Tashi Choling Under Threat--Your Help Is Needed!

Dear Worldwide Tashi Choling Sangha: We have important information to share with you about a serious threat to the well being of our precious temple.

Tashi Choling Under Threat

We have all heard Ven. Gyatrul Rinpoche tell the story: When His Holiness Dudjom Rinpoche told him to build a temple on the newly-purchased land in Southern Oregon, all Gyatrul Rinpoche could think was, "Impossible! We have no road, we have no electricity, we have no money..." But what he told His Holiness was, "Yes, we will." Tashi Choling is truly an expression of Rinpoche's faith in the Three Jewels. It is also the result of the tireless work of so many, the countless contributions and support of all kinds, and the overcoming of so many different kinds of obstacles and difficulties. Despite what seemed like slim odds and great adversity, Tashi Choling was built and is now the thriving dharma center that we all cherish and consider our spiritual home.

But Tashi Choling was never intended merely to benefit those of us who are here now. As Rinpoche reminds us regularly, it is meant to remain as a support for the study and practice of the precious dharma for many future generations, particularly here in America where such supports are so rare. In building the temple, Rinpoche has placed his trust in all of us, his students and dharma friends, to continue to care for it and help it flourish so that it will be here for all those who will come after us. Again and again, he has asked us all to watch over it with skill and care, to "stand up" and take action to dispel or overcome all obstacles that endanger it, just as he himself has done for all these years with the help of so many supporters.

Therefore, everyone should be aware of the current threat to our beloved temple and the residence structure built above it: Portions of the North and Northwest side of the building are sinking and breaking away from the main structure. Although the central temple building is secure, an event such as a strong earthquake could cause the unsecured sections to move unexpectedly and do major damage, including to the temple and its irreplaceable contents.

Please take a few moments to read the material below: information about this crisis, the plan to head off disaster, and how you can help. Together we can preserve the hard work of so many and fulfill Rinpoche's intention that Tashi Choling survive and thrive for hundreds of years to come!

The Current Situation: We're Sinking!

We recently learned that we have some very serious structural issues with the North and Northwest areas of the temple/residence. The temple itself, as well as the central residence including the kitchen, dining room, living room, and bedrooms, are all strong and safe. But the outside of the central structure has serious issues that could affect both the temple and portions of the residence.

Over the years, what used to be open porches at the residence level have been enclosed, roofed over, and put to use as the residence foyer, utility and storage room, and an office. These rooms were built on concrete slabs without proper foundations or connection to the North wall of the temple downstairs. As a result, these rooms are now sinking, breaking away from the main structure and no longer supporting the residence roofs that were built on top of them on the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th floors on the North side of the structure. Additionally, the two bedrooms built on the West side of the residence were not adequately supported, and the outside bathrooms built below them will need to be shored up.

The damage is already quite advanced (see photos below), and both the damage already sustained and the underlying instability must be addressed immediately.

Large Crack Outside Office Wall	Large Cracks Outside Back Door
Large Crack Inside Office	Large Crack Inside Office
Large Cracks Outside Back Door	Large Cracks Outside Back Door

The Greater Threat: Earthquake Vulnerability

The engineers and architects we consulted with this past summer have examined the entire building and have found that, although the central structure of the temple building is sound, in the event of a strong earthquake (such as the overdue movement along the Cascadia Subduction Zone--the 600-mile fault that runs from Northern California to British Columbia), the unsecured cement slabs under the office and utility rooms could crash against the North wall of the temple behind the altar and do major damage to the temple structure and contents. As well, the portion of the residence structure built directly above these unsecured cement slabs could collapse.

Our architect, engineers, and contractor need to get started immediately on further exploratory work to assess the situation in more depth in order to provide a more precise plan for the needed work.

The Tashi Choling board has decided that, rather than delaying action in the hopes that an earthquake will not happen soon, the most prudent course of action is to go forward with the first phase of the needed construction work as soon as possible. Our hope is to get started with the work this fall/winter, if weather permits, and continue in the spring and summer of 2018.

HOW YOU CAN HELP!

We're contacting all of you--the worldwide Tashi Choling sangha community who have a connection to Tashi Choling and to our beloved spiritual director and root teacher, Venerable Gyatrul Rinpoche--to let you know how you can help if you are inspired to do so. We know that you would all be heartbroken if anything were to happen to the temple or residence structure above it. We are hoping that you will be inspired by the pictures and description of the needed work above to contribute towards this extremely important effort.

Our immediate fundraising goal is to raise $150,000 to get started on this extremely important work.

Although final costs cannot be projected until further exploratory work is done on the building, we will keep you apprised of both demolition and construction progress and continuing funding needs as they become known. We strongly urge you to think of Tashi Choling in your charitable giving plans for this year and contribute as much as you are able so that we can begin the first phase of this important seismic retrofit effort just as soon as possible.

Ways to Donate to the

Temple-Residence Repair Fund:

1. Click the PayPal Button below:

( Note: If you would like a charitable donation letter for tax purposes, please send an email to [email protected] and provide your mailing address as well.)

2. Send a personal check to:

Tashi Choling, P.O. Box 64, Ashland, OR 97520

(Note: Please include a note with your check that says this is for the "Temple/Residence Repair Fund".)

Thank you!

Effect of the Planned Work on Tashi Choling's 2018 Schedule

We also wanted to give you all an early heads up about our usual spring "Saga Dawa Month of Retreats." Due to the expected June demolition and rebuild work involving professional construction crews, during the Saga Dawa month in 2018 we will be holding only our public Vajrasattva Retreat (currently scheduled for May 17-26) followed immediately by a 3-day Chimed Sok Tig Longevity practice (May 27-29). We hope to return to a more complete retreat schedule in following years if all goes as expected.

And please remember us as you do holiday shopping online...

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