Lama Gaun Monastery History

In 2012, Khen Rinpoche Geshe Gyalten and H.E Chöden Rinpoche were traveling from San Francisco to Taiwan after completing a teaching schedule in the United States to resume teaching in Taiwan. While boarding the plane to Taiwan, Rinpoche told Khen Rinpoche how wonderful it would be if there was a retreat place for his many students, who were at that time were dispersed and undertaking retreats in Dharmasala, India and many other Himalayan regional countries, to have a central place of their own. In response, without giving it a second thought, Khen Rinpoche vowed to bring into fruition the construction of a monastery campus that would provide everyday necessities such as lodging and food, medical services and the essential Tibetan Buddhist and secular curricula and activities for Rinpoche’s existing followers and many children who would become futures monks, or principle, morally upright citizens in their various communities.

With the blessings of my Chöden Rinpoch, Khen Rinpoche began to search for a conducive sections of land to build monasteries in Indian and Nepal. In 2013, Khen Rinpoche found an ideal and beautiful site near the Village of Lama Gaun, Nepal. It is located in the Pharping area on the southern edge of the Kathmandu valley, about 26 kilometers from Kathmandu. Presently it is a part of the Dakshinkali municipality. This area is known as one of Buddhists holy pilgrimage destinations. It is considered very sacred and historically many meditators have attained high levels of realizations in this area. Therefore, it is a highly blessed site. Khen Rinpoche immediately fell in love with this perfect place to build the monastery for study and practice.

Soon afterwards, Khen Rinpoche left to meet and check with Chöden in at Kaula Lumpur, Malaysia. Rinpoche confirmed the site and gave the name to the future monastery as Lama Gaun Tashi Rabten. In 2014, the land was bought and construction of the monastery was initiated. The initial part of the monastery was successfully completed between the years 2014-2019.

Since the construction of the Lama Gaun monastery is to fulfill the divine vision of H.E Chöden Rinpoche, that is to nurture and educate young boys to become compassionate beings who will contribute to making societies better, Khen Rinpoche through the help of many international students has begun to fulfill Chöden Rinpoche’s mission and vision.

Khen Rinpoche Geshe Gyalten’s endeavor is to educate young boys to become adept monks, to provide free facilities for the long-term retreatants, to create a conducive environment for all people globally to visit, learn, contemplate and meditate to realize their fullest potential. The first cadre of young boys were recruited to the monastery from Mustang province very near the Tibetan border.

Shortly after the monastery was brought to completion on October 19th 2019, the opening ribbon cutting ceremony was conducted by H.E Ling Rinpoche as chief guest of Khen Ripoche. Also present were many dignitaries, such as, representatives of local governmental departments, NGOs, abbots, rinpoches, guests from various monasteries and approximately eight-hundred monks, nuns and people from international and local areas. The opening ceremony was followed by prayers, blessings and traditional Tibetan and Nepali dances.

For the first time, a week-long teaching and retreat on mind training and Tara practice was lead by Khen Rinpoche GesheGyalten, the abbot of Lama Gaun monastery. .

Presently there are seven geshes, many of whom are dedicated to life-time retreat. Eventually Khen Rinpoche wishes to extend his loving support to 50 life-time retreatants. Also, at this time there are 42 junior monk students. Khen Rinpoche’s hope is that within a decade Lama Gaun will be a thriving Buddhist educational campus with hundreds of young monks, programs for international retreatants and a location of well-being for the local residents.