About Us
Ewam India
Charitable Trust
Ewam India Charitable Trust is an Religious, Social & Educational non-profit organization established on 16th May 2005 under the spiritual guidance of H. E. Gochen Tulku Sang-ngag Tenzin Rinpoche who is the founder and spiritual director of Ewam International Centers around the world. The Trust is registered under Indian Trust Act, 1882 at Additional District Sub-Registrar, Siliguri, Government of West Bengal and also under section 12AB of the Income Tax Act 1961. The Trust’s registered office is at Toribari village, P.O. Salugara, Siliguri, West Bengal. The overall funding of the Trust & the monastery is being looked after by the N1 Trust based in Houston, Texas, USA.
The aims & objectives of the Trust:
Support to poor:
- To look after the welfare of the poorer section of the society. To help those underprivileged people by providing financial & moral support as an immediate relief and long term relief program to help them alleviate from the poverty.
- To help destitute, orphans, handicapped, mentally retarded, drug-addicts by providing financial help and support or by providing temporary relief camps.
- To help poor people or centers looking after poor people such as old aged home by providing financial or any necessary support in kind.
Advancement of Education:
- To execute necessary programs or schemes regularly in advancing education, knowledge or learning in any field.
- To provide help to poor schools & its students in nearby villages by facilitating basic requirements such as stationeries, computers & printers, sports utilities, bicycles, raincoats, umbrellas, bags etc.
- To provide stipend to poor students whose parents cannot afford to pay school fees.
- To establish monastery and religious institutions to study Buddhist philosophy and to practice Buddha Dharma.
Medical Aid & Relief:
- To establish hospitals, nursing home, dispensaries or health care facilities where the poorer section of the society can avail free immunization, vaccination, check-ups, consultations, medicines etc.
- To organize free medical camps in locations where a poor villager who are deprived of medical facilities can benefit in maximum. To provide them free doctor consultations and medicines in such camps.
- To help financially poor patients in meeting their medical expenses.
- To organize camps or events to spread the awareness regarding the importance or maintaining health and hygiene on both personal and community level.
Protection of Environment:
- To organize an event spreading the awareness on the importance of the environment and the effect of global warming, how to protect ecology in local level.
- To organize a plantation drive or awareness program on the importance of plantation of trees.
- To organize a cleaning drive in and around the locality to maintain the health and hygiene of all the living habitants in the surrounding.
- To organize any event aiming towards the protection of the environment.
Emergency Relief:
- To provide relief during the natural calamities emergency situation due to flood, earthquake, cyclones etc.
- To provide financial, medical or any necessary assistance to the victims of social unrest, famines or any such emergency situation arises in the locality.
monastery
Monastery
Nupchen Namchak Monsatery is the primary monastic seat for all Evam Namchak centers of the Early Translation School. On the twenty-eighth day of the second month in an earth rat year from the sexagenary cycle (corresponding to the year 2008), work on the monastery’s foundation began with the rituals to appropriate the site, including the burial of a treasure vase and other articles. Now a days the entire structure and its contents are complete, constructed in the following elegant array. Outwardly, the shape of the monastery is the complete layout of an immeasurable mansion, with four walls and four gateways with covered porches. In the corners of the courtyard are eight stupas of enlightenment. The monastery is completely surrounded by replica of a ring of fire and a palisade of vajras. On the ground floor are a dining hall and a kitchen for general sangha which are called the “Vast Peace Pavilion.” Above the ground floor rises the great temple of Orgyen Dhumatala, in the center of which is the primary support, a 38-foot statue of the master of the teachings—the Teacher, the perfect Buddha—surrounded by the seven successive generations of buddhas. To his right and left, respectively, are nine-foot-high statues of Mañjushri (the lord of sublime wisdom) and the Lord of Secrets Vajrapani (the lord of spiritual power and might). These make up the main three figures, the central one and retinue.
Our Gurus & Teachers
Gochen Tulku Sang-ngag Tenzin Rinpoche
Tulku Sangak Rinpoche is the world lineage holder of the Namchak lineage. He is the Spiritual Director of the Namchak Foundation and the Namchak Retreat Ranch, as well as Ewam and Namchak centers internationally.
Born in Chamdo in the Kham region of Tibet in 1952, Rinpoche was recognized in early childhood by the great Jamyang Khyentse Chökyi Lodrö [1893-1959], as well as by the former Dzigar Kongtrul Rinpoche, to be the reincarnation of the Gochen Tulku.
Rinpoche’s parents were hoping he was the reincarnation of another master instead—the great tertön Tsasum Lingpa, founder of our Namchak lineage. Tsasum Lingpa had been reborn in their family repeatedly, in the past. Their family had been responsible for the local Namchak Ritrö monastery and Tsasum Lingpa’s hermitage.
