Nalendra Monastery Tibet

The seat of His Eminence Chogye Trichen Rinpoche in Tibet

Project to Rebuild [more...]

Monk and Nun spondorship [more...]

A Brief History of Nalendra [more...]

Photos (link to external site)

Project to Rebuild Nalendra

The main objective of my trip to Tibet was to see what I could do to contribute to the rebuilding of Nalendra Monastery, which is the seat of the late HE Chogye Rinpoche. I know that assisting Nalendra monastery was one of the unfulfilled wishes of HE Chogye

Rinpoche. So it would be meritorious to do what we can to fulfil this wish. Helping to rebuild Nalendra will fulfil the sacred guru yoga samaya we all have. I was very surprised to see how much rebuilding has been done in the last 25 years under the leadership of the late Geshe Dondrup Gyalpo, the late Khenpo Tsultim Gyaltsen and many other people. The monks at Nalendra asked me to help in five areas:

New flooring in the main assembly hall

New roofing for the main assembly hall

Extension of the Nalendra Shedra college

Sponsoring of the education of young monks

Helping Palden Tse Nunnery

Of these the first two projects are already now fully sponsored. The pilgrimage joining fee collected from all the 65 pilgrims shall be donated to cover the cost to put a new floor for the main assembly hall. This is dedicated for the good foundation and consolidation of faith and practice in the Dharma of all people I have met in my life. The second project has also found a generous sponsor whose donation will cover the costs of a new roof for the assembly hall. This is dedicated so that all beings may find refuge in the Triple Gem and shelter them from the tyranny of greed, hatred and ignorance. The work on these two projects will begin shortly.

However, the three remaining projects are much bigger and they will need the ongoing generous support from all. They will have similar dedications to the first two.  So I am requesting everyone, members and friends, to kindly consider donating to these projects. I have asked the monastery to send a plan for the extension of the Shedra and an estimate of the cost of this project. Sponsoring of the education of the Nalendra monks and Palden Tse nuns will be easier to manage.

Attn:  Project Rebuilding Nalendra

             C/- Lama Choedak Rinpoche

             PO Box 3430 Manuka ACT 2603

Sponsorship for Monks and Nuns at  Nalendra

download form (PDF 64KB)

see photos of monks and nuns (PDF 4MB)

Would you like to help a monk or nun continue or resume their studies at the sacred Nalendra monastery/nunnery in Tibet?  You can really make a difference - here's how.

• Please download and fill in the form above and send your donation to Marg Hawkes (who is co-ordinating the sponsorship for monks and nuns).
• The sponsorship fee for one monk or nun is only AU$20 per month.  This money goes to the monastery/nunnery and allows one sangha member to receive accomodation, food, teachings and resources.  It is the bare minimum really but that actually helps so much.  How is this so?  You are not only helping the individual but you are helping to maintain this very special lineage of teachings.  Very precious indeed.
• What next? A profile of the monk or nun with their photograph will be sent to you.  You can specify on the form if you would like to sponsor a particular monk or nun or you can add it to a pool of funds that will be allocated to whoever is in most need.
• What about Palden Tse nunnery?  It is a branch of Nalendra in the mountains which needs help in many areas.  The nuns need to be fairly self sufficient (they have to carry all supplies in) and actually have to go to Lhasa each year to beg.  They are also snowed in for several months each year.

A letter with the latest news - download (60 KB)

A Brief History of Nalendra Monastery

Alexander Berzin, 1991, expanded September 2003
Original version published in
"Sakya Monasteries." Chö-Yang, Year of Tibet Edition (Dharamsala, India), (1991).

Nalendra Monastery (Na-len-dra dGon-pa) was established in the Penpo (‘Phen-po) District of Central Tibet in 1425 by the great Sakya master Rongton Sheja-kunrig (Rong-ston Shes-bya kun-rig) (1367-1459) and his disciple Kunkyen Tashi-namgyel (Kun-mkhyen bKra-shis rnam-rgyal). The placement of the monastery on the land was fully in accordance with the rules of Tibetan geomancy. This science had developed from the Chinese geomantic system brought to Tibet by the Chinese queen of King Songtsen-gampo (Srong-btsan sgam-po) (629-710).

