Dedication

This web page has been created in the hope that people may find it interesting, helpful and inspiring. It is part of the Tengboche Development project and Sacred Land Eco Center, which were established under the guidance of Tengboche Rinpoche, in response to the many problems related to increased tourism at Tengboche Monastery.

The information presented here reflects the views of Michael Schmitz and Helen Cawley. We have been working for the project for 6 years and living in Nepal for much longer and have tried to convey the many complex views in a way that is accurate but still easy to understand. Any mistakes are entirely our own.

Tengboche Rinpoche has been a constant source of inspiration and encouragement as have many other Buddhist teachers. We hope that the work done over the past years will create a greater understanding and appreciation of a very special place. We would like to conclude with our thanks to everyone who has helped and with a few words from Shantideva, a great Buddhist saint and scholar whose teachings have greatly inspired us all.

May the earth be wholesome everywhere,
The world blessed with all prosperity.
May the poor and destitute find wealth,
And the stooping animals be freed.

May every being ailing with disease,
Find relief at once from illness.
May all the sickness that afflicts the living,
Be instantly and permanently healed.

May those who go in dread, have no more fear,
May captives be unchained and set free,
And may the weak now become strong,
May living beings help each other in kindness.

May travelers upon the road,
Find happiness no matter where they go,
And may they gain, without hardship,
The goals on which their hearts are set.

From the songs of birds and the sighing of the trees,
From shafts of light and from the sky itself,
May living beings, each and every one,
Perceive the constant sound of Dharma.

As long as space exists,
As long as beings endure,
May I too, abide
To dispel the misery of the world.

Shantideva
7th Century Indian Buddhist scholar

Acknowledgements

Tengboche Rinpoche and the monks of Tengboche for everything and more.

Mrs. Hahn: from the Ministry of Economic Cooperation, Bonn, Germany for her help and support.

Frau Konsularin, Ms. Ann-Karin Bauknecht, Koeniglich Nepalesisches Honorarkonsulat, Stuttgart, Germany, who's continued support throughout the project period contributed in many ways to the project, especially the Eco-Center. In addition, we would like to thank her for the personal donation of the beautiful carpets for the upper shrine room.

Paul Hahn, for his kindness in allowing us to use his beautiful photographs. All the photos are copyrighted and should not be used without acknowledgment and payment to the photographer. These photos and many more are available at the picture-agency Laif, Cologne, Germany. Please contact photos@tengboche.org or www.laif.de.

Mr. Heinrich Bertram, Berlin, Germany and Mr. Jamoeck, Austria, conducted a special donation campaign for Tengboche in Austria and Germany.

Ms. And Mrs. Werner and the villagers of Kesseling, Germany, organized a local Christmas-Bazaar and raised 3500.- German Marks.

Mr. Koetting: from Remagen in Germany who asked the guests at his birthday party not to give any presents, but to donate the money to Tengboche, and raised 2.000.- German Marks.

Mr. Birendra Dahal and the Nepal Congress Party for initiating the Tengboche Development Project.

Mayor of Namche, Mr. Sonam Gyaltsen Sherpa, Nepal Communist Party.

Mr. Steen Stender: film producer from Denmark, for making the Sacred Land film about Tengboche Monastery.

Stephen Butler, Bonafi Recordings, USA for recording and producing the Tengboche CD.

Pennie Jackson, Singapore for donating the computer to Tengboche and continuing to support Tengboche.

Asian Airlines Cooperation: especially the Manager Mr. Ang Tsering Sherpa and Mr. Gumbu, Asian Airlines Cooperation for their support, especially by subsidizing cargo helicopters.

Ranjung Yeshe Translations: especially Thomas, Heidi, Douglas, Kathy and Judy for translating many of the stories according to the Leaves of the Heaven Tree by Padma Chophel, which are the subject of the paintings in the main prayer hall.

Drs Sherab Barma and Lhakpa Sherpa for their support.

Tenzin Norbu, Phu Thundrup, Nyima, Lhakpa, Mingma, Purna, Kul Bahadur and everyone at Tengboche who helps make it possible.

The many trekkers at Tengboche who donated generously at the monastery tours and bought souvenirs at the Monastery Shop.

