The Ripa European Centre

'“Ri” means “mountain”; “Pa” means “mendicant”, the one who embraces solitude as its home and dedicates its entire life to practice and meditation for the benefit of all beings. “Ri” also symbolises the earth and “Pa” means “caretaker”. Therefore, “Ripa” signifies “Caretaker of the Earth”.'Jigme Rinpoche Read Jigme Rinpoche's thoughts on the 'RIPA European Centre'

The RIPA European Centre is an ambitious project uniting the ancient culture of Tibet with the emergence of community orientated living in Europe; the RIPA Foundation wishes to acquire land to offer a Centre for Wisdom and Compassion to Europe and the world at large.

The vision is of a place where members and non-members alike can come together to explore and share the wisdom offered by Jigme Rinpoche and other visiting teachers; where residents and visitors can deepen their connection to their own innate wisdom, compassion and joy.

The Centre will be an example of ecological sustainability; in harmony with the Buddhist ethos of caring for the welfare of all beings, both present and future. In this manner it will include the spiritual heritage of the Tibetan Buddhist Tradition, yet could also provide for our basic needs in the forms demonstrated by an ecological village - including forest gardens for an element of self-sufficiency, living machines to treat grey and black water, solar energy (this includes wind and hydroelectricity), organic farming methods and alternative transport, creating a place that is of maximum benefit to all beings.

A particular focus will be a home for the elderly where in Jigme Rinpoche's words "spiritual care can be provided in a spiritual environment during the last precious years of life",

It is hoped that the merging of these compasionate ways of living will offer the most benefit to beings now and for all time as well, as an economical approach to meeting the basic needs of visitors and residents so that there would be more funds available for the RIPA Foundation's humanitarian causes in India, Tibet and Nepal.

There is a pressing need to immediately begin raising funds for the approximately 2.5 million euros needed to buy whichever land is available when there are sufficient funds to purchase it.

Padma Ling has for the last twelve years provided venues and facilitated the dissemination of the teachings from the Ripa Lineage. It has raised money to sponsor monks and help communities in India, Nepal and Tibet.

For a full list of Padma Ling's Associations please go to the Contacts Page, thank you. ContactWebPerson: louisembrookes@hotmail.com