Originally, Nalendra had four colleges: Tongmon (mThong-smon), Dukor (Dus-‘khor, Kalachakra), Tsegyay (Tshad-rgyas) and Tsezhi (Tshad-gzhi) Colleges, 45 divisions, and approximately 1500 monks. The course of study was based on two lineages, that of the Three White and Two Red Masters of Sakya (Sa-skya dkar-po rnam-gsum dmar-po rnam-gnyis) and that of Ngog Lotsawa Loden-sherab (rNgog Lo-tsa-ba Blo-ldan shes-rab) (1059-1109). The Three White Masters, who were all laymen, were Sachen Kunga-nyingpo (Sa-chen Kun-dga’ snying-po) (1092-1158), Sonam-tsemo (bSod-nams rtse-mo) (1142-1182), and Dragpa-gyeltsen (Grags-pa rgyal-mtshan) (1147-1216). The Two Red Masters, who were both monks, were Sakya Pandita Kunga-gyeltsen (Sa-pan Kun-dga’ rgyal-mtshan) (1182-1251) and Chogyel Pagpa (Chos-rgyal ‘Phags-pa) (1235-1280).

During the tenure of the first five abbots, Nalendra flourished. The monk population grew to more than 2000. Subsequently, great obstacles occurred to the monastery during the time of the sixth and seventh abbots, and the number of monks declined sharply. Dagchen Lodro-gyeltsen (bDag-chen Blo-gros rgyal-mtshan) (1444-1495) at Sakya was requested to perform ceremonies to eliminate the hindrances. After fulfilling the request, Dagchen appointed Kuzhang Kyenrab-chojey (sKu-zhang mKhyen-rab chos-rje) as the eighth abbot of Nalendra. From that time onward, there were never less than 400 monks at the monastery, and sometimes as many as 700.

The two main lines of Incarnate Lamas who have cared for the spiritual needs of Nalendra have been the Chobgyey Trichen Rinpoches (bCu-brgyad Khri-chen Rin-po-che) and the Zimog Rinpoches (Zi-mog Rin-po-che). The present Chobgyey Trichen (b. 1920) is the head of the Tsar Tradition (Tshar-lugs) of the Sakyas. This tradition is traced from Tsarchen Losel-gyatso (Tshar-chen Blo-gsal rgya-mtsho) (1502-1566) of Dar Drangmochen Monastery (Dar ‘Phrang-mo chen dGon-pa) in the Central Tibetan province of Tsang (gTsang). The Fifth Dalai Lama, Ngawang-lozang-gyatso (rGyal-dbang lnga-pa chen-po Ngag-dbang blo-bzang rgya-mtsho) (1617-1682), had received the Sakya "lamdray" (lam-‘bras) "path and its results" teachings from Gonpo Sonam-chogden (mGon-po bSod-nams mchog-ldan), whose teacher, Kyabdag Wangchug-rabten (Khyab-bdag dBang-phyug rab-brtan), had been a disciple of Tsarchen. The Lamdray teachings have two levels, the "tsogshay" (tshogs-bshad) "explanation for assemblies" and "lobshay" (slob-bshad) "explanation for private disciples." The Fifth Dalai Lama received primarily the latter, and was instrumental in preserving and transmitting it further.

In its later period, Nalendra Monastery had only two colleges, the original TongmonCollege for sutra debate studies and the SangchenCollege (gSang-chen Grva-tshang) for tantra. The latter had been founded by Rinchen-kyentsey-wangpo (Rin-chen mkhyen-brtse dbang-po). The sutra training concentrated on thirteen great scriptural texts. Tantra study and practice focused on thirteen tantric systems. Kalachakra, Hevajra, the lobshay level of the Lamdray Path and Its Stages, and the Thirteen Golden Teachings of the Sakyas (Sa-skya’i gser-chos bcu-gsum) were the principal among them. Monks also studied medicine, astrology, grammar, and ritual art and music.

In 1959, Nalendra Monastery was mostly destroyed by the Chinese. What remained was burned to the ground during the Cultural Revolution. Its reconstruction was begun in 1980. At present, there are approx 70 monks.