High in the Himalayas, this sacred place is not just a destination—it is a spiritual home where ancient [Vajrayana] traditions are kept alive.
I created this film to honor their way of life and share the profound peace of this holy site.
🙏 SUPPORT THE MONASTERY AND SPONSOR A BUDDHIST MONK/NUN: This video was made to support the community at Namo Buddha. If this journey touched you, please consider supporting them either by visiting the monastery or directly right now. Sponsorship helps provide food, education, and healthcare for kids, monks, and nuns.
👉 Book a stay via email or call through their website
👉 It is also possible to stay at Hotel Sonam. Call for booking.
The Legend of Namo Buddha
I'm so hungry that I can't feed my cubs.
Located in the Kathmandu Valley, Namo Buddha is one of the holiest pilgrimage sites in Nepal. It is the place where, according to legend, the historical Buddha [as the Bodhisattva] in a previous life sacrificed [parts of] his body to feed a starving tigress and her cubs [Mankiala]. This [unlikely but legendary] act of supremecompassion (karuṇā) echoes through the monastery to this day.
Ancient Buddhist monks found alive in remote Himalayas: Experts fear what they’re guarding
In Lhasa, Tibet, 1924
(Voyager) April 28, 2025: In the remote, icy Himalayan peaks, ancient monks have been reportedly found alive, sitting in deep meditation and untouched by time. These mysterious figures, seemingly defying death, have sparked awe and fear among experts. What secrets are they guarding, and why are they hidden in isolation? Whispers of divine rituals and ancient relics have surfaced, leaving the world to wonder if these monks hold knowledge that could reshape humanity—or destroy it. What lies beyond the veil of their silence? #Voyager Subscribe ➡ @voyagerspace
For centuries Tibet has been known as the last home of mystery [excluding the even more mysterious Bhutan, Sikkim, and to some extent Nepal], the hidden, sealed land, where ancient mysteries still survive that have perished in the rest of the Orient (Asia).
Many people have written about Tibet and its secret lore, but few have actually penetrated it to learn its ancient wisdom. Among those few was Madame Alexandra David-Neel, a French Orientalist.
A practicing Western Buddhist, a profound historian of religion, and linguist, she actually lived in Tibet for more than 14 years.
She had the great honor of being received by the 14th Dalai Lama;
she studied philosophical Buddhism and Tibetan Tantra at Tibet's great centers;
she meditated in lonely caves and on wind-swept winter mountains with yogi hermits; and
she witnessed forbidden corpse-magic in the forests.
Magic and Mystery in Tibet tells the story of her experiences on the Rooftop of the World, among lamas and magicians.
It is neither a travel book nor an autobiography but a study of psychic discovery, a description of the occult and mystical theories and psychic training practices of Tibet.
She tells of great sages and sorcerers that she met, of the system of monastic education, the great teachers and their disciples, Tibetan folklore about their spiritual athletes, reincarnation (rebirth) and memory from previous lives.
She also discusses elaborate magical rites to obtain the siddhis (supernormal powers), the horrible necromantic magic of the pre-Buddhist Bonpa shamas (Bon shamans), mental visualization exercises to create disembodied thought forms (tulpas), visions, strange phenomena derived from physical yoga postures, control of the body-heat mechanism (tumo), breathing exercises; sending “messages on the wind,” and much similar material.
An unusual aspect of Madame David-Neel’s book is that she herself experienced many of the phenomena she describes, yet she describes them with precision and in a matter-of-fact manner, permitting the reader to draw his own conclusions about validity, interpretation in terms of psychology, and value.
Particularly interesting for the modern experiencer are her detailed instructions for tumo (the yoga of heat control) and the creation of thought projections. More
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Author becomes an adept in Tibet, 1933
At the age of 18, Alexandra David-Néel had already visited England, Switzerland, and Spain on her own, and she was studying in Madame Blavatsky's Theosophical Society.
"She joined various secret societies – she would reach the thirtieth degree in the mixed Scottish Rite of Freemasonry – while [both] feminist and anarchist groups greeted her with enthusiasm...
"Throughout her childhood and adolescence, she was associated with the French geographer and anarchist Elisée Reclus (1820–1905). This led her to become interested in the anarchistic ideas of the time and in feminism, that inspired her to publish Pour la vie (For Life) in 1898.
"In 1899, she composed an anarchist treatise with a preface by Reclus. Publishers did not dare to publish the book, though her friend Jean Haustont printed copies himself and it was eventually translated into five languages."
In 1891, she visited India for the first time and met her spiritual preceptor, Swami Bhaskarananda Saraswati of Varanasi [7].
