Devastation continues in Nepal where the death toll from Saturday’s quake is now over 4000. That number is expected to rise as aftershocks rock already damaged buildings (a friend in Kathmandu reported another one less than an hour ago as of 11 a.m. MST) and information comes in from the many remote villages affected by the quake. “Some of the initial surveys that we’re hearing of from the zones closer to the epicenter talk about total or near total destruction,” said Jeremy Konyndyk, director of the Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance for the U.S. Agency for International Development (via CNN). Sure to further complicate aid and recovery efforts, heavy rains are predicted for parts of the area affected by the earthquake. Helicopters, of which Nepal has few, are needed to reach many of the villages most heavily damaged by the quake. More than four million people are in the affected zone.

Want to help? Read this first.

On Saturday I noted several major aid organizations who are actively aiding victims of the Nepal earthquake. Buddhists, who account for around 10% of Nepal’s population, are likewise mobilizing locally and around the world to support aid efforts. Here are a few Buddhist aid organizations you can learn more about and support:

FIRST, two funds have come to my attention where an individual or organization will MATCH donations for a limited time (see below). These are:

The White Feather Foundation: Donate here and Julian Lennon will match your donations through the month of May. International Medical Corps donations here will be matched by Facebook, up to $2 million.

Now the twelve Buddhist organizations (further additions will go in the comments):

And one more ….

Most Buddhists in Nepal are Vajrayana/Tibetan Buddhist practitioners. For them the mantra Om Mani Padme Hum will be used in times of disaster like this, as it calls upon the Bodhisattva of Compassion, Chenrezig (Skt. Avalokiteshvara). Another source of support is Padmasambhava, aka Guru Rinpoche. This prayer comes from Tsoknyi Rinpoche, writing from Nepal:

THE PRAYER TO GURU RINPOCHE TO SPONTANEOUSLY FULFILL ALL WISHES AND CLEAR AWAY OBSTACLES ON THE PATH

Dusum Sangye Guru Rinpoche Ngodrub Kundag Dewa Chenpo Shab Barchey Kunsel Dudul Dragpo Tsal Solwa Debso Jingyi Labtu Sol Chinang Sangwey Barchey Shiwa Dang Sampa Lhungyi Drubpar Jingyi Lob

Guru Rinpoche, Buddha of the three times, Lord of all siddhis who is the one of great bliss, Dispeller of all obstacles, wrathful tamer of Mara, We supplicate you; please grant your blessings. Grant your blessings that outer, inner and secret obstacles be pacified And that our intentions be spontaneously accomplished.

And as Nepal is home of several smaller Theravadin communities and practitioners, from Ayya Tathaaloka Bhikkhuni, A Pali Buddhist Compassion Chant:

Dukkha pata ca nidukkha

Bhaya pata ca nibhaya

Soka pata ca nisoka

Hontu sabbe pi panino.

May those in suffering be free from suffering

May those in fear be free from fear

May those in sorrow be free from sorrow

And so too may all be.

As before, please comment below if you know of other organizations actively working on the ground (or simply raising funds to be passed on) in Nepal.