About us

Himalaya Karuna Deutschland e.V. About us HIMALAYA KARUNA is a non-profit association founded on the 12th April 2008 with the aim of supporting Acharya Lama Sönam Rabye’s relief projects. These projects focus on remote rural Himalayan communities, e.g. Manang, Nepal, India or Tibet. Support is given mainly to the elderly and the sick who have no family (e.g. children, orphans or widows); support is also given to those who need it because of physical or mental illness or to those who are suffering temporary financial difficulties (e.g. crop failure caused by the weather etc.) We aim also to support the education of young people as well as young nuns and monks to help keep their tradition alive. An important challenge in the coming years will be the rebuilding of the derelict monastery and its re-establishment as the flourishing centre of spiritual and social life.		prayer flags at Dalai Lamas residence

Statue fo Avalokiteshvara-Statue in the temple of H.H. the Dalai Lama		What is in the name Himalaya Karuna Karuna means Compassion (not in the sense of pity) and is a central theme in Buddhist spiritual training and ethics. It describes the virtue of goodness, love and active compassion. This spiritual quality is one of the four Immeasurables (Brahma-Viharas) that a Bodhisattva has to develop in order to be able help others towards enlightenment. The other three are: Metta (loving kindness), Mudita (sympatheic joy) and Upekkha (equanimity). A precondition for the development of Karuna is to experience oneness with all beings. All beings in this world are to be viewed with complete selfless love and kindness. This spiritual virtue according to Mahayana Buddhism is embodied by Avalokiteshvara (Sankrit); who is the Bodhisattva of universal compassion (Skt. Karuna). In Tibetan he is named Chenrezig and is the patron saint of Tibet. Chenrezig appears with one thousand arms and eleven heads. The 1000 arms symbolise the compassionate action of 1000 Buddhas that will appear in this favourable Kalpa (mythological Buddhist era). The many eyes perceive the suffering of sentient beings and the many arms symbolise the active compassionate engagement to remove suffering from the world. Many spiritual leaders, and most notably H.H. The Dalai Lama, are held to be the living embodiment of Avalokiteshvara. The most well loved Mantra – and containing the most frequently spoken words worldwide – belongs to Avalokiteshvara, who according to Tibetan Buddhism, represents the Bodhisattva of universal compassion of all Buddhas throughout time: OM MA NI PE ME HUNG (Wikipedia.de, 2. Mai 2008)