The Khordong Monastery Project Darnkow / Poland (Nov.2001)
"Drophan Ling"

The initial idea for this project was born in 1995, when two Polish citizens presented a 7,2 hectare piece of land in Darnków, Poland (near Nachod, the Czech border crossing), to Chhimed Rigdzin Rinpoche.

After visiting the site, Rinpoche said that it looked similar to the land where Nudan Dorje (whose incarnation Rinpoche embodies) had lived. Rinpoche returned the property to the Polish Khordong association with the request and the wish to establish a monastery and retreat centre there where the Byangter and Khordong tradition in Europe could be continued.
Several Polish friends of Sangha came to Darnkow at the end of
1996 in order to organize and accompany the project. More followed to take part in a traditional 3 year retreat.

Since
1997, annual summer Butter lamp retreats have taken place in Darnków in which more than 110 000 butter lamps are offered for world peace. Due to the missing infrastructure it was not possible to hold the Retreat on the monastery grounds during the first year. In March 1998 it was decided to hold the coming summer Retreat on the monastery grounds. At this time there was no paved roads, no running water, no accommodation, no sanitary facilities, no electricity and no building permission from the relevant authorities. The preparations for the organisation of this Retreat was simultaneously the birth of the monastery. All of the work carried out and the money invested during that spring, for example for the preparation of the access route, for the water supply or for Rinpoches house, created a foundation for the monastery. More than 300 people, from all over Europe, came to each of the Retreats to practice together with Rinpoche over the following three years. In July 1999, accompanied by prayers and a ceremony, the foundation stone for the brick-built Gompa was laid. After the Retreat, the renovation work that had been started in spring was continued. The water supply was improved, the wooden panels were added to the walls of the Summer Gompa and the roof was tiled. Also, on the first floor of office building five small, simple guestrooms with shower facilities were completed.

The building permission for the Gompa was finally issued in October 2000. In April 2001 we started work on the stone Gompa on the Khordong monastery land „Drophan Ling” and it only took until November 2001 for the main structural building work on the three-story building to be completed. Our aim for next year is to get the ground floor of the Gompa prepared so far, that it will be possible to hold the 2002 summer Retreat there. Up until then we would like to complete the electrical installation work, plaster the inside walls, concrete the floors and complete the entrance area. It would be ideal if we had enough capital to be able to install the windows and the entrance doors. After the 2002 summer Retreat we would like to continue with the remaining two floors. We estimate that these named total costs to run to approximately 350.000,- PLZ; from this amount, over 100.000,- PLZ (approx. 27.000 EUR) must be invested before the summer retreat.

Parallel to the work on the stone Gompa we have started a new construction project for social rooms.

With the building of the Khordong monastery and the Retreat centre in Darnkow a site is being created where the whole European Sangha can practice according to Padmasamhavas teaching and the Khordong tradition in the West can be continued. A site at which regular retreats and events with teachers of Tibetan Buddhism can take place, where we can practice together or alone. A site where those practicing can live, where Buddhist texts can be translated, printed and kept.

We are very happy that we have accomplished so much. This has been made possible by the high number of contributions from the Sangha. Our great thanks go to all of the helpers and sponsors that have contributed, often with a considerable amount of financial help for the building work.

The Buddhist Khordong association in Poland would like to make a hearty appeal for further financial help to all of those who see the building of the monastery Drophan Ling in Darnków as a matter of the heart. Each donation, no matter how small, will help to commence the project and enable the Gompa to be consecrated next year and allow the summer Retreat to be held there.

Those who wish to support and/or would like further information please contact:

Ania Siwecka
Klasztor KHORDONG
Drophan Ling
PL 57-343 Lewin Klodzki – Darnkow 18

Telephone (0048) 601 35 77 76, or e-mail khordong (ad) poczta.onet.pl
Bank details: PKO BP S.A. Kudowa Zdroj – Account no.: 97 10205112 127680244


This project for an international monastery is located in southwest Poland very close to the Chech border on the edge of a national park, remote in the forest.

Directions:

About 130 km south of Wroclaw direct before the border station Nachod - Kudowa Zdroj, about 9 km away of auto route E 67, in a small valley. In Jeleniow (directly before Kudowa Zdroj, E 67) turn right, direction Sloszow, Danczow. Behind Danczow turn left after a small bridge to Darnkow (about 2 km). The monastery is uphill behind the village, straight a small way about 1 km. There are busses and trains from Wroclaw daily (every 2 -3 hours at daytime) for Kudowa Zdroj. There take a taxi (12 km to Darnkow) as there is no public service to the site.

Address:

Klasztor Khordong

Darnkow 19

PL - 57-343 Lewin Klodzki

+48 - 601 - 35 77 76

khordong (ad) poczta.onet.pl