Left: Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche runs the Toronto Marathon, November 2003.

Top photo of Surmang taken September 2004. Photo by Peter Champe

Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche to Run Boston Marathon in Support of Surmang

On April 18, 2005, Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche will run the 109th Boston Marathon. In part, his purpose in running the marathon is to once again support the Konchok Foundation, and its Surmang shedra project – the school for monastic and lay people - in Tibet.

During his pilgrimage to Tibet in fall 2004, the Sakyong agreed that small amounts of the earth wall from the Vidyadhara’s bedroom at Surmang Dudtsi-til could be made into shrine objects for donors supporting the project through this year’s marathon.  For information about how to provide financial support to the shedra, please go to the donation page.

Bob and Lindy King – of Great Stupa fame - are helping to coordinate the construction of the shedra building, and will once again return to Surmang this summer to assist with the construction there. Bob recently spoke about his plans for the year:

"We are much further along with the shedra building than I would have thought possible a year ago. There are usually so many obstacles in getting a construction project started. I didn’t hope to see any more than the foundation completed in the first season. But most of the first floor walls are already up!  

Khenpo Tsering Gyurme, who is in charge of the project from the Surmang side, is doing a fantastic job. We have an excellent set of working drawings, a competent and trustworthy local contractor, and a growing, generous team of project consultants here in Colorado. This team is now busy preparing and planning for the 2005 season.
 
Lindy and I will arrive in Surmang in late May, and stay on site for about six weeks. We will research needed materials and look into subcontractors. Among our many other tasks:

• Further refine the concrete quality and oversee testing
• Make a few changes to address earthquake safety.
• Select a window system and doors.
• Find the best insulation system.
• Plan the entire solar heat system and photovoltaic lighting.
• Work with the khenpo to line up mural painters, sculptors and artisans for the 2006 season.

The solar system we are putting in place is the first of its kind in that part of Tibet, and we hope it will serve as a viable prototype for others in the region. We will report to the Shambhala community about our time there, after we return home from Surmang later in the summer.

Please join in with us, and do what you can this year to support our efforts to work with and support our dharma brothers and sisters in Surmang.”

For more on the Sakyong’s recent visits to Surmang and the 2004 building program, please go to the update report.

The Konchok Foundation is also providing ongoing support for the 14 monks who are in retreat at Surmang, as well as the annual support for the 12th Trungpa Tulku, who continues his studies and training there.
 
If you have questions, ideas or want to help out, please contact Ginny Lipson, the administrative coordinator for Konchok in Boulder. Ginny’s email is ginnylipson@comcast.net, and her phone number is (303) 494-7852.