Imagine their chagrin when, as soon as he was old enough to speak a bit, he himself insisted he was actually a reincarnation of another lama—the Gochen Tulku! As such, he was head of the Gochen monasteries of the Namchak lineage. Soon after that he was formally recognized and confirmed as the 6th incarnation of the Gochen Tulku. It was Tsasum Lingpa who first predicted and named the site for the first Gochen Monastery, which was then built by the first Gochen Tulku, Gyalwa Gyatso.
Around the age of three, when Rinpoche was with his family and a large group of others harvesting hay in the fields, he was left sitting on a boulder at the foot of a cliff, where he imparted the wondrous sign of his realization by leaving his footprint in a rock, as though in soft clay. To this day it is still visible.
Namchak Khenpo Ngawang Gelek
Khen Rinpoche is one of the younger brothers of Tulku Sangak Rinpoche. They are descendents of the Great Treasure Revealer Tsasum Lingpa, since nearly three centuries ago, and became known as the Namchak family. The Namchak family originates from the Sum (pronounced “soom”) family of the Tong clan, one of the six original clans of the Tibetan people.
After entering the Namdroling Monastery Shedra of HH Penor Rinpoche (Mysore, Kanataka state, south india), Khen Rinpoche completed the study of all the Indian Buddhist philosophical traditions and the Nyingma School of Tibetan Buddhism under numerous great teachers. He also completed the nine years of rigorous training and served at the Namdroling monastery for several years.
Enthroned as Khenpo by HH Penor Rinpoche, he taught at the Shedras of Ringo Tulku and Shechen Monastery for many years, as was instructed. Khen Rinpoche strictly abides by his precepts in everyday life and is diligent in his practice.
As it was necessary for assistance to Tulku Sangak Rinpoche, Khen Rinpoche was sent forth from Namdroling by HH Penor Rinpoche. He taught at the Nunnery and Purbaling retreat centers in Nepal, beginning from the Preliminary Practices through the stages of generation and completion, and then to Tsalung. Besides representing Tulku Sangak Rinpoche as his spiritual heir, he visits and teaches a variety of places around the world, including the Namchak Foundation and the Namchak Retreat Ranch, and other locations. While in the U.S., he resides and meditates at the Garden of One Thousand Buddhas in Arlee, Montana.
Lama Sangak Tsomo
Lama Tsomo is an American lama, author, and co-founder of the Namchak Foundation and Namchak Retreat Ranch.
Born Linda Pritzker, Lama Tsomo followed a path of spiritual inquiry and study that ultimately led to her ordination as one of the few American lamas in Tibetan Buddhism.
Under the tutelage of Tulku Sangak Rinpoche, international holder of the Namchak lineage, Lama Tsomo has done extensive spiritual retreats in the U.S. and abroad, and is fluent in Tibetan. Today, she is dedicated to sharing the teachings of the Namchak lineage with Western students, bringing greater happiness and meaning to life through meditation practice, community, and retreat.
She is especially passionate about reaching young people and supporting those working for positive social change. Her teaching has inspired American and international students, who appreciate her informal, and often humorous, style.
Lama Tsomo holds an M.A. in Counseling Psychology with an emphasis in Jungian studies. She is the author of Why Is the Dalai Lama Always Smiling? An Introduction and Guide to Tibetan Buddhist Practice, winner of a 2016 Independent Publisher award.
Ven. Jetsunma Jamyang Palmo
Jetsunma Jamyang Palmo has completed nine years of retreat and nine years of shedra studies at Ngagyur Nyingma Institute. Jetsunma was enthroned by Tulku Sang-ngag Rinpoche and given the highest honorific title of Jetsunma. Jetsunma has been the primary teacher at Turqoise Leaf nunnery in Nepal. She has been recognized by Sakya Trizin as the reincarnation of Freda Bedi, Sister Palmo as she was known upon being ordained, the first women to receive full ordination in the west on the urging of HH the 16th Karmapa. Freda Bedi was one of the most important figures to bring Buddhism into the west in the early 1970’s. This is a rare occurrence of a recognized female tulku. Jetsunma is also currently pursuing studies in psychology and philosophy in the USA.
Our Sangha Members
Group Photo of our Sangha members taken during the annual Drupchen Puja 2019.
SANGHA
With Gochen Tulku Sang-ngag Tenzin Rinpoche, Ugyen Jigme Choeki Palter (Terton Pedyal Lingpa Yangsi), Namchag Khenpo Ngawang Gelek, Nuns of ewam india nunnery, devotees from Bhutan.
Projects & Activities
Ewam India Monastery
Toribari Village, PO Salugara, Siliguri, West Bengal, INDIA
