Jetsunma Tenzin Palmo (born 1943) is a bhikṣuṇī in the Drukpa lineage of the Kagyu school of Tibetan Buddhism. She is an author, teacher and founder of the Dongyu Gatsal Ling Nunnery in Himachal Pradesh, India. She is best known for being one of the very few Western yoginis trained in the East, having spent twelve years living in a remote cave in the Himalayas, three of those years in strict meditation retreat.
Vicki Mackenzie, who wrote Cave in the Snow about her, relates that what inspired the writing of the book was reading Tenzin Palmo's statement to a Buddhist magazine that "I have made a vow to attain Enlightenment in the female form - no matter how many lifetimes it takes".[1]
Jetsunma Tenzin Palmo was born Diane Perry in Woolmers Park, Hertfordshire, on 30 June 1943.[1][2] Although spiritualist meetings were held in her childhood home, she realized at the age of 18 that she was a Buddhist when she read a library book on the subject. She moved to India at 20, where she taught English at the Young Lamas Home School for a few months before meeting her root lama, the 8th Khamtrul Rinpoche.
CareerEdit
In 1964 she became only the second Western woman to be ordained in the Vajrayana tradition, receiving the name Drubgyu Tenzin Palmo, or "Glorious Lady who Upholds the Doctrine of the Practice Succession". The ordination was as a śrāmaṇerī, or novice nun, the highest level of ordination available for women in the Tibetan tradition at the time because the bhikṣuṇī sangha had never been established there. However, with the support of her teacher, in 1973 Tenzin Palmo received the full bhikṣuṇī ordination in Hong Kong, one of the first Western women to do so.
Living at Khamtrul Rinpoche's monastery as the sole nun among 100 monks provided Tenzin Palmo with first-hand experience of the discrimination that restricted women's access to information that was imparted freely to men. Eager for instruction, she felt frustrated by the fact that she was kept out of most monastic activities because of misogynistic prejudices.[3] She recounts,
When I first came to India I lived in a monastery with 100 monks. I was the only nun... I think that is why I eventually went to live by myself in a cave... The monks were kind, and I had no problems of sexual harassment or troubles of that sort, but of course I was unfortunately within a female form. They actually told me they prayed that in my next life I would have the good fortune to be reborn as a male so that I could join in all the monastery's activities. In the meantime, they said, they didn't hold it too much against me that I had this inferior rebirth in the female form. It wasn't too much my fault.
This phase lasted for six years. Then Tenzin Palmo left the monastery at her teacher's suggestion to go to Lahaul in the higher reaches of the Indian Himalayas, where she would eventually enter the cave and launch herself into uninterrupted, intense spiritual practice.[4]
The caveEdit
In 1976 Tenzin Palmo commenced living in a cave in the Himalayas measuring 10 feet wide and six feet deep and remained there for 12 years, for three of which she was in full retreat. The cave was high in the remote Lahaul area of the Indian Himalayas (nearby Tayul Gompa), on the border of Himachal Pradesh and Tibet. In the course of the retreat she grew her own food and practised deep meditation based on ancient Buddhist methods. In accordance with protocol, she never lay down, sleeping in a traditional wooden meditation box in a meditative posture for just three hours a night. The last three years were spent in complete isolation. She survived temperatures of below −30°F (−35°C) and snow for six to eight months of the year.
ActivismEdit
Tenzin Palmo emerged from the cave in 1988 and travelled to Italy as visa problems meant she needed to leave India. Since her retreat Tenzin Palmo has taken on the cause of equal rights and opportunities for Buddhist nuns. In support of this, she spent several years travelling the world fundraising for a new Buddhist nunnery, as her root lama had asked her to do. In 2000, the Dongyu Gatsal Ling Nunnery was opened with the purpose of giving education and training to women from Tibet and the Himalayan border regions. At this nunnery, Tenzin Palmo also plans to re-establish the extinct lineage of togdenmas, a Drukpa Kagyuyogini order.[5]
Tenzin Palmo is a member of the six member "Committee of Western Bhikshunis", an organisation of senior Western nuns supported by two Advisors from Taiwan – the Ven. Bhiksuni Heng-ching Shih, Professor of Philosophy at Taiwan National University [Gelongma ordination 1975 in San Francisco] and Ven. Bhikshuni Wu-yin, Vinaya Master. It was formed in the autumn of 2005, after the Dalai Lama told Bhikshuni Jampa Tsedroen that the Western bhikshunis should be more involved in helping to establish the bhikshuni ordination in the Tibetan tradition.[6]
Tenzin Palmo is a strict vegetarian for ethical reasons.[7]
RecognitionEdit
On 16 February 2008, Tenzin Palmo received the title of Jetsunma (reverend lady) in recognition of her spiritual achievements as a nun and her efforts in promoting the status of female practitioners in Tibetan Buddhism by the head of the Drukpa Lineage, the 12th Gyalwang Drukpa,.[8][9]
BooksEdit
A collection of her teachings was released as the book Into the Heart of Life by Jetsunma Tenzin Palmo, Snow Lion Publications, 2011. (ISBN978-1-55939-374-4).
^ abMackenzie, Vicki (1998). Cave in the Snow. Great Britain: Bloomsbury. p. 5. ISBN0-7475-4389-5.
^Janelle Brown (30 September 2007). "My past life as a dog". Salon.com.
^Role of Women in Buddhism @khandro.net, see Tenzin Palmo, section "The Changing Status of Women (and also, the Plight of Western Monastics) Quotation from her text
H.H. Gyalwang Drukpa's explanation of "Jetsunma" Video
Buddhas kämpferische Nonne Das abenteuerliche Leben der Diane Perry 3sat 07-12-2008
October 15, 2023
tenzin, palmo, jetsunma, born, 1943, bhikṣuṇī, drukpa, lineage, kagyu, school, tibetan, buddhism, author, teacher, founder, dongyu, gatsal, ling, nunnery, himachal, pradesh, india, best, known, being, very, western, yoginis, trained, east, having, spent, twelv. Jetsunma Tenzin Palmo born 1943 is a bhikṣuṇi in the Drukpa lineage of the Kagyu school of Tibetan Buddhism She is an author teacher and founder of the Dongyu Gatsal Ling Nunnery in Himachal Pradesh India She is best known for being one of the very few Western yoginis trained in the East having spent twelve years living in a remote cave in the Himalayas three of those years in strict meditation retreat Jetsunma Tenzin Palmo at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem September 2006 Vicki Mackenzie who wrote Cave in the Snow about her relates that what inspired the writing of the book was reading Tenzin Palmo s statement to a Buddhist magazine that I have made a vow to attain Enlightenment in the female form no matter how many lifetimes it takes 1 Contents 1 Early life 2 Career 3 The cave 4 Activism 5 Recognition 6 Books 7 See also 8 References 9 External links 9 1 Online texts 9 2 MediaEarly life EditJetsunma Tenzin Palmo was born Diane Perry in Woolmers Park Hertfordshire on 30 June 1943 1 2 Although spiritualist meetings were held in her childhood home she realized at the age of 18 that she was a Buddhist when she read a library book on the subject She moved to India at 20 where she taught English at the Young Lamas Home School for a few months before meeting her root lama the 8th Khamtrul Rinpoche Career EditIn 1964 she became only the second Western woman to be ordained in the Vajrayana tradition receiving the name Drubgyu Tenzin Palmo or Glorious Lady who Upholds the Doctrine of the Practice Succession The ordination was as a sramaṇeri or novice nun the highest level of ordination available for women in the Tibetan tradition at the time because the bhikṣuṇi sangha had never been established there However with the support of her teacher in 1973 Tenzin Palmo received the full bhikṣuṇi ordination in Hong Kong one of the first Western women to do so Living at Khamtrul Rinpoche s monastery as the sole nun among 100 monks provided Tenzin Palmo with first hand experience of the discrimination that restricted women s access to information that was imparted freely to men Eager for instruction she felt frustrated by the fact that she was kept out of most monastic activities because of misogynistic prejudices 3 She recounts When I first came to India I lived in a monastery with 100 monks I was the only nun I think that is why I eventually went to live by myself in a cave The monks were kind and I had no problems of sexual harassment or troubles of that sort but of course I was unfortunately within a female form They actually told me they prayed that in my next life I would have the good fortune to be reborn as a male so that I could join in all the monastery s activities In the meantime they said they didn t hold it too much against me that I had this inferior rebirth in the female form It wasn t too much my fault This phase lasted for six years Then Tenzin Palmo left the monastery at her teacher s suggestion to go to Lahaul in the higher reaches of the Indian Himalayas where she would eventually enter the cave and launch herself into uninterrupted intense spiritual practice 4 The cave EditIn 1976 Tenzin Palmo commenced living in a cave in the Himalayas measuring 10 feet wide and six feet deep and remained there for 12 years for three of which she was in full retreat The cave was high in the remote Lahaul area of the Indian Himalayas nearby Tayul Gompa on the border of Himachal Pradesh and Tibet In the course of the retreat she grew her own food and practised deep meditation based on ancient