Thrangu Tashi Choling, located close to and facing the Great Stupa of Boudhanath, was founded by Thrangu Rinpoche in 1979 when construction began. The ancient stupa is a major pilgrimage site for Buddhists, one of the most important holy places in Nepal. Boudhanath is the largest Tibetan settlement in Nepal and is also the largest Tibetan settlement outside Tibet.
At the time of purchasing the land, there were only a few monasteries in Boudhanath, and the area surrounding the Stupa was mostly rice fields. Rinpoche was just getting established in Nepal and had very little money. The original plan was to build a small monastery. Later it became necessary to expand to accommodate the many monks who continuously came to join the monastery.

There are many monks under the age of eighteen and most of these boys are from rural areas of Nepal, particularly the mountain areas bordering Tibet. Some come from Tibet, India, and Bhutan. In the monastery they study and practice Buddhism, philosophy, rituals, and reading and writing Tibetan as well as English. From an early age they learn to develop the good habits and discipline that will serve them and others throughout their lives.

Thrangu Monastery in Tibet before quake on April 14	Thrangu Monastery in Tibet destroyed by quake on April 14

THRANGU TASHI CHOLING MONASTERY, TIBET

Thrangu Tashi Choling, the monastery where the Lord of Refuge Thrangu Rinpoche lived from the time he became a monk as a young boy until he left Tibet in 1959, is in an area of Kham (Eastern Tibet) that is renowned for its physical beauty as well as its spiritual importance. Located in modern-day Qinghai, the area of high mountains and lakes with turquoise waters around Thrangu Tashi Choling has s

erved as a source of inspiration for the spread of Buddhism and the Karma Kagyu teaching in particular throughout the province of Kham for many centuries.

The oldest Buddhist site in the area is the temple the Chinese princess Wen Cheng built in the seventh century on her way to Lhasa as she brought the famous Shakyamuni statue still revered in the Jokhang temple as her marriage gift to Tibet's Dharma king, Songtsen Gampo. Located 10km from Thrangu Tashi Choling, this temple and the nunnery there are currently maintained under the care of Thrangu Tashi Choling. At this temple known as Nampar Nangse (Vairochana), there are rock-carvings of Vairochana and the Eight Close Sons, including Chenrezig, Manjushri, Maitreya and so forth. It was near this spot that the founder of the Drikung Kagyu Lineage, Kyabgon Jigten Sumgon, was born.

On the grounds of Thrangu Tashi Choling is Chorten Karchung, a stupa which arose spontaneously in the ninth century and that now is the main treasure and focal-point of Thrangu Tashi Choling. The Seventh Karmapa Chodrak Gyatso came to this area 500 years ago, rebuilt and expanded the monastery, and installed Sherap Gyaltsen, an emanation of Shuwu Palgyi Sengye, one of the 25 illustrious disciples of Guru Rinpoche, as the first Thrangu Rinpoche and abbot of the monastery. The monastery grew and flourished as a centre of the Karma Kagyu Lineage, and became known as the "Monastery of 10,000 Monks" because of the great numbers of lamas and monks who lived there.

The monastery has four Tulkus: Kyabgon Traleg Rinpoche, Thrangu Rinpoche, Dzuru Tulku, and Lodro Nyima Rinpoche. In addition, Khenpo Karther Rinpoche and Tulku Damcho Rinpoche's previous incarnation are from there. Over the centuries, many great lama have visited the monastery.
The first Karmapa Dusum Khyenpa, the founder of the Drikung Kagyu Jigten Sumgon, the great Eighth Nyingma scholar and prominent non-sectarian master Ju Mipham Rinpoche, the previous Jamgon Kontrul Rinpoche, previous Tai Situ Rinpoche and other highly realized masters have meditated, performed retreats, and taught Buddhist philosophy there, Mipham Rinpoche spent five years in retreat at Thrangu Tashi Choling, during which time he composed many treatises, including the "Gateway to Knowledge".

A nunnery for Buddhist Nuns

Thrangu Tara Abbey is a monastery that was established for Buddhist nuns by Thrangu Rinpoche. It is located in Swayambhunath on the outskirts of the Kathmandu valley. Swayambhunath is a very special and spiritual place named after the famous Swayambhu Stupa.

Thrangu Rinpoche had long held the intention to establish a monastic centre for women in order to make available to them the full range of monastic, liturgical, philosophical and meditation training that is available to monks. With the full range of training available to them, they will be able to teach both in the East and the West thereby helping to preserve and propagate the Buddha's teachings. In a world where women are becoming stronger, the educational development of females is important. As the nuns increasingly become both scholars and yogis they will be a source of inspiration to both women and men.

The nuns have a regular prayer schedule with daily prayers morning, afternoon and evening, which includes recitation of Green Tara and Mahakala. The nuns, with exception of those studying, perform all-day prayers on special days as well.

The new Tara Abbey Monastic College for Higher Buddhist Studies (Shedra) was inaugurated in March 2004. It provides Buddhist philosophy, literature, grammar and so on.

