Born in England in 1943, and brought up in London, Ani Tenzin Palmo became a Buddhist at the age of 18, and went to India in 1964. On her 21st birthday, she met Khamtrul Rinpoche, an important lama of the Drukpa Kargyud School of Tibetan Buddhism, and asked him for refuge and nun's precepts.
In 1967, Ani Tenzin Palmo received Shramanerika vows from H.H. the 16th Karmapa in Rumtek Monastery, Sikkim, and in 1973, she travelled to Hong Kong to receive the Bhikshuni ordination. In 1984, she went for a strict retreat for 3 years, meeting only a Lahouli helper who brought supplies twice a year. After 24 years in India, Ani Tenzin Palmo felt it time to return to the West, so she moved to Italy where she stayed mostly in retirement, but occasionally gave teaching at the local Dharma centers. In 1993, she returned to India and attended a 10-day conference of the Western Buddhist teachers in Dharamsala.
This time, the Lamas of her monastery at Tashi Jong requested her to start a nunnery for women in Tibet, and the Himalayan border regions, as well as other women who may wish to meditate. Nuns will be trained in the meditations, a meditational retreat center where women can practise in a conducive environment.
Some of the books written by the Venerable available on-line are:
Three Teachings
Note: The Venerable is in the process of setting up the Dongyu Gatsal Ling Nunnery which is a Tibetan Buddhist nunnery for the education and training of young women from the age of 15 within the Drukpa Kargyu tradition. The nunnery is situated in the Kangra Valley of Himachal Pradesh in India. For more information about the project please email: eliz_palmo@hotmail.com
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