She was 21 years old when she converted to Buddhism in 1889, according to Raymond Brodeur, which she noted in her diary published under the title La Lampe de sagesse (The Lamp of Wisdom) in 1896. More
(SLICE) TIBET, Himalayas, the Rooftop of the World. The Buddhist nun Ani Rigsang has chosen a nomadic lifestyle in the Land of White Clouds.
Feminine power is divine
On the occasion of International Women's Day, SLICE wanted to portray the quest of a very special and courageous woman, who decided to leave everything behind -- her safe life as a nun in a convent in the city of the capital Lhasa -- to pursue her dream to find a hidden convent on sacred ground [with energy vortices] in Eastern Tibet where they still practice an ancient teaching called the “Yoga of Magic Heat.”
With breathtaking shots, director Hamid Sardar accompanies Ven. Rigsang as she makes her way through Tibet (overtaken by communist China), from snowy mountains to green valleys, from Buddhist monastery to Buddhist monastery.
This is a short extract from the documentary “Tibet, the Path to Wisdom”
directed by Hamid Sardar. Produced by DreamCatcherMotionProductions, les gens bien productions, France Télévisions & Ushuaïa TV.
The nuns of Gebchak Abbey
Rainbow Body in Gebchak Nunnery (Guru Rinpoche Bumo, Jan. 14, 2024) Homage to the accomplished yoginīs of Gebchak Abbey in Eastern Tibet. Nuns give advice on obtaining the rainbow body through the practices of tummö (inner heat generation) and trekchö ("cutting through").
Video posted for cultural, educational, and spiritual purposes only. All of its contents, visuals, images, audio, and music used belong to their respective owners. May all living beings benefit! See full video: • Tibet, The Path to Wisdom | SLICE from the SLICE documentary "Tibet, the Path to Wisdom" by Hamid Sardar.
ABOUT: TRACKS publishes unique, unexpected, and untold stories from across the world every week. Facebook: trackstravelchannel. Content licensed from Sky Vision. Any queries, please contact: owned-enquiries@littledotstudios.com.
ABOUT: SLICE wants to fill viewers with curiosity.
Accessible to anyone from anywhere at any time, this channel is a weekly dose of short docs about curious facts, discoveries, astounding info, unusual stories that are weird, fun, and instructive. Be smart and have a slice!
Subscribe ► @slicedocumentary
Follow: 👇
in French: slicefr. Facebook: slicedocs. Instagram: slicedocs.
Ani Rigsang, Hamid Sardar, SLICE, March 8, 2022; Dhr. Seven, Amber Larson, Pat Macpherson (eds.), Wisdom Quarterly
In the City of Hacienda Heights, not far from the concrete jungle of the Downtown Los Angeles skyline, there is a colorful and tranquil oasis of Buddhism, one of the largest Buddhist temples in North America. It is called "Going West" or Hsi Lai Temple or Fo Guang Shan. KCAL reporter Ms. Alex Biston reports from the hillside temple grounds. (KCAL and CBS Los Angeles via MSN)
Alex Biston, KCAL (CBS) via msn.com, 8/23/24; CC Liu, Crystal Quintero (eds.), Wisdom Quarterly
Mistakes were made. I was on fentanyl. But what's his excuse? I'm suing! Rev. Mother Superior Teresa Agnes Gerlach was ousted from her convent on 6/1/23 (CBS News•Fort Worth Diocese).
.
Texas nun evicted from monastery in heated row over 'sexting with priest'
The ousted nun had previously rejected claims that she had violated her vows of celibacy after allegedly confessing to the technological (and sinful) relationship while under the influence of fentanyl.
A Texas Catholic Carmelite nun, not a mere sister but the mother superior, who was accused of having an illicit sexual affair with a Catholic priest was evicted from her nunnery (convent) after admitting to sexting the man of the cloth.
Rev. Gerlach has sued Bishop Olson
Rev. Mother Superior Teresa Agnes Gerlach, 43, had previously denied the accusation and launched a $1 million lawsuit alongside her sisters against Bishop of Fort Worth Michael Olson.
The bishop secured a confession about the scandalous affair during an interview on April 24, 2023, in which Rev. Gerlach maintains she was still heavily medicated and under the influence of fentanyl because of a recent surgery.
The nun, who is in a wheelchair and uses a feeding tube on a day-to-day basis, was removed from the Carmelite Nunnery of the Most Holy Trinity she led in Arlington, Texas, on June 1, 2023, after the patriarchal diocese found she had had a fling with Father Bernard Marie of Montana
[who is completely innocent because he is a man and the church needs all the priests it can lure in and hold on to, even if they engage in homosexual child molestation of young boys, gambling, seducing nuns, or other improprieties because, as Pope Francis, the CEO of the Catholic Church of the head of the Holy Roman Church, has said, "Who am I to judge?"]
