Biollet, 15 February 2005

Dear friends of Kundrol Ling

In 2004, thanks to your generosity, 3205 Norbu were gathered, a total of 80 123 €.

These Norbu are a vital contribution to the maintenance and development of the monastic hermitage of Kundrol Ling, which is a part of the activity of Gyalwa Karmapa in Europe.

What have we achieved together during the last 6 months?

October 22nd of last year, a commission for the control of security norms has granted us permission to use the ground floor level of the Main temple for the following five years. We can from now on organise all kinds of events (teachings, Initiations and rituals) without having to solicit the permission of the public building service of the prefecture. This is the result of the effort, the engagement and the perseverance of our teams in charge of the temple, and a great satisfaction for everyone.

November 4th, a cycle of the three year retreat came to close.

The retreat centres were opened and we took the opportunity, in joint venture with the A.H.E.T., to follow through with indispensable renovation- and improvement work, at Le Bost as well as in Laussedat:

• Replacement of one kitchen and of the cooker hoods in the 8 retreat centres.
• Renewal of two roofs
• Complete renovation (building work of large proportion) of one house in Laussedat.
• Reaching the norms (electricity, gas, fire) in the 8 centres.
• Installation of the sewage system of 2 centres.
• Renewal of 20 doors and windows.
• Renewal of 2 bathrooms and lavatories.
  

The surrounding area of the Main temple was improved in order to be better able to welcome you during the rituals which follow the exit of the retreatants. Benches and tables are being finished.

All of this could be done because of you, but also because of the contribution of the student practitioners who stay at Kundrol Ling.

What are our projects for the future months?

The two interview rooms which allowed us to welcome you up to the present are no longer available. They will be occupied by some of the drublas who are coming out of retreat. We wish, however, to continue to receive you each time you wish to have a private interview with one of our lamas.

We need your help in order to provide new interview rooms. The locations we have acquired to welcome you are only suitable for provisory usage.

The arrival of new drublas, monks and nuns coming out of retreat, into our community, is a great joy for us. Our monastic hermitage consists now of eighty-two members, but we are lacking space and means. We have a need for new offices so that they can contribute to the activities: one needs to buy furniture, work tools. The administration office still needs to be build.

Thanks to the contribution of new translators (from Tibetan into western languages), the creation of a publishing house for reference texts can take shape in the future; therefore there is a need to fit out new places of work and to acquire the material necessary to develop that activity.

It is also necessary to finish the frescoes of the great temple and to continue the sculptures from wood, etc.

How to help us?

According to your possibilities, you can offer one Norbu (25 €) or several Norbu. Here a few examples:

• If 800 among you offer 1 Norbu, we can paint the walls and complete the friezes at the outside of the great temple (20 000 €)
• It 200 among you offer 1 Norbu a month during 10 months, the water treatment plant of Le Bost can see the light of day (50 000 €).
• If 100 among you offer 1 Norbu each trimester in 2005, the sound staging of the great temple (hearing and recording) can be done (10 000 €)

On your generosity depends the future.

Thank you to everybody

Lama Tsony
Superior of the Congregation