Sponsored Offerings
Many Opportunities to Donate
Sponsor Offerings at Kagyu Thubten Chöling
Sponsoring offerings at a Buddhist monastery is a traditional means of accumulating merit, and purifying illness and obstacles. A prayer requestfor example, for a relative who is ill, for someone who has passed away, for a business venture, for safe travel, or simply for a friend's good health and long lifetypically accompanies the offering.
Sponsors who make financial contributions become active participants in maintaining traditions that date back to the time of Buddha Shakyamuni, and in sustaining the monastery which preserves those traditions for the benefit of present and future generations.
When making offerings, it is customary to provide a prayer request. Prayer requests are always welcome, with or without any of the following offerings. Click here to email your prayer request.
Meal Offerings
Offering food to the community of monks and nuns is an excellent way of accumulating merit and dispelling obstacles. Donations toward meals or food offerings of any kind are welcome.
Weekdays
Weekends
Chanting & Tea Offering
Offering tea or refreshments during a chanting assembly is a traditional form of service to the ordained community. Prayers are made at the time of the tea offering for the sponsor, or for whomever the sponsor requests prayers.
You can also donate towards chanting practices at the monastery. If you would like to sponsor particular chanting practices, please provide information in the "Message to Seller" box on PayPal's payment page. Be sure to check our Online Calendar to see if there is any special chanting scheduled.
Fire Ceremony
Fire ceremonies are an extraordinarily effective means of purifying spiritual and material obstacles while accumulating the blessings needed to move forward along the path of liberation. Traditional fire ceremonies are performed every morning and evening at the Monastery and at the two retreats. More elaborate fire ceremonies are performed on special occasions.
Fire Ceremony for the Deceased
After passing away, a person is traditionally said to spend 49 days in the bardo (or interval) between the life that has just ended and the next life. A powerful way to help such a person experience less suffering in the bardo and to make a connection with the Dharma is to make a special offering on his or her behalf to the sur, the daily fire ceremony that is conducted as part of the evening chanting practice at the monastery.
Use this form to sponsor a sur for the deceased for the duration of his/her bardo period (49 days). When you make your payment, remember to include the name of the deceaced in the "Comments" field on PayPal's checkout page.
Feast Ceremony
Feast offerings are special assemblies held monthly on specific days of the Tibetan lunar calendar. These assemblies consist of traditional practices, chanted in Tibetan, and the offering of consecrated food. Check the online calendar to see if there are any feast ceremonies planned. If you want more information about sponsoring or attending one of these special assemblies, please call (845) 297-2500 for details.
Animal Liberation
Every week during the warm months, Kagyu Thubten Choling performs the Liberation of Fish. This practice is a cause for good health and long life for the sponsor or the person for whom the sponsorship is being made.
Work Events
Your most valued contribution consists of your time, skills and labor. Participation in the daily upkeep of the center is an excellent way to become acquainted with the everyday life of a Buddhist monastery, as well as a powerful means of accumulating merit. For information on contributing your time and labor, please call (845) 297-2500.
Thank you for your generous support.