There is a quiet teaching at the heart of Tibetan Buddhism: that the things we hold most dear grow larger, not smaller, when we give them away. Among all the ways we can practice generosity, one has been treasured for centuries above almost any other — the offering made to the Sangha, the community of monks and nuns who devote their whole lives to study, prayer, and the preservation of the Dharma.
Who are the monks of Sera Jey and Drepung?
Sera Jey and Drepung are two of the great monastic universities of the Gelug tradition, first founded in Tibet and later re-established in exile in southern India. They are the training grounds where monks spend decades memorising texts, debating philosophy late into the night, and holding the lineage of teachings that stretches back to the Buddha himself. Our own teacher, H.E. the 5th Bise Rinpoche, earned his Geshe degree at Sera Jey — so these monasteries are not distant institutions to us. They are family.
Why we offer to the Sangha
A monk who has renounced ordinary life relies entirely on the kindness of others for food, robes, medicine, and shelter. When we help meet those simple needs, we are not merely being charitable — we are making it possible for thousands of practitioners to keep praying, studying, and dedicating merit for the benefit of all beings. In this way a single meal offered becomes a share in every prayer that meal makes possible. The Buddha spoke of offerings to the Sangha as a ‘field of merit,’ because the good that is planted there ripens far beyond what our small gesture might suggest.
Food offerings and sangha support
Each year, especially around Losar and other auspicious times, our community gathers offerings to sponsor meals and provisions for the monks of Sera Jey and Drepung. A gift that feels modest to us — the cost of a single family dinner — can feed hundreds of monks for a day of prayer. Many of our members dedicate these offerings to a loved one who has passed, to the health of a parent, or simply to the wellbeing of all who suffer. The monastery, in turn, recites prayers on behalf of every sponsor.
Giving that returns to us
What moves us most is how naturally this generosity travels in a circle. We give so that the monks may study; the monks study so that the Dharma survives; the Dharma survives so that people like us, half a world away in Singapore, may gather each Saturday at Mayo Street to find refuge and peace. When you support the Sangha, you are quietly holding up one corner of something very old and very precious.
If you would like to join a future food or sangha offering, you are warmly welcome to speak with us after Saturday prayers, or reach out to the centre at any time. No offering is too small, and every one is received with gratitude.
May all who give and all who receive be blessed with long life, good health, and unshakeable peace of mind. May the Dharma flourish, and may every being find happiness and the causes of happiness.