"Who am I to judge [sexy priests]?" - Pope F
In a recording of the interview with Bishop Olson, Rev. Gerlach can be heard saying: "I made a horrible, horrible mistake. I was not in my right mind. Even a nun can fall.”
READ MORE: Nuns in standoff with Vatican after bishop denies mass over fentanyl confession [LATEST]
and the Catholic diocese for $1 million (Image: CBS NEWS)
The Fort Worth Diocese and Rev. Gerlach are currently in dispute on whether the case should be handled in civil court or let the Vatican intervene in what the bishop has maintained is a Canon Law issue.
Bishop Olson testified in court that Gerlach's fellow nun Sr. Francis Therese had informed him the Mother Superior's relationship with the priest involved "sexting."
In the audio recording, Rev. Gerlach said she had been getting [sexually] frisky with the priest, but just on the phone, oh, and on video calls. But she said they never met in person.
She said: "Bishop, I need to tell you something. I don’t know how to explain this, but this did not happen in person. At all. It was all over the phone.
"I promise you, Bishop. At the time, I was having seizures [a sign of demonic possession in the Church], and I was really in a very difficult position. and I think my brain just got really messed up." More
(Hollywood Bowl) Saturday, Sept. 17, 2022, 5:30 pm gate opens for pre-show and costume contest
7:30 pm film. Here are a few of our favorite things: The Bowl on a summer night, singing songs with friends old and new, and the Hollywood Hills coming alive with the sound of music! Join the Von Trapps and fellow music fans for this Bowl tradition, and don a clever costume for the pre-show contest with hilarious host Melissa Peterman at this rare special screening of the Oscar®-winning film.
(Steve Fazzio) The Hollywood Bowl Sound of Music Sing-along (Summer 2017 Travel Vlog). This clip is from a night at the Hollywood Bowl.
(Rodgers & Hammerstein) "Do-Re-Mi" from The Sound of Music (1965) What if Rodgers and Hammerstein’s The Sound of Music made it back to the big screen? This winner of five Academy Awards®, including Best Picture, is a true-life story about German NAZIs. Julie Andrews lights up the screen as Maria, a spirited young Austrian woman who leaves the inhibiting Catholic convent to become a governess for Captain von Trapp’s (Christopher Plummer) seven unruly children. Her charm and songs soon win the hearts of the spoiled children living under their harsh, Hitler-like father's rule. But when Nazi Germany unites with Austria, Maria is forced to attempt a daring escape with her new family.
Don’t miss this incredible opportunity to see the classic film on the big screen and to sing along like protesters at a Nuremberg trial. Connect with RODGERS & HAMMERSTEIN here:
rnh.com/TheSoundOfMusic
I walked into the monastic dwelling or ārāma called Karuṇā Sevena in the Czech Republic for the first time in my life a few months ago.
I was injured, chronically tired, sleep deprived, and overwhelmed with obligations and aspirations. I am a mom, a wife, and an entrepreneur.
I'd been involved in many projects which I enjoyed but was overwhelmed with choices and stretched thin on time.
Voluntary work projects were hitting walls. I was disappointed, burnt out, and confused. In other words, I’d say I was an average ambitious person for my age and situation trying to help others in an average developed country. A few days later I left the ārāma.
Map of the Czech Republic, Bohemia, Moravia, Silesia united under Prague (wiki)
The former Czechoslovakia is now the Bohemian Czech Republic next to Germany.
.
The first thing I wanted to do was go back to the temple. For it was a place of acceptance,
where I could be what I am,
where there seemed to be no expectations,
where I could give freely and receive freely,
where I felt genuine cared for and genuinely cared for others,
where I wasn’t afraid of any hidden agendas.
where others happily accepted my little contributions.
Northern Czech Republic (Marek Stransky)
I would wake up as if I were in my mom’s arms, happy and safe. My children were welcome, and their noises were welcome, too. There was no need to worry.
When I walked out, I noticed how much my outlook had changed. I was suddenly OK with the chaos of the choices at my disposal. I was OK with my obligations. I was OK with my aspirations.
Historic Prague, UNESCO World Heritage Site
I wasn’t afraid of people’s agendas. I got some sleep. I took care of my injury. I rested. I became more present.
