Nuns from Surmang Nunnery
A new Surmang Nunnery is being constructed at Kyelaka near Tsokyendo village. Consecration of the site for the new lhakang took place on June 14th, led by the Twelfth Trungpa Chökyi Senge. Construction began in Fall 2019. Read more in our recent news items: Nuns already moving into new Surmang Kyelaka Nunnery, Update on Nuns at Surmang, Rainbow over Surmang Valley and After 60 years, Nuns return to Surmang.
The Surmang group already has one nunnery located in the Lhato region south of Surmang and affiliated with its monasteries. The nunnery is led by the nephew of Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche. Starting out as a few retreat rooms in a cave, it is now a fully functioning dharma practice center, with 120 nuns in residence, 60 school children getting a basic education, and a significant number of lay practitioners climbing the steep hill to practice there.
In the past, Konchok Foundation has provided modest support each year, much of it donor-directed, to the existing nunnery and its educational programs for children. Last year, with the help of our donors, we increased our support significantly so that the nuns could expand their facilities. The existing nunnery has a group of dedicated and diligent nuns who are getting the same traditional Buddhist education that monks receive. With a rigorous schedule from dawn well into the evening, the nuns follow a Kagyu-Nyingma study and practice curriculum.