Lhasa (CNS)--In a small alley southeast of Jokhang Temple lies the only nunnery in Lhasa, the capital city of Tibet. It's not easy to find the entrance and travelers rarely know about it. However, for local Tibetans, a pilgrimage to this nunnery has become a vital part of their religious life.
Canggu Nunnery belongs to the Gelugpa Sect of Tibetan Buddhism, and it has a long history. Songtsen Gampo, the 7th century Tibetan Tubo king began meditating in a cave in this area, praying that the floods in Lhasa would stop. Later, this cave was turned into a nunnery, as it is now known today. In the 12th century, a highly skilled doctor named Jiewabeng mediated in this cave as well. Three hundred years later, Gujue Duodan, a devoted follower of Tsongkhapa, built the Canggu Nunnery. During the 20th century, the nunnery has witnessed an expansion to its existing scale by Pabengka and the 90th Ganden Tripa Quza. Over the years, Canggu Nunnery has enjoyed a high reputation in Tibetan Buddhism.
To some extent, the present-day Canggu Nunnery is different from old times. About 10 years ago, the nunnery opened up a teahouse and a grocery store close by in order to cover part of their operational costs; and it has been working well ever since. One 80-year-old woman in the teahouse says she makes a daily pilgrimage, which requires a half an hour bus trip each way, to the nunnery and has her lunch in the teahouse.
Walking out from the teahouse and into the nunnery, you can hear the loud rhythmic chanting of the nuns from the hall. This is their main daily activity besides the two businesses. In a conversation beside the gate, Langji, who was born in 1968 and became a nun at the age of 18, said they chant sutras in the hall everyday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and have three breaks in between, 5-10 minutes each. She moved here from another temple in March of this year. At present, she is in charge of hygiene, housekeeping, and making offerings.
Many nuns have been attracted to this prestigious nunnery, mostly from Shannan, Nyingchi, and Dagze. During a break, 37-year-old Cini from Dagze told her story. She graduated from secondary school, started studying sutras at home at 16 and came to Lhasa at 20. According to her, the nunnery provides every nun 400 yuan ($62) monthly. Due to the high price of commodities in Lhasa, she also gets some assistance from her family, such as butter and daily necessities. Accommodation is offered beside the nunnery at no charge.
Binbin, a hospitable nun joined the conversation. She is a local around the age of 40. She has lived in the nunnery since the age of 17 when she first became a nun. According to her, most of the nuns here ceased their studies after middle school; but, the highest one reached an undergraduate level. Their duties are distributed by the head nun according to their levels of Buddhist study. The newest nuns or those of relatively low levels take care of the teahouse and grocery businesses, cleaning, and housekeeping. Tests are arranged annually to decide the shift of duties.
As the bell rang melodiously, "The break is over, we are about to chant sutras," uttered Binbin.
