Samye Monastery reborn

The monks have also helped with the renovations.

"We'll be the most direct beneficiaries when our monastery gets fixed and its environment improved," says Phuntsogdorje, one of those who is overseeing the project.

Previously, the 99 monks of Samye Monastery lived in cramped conditions. Phuntsogdorje, for instance, shared a 16-square-meter room separated down the middle from another room by a board.

"We cooked, slept, studied and worshipped Buddha in the same room. Of course, that would disgrace Buddha," he says. "Now the conditions are much better and we can focus more on our Buddhist studies."

Samye Monastery is home primarily to monks of the Ningma Sect. But all the monks are included in the social welfare system, Phuntsogwangdus says.

Monks in Tibet often suffer health problems like hypertension and renal diseases, so the management committee has called on doctors to provide medical consultations and keep health records.

Meanwhile, the local government has gifted body-building equipment to the monastery.

And it is not just the buildings that are being improved. Since the area surrounding the monastery is affected by desertification, since 2011 there have been efforts to make it greener.

The prefecture government also plans to invest about 60 million yuan to make Samye Monastery into a comprehensive tourist destination, by improving its landscaping.

Phuntsogdorje is confident the changes will make the monastery more pleasant and attract more visitors, thereby bringing in more income.

From Tibet Online