The monks are mostly born in Tibet, and are now refugees based in monasteries in southern India. These monks have few resources and rely on the monastery for their daily needs. They live in shared rooms with no heating or cooling. The monasteries cannot afford to provide medical or dental care. Sponsorship enables a monk to improve his standard of living – more comfortable accommodation, better diet, and provides funds to make offerings and purchase materials for studies.
Monasteries in India
CIH – Central Institute of Tibetan Study
DGC – Dre-Gomang College
DRE – Drepung Monastery
GAJ – Gajang Tehor Lama Camp
GTU – Gyumed Tantric University
JCN – Janschub Choeling Nunnery Camp 3
LAX – Laxshimepura
SJM – Sera Je Monastery
TRC – Tibetan Reception Centre, Dharamsala
Sera Jey Monastery ~ Next Generation – Novice Monks Program
Can you help find sponsors for these young novice monks at Sera Jey Monastery?
Sera Jey Monastery School has recently admitted 44 boys as novices in the monastery. The youngsters, all aged between 5 and 10 years of age, come from the Himalaya regions of India or Nepal.
Providing for the care and education of such a large influx is quite a task for the school. SJM has asked Nying-Jey Projects for help by including the children in our NJP sponsorship program.
Sponsoring one or more of these children would really help support them through their earlier years in the monastery.
To sponsor of these junior monks, fill in the form on the HOW TO SPONSOR page, OR contact NJP sponsor liaison Cheryl Hopwood at njprojects@gmail.com.
More information about the novice program
For aspiring young monks and their families – in Tibetan culture – the tradition is to enter the monastery at about 7 years of age. During their early years, they are usually placed in the care of a senior monk or a relative who is also a monk eg uncle, older brother, cousin.
The novice monks live-in at the Sera Jey School and spend the next 12 or so years receiving an education – secular as well as religious – and being immersed in aspects of their Tibetan culture.
In their late teens they will have the opportunity to take full ordination thus remaining in the monastic community to continue their Buddhist studies, or to leave the monastery to seek their fortunes in the secular world.
Monks currently waiting for a sponsor
