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Buddhist temple beloved by David Bowie faces disruption to silence after gun club plans firing range

A Buddhist temple loved by David Bowie and Billy Connolly is disturbed in its silence as a gun club plans two shooting ranges.

Samye Ling in the tiny Scottish village of Eskdalemuir is Europe’s oldest and largest Tibetan monastery and is currently home to more than 60 monks and volunteers.

Gardners Guns has applied for a shooting range and shooting center less than two miles from Samye Ling.

Ani Rinchen, 71, lived and worked as a Buddhist nun in the monastery for 10 years. She now operates an affiliate facility in Edinburgh on her behalf.

“My spiritual home is Samye Ling, and so is thousands around the world,” she said. “The shooting range threatens to seriously disturb the peace in the whole valley.

“The center attracts people for many reasons, including former soldiers with post-traumatic stress disorder. If shots are fired when these groups are around it could be terrible. “

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