Spiritual Step for Monastery

July 5, 2007

Author: Topher Sanders

Source: The Buddhist Channel

http://www.buddhistchannel.tv/index.php?id=60,4431,0,0,1,0

ITHACA, New York (USA) -- The monks of the Namgyal Monastery Institute of Buddhist Studies performed a ritual ground ceremony Wednesday, preparing the way for heavy construction to begin on Ithaca's new monastery.

About 50 people braved the rain Wednesday to witness the ceremony. The 15,000-square-foot monastery, scheduled to be built off Route 96B, will be able to support 25 to 30 students at a time. Construction is expected to begin this week and to be complete within two years.

"The Tibetan community has been excited about this project for some time," said Jeanine Rose Mollica, administrator for the monastery. "And as a Buddhist practitioner, it's of particular significance so we can begin building. The permit from the (town) of Ithaca is of legal significance; this ceremony is of spiritual significance."

The ceremony is a way for the monastery to ask spiritual permission to build on the property.