Kagyu Samye Ling Monastery and Tibetan Centre facts for kids
Kagyu Samye Ling Monastery and Tibetan Centre is a special place for Tibetan Buddhist teachings. It belongs to the Karma Kagyu school of Buddhism. You can find it in Eskdalemuir, Scotland.
Contents
History of Samye Ling
Before it became a big Buddhist center, Samye Ling was just one building. It was an old hunting lodge called Johnstone House. In 1965, a group called the Johnstone House Trust was created. Their goal was to offer a place for people to study and meditate. They wanted to help people find peace and spiritual well-being.
Early Leaders and New Beginnings
At first, a Canadian monk named Anandabodhi led the community. He followed the Theravada style of Buddhism. Later, he returned to Canada. He then became a monk in the Tibetan Vajrayana tradition.
In 1967, two Tibetan lamas, Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche and Akong Rinpoche, took over. They were refugees from Tibet. They named the new community "Samye Ling." Samye means the first Buddhist university in Tibet. Ling means 'Place'. So, Samye Ling means 'Place of Samye'.
Soon, a famous thangka artist named Sherab Palden Beru joined them. A monk named Samten also came.
Trungpa Rinpoche later left Samye Ling. He moved to America in 1970 to start other centers. For about ten years after that, Samten, Beru, and Akong Rinpoche were the main Tibetan leaders.
Important Visitors and Growth
During the 1970s, Samye Ling was the oldest and most important Tibetan center in Europe. Many respected teachers visited, including Kalu Rinpoche and the 16th Gyalwa Karmapa. Other important teachers like Khamtrul Rinpoche and Dilgo Khyense Rinpoche also came.
Even famous musicians studied there! In 1969, David Bowie and Leonard Cohen were students at Samye Ling. David Bowie even thought about becoming a monk. He said, "I was a terribly earnest Buddhist at the time... I had stayed in their monastery and was going through all their exams, and yet I had this feeling that it wasn't right for me. I suddenly realised how close it all was: another month and my head would have been shaved."
The center grew and became very successful. This was thanks to Akong Rinpoche and his brother, Lama Yeshe Losal Rinpoche. Lama Yeshe Losal Rinpoche is now the Abbot and Retreat Master.
What You Can Find at Samye Ling Now
Today, Samye Ling has one of the first Tibetan temples built in Western Europe. It also has a large Stupa. A stupa is a special dome-shaped building used for meditation. There are also places for people to stay. Visitors can take many courses on Buddhism, meditation, and art.
ROKPA Trust and Its Work
In 1995, the Johnstone House Trust became part of the ROKPA Trust. ROKPA Trust helps spread Buddhism and encourages understanding between different religions. It also provides medical care, education, and helps people in need.
ROKPA Trust runs other centers and projects around the world. One important project is on Holy Island. This island has Buddhist retreat facilities. It also has a center for world peace and health. ROKPA International, based in Switzerland, manages many projects overseas.
For example, a ROKPA International project at Samye Ling raised money for a girls' school. They also helped with relief efforts after the 2010 Yushu earthquake.
The trust is planning to make the Samye Ling temple even bigger. This new extension will have a museum, a library, lecture halls, and more rooms. Work on this started in 2008.
Tibetan Art and Crafts
Samye Ling is also a special place for Tibetan art. Under the guidance of the artist Sherab Palden Beru, it has become a center for creating and fixing thangkas. Thangkas are traditional Tibetan Buddhist paintings. Sherab has taught many Western students how to make these beautiful artworks. The temple walls are covered with examples of his work and his students' art.
The center also creates traditional statues and prayer-wheels. These are made by Tibetan experts who live there or visit. You can see many examples of their work around the center. One example is a statue of Nagarjuna, a famous Buddhist philosopher. This statue was made by Lama Thubten Kunsal.
Samye Ling's Scottish Connection
Samye Ling is a popular tourist attraction listed by VisitScotland. People visit to see the amazing gilded temple, the stupas, and the peaceful gardens. The gardens have many statues of Bodhisattvas and Buddhas.
In the past, there were some small disagreements with local neighbors. But now, the center has a very good relationship with the community. Many people who first came to Samye Ling now live in the area. They help local schools and businesses. Important local leaders, like former MP David Steel, support the center.
In 2003, Lama Yeshe Losal Rinpoche said that the Scottish Tourist Board told him Samye Ling was the 10th most visited place in Scotland. He believes that Tibetan Buddhism appeals to people in the West. This is because many people are looking for a spiritual side to their lives.
Famous Scottish comedian Billy Connolly often visits Samye Ling.
In 2010, Lama Yeshe Losal designed a special Buddhist tartan. Tartan is a traditional Scottish fabric pattern. The colors of this tartan represent the five elements in Tibetan cosmology. He said they wanted to show how much they appreciate the people and culture of Scotland.
See also
- Buddhism in Scotland
- List of monastic houses in Scotland
- Religion in Scotland
