Danang’s printing and publishing initiative has been in progress since 2006. The initiative include –
- Buddhist texts and documents that will otherwise be in danger of being lost.
- Essential Buddhist texts that are in demand but are no longer in stock. These are printed in limited quantities.
- All publications are distributed free of charge to monasteries, schools, libraries and organizations where the texts are needed.
| Author |
Title |
Quantity |
 |
 |
1500
Copies |
The 2nd
Pawo Tsuglak Trengwa |
"A Lively Feast of Scholar - A Buddhist History" |
Each Title |
Sponsorship of Buddhist Institutes and Research Centers
Danang will eventually sponsor tertiary institutes and/or research and translation organizations headed by reputable masters of authentic lineage. This also includes inter-disciplinary research between Buddhism and modern science, and efforts that will significantly preserve and spread the teachings of Buddha.
Funding is needed for the reconstruction of the important lineage monasteries in Tibet, Nepal and India and to rent or purchase a facility for Dharma teachings, study and practice in the U.S.
The Tibetan Epic of King Gesar Research Project
The Tibetan epic of King Gesar is a collective creation by the Tibetan people over time. It is included in the UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2001, as the world’s longest literary piece of work. Known as the “Tibetan Encyclopedia” or the “Iliad of the east”, the epic of King Gesar contains the cultural memory of the Tibetan people. It is also a treasury of information on history, geography, politics, religion, culture, language, art, folklore and many other fields.
Orally transmitted through song across all demographics of people from specialized epic singers to the everyman, King Gesar is accessible to farmers, the very old, very young, literate and illiterate people. The enigmatic quality of this epic is further sealed with anecdotes of people acquiring superhuman ability to recite long passages after having strange dreams.
In the ethnic Tibetan area of Kham, few folk singers are still able to render the epic of King Gesar in their dying dialect. Researchers face harsh travels to remote areas, often having to carry their own video and sound equipment while searching for these singers. With limited means and no alternatives, both the folk singers and researchers are left to their own devices. There is an urgent need to keep the performative elements of King Gesar alive, least it becomes reduced to only a piece of literary work.
Since 2009, Danang provides researchers of King Gesar with RMB$10,000.00 (about US$1460.00) annually. This is to cover costs of equipment, transportation, publication and scholarly exchanges.
Restoration and Reconstruction of Stupas in Mustang, Nepal
Mustang, in modern-day Nepal, was once an ancient Himalayan kingdom. Situated south of the Himalayan mountains in a monsoon climate, it is between 2000 to 8000 metres above sea level and covered with rocky arid lands. For centuries, Mustang’s thriving Tibetan culture saw the flourishing of numerous monasteries and now historical sites.
Political upheavals in the last century opened the people of Mustang to new cultures, and led them to look southward, to Nepal and India, for economic support. The new generations of Mustang are losing touch with their ancient roots due to circumstantial changes and the lack of education opportunities. To create education opportunities as part of the cultural preservation effort, Danang contributes to several elementary schools in Mustang.
More needs to be done, however. The ancient monasteries, Buddhist artifacts and stupas in Mustang lack maintenance and many lie in ruins along the mountain passes. There is an urgent need to ensure the survival of these historical and cultural relics.
These initiatives have been in place since 2009. May all Dharma friends contribute generously so that the teachings of Buddha will flourish once more in this ancient civilization.
