Chodrak Monastery

Chodrak Monastery was founded by Venerable Langre Dagpa Gyaltsen, an emanation of Manjushri, the god of wisdom in the year of the iron bull, 1361. Located in the high pristine land of Tibet, Chodrak Monastery is built in Kham, in Eastern Tibet in a place chosen by guru Padma Sambhava as a place for retreat and meditation.

The monastery adheres to the Bha-Rum Kagyu lineage, and the first teachers were renowned saints. There are now three main Rinpoches at the monastery - His Eminence Saljey Rinpoche, H.E. Tenying Rinpoche, and Dhungkar Rinpoche. Chodrak Monastery is a place of immeasurable treasures and the monastery's precious relics have remained and survived political turmoil. The thirteen volumes of the general precepts of the Buddha lettered in gold, is one of the sacred relics of the monastery.

The structure of the monastery is traditional, complete with diverse schools for learning and retreat. The philosophical Institute, called Karma Leksheg Ling is the centre for studying buddhist philosophy and Theksum Choekor is the school where the teachings of Marpa are studied.

There are several retreat and meditation centers: Zhamo Goen, Sangchub Choeling, Gyalgyarn retreat institute of Arya, Ngarong Meditation Institute called Dechen Osal Ling, Khange Institute called Namdrol Tashi Chocling, and Lhundrup Ling, the centre for intensive retreat. There is also a centre for the secret mantra of the Bha-Rum lineage.

The monastery also has a nunnery and a retreat centre as part of the nunnery.

Jampa Ling, a traditional medical institute, also part of the monastery offers complete training in the four basic texts of Tibetan medicine.

Chodrak Monastery ceremonies are famous in the region and well attended by the community. The mind meditation and initiation, mental quiescence initiation, life initiation and several other initiations are offered each year. The elaborate ceremonies on the 10th of every month for Guru Padma Sambhava are also maintained. The big ceremony marking the end and the beginning of the Tibetan year is one of the region's most celebrated events and the people of the region get together to witness the monks dressed in ceremonial robes and perform spectacular lama dances.

The monastery has great concern for the community and takes care of a school for orphans, a house for the elderly who have no family. It runs a discount store so that poor people who cannot afford to buy goods at regular prices can do so at a discounted price, and also maintains a large hospital for the neighboring counties offering Chinese and Tibetan medical treatments.

Monks and Lamas in front of Chodrak Gompa (meditation hall) during Baram Kagyu Monlam celebrations 2005

Chodrak Monastery as seen from Guru Rinpoche's cave

Chodrak monastery has been extensively rebuilt after being damaged during the cultural revolution. This large centre of monastic learning has plans for a new gompa, acommodation and a Shedra (philosophical school).