A Letter to Sangha
In Response to the Tibetan Earthquake — by Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche
Dear sangha members,
As most of you know, on April 14 a tragic earthquake struck the remote Tibetan area of Qinghai province. Since then there have been more than 2,000 deaths, more than 200 people are still missing, and many thousands more are injured, a lot of them very seriously. The numbers may be much higher than the reports we are hearing now.
It is sad and difficult for all of us to see the great suffering and pain that are continuing in these days since the earthquake. I personally know quite a lot of people whose family members have died, or whose local monasteries have experienced the deaths of hundreds of monks.
Everybody I know in the Tibetan community is showing their support and saying prayers during this very critical moment. I encourage all of you around the world as well to dedicate your prayers and meditation practice to those who have died or are suffering. It is good to light candles or butter lamps in dedication, and to recite the bardo prayer if you know it. In addition, I hope that whatever monetary support you are able to offer, you will consider donating to an earthquake relief fund. A number of legitimate organizations are accepting donations and assisting in relief efforts. Some of them are:
- The International Campaign for Tibet, http://www.savetibet.org
- Machik, http://www.machik.org
- Tibet fund, http://www.tibetfund.org
At my recent teachings and retreats we have been asking everyone to keep the earthquake victims in their dedication prayers. It is my wish that you all can help in these ways as well.
With gratitude,
Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche
