Preserving Mongolian Culture: BUDDHISM
by Dharma Vision and FPMT

The Ganden Do Ngag Shedrup Ling Buddhist Meditation Center in Ulaanbaatar has given permission to use this video series to help teach students dharma English. It is being presented here in its entirety without edits. Using video, audio and text, our wish is that students can expand their English fluency to include the dharma.

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The Preserving Mongolian Culture: BUDDHISM is a 26-part educational series on Buddhism. Inspired by Lama Zopa Rinpoche's wish to revive Buddhism in Mongolia, this series covers the Lam Rim or The Graduated Path to Enlightenment. Some of the world's leading Buddhist teachers give these extraordinary teachings. They outline a clear path to enlightenment that everyone can understand and practice. The programs demonstrate how Buddhism is inspiring millions of people in the west. Western teachers and students share stories of transformation. Richard Gere and other celebrities host the programs.

Join us for this unique adventure into wisdom.

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FPMT Mongolia

FPMT Mongolia was established in 1999 with the aim of reviving the Buddhist tradition in Mongolia which was almost completely destroyed during the 70 years of communist rule. Shedrup Ling in the capital Ulaanbaatar was the first FPMT Center and eventually became the headquarters for all of FPMT projects in Mongolia.

As soon as it opened its doors, the center has always provided Buddhist teachings, public meditations and pujas.

Over 20 dharma books have been translated, edited and then printed by the translation department which has offices at Shedrup Ling. FPMT Mongolia has distributed almost 200,000 books in Ulaanbaatar and other parts of Mongolia. The department also publishes various dharma leaflets and the newsletter 'Wisdom Light'. The center has a dharma library that includes books both in English and Mongolian.

Hundreds of people cue up every registration to get into the center's English program which is a 3-year English curriculum for beginner to intermediate level students.

A popular meeting place at Shedrup Ling is the Stupa Cafe located on the ground floor of the center. Here people can relax in a smoke and alcohol-free environment, eat vegetarian food, use the free wifi, or borrow a novel from the small lending library.

Activities of FMPT in Mongolia continue expand beyond Shedrup Ling. The Prison Project has been organized that offers spiritual advice and dharma teachings to those in Mongolian prisons.

In 2000, a project was started to rebuild the Idgaa Choizinling Dratsang Monastery within the Gandan Monastery complex. The completed building has become a place of study to help develop the spiritual practice for more than one hundred monks. Since then, FPMT Mongolia has also finances a lunchtime meal for these young monks.

Another FPMT Mongolia project, Dolma Ling Community Center, is located on the outskirts of Ulaanbaatar. The community center is on the same grounds as the Dolma Ling Nunnery, which was established after renovating the ruins of the Dara Ehk Monastery. The Dolma Ling Community Center provides free social services, such as lunchtime meals and basic medical care to the underprivileged and vulnerable people of the community.

The Sewing Group, another community center project, helps local residents make a living by teaching basic sewing skills so they can find employment making traditional Mongolian clothes or start their own businesses with the groups management training.

Recently Dolma Ling Community Center has put in a lot of effort creating children's programs to help develop moral values and self-esteem for children in the ger-district. The Children's Development Project has been introduced at the Special Center for Children, a nearby orphanage. Plus there are plans to build and open a new kindergarten in 2010 near the center, where the developed curriculum can be used.

FPMT Mongolia is also expanding its activities outside of Ulaanbaatar. The Golden Light Sutra Center was established in Darkhan, the second largest city in Mongolia. The center provides teachings to the people of the city and the surrounding countryside.

Due to the FPMTs rapidly growing activities in Darkhan, the city has granted land to FPMT for a new dharma center.

I pray for a more friendly, more caring, and more understanding human family on this planet. To all who dislike suffering, who cherish lasting happiness, this is my heartfelt appeal.

More information can be found at FPMTMongolia.org
or at FPMT International at FPMT.org