Buddhist methods In accordance with protocol she never lay down sleeping in a traditional wooden meditation box in a meditative posture for just three hours a night The last three years were spent in complete isolation She survived temperatures of below 30 F 35 C and snow for six to eight months of the year Activism EditTenzin Palmo emerged from the cave in 1988 and travelled to Italy as visa problems meant she needed to leave India Since her retreat Tenzin Palmo has taken on the cause of equal rights and opportunities for Buddhist nuns In support of this she spent several years travelling the world fundraising for a new Buddhist nunnery as her root lama had asked her to do In 2000 the Dongyu Gatsal Ling Nunnery was opened with the purpose of giving education and training to women from Tibet and the Himalayan border regions At this nunnery Tenzin Palmo also plans to re establish the extinct lineage of togdenmas a Drukpa Kagyu yogini order 5 Tenzin Palmo is a member of the six member Committee of Western Bhikshunis an organisation of senior Western nuns supported by two Advisors from Taiwan the Ven Bhiksuni Heng ching Shih Professor of Philosophy at Taiwan National University Gelongma ordination 1975 in San Francisco and Ven Bhikshuni Wu yin Vinaya Master It was formed in the autumn of 2005 after the Dalai Lama told Bhikshuni Jampa Tsedroen that the Western bhikshunis should be more involved in helping to establish the bhikshuni ordination in the Tibetan tradition 6 Tenzin Palmo is a strict vegetarian for ethical reasons 7 Recognition EditOn 16 February 2008 Tenzin Palmo received the title of Jetsunma reverend lady in recognition of her spiritual achievements as a nun and her efforts in promoting the status of female practitioners in Tibetan Buddhism by the head of the Drukpa Lineage the 12th Gyalwang Drukpa 8 9 Books EditA collection of her teachings was released as the book Into the Heart of Life by Jetsunma Tenzin Palmo Snow Lion Publications 2011 ISBN 978 1 55939 374 4 Her life was profiled in the book Cave in the Snow by Vicki Mackenzie ISBN 1 58234 045 5 Tenzin Palmo released a book containing some of her teachings Reflections On A Mountain Lake Teachings on Practical Buddhism ISBN 1 55939 175 8 Three Teachings is a compilation of talks given by Tenzin Palmo in Singapore in 1998 Three Teachings Three TeachingsSee also EditGelongma Ngagpa Women in BuddhismReferences Edit a b Mackenzie Vicki 1998 Cave in the Snow Great Britain Bloomsbury p 5 ISBN 0 7475 4389 5 Janelle Brown 30 September 2007 My past life as a dog Salon com Role of Women in Buddhism khandro net see Tenzin Palmo section The Changing Status of Women and also the Plight of Western Monastics Quotation from her text Lady Buddha Archived 2009 01 26 at the Wayback Machine Togdenma lineage Archived 2011 07 26 at the Wayback Machine some information Committee of western bhikshunis I Don t Eat My Friends 78th birthday offering to Jetsunma Tenzin Palmo meditator teacher and nunnery founder on eating animals dakinitranslations com Retrieved 5 April 2023 His Holiness the Twelfth Gyalwang Drukpa Gives Tenzin Palmo the Title of Jetsumna see section News Enthronement of a Revered Nun at NepalExternal links EditPage of Dongyu Gatsal Ling Nunnery http www tenzinpalmo com Tenzin Palmo is Watering the Nuns Interview in ascent magazine Realising the Potential of Nuns Interview with Tenzin Palmo at Dongyu Gyatsal Ling Nunnery near Tashijong India September 2006 by Di Cousens Buddhist Monastic Code II Chapter 23 Bhikkhunis edition 2007 by Thanissaro Bhikkhu Buddhist Monastic Code II Chapter 8 Respect by Thanissaro Bhikkhu The Path of the Yogini A search for a true spiritual path which will lead aspirants beyond the awareness of gender identity by Jessica Torrens Tenzin Palmo videosOnline texts Edit Abstract A brief overview of the situation for nuns in the Tibetan Tradition Archived 2020 02 27 at the Wayback Machine speech by Bhiksuni Tenzin Palmo at the International Congress on Buddhist Women s Role in the SanghaMedia Edit H H Gyalwang Drukpa s explanation of Jetsunma Video Buddhas kampferische Nonne Das abenteuerliche Leben der Diane Perry 3sat 07 12 2008 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Tenzin Palmo amp oldid 1158046008, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
