OTHER CENTERS

In Nepal:
Ka-Nying Shedrub Ling Monastery
Nagi Gompa Nunnery
Pema Ösel Ling Hermitage, Asura Cave Temple
Ngedon Ösel Ling Monastery
The Lumbini Project: Pal Thubten Shedrub Ling Monastery


In Nepal:
Ka-Nying Shedrub Ling Monastery

In order to establish, preserve, and advance the extensive treasury of Buddhist teachings, some three decades ago the 16th Gyalwang Karmapa, Rangjung Rigpé Dorje, requested Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche to go to Nepal and found a monastery in Kathmandu Valley. In accordance with Karmapa's request, Tulku Urgyen left his homeland and monastery in eastern Tibet and crossed the Himalayan Mountains into neighboring Nepal.

In 1972, Tulku Urgyen, his two eldest sons, Chökyi Nyima Rinpoche and Chokling Rinpoche, as well as with their late mother Kunsang Dechen, began construction of Ka-Nying Shedrub Ling Monastery just north of the ancient, legendary Jarung Khashor Stupa in Boudhanath. Four years later, upon completion of the monastery, His Majesty King Birendra of Nepal performed the official inauguration while His Holiness the 16th Gyalwang Karmapa performed the formal consecration ceremonies. Tulku Chökyi Nyima Rinpoche has served as Abbot of the monastery since that time, while Tulku Chokling Rinpoche functions as the Dorje Lobpön (Vajra Master).

One of the largest Tibetan monasteries in Nepal, Ka-Nying Shedrub Ling has a traditional monastic setting where a community of more than 180 monks dedicate themselves to a variety of religious activities. Daily life at the monastery centers around practice and study:

5:00am Puja: Shakyamuni Buddha, 16 Arhats, Vajrasattva, Guru Rinpoche, and Tara
Morning & Midday: Formal Agenda of Classes & Personal Practice
4:00pm Puja: Mahakala and By Request
5:00pm & Evening: Philosophical Debate & Personal Practice

Fifteen of the monastery's monks completed their three-year retreat in 1996, while an additional twelve entered three-year retreat that same year. Upon completion of such a retreat, a monk is then known as drub-la, retreat lama.

On February 22, 1998, the second anniversary of Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche's parinirvana, Chökyi Nyima Rinpoche established the Sangye Yeshe Cheto Shedra - Enlightened Wisdom College of Higher Studies - a formal monastic shedra included within Ka-Nying Shedrub Ling Monastery. Twenty monks were selected to comprise the first body of "official shedra students". At the formal Shedra opening ceremony, in a traditional display of wit and sharpness of mind, Phakchok Rinpoche and Mingyur Rinpoche engaged in a philosophical debate with Acharya Yeshe Trinley.

Yearly Schedule of Ka-Nying Shedrub Ling Monastery. This schedule accords with the Tibetan lunar calendar:

1st Month 1st to 3rd Losar
1st Month 8th to 16th 9-day Tsekar Drubchen
2nd Month 8th to 16th 9-day Ngakso Drubchen
6th Month 15th Yarney (Summer Retreat) begins
7th Month 30th Yarney (Summer Retreat) ends
11th Month 27th to 29th Sidok Raksha Tötreng
12th Month 22nd to 24th Tulku Urgyen's Anniversary Puja
12th Month 25th to 29th Gutor Puja
12th Month 29th Lama Dancing
Monthly Schedule of Pujas
Special days in accordance with the Tibetan lunar calendar:
10th day: Guru Rinpoche Puja
15th day: Tsekar Puja
25th day: Pema Khandro Puja
New Moon: Ngakso Puja
Nagi Gompa Nunnery Under the direction of H.E.

Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche until 1996, the nunnery and retreat center, Nagi (formally known as Nangkyi) Gompa, is also part of Ka-Nying Shedrub Ling Monastery. Currently 108 nuns occupy the hermitage that lies high on the northern slopes of Kathmandu Valley. Five nuns successfully completed their three-year retreat on June 10th, 1998, Buddha's Enlightenment and Parinirvana Day, and 10 others entered retreat earlier that same year.