There are many new young nuns from the remote regions of Nepal who have had no education because there are no schools in their villages. They are attending Thrangu Rinpoche's school for Himalayan children, Shree Mangal Dvip School in Boudhanath.

A group of nuns completed the study of tradition Tibetan medicine. Now, there is a Tibetan Medical Clinic and the nuns perform checkups and provide medicine. Most of the medicine they make themselves. They are getting a very positive response from their patients about their treatment.

Located in northwestern Nepal on the Tibet border, the district of Manang is inhabited by the people known as Nishangbas. It is thought that these people originally came from the U Tsang region of Tibet. The Tenth Karmapa, having a vision of the spiritual needs of Manang, sent his disciple Khedrup Wangyal Karma to establish monasteries there.

Sher Gonpa is located in the area of Manang known as Braga. Nearby are the famous caves where the Yogi, Milarepa meditated for six years as well as caves of other great meditators. The Gonpa was established by Lama Dawa, who born into the family of the caretakers of Drakar Gonpa in the town of Manang.

Lama Dawa's son, Acho Lama is highly respected lama of Thrangu Monastery. As well, he is the spiritual director of Thrangu Rinpoche's nunnery. His sister Ani Tsomo is the head of Tara Abbey and resident lama of a centre in Taiwan.

Lama Dawa is now deceased. Since his death, through the efforts of Lama Acho, Ani Tsomo and community, Sher Gonpa has been rebuilt.

The Gonpa is offered to Venerable Thrangu Rinpoche and now it is the Retreat Centre of nuns of Thrangu Tara Abbey. 

The Lhodrak Nyedhe Gonpa was first established by the Fifth Karmapa Deshin Shekpa in the beginning of 1400 in the place called Lhodrak, which is about 10 kilometers from the Milarepa tower in Tibet. It remained there until 1959. After the Chinese invasion in 1959, many Tibetan refugees escaped to Nepal, India and Bhutan. The same lineage monastery was re-established in the Tibetan refugee settlement called Jigmenang in Bhutan, but the condition of the monastery was very poor and it was decided that the monastery would be closed.

Even though many Rinpoches were requested to support the monastery, no such support was received. Finally, after making request to the Very Venerable Thrangu Rinpoche, the monastery was rebuilt under his direction. Since then, there has been a flourishing and advancing of the monastic education for the monks and local people in the settlement. Now there are monks receiving monastic education in the monastery.

Satek Monastery is located in Fu village in Nar Mang. This is a very remote location near the Tibet border between Manang District and Gorkha District.

In the year 2003, Satek monastery was offered to the Lord of Refuge Thrangu Rinpoche Rinpoche has several purposes in mind for rebuilding the monastery. First, there is an important stupa which contains many very sacred relics and a temple nearby. These were built despite great difficulties and toil by the great meditator Khedrup Karma Lobsang and other great beings. Where it is undiminished, the tradition resulting from these great efforts should be expanded, and where it has weakened, it should be restored.

The monastery is under construction; once it is completed, it will provide a place for study of sutra, tantra, and the fields of knowledge as well as provide education in the necessary Tibetan, Nepali, English, and especially the local dialects.

There are plans soon offer a fifteen-day Mani (Chenrezig) puja and retreat for all the residents of the area, especially the elderly.

Thrangu Tashi Chophel Ling Monastery is located in the northern part of Nepal on the border with Tibet. This small monastery is in a remote village called Gishing Gang of Tatopaani, Sindhupaalchouk District. Most of the people who live here are Sherpa, and they have strong faith and belief in Buddhism. Presently, a 70-year-old Lama is residing there to look after the monastery.
The main aim of the Very Venerable Khenchen Thrangu Rinpoche in establishing this monastery is to expand the Dharma and to preserve Himalayan culture and Buddhism in that region.
Every year the monastery practices the puja of the recitation of 12 Volumes Sutra. A group of 10 to 12 monks from the main monastery in Boudha go there to conduct the Puja. At that time, they also perform Guru Rinpoche Puja and butter lamp offering prayers, dedicating the accumulated merit specially to the deceased as well as the living.
The local people also receive general teachings from Lamas every year.

Thegchog Hosel Ling Monastery is located in the beautiful village called Lama Gaun of Nimbasti in Kalimpong, India. It was first built about ten years ago by Karma Yeshi with the great support and kind generosity of Tsering from Spain.

Kalimpong is very famous for its natural beauty. It has beautiful hills and the environment is pure and fresh although it is very remote and countryside.

In 2005, Karma Yeshi offered the monastery to the Very Venerable Khenchen Thrangu Rinpoche. Since then Rinpoche has taken care of the monastery. He has appointed Lama Rabgye as the resident Lama to look after the monastery. Rinpoche also sent teachers, Karma Gyalpo and Tashi Wangdue. Karma Gyalpo has completed Shedra, the higher studies in Buddhism from Vajra Vidya Institute, India.

Now, there are 15 young monks in the monastery. They are studying, reading and writing Tibetan as well as English and Nepali. They have been learning like making Torma, use of religious instruments and practices like doing pujas.