You can help by: