This has been a year of upheaval and great suffering for the people of Sri Lanka as the country’s economy collapsed and left them struggling for food and petrol. While dramatic scenes were unfolding in the capital Colombo, our sublime teacher Khadro-la Rinpoche landed in Sri Lanka at the request of His Holiness the Dalai Lama.
To the great delight of Tara Lanka practitioners, a promised Zoom teaching by Lama Zopa Rinpoche on Medicine Buddha turned into an actual visit from Khadro-la a few days later. She gave a personal, private teaching on “The Self Cherishing I And How To Overcome It”. (Here’s a link to the teaching)
I haven’t been in Sri Lanka for over three years but the connection is ever stronger. Many beneficial activities are happening in both Australia, where I now live, and also in Sri Lanka. With joy I am sharing some highlights of the year.
—Ani Tenzin Lekdron
Click Through to read in more detail
Read the expanded stories under the following headings:
- Helping Starving Villagers Project
- Cows Allocated To Homes
- Introduced Farming Technology
- Sanitary Pad Project
- Ancient Mahayana text Translation stage completed
- Extensive Medicine Buddha Pujas Continue
- Completed Commitment to Perform 100 MB Pujas
- Sinhalese Translations for Local Use
AUSTRALIA
Fundraising Event Held for Tara Lanka
In November 2022, Zopa Noble Park Buddhists put on a fundraiser for Tara Lanka. More than 70 people came along to support us and they donated more than $15,000. It was a great night and such an energiser for our work.
15m Medicine Buddha Statue prototype
Some of the funds raised in November will be going towards making a prototype of the Medicine Buddha statue Rinpoche has suggested to be built in Sri Lanka. Preliminary designs are underway and interest is being shown on the ground but there is still a long way to go yet.
Online to Sri Lanka
Lekdron may not be in Sri Lanka but Whatsapp and Zoom mean that she is working there everyday from Australia. Almost daily she is counselling on all kinds of things from spirit harm to relationships and all the time she is managing Tara Lanka projects back on the island. She has been working hard to free Shelter girls from the shackles of courts and government bureaucracy; with some eventual success. Many dharma discussions are happening in addition to prayers and practices in Sinhalese language.
Medicine Buddha, Thangton Gyalpo and other prayers
In 2022 Lekdron participated with IMI sangha in reciting regular prayers to stop Covid. By also doing these prayers in Sinhalese, she was able to gather some Sri Lankans to join in these world wide sangha gatherings.
Successful Grant for Bodhi Dhamma Vihara
Ven Lekdron has a lot of interactions with the Bendigo Bodhi Dhamma Vihara Sri Lankan community and helped with several grant applications by providing advice and resources. One such application, written by Lekdron’s daughter Tara, was successful. The grant was used for a community event held later at the Great Stupa. It brought diverse communities together to celebrate different cultures.
In My Spare Time…
Lekdron: I work 2 days a week as Chaplin at the Dharma School, one hour away in Daylesford, and I’m grandma (MoMo) to the young daughters of my eldest daughter, Anusha, 2 hours away in Melbourne. I lead Non Violent Communication (NVC) courses at Atisha Centre.
Heartfelt gratitude for your ongoing support
This newsletter, covering some of what Tara Lanka did in 2022, is only made possible by the generosity of you who read this and the extraordinary commitment of Tikiri and Malintha and her family in Sri Lanka.
My huge thank you goes to all the friends and well wishers of Tara Lanka. Special gratitude to Maree Fowler and the POM team, Doc Wight, Dr Tyagi, Silke Winter, Jason Isma and the Zopa Noble Park team, and to Oi Loon Lee and the many others who have given me financial and moral support in a year full of extraordinary challenges.
Thank you for being there.
—Ani Lekdron