The new Tasih Rabten Ling Monastery in Lumbini, Nepal started
its construction since 2001 and has been completed in late
2003, with its inauguration ceremony held on 3 January 2004.
Background
Lumbini is the landmark where Lord Buddha was born over twenty-five
centuries ago. It is one of the holiest pilgrimage places
for Buddhists and those of other religions respect Lumbini
as well. Countless pilgrims visit this holy place to receive
blessings and inspirations from the place where Buddha took
his first steps in this world.
For the benefit of all sentient beings, His Eminence Chogye
Trichen Rinpoche initiated the Lumbini Project to construct
his second monastery in Lumbini. The completion of the new
Tasih Rabten Ling will provide a bigger ground and accommodation
for the annual Sakya Monlam Prayer Festival and further enhance
the peaceful and spiritual atmosphere of Lumbini, the birthplace
of Lord Buddha.
The building designs and details
 The
concept for Tasih Rabten Ling Monastery, designed by His Eminence
Chogye Trichen Rinpoche himself, consists of two blocks. The
first block is a three-storey building, the first storey consist
of classrooms and dormitories for monks. The second storey
is the main shrine hall with a fifteen feet golden statue
of Lord Buddha and other statues. Beautiful wall murals of
the great lord Vajradhara, the Five great Sakya masters, Mahasiddhi
Virupa and other linenage masters, surround this exquisite
statue of Shakyamuni Buddha. There are also intricate tangkas
of Amitayu Buddha, Sakya Lamdre Lineage tree and others decorating
the main shrine hall.
The third storey consists of rooms for visiting high lamas.
The second block is a two-storey guest house of 25 rooms.
The monastery is a typical Tibetan monastery with the dimensions
of 132 feet in length, from the sanctuary to the portico,
and 88 feet in width. The enormous shrine hall is 78 feet
in length and 50 feet in width. The height of the hall is
17 feet. The wall murals in the shrine hall depict the Twelve
Deeds of the Buddha and others. In the portico are the four
great guardian kings and the five-part wheel of Existence
in beautiful designs.
Aims and activities
As there was also a great need for further facilities to
conduct an educational program for monks, His Eminence then
wished to build the monastic block. The main purpose is to
provide another source of basic and advanced monastic studies
and basic academic education for the increasing number of
monks from the Himalayan region. The thorough and complete
education of monks is an important core activity for the safeguarding
of the Buddha¡¦s precious teachings.
The activities of the monks in the monastery will be performing
prayers to allay obstacles and bring happiness to all sentient
beings, extensive Buddhist philosophy and practice study,
ritual practices and basic academic studies. There will also
be classes in English, Nepali, Tibetan art and literature.
In general, the aim of this monastery in Lumbini and Jamchen
Lhakang in Kathmandu is to preserve and spread the Buddha¡¦s
precious teachings. In particular its goal is to uphold the
authentic and unique tradition of the Tsarpa lineage of the
Sakya tradition of Tibetan Buddhism.
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A
generous gift of a house by a devotee, a niece of the late
Chini Lama provided a suitable land to build the beautiful
monastery, now widely known as Jamchen Lhakhang. In 1982,
the construction of this monastery began where the original
house was demolished to make space for the construction of
the three storey Maitreya Buddha statue and a monastery to
house it. In 1986, the construction work of this monastery
was completed and the grand inauguration ceremony in the same
year was graced by the late king Birendra of Nepal and a surprise
visit by Jimmy Carter, ex-president of the United States.