I was more lovingly kind toward my kids. I was more lovingly kind toward my husband. I was there for them. And they noticed it, too. It was subtle, yet it profoundly changed my world.
I am grateful to Bhikkhunī Visuddhi [Buddhist nun "Purification"], who despite her illness was still available for visits. I am grateful for her listening, her advice, and her warm and welcoming presence.
I know I’m just one of many for whom her listening and advice (spiritual guidance) has this kind of influence.
I’ve witnessed others, such as a lady who left her job to help support immigrants stuck in Greece, on the verge of burn out.
Autumn (Alfons Mucha)
In just one meeting with Ven. Visuddhi, she seems to have gotten calmer, more energized, and inspired. It was as if she herself found a new direction. All she needed was Ven. Visuddhi’s presence, patience, and occasional advice.
Ven. Visuddhi lives in the abbey Karuṇā Sevena, which needs repairs so others can continue to receive the benefits of her free and patient giving of herself.
If you are interested in supporting her, follow this website. - M.S.
Thank you, those working around the globe to make the First International Bhikkhuni Day a success. This day of awareness is calling attention to the issue as well as raising funds to support American Buddhist nuns.
The Alliance for Bhikkhunis (Nuns) is moved by the kindness and generosity of those who give so freely of their time and talents. There is a growing sense of joy and optimism as more enter the widening circle of friendship and goodwill.
American Buddhist nuns or bhikkhunis (Sopaporn Kurz/AFB).
All of our sisters are invited, regardless of Buddhist tradition, to join us on September 17th to celebrate the founding of the Bhikkhuni Sangha (Order of Buddhist Nuns). We are celebrating the fact that there are many thousands of women in robes [26] centuries after the Buddha began teaching.
Whether Theravada, Mahayana, Vajrayana, or other, feel free to use any of our tools to educate as well as raise funds for your affiliated center, temple, monastery, school, hospital, or other agency or enterprise.
International Bhikkhuni Day is intended to be a global grassroots celebration of Buddhist women, uniting and empowering them. Please join in -- even if it is only to meditate along with us, knowing that we are all part of global community committed to protecting the Bhikkhuni Sangha.
Additional downloads have been added to the site. American nun Ven. Tathaaloka Theri has offered the paper “The Amazing Transformations of Arahant Theri Uppalavanna.” It is a fascinating, mythic tale that “serves as a catalyst for exploration, inspiration, and insight.”
The renowned scholar Ven. Analayo has very graciously contributed his article “Mahapajapati’s Going Forth in the Madhyama-agama,” reprinted with permission from the Journal of Buddhist Ethics. Ven. Analayo’s incisive analysis of early discourses sheds light on critical texts that have been lost in subsequent translations as well as exploring the societal forces that shaped the early Bhikkhuni Sangha.
Ven. Bhikkhuni Ajahn Thanasanti has written a very personal article about the women who have figured prominently in her spiritual development. Dipa Ma is one of these “Extraordinary Women.”
Take a moment to look at the recently added Power Point on bhikkhuni history on the homepage. It has intentionally been left in non-PDF format so individuals and groups can tailor the Power Point slides to suit their needs.
Feel free to translate into other languages or add or remove slides based on what works best for different circumstances, tradition, or lineage.
Click on the “Join Now” link in white and green to be taken to screens for a walk through the process.
After creating your own page, forward the link to family and friends and invite them to sponsor your day of meditation, learning, and radiating metta (loving-kindness) to this world which is so in need of healing.
Organizing a day, a half day, or a talk can happen any time you find convenient.
Participate in the First Annual International Bhikkhuni Day:
September 17, 2011
WHAT is it? The first IBD is a global, grassroots effort devoted to honoring Mahapajapati Gotami, the founder of the Nuns' Sangha. It also honors all of ou
r spiritual mothers -- ordained women, laywomen teachers who have transformed our practice, inspiring historical figures, actual mothers, grandmothers, sisters, aunts, and cousins -- any woman who has brought out the best in us.
This day celebrates our spiritual legacy. It is a chance to learn about the history of prominent Buddhist women, and it is also an opportunity to raise funds to support nuns (bhikkhunis).
HOW do we accomplish these things? We simply gather in a circle, meditate together, and talk about the women we love and admire. The gathering can take place anywhere -- in a temple, center, or your living room or backyard.
Access materials from the Alliance for Bhikkhunis (AfB) site and invite fellow practitioners to join in on a day of meditation, reflection, and learning.
AfB’s home page (bhikkhuni.net) has Dharma talks and downloadable handouts which can be printed and used to lead group discussions. Feel free to adapt and revise the materials in ways that make them more meaningful to individual communities.
