France: Nalanda Community Seeks Enthusiastic Long term Garden Volunteer

The Nalanda Community is looking for enthusiastic long-term Garden Volunteers in their Buddhist Monastery, offering them service in the beautiful Tarn area in the South of France, on 65,000 m2 of land surrounding Nalanda Monastery, and Retreat Land Maitreya Pure Land.

The Nalanda Community in Nalanda Monastery is the World’s Largest Tibetan Buddhist Monastery in 1981 in the South of France. It is the Eduactional Centre and the first western Monastry of the Foundation of Mahayana Tradition.

As per the Update, Nalanda Community Gardens are home to many centuries-old and rare trees, with plenty of wildlife roaming around at night, surrounding beautiful old French land houses dating back hundreds of years.

One can find many exciting projects in their gardens to promote local wildlife and the necessity of conservation, run by one of their long-term Nalanda Monk, Ven—Yonten, who has been developing the gardens into actual Pure Lands over the past twelve years.

The Nalanda Community Graden have flowerbeds producing flowers that are offered in our gompas, two colonies of bees; contributing to the preservation of pollinating insects, a glasshouse, producing many seedlings and herbs; for our kitchen, a tree nursery; producing a new generation of trees, and many other projects.

Besides using their skills and enthusiasm to offer service in the beautiful gardens, one can live in a Buddhist Monastery with an international Sangha of Monks and lay people from all walks of life.

This opportunity also allows people to participate in daily pujas and meditations, attend teachings, come into contact with visiting Lamas, use our extensive library, be in close contact with their Sangha, serve His Holiness the Dalai Lama, Lama Zopa Rinpoche, the FPMT, and live in a beautiful rural environment.

Experience in one of these areas would be highly valued:
• An interest in Buddhism / life at a monastery/service to the FPMT / His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama & Lama Zopa Rinpoche
• An affinity for garden/forest/farm work
• Motivating and supervising volunteers in garden work and project
• Working to benefit local wildlife with sustainable ecology in mind
• Experience with professional-grade garden tools / ride-on lawnmowers
• Experience in tree management and safe chainsaw use
• Available for a six-month minimum commitment