Thupten Dö Ngag Choeling - The Centre of Buddhadharma for Monk's Learning, Retreat & Accommodation:

• is the joined version of several Rinpoche's projects as below.
• this '3 in 1' idea was adopted in view of the shortage of fund and the urgency to complete these infra-structures to provide Dechen Choekhor's monks a more complete  monastic training in the Buddhadharma.
• the combined projects will require significantly lesser fund compared to the execution of each project individually.

A) School for Monk's Studies

Currently, we do not have the capacity to provide proper classroom to impart the traditional scholarly education. We are making do by temporarily using a part of the temple, hostel and dining hall as classrooms on a rotation basis for different levels of studies.

monks of various ages study in the temporary classrooms in their hostel and dining hall on a rotation basis

Therefore we intend to create this separate building to provide proper learning environment for the monks. Due to fund limitation, we intend to build only 7 classrooms with basic facilities to conduct the teachings of the basic language study such as English, Sanskrit, Tibetan, Hindi and other relevant subjects, so that our monks will be conversant in the languages of the modern world and the old. Other core courses will include subjects like Buddhist history, literatures and philosophies. After mastering the basics, the monks will then be exposed to more fundamental and advanced studies in Buddhist philosophy including Logic, Abhidharma, Madhyamika, Vinaya etc.

It is our sincere hope that Dechen Choekhor's monks are able to be trained under a proper and conducive learning environment. 

B) Hostel for Monks

In year 2005, we spent approximately USD 100,000 to build 40 hostels rooms in Dechen Choekhor to accommodate 120 monks with sponsorship from Ms Li Hui of Hong Kong. Each room is occupied by three monks currently. The rooms in the present building are fully occupied and over crowded. There are still a lot more monks in need of accommodations and many young Himalayan boys are waiting in their homes to join the monastery when housing becomes available.

Current monk's room are over-crowed, and many more monks are in need of accommodations

We need to put up 80 more rooms incorporated in the 3 story building of Thupten Dö Ngag Choeling for another 160 monks. The building and materials cost shoot up between 3-5 times in recent years. Now each room can only be sponsored completely at USD 4,800.

C) Retreat Centre for Monks

A monastery without retreat center is not complete, especially in Drukpa Kagyu tradition. The Drukpa Choegon Lineage puts a huge emphasis on meditation practices.

At one time, there was a saying in Tibet that:

"Half of the Tibetans are Drukpa Kargyu. Of those, half are beggars. Of those, half are drubtob" (Skt: Siddha; denotes those who have attained realization).

Being one of the main Lineage Holder of Drukpa Kagyu, Rinpoche holds great responsibility and always keep the noble aspiration to maintain and propagate the pure lineage practices of Drukpa Kagyu. Thus, He places great emphasis on ensuring the monks of Dechen Choekhor are properly trained according to the authentic sources and the unbroken tradition of Drukpa Kagyu, couple with some modern approaches where deems beneficial. Kagyu Lineages particularly Drukpa Kargyu is call the practice lineage, because it's well known for its direct and profound meditation pointing-out instruction, and retreat is the fundamental requirements for all its monks on top of the common Sutra learning and contemplations. Considering the increasing in the number of monks and their age, the completion of Thupten Dö Ngag Choeling has becomes Rinpoche's first priority.

The land located toward the right side of the main temple where Thupten Dö Ngag Choeling - The Centre for Monk's Learning, Retreat and Accommodation shall be built

This centre is to be built as a 3 stories building consist of the following sections:

a) Monks Hostels - 84 rooms with attached bathroom

b) Retreat Centre for Monks - with 13 retreat rooms, temple, kitchen & dining hall

c) School for Monk's Studies - 7 classrooms

Note: The cost stated include the piling of foundation for three stories building. Strong building foundation is essential as the precautionary measure for earthquake in the future.