Mahajapati Tells Her Story
Excerpt from bhikkhuni.net
“I can never forget the moment I was told [my son] Siddhartha had left the palace. At first I could not believe it. I was in shock. It was as though time had stopped. The sobbing Yasodhara [his wife] had to repeat herself over and over until I could accept that Siddhartha was serious about his leave taking. My son, my handsome, good hearted son was gone. I never thought of him as my stepson, or even nephew. He was my son. I nursed him. I mothered him. He was my boy. Sometimes his leaving made sense, other times it remained incomprehensible. It upset me that he was in turmoil yet could not confide in me. When did this breach between us happen? How did I fail to notice that Siddhartha was no longer a part of us? But, upon reflection, I began recalling comments he had made and subtle ways he revealed a growing disenchantment with our way of life. In hindsight, I could point to moments that foretold his departure.”
GROUP USE: her story as the first Buddhist nun in history can be printed and passed around a circle. Each person can read a paragraph or so in the midst of deep listening, opening the floor to sharing comments and reactions. A list of questions appears at the end of the narrative, making it easy for anyone to facilitate a conversation about the remarkable founder of the Bhikkhuni Sangha.
Honoring Our Women Teachers Excerpt from bhikkhuni.net
“What woman in your life was your first spiritual teacher? What woman brought out the best in you? It could be your mother or could be another woman, a grandmother, an aunt, older sister, or teacher. Can you tell a story or two about her which captures her personality and conveys how she touched your life and the lives of others? Were there other women who impacted your spiritual development as well? If so, who are they and how were they pivotal? Mahapajapati advocated for the vulnerable women who fell under her protection. Has any compassionate, strong woman been an advocate for you, protected you? If so, how? Perhaps the people who mothered and nourished you were men -- your father, grandfather, brother or uncle? Can you speak about their kindness, tenderness, love, and belief in you?”
Fund Raising
Contact Susan Pembroke to share news of participation. She is happy to answer any questions. Use Firstgiving to raise funds for this meditation pledge-a-thon. I'm delighted to help anyone create his or her own Firstgiving page. With a page for your team, ask family and friends to support your day of honoring women spiritual leaders. Even 10-20 people who sponsor this day of meditating and pledge $5 to $25 can produce great good, with hundreds of people joining the effort, connecting us all on this sacred day.
Let us know which nuns' abbey (bhikkhuni vihara) should receive your pledges. What is raised will be disbursed to nuns. This is NOT a fundraiser for the Alliance for Bhikkhunis.
Temples and Centers
International Bhikkhuni Day can be an annual fundraiser for temples or centers. Let's brainstorm ways to help raise funds following the meditation pledge-a-thon through silent auctions, arts and crafts sales, admission to a dinner and film, as well as other ideas that can be translated into enjoyable community-building and fundraising events.
Every September is for honoring female spiritual luminaries and chronicling their stories. We vow to protect women monastics and their essential role in preserving the Dharma. Telling their stories is an indispensable part of accomplishing these goals.
Jennifer Green (The Ottawa Citizen, Dec. 29, 2009)
Ayya Medhanandi meditates at the Sati Saraniya Hermitage, a sanctuary for women to train to become Buddhist nuns (Julie Oliver/The Ottawa Citizen). Images
OTTAWA — Ayya Medhanandi, a Buddhist nun, hopes to soon ordain women in the Theravada tradition at her hermitage just west of Perth. The silence of the snowy fields, the stillness in the Sati Saraniya Hermitage: could such a peaceful place send a tremble through the world of Theravada Buddhism?
Ayya Medhanandi is a Theravada Buddhist nun who has opened Canada's first monastic residence exclusively for women, just west of Perth. As a bhikkhuni, or nun ordained on an equal footing with Buddhist monks, she hopes to offer women the same full-ordination she attained after decades of training.
If she succeeds, it will be the first time a woman has been ordained in her order in Canada, says the diminutive 60-year-old. So far, she has had about six or seven inquiries. There may be a catch, however. More>>
All materials on this site are submitted by editors and readers. All images, unless otherwise noted, were taken from the Internet and are assumed to be in the public domain.
In the event that there is still a problem, issue, or error with copyrighted material, the break of the copyright is unintentional and noncommercial, and the material will be removed immediately upon presented proof.
Contact us by submitting a comment marked "private."
Do not follow this journal if you are under vinaya or parental restrictions. Secure protection by Sucuri.
Wisdom Quarterly: American Buddhist Journal is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 3.0 United States License. Permissions beyond the scope of this license may be available at creativecommons.org/about/licenses.
