Thrangu Tashi Yangste Monastery is located at Namo Buddha, a beautiful rural area, about a two-hour drive away from Kathmandu. Namo Buddha is considered to be one of the most sacred Buddhist sites in Nepal, since it is the place where, in a past life, the Buddha offered his body to a starving tigress.

 

Beginning in 1978, Thrangu Rinpoche worked long and hard to establish the monastery at Namo Buddha. At first, the conditions were very basic as there were no roads or water. Today the extensive monastery complex includes the following: the Main Temple; the Mahakala Temple; the Dewachen Temple; Rinpoche's house; SMD Branch School for young monks; a monastic college (shedra); a retreat center; a depository of Buddhist texts; a library; a translation and publication house; prayer rooms; a kitchen/dining room for up to 600 people; eight monks' dormitory buildings; a medical building; an administration office; and several guesthouses.

 

Thrangu Rinpoche founded Shree Mangal Dvip Branch School for young monks in 2002 at Thrangu Tashi Yangtse Monastery. With over 100 students and 12 teachers, the school currently offers general education in Tibetan, English and Nepali (grades one to nine), complemented by studies in religion and culture, including Dharma-related sessions. In addition to monastic training activities in listening, contemplating and meditating, the students also learn lama dancing, ritual practice, chanting, playing instruments, and Tibetan spelling, grammar, and recitation. Upon completion of their school program (and depending on their intellectual ability, readiness and scholarship), the young monks have the opportunity to continue in shedra, ngondro practice or teaching positions. 

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The monastic college for higher Buddhist studies (shedra) at the monastery is a seven-year program. Shedra students investigate the five major texts, which cover logic and dialectics, Madhyamaka (the Middle Way philosophy), the Vinaya (monastic discipline), the Abhidharma (higher knowledge), and the Perfection of Wisdom Sutras, all of which are supplemented with studying other fields of knowledge.

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The Need

Ongoing sponsorship is needed so that the monks at Thrangu Tashi Yangtse Monastery can receive traditional monastic education and training. Annual expenses include: room and board, educational expenses, medical and dental care, and clothes). Please see Student Sponsorship Options & Rates and Contact Us directly to get matched up with a monk.

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