Under Tulku Urgyen's guidance, fifteen monks of Ka-Nying Shedrub Ling completed their own 3-year retreat in 1996 while in isolation at Nagi Gompa.The first gompa Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche built in Nepal, Nagi Gompa has a special history. Built in the mid-1960s, when no road led up to Shivapuri, H. H. the 16th Gyalwang Karmapa arrived by helicopter to perform the official rabney or consecration. Tulku Urgyen, himself, crafted the three large statues of Buddha Shakyamuni, Guru Rinpoche and the Third Karmapa, Rangjung Dorje, found in the main temple. Numerous important initiations and teachings have been given at Nagi Gompa, attended by many illustrious lamas and tulkus, as well as thousands of lay people from all parts of the world. Tulku Urgyen spent most of the latter part of his life in retreat at Nagi Gompa. At the time of his parinirvana, the expansion of the lha-khang, or main temple, had just been completed, with new paintings and statues of Green Tara and Chenrezig. Work has finished on a second temple built to replace the original smaller version which had been built by Kharsha Rinpoche, who was in charge of the hermitage before Tulku Urgyen.The daily schedule at Nagi Gompa parallels that at Ka-Nying Shedrub Ling. In addition to morning and afternoon daily pujas, the nuns have classes twice a day with the resident Khenpo, Könchok Mönlam.Yearly Schedule of Nagi GompaThis schedule accords with the Tibetan lunar calendar:1st Month 1st to 3rd Losar3rd Month 30th Nyung-ney begins for 16 days4th Month 16th Nyung-ney ends (Saga Dawa)6th Month 15th Yarney (Summer Retreat) begins7th Month 30th Yarney (Summer Retreat) ends8th Month 13th to 14th 2-day Nyung-ney12th Month Ngakso DrubchenMonthly Schedule of Pujas at Nagi Gompa8th day: Ngakso10th day: Rigdzin Düpa15th day: Tsekar or Künzang Tuktig25th day: Chö TsokBlack Moon:


Palchen
Pema Ösel Ling Hermitage, Asura Cave TempleThe great master, Padmasambhava, attained the Mahamudra level of enlightenment through the practice of Vishuddha Heruka combined with the sadhana of Vajra Kilaya at the upper cave of Yangleshö, also known as Asura Cave.The gompa and retreat center in Pharping is also a part of Ka-Nying Shedrub Ling. The word shedrub in the name Ka-Nying Shedrub Ling means "studies and practice." The monastery in Boudhanath is for 'studies' while Asura Cave is the retreat center for 'practice'. This center, built by Tulku Urgyen and his wife, Sangyum Dechen, who was a great practitioner in her own right, now accommodates about 25 residents. Eight of these are monks from the main monastery who are in three-year retreat. The rest are mainly old practitioners who have dedicated their lives to retreat. Currently, the number of rooms is being increased in order to accommodate up to 30 full-time residents. At present, a group of monks from Ka-Nying Shedrub Ling must travel to Pharping twice a month, on the 10th and 25th, in order to have enough monks to perform a proper puja.


Ngedön Ösel Ling Monastery
Mingyur Rinpoche, Tulku Urgyen's youngest son, is abbot of Ngedön Ösel Ling Monastery, near Swayambu, which was built under the supervision of his father in 1990. He is an incarnation of Tertön Mingyur Dorje who, though Nyingma, was one of the major treasure-revealers of the Kagyu tradition. In this life, Mingyur Rinpoche, who completed his three-year retreat at the age of 16, serves as Retreat Master at H.E. Tai Situ Rinpoche's Monastery, Sherab Ling in Bir, India. Thus, he resides there for part of the year.Born in 1966, Tsoknyi Rinpoche trained in the Drukpa Kagyu tradition of eastern Tibet. He is also a holder of the Ratna Lingpa lineage of the Nyingma School and presently follows closely in his father, Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche's footsteps, guiding many students in the practice of Dzogchen. He travels extensively, but shares in the responsibility of care-taking Ngedön Ösel Ling Monastery.About 60 young monks reside at Ngedön Ösel Ling where they study grammar, reading, writing, history, Buddhist scriptures and practices. In 1998, Ngedön Ösel Ling opened a retreat facility, the International Buddhist Meditation Centeer, for the benefit of local and Western lay practitioners.


The Lumbini Project:
Pal Thubten Shedrub Ling MonasteryOne of Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche's final wishes was to have a beautiful, functioning monastery built in Lumbini, the birthplace of Lord Buddha. He felt this would be inspiring and beneficial for the whole world. Chökyi Nyima Rinpoche, his brothers and his sangha have all been working hard to fulfill this aspiration. Land for the project was granted by His Majesty's Government of Nepal, which is also interested in developing and beautifying this sacred site. The foundation ceremony for Pal Thubten Shedrub Ling Monastery, held in January 1998, was attended by many lamas, monks and government officers. A boundary wall will soon be constructed around the site. Rinpoche's auspicious wishes for Pal Thubten Shedrub Ling Monastery include a major library with Buddhist scriptures in many different languages. A Chinese version of the Tripitaka has already been acquired. It is hoped that Pal Thubten Shedrub Ling will serve not only to perpetuate traditional monastic activities and preserve the vast treasury of Buddhist Canon, but also promote immediate and ever-lasting world peace and enrich the international Buddhist fellowship as a whole.