Feldkirch (HT) Feldkirch (HT) "The group of senior citizens "ALTER-native" regarded the visit to the Letzehof as a great success. The two-hour tour led by the head of the center, Qualified Engineer, Helmut Gassner left a deep impression on the visitors.

When one enters the Buddhist center’s meditation room another world opens up in front of one. A world that is not easily understood unless one has the good fortune to be guided and informed with such patience, friendliness, understanding and competence as was shown to us by Helmut Gassner. Mr. Gassner has mastered the Tibetan language and for the past twenty years has been translating for important Lamas. Through his initiative, Buddhist monks began to settle at the Letzehof in Feldkirch. These monks live in solitude and practice their religion without carrying out any sort of missionary work. Only those people who really and truly wish to learn will be taught, and more and more people are expressing that wish. Gassner believes this is one of the traits of a true master. For the past four years the eighteen year old reincarnation of the teacher to the Dalai Lama also lives at the Letzehof. His presence attracts visitors from all over the world".

Parallels

"The most important rule for a Buddhist is not to hurt any living being. Every philosophy or religion that produces this type of person, fulfils that purpose", Gassner explained to his visitors. "It is therefore the belief that any task performed merely to bring happiness only to oneself does not fulfil that purpose". In the Buddhist texts not only are the causes of suffering in the world listed concretely but also the strategies against them. Hence there are parallels to Christianity but also with clear differences. Amongst other things the head of the center explained about a monk’s life, the essence of the mind, the stages of dying, the meaning of meditation and the ways of studying. For example a student must first of all know the texts off by heart before he can ask a teacher a question about such texts. All visitors regarded the exchange of thoughts as very enriching and felt that many things they had heard that day could be integrated into their own lives.

Some visitors were relieved to know that the center proposed no threat to any of the existing religious communities. They were impressed by the climate of total tolerance and that every honest opinion was cherished.

Guest in the Tibetan Monastery
From the annual report 2000/2001 of the PORG Valders, Tirol

"We students of the eigth grade, with a major in philosophy, went on a two-day outing together with our Professor Thomas Perkmann to visit the Buddhist Monastery "Tashi Rabten" in Feldkirch. There we gained an insight into the Eastern philosophy. We got to know the interpretation of the Four Philosophical Schools of Buddhism on the basis of Buddhist dialectic. In a discussion with the Buddhist Master - Geshe Thubten, we learnt the distinction between ‘Truth’ and ‘Appearance’. The role of Dharma was discussed extensively as well as many of our own questions. During these two intensive days the differences in the connections between the Eastern and Western philosophy became clear. We were especially impressed by the warm hospitality and openness of the Tibetan monks who live in the monastery".

Anja, Azucena, Caroline, Clemens, Hubert, Matthias, Sabine, Thomas E., Thomas P., Stefanie