Specific Contributions

Sacred Land Eco-Center

Ms. Hahn, Ministry of Economic Cooperation, Bonn, Germany

Mr. Peter Rhode, Dr. Lunau, Ms. Renate Sherpa, for the German Agency for Technical Cooperation [GTZ], Kathmandu, Germany

The Rockefeller Foundation, New York, USA

German Embassy, Kathmandu

Jeni Crump, Australian Youth Ambassador for Development (Ausaid)

Norbu Gyalsten and Ngawang Osel

Lhamo Sherpa

Sacred Land exhibition on Buddhism and Ecology

WordScape, Kathmandu, for production
Otard, Kathmandu for the high quality printing.
Gillian Cutress and Dell O'Conner and Michael for editing.
Mani Lama, Paul Hahn and Mathieu Ricard for the photographs.
Kate Armstrong for the botanical photographs
Shechen Monastery Art School

Monastery School & Accommodation

Ms. Urgyen Doelma, Boudhanath, Nepal
Ms. Heide-Ilka Weber, Kesseling, Germany
Ms. Therese Dietz, Kesseling, Germany
Ms. Johanna and Mr. Alfons Gabriel, Kesseling, Germany
Ms. Gertrud and Mr. Reinhard Grunert, Kesseling, Germany
Ms. Maria and Mr. Toni Huebinger, Kesseling, Germany
Ms. Darchen and Mr. Guenter Klein, Kesseling, Germany
Ms. Rosemarie and Mr. Herbert Surges, Kesseling, Germany
Ms. Edeltrude and Mr. Heinz Raths, Kesseling, Germany
Ms. Mary, Johannisklause, Dernau, Germany
Mr. Helmut Masal, Germany
Ms. Uta Schmitz, Cologne, Germany
Ms. Else Giesberg, Cologne, Germany
Bruno and Paula Cawley, Forres, Scotland
Lou and Jim Barry, Lossiemouth, Scotland
Jake and Liz, Forres, Scotland

Tengboche Water System

Mr. Greg Whiteside and British Water Aid
Ambassador of the British Embassy
OECD, Small Scale Project Fund
Mr. Dave Brauer, Japan

Tengboche Satellite Station and Telephone

Mr. Wolfgang Nairz for initiation of the telephone project donation.
Mr. Amrit Vajra Lama, High Himalaya, Boudhanath, Nepal

Nunneries of Pangboche and Devoche

Ms. Petra Siebert: from Austria who designed a Web Site for the support of nuns and raised 1500.- US$ for the nuns at Pangboche.
Karen Schaefer and the yoga students of Nature Care College, Australia

Monastery Lights

Mr. Harry van der Broeck, Belgium
Mr. Ipma, General Manager and the Philip, Netherlands

Porter's Lodge

Ms. Tsering Doelma Sherpa, Mayor, and the Village of Khumjung donated NRs 100.000.-

Toilets

Mr. Rod Donnelly, Australia
Karon Fenton, USA

High Altitude Medical Plantation

Dr. Tirtha Bahadur Shrestha and IUCN, Kathmandu, Nepal
Dr. Sherab Barma and Dr. Lhakpa Sherpa
Kate Armstrong, USA
Sylvia Salcedo, USA
Ron Colombo for his $400 donation for the medicine making machine, USA
Kait Manchip and Katrina Horman for their donations for medicines, Australia

Classrooms and Old Cultural Center

SNV and the Dutch Consular, Nepal
Frances Klatzel, for all her work for the Cultural Center

General Donations

Brot Coburn and the American Himalayan Foundation for funding the paintings in the Prayer Hall, the turbine and the improvements in Devoche.
Centrum for International Migration and Development (CIM), Frankfurt, Germany for the 3 year contract for Mr. Schmitz to undertake the Tengboche Project.
Ms. Margot Wieczorek, USA
Turbine Dorje , Germany.
Mrs. Annemie Creuzberg [Michael's Sister], Dernau, Germany
Ms. Christine Nicolet Mariotti, Motiers, Switzerland
Dr. Zumwinkel and his Secretary, Head of the Germany Post Office, Bonn, Germany who made a considerable personal donation.
Mr. Thamla Ukyab, Kathmandu, Nepal
World View Nepal, Kathmandu, Nepal
Mr. Ang Rita Sherpa, Himalayan Trust

Thank You All