Monastery Rumtek - Nedo Rinpoche´s school

Nedo Chedu Chokhorling Monastery and school of Nedo Rinpoche in Rumtek/Sikkim

Since Jan. 2006 supported by KHCP

Today Nedo Rinpoche is the main Vajramaster of H.H. the 17. Gyalwa Karmapa Thaye Dorje. Rinpoche stayed in Rumtek monastery until 1993. Than he moved to the residence of Shamar Rinpoche, being responsible for all the monks and their education. Eventually the residence became too small for all the monks and lamas and after discussing with Shamar Rinpoche in 1996 he bought a piece of land nearby and started to build his own residence and meditation place.
In 1998 he could finally move there with retreat master Lama Choying and his personal assistance Lama Kunga. Both of them being with Rinpoche in former lifetimes. At the same time the first 5 young monks moved in aswell. Slowly Rinpoche started to build up his place with the aim of educating monks in order to keep up the Karma Kagyu Tradition. At this point the monks get a basic education so they can move on to the Shedra in Kalimpong or to one of our lineage Retreat Places for further studies.
In the future Rinpoche intends to give Lung and initiations to the advanced students. Until today Nedo Rinpoche has the responsibility for Shamar Rinpoches monks aswell as the full responsibility for all the activities of the Karma Kagyu lineage in Sikkim for H.H. the 17. Gyalwa Karmapa Thaye Dorje.
Furthermore Nedo Rinpoche still has one monastery in Kham/Tibet with more than 150 lamas and monks which he takes care for together with Nedo Dechen Rinpoche.
Today there are 24 student monks living in Nedo Rinpoche’s place (Rumtek). The small residence became to be a ...

The Monastery/School in Rumtek

The Monastery/School in Rumtek

The kids making the garden

... Monastery which at the present time is still under construction. The main building will be finished soon, only the last touch up, the traditional paintings are still in work. There are projects for more classrooms, a library, more sleeping rooms for the monks and bathrooms, a kitchen and dining hall aswell as a retreat house for Western and Asian lay people.
As daily activities the monks start a 5 am with Pecha-text-reading and mantras for 1 ½ hr. At 7:30 they take breakfast and at 8 start 2 classes for the small and the middle group and the older ones perform the Green Tara Puja. Until lunch break at 12 o’clock Tsewang teaches them Tibetan language and general knowledge. From 1:30 to 3 pm Tsewang teaches English to all 3 levels and at 4 pm the older ones perform the traditional Mahakala Puja. Then again they learn Pucha-text-reading for another 1 ½ hrs. Dinner is around 6:30. At 8 pm is sleeping time.
They have time for their homework in between and after dinner. Everyday there is also a bit time for playing around with the animals or together and all of them are helping a lot to maintain the Monastery a clean place.
Usually Thursday is their weekly holiday, which means no text reading and classes, but the Puja’s do take place every day! In the mornings everybody is doing some work in or around the Monastery. Some are working in the garden, cleaning the house, Gompa and around the house, some are helping with the constructions, moving things from one place to another, some are painting, others are milking the cows, feeding the dogs and cats or playing with Buno the monkey girl.

learning buddhist textes

US-students (KHCP-Friendship-Tour 2012) playing with the monks

Alternatively every week 2 other monks are helping in the kitchen so David the 26 year old cook has always 2 assistances. There is also a cow worker taking care for 17 cows. Half of the milk is used in the Monastery and the other half is sold. There are also plans to build additional green houses to the vegetable garden which we already have. That sounds like a lot of work, sometimes it is, but it is always done joyfully and together. And when there is really a lot to do, we scip classes. Thursday afternoons are free for football and cricket for everybody.
4-5 times in a month Lama Choying comes down to the Monastery to perform special all day Pujas. Another activity of the Monastery is to go out to private houses for Pujas requested by lay people. Lama Choying attended the three-year-retreat together with Rinpoche and is today one of the oldest Lama’s left from H.H. the 16. Karmapa students. He is a highly qualified retreat master. In the 80ies he was sent to the Philipines by Jamgon Kongtrul Rinpoche to teach the Dharma and start a center in Manila. He stayed there for 12 years and now he stays at Rumtek in retreat and teaches the monks, gives them transmissions and leads important Pujas. Another member of our family is Rinpoche dear mother. Since 2 years she cannot walk anymore and 2 of the monks take care for her very dearly. Since 4 years she has with her living Dorma Tsering a 9 year old girl from an orphanage home. Our oldest member is Gyalpo, Rinpoche’s driver since more than 14 years and also our truck driver.
Lama Phurba is the general manager and he is since 20 years Rinpoches personal assistant.

He and our teacher Tsewang Topden are responsible for the Monastery. And Tsewang is since 8 years responsible for the education of the languages and general knowledge and now also for the KHCP. At this point we would like to mention that if one of you has good English knowledge and would enjoy to come here for 1 month or so to teach our monks some more English you are most welcome.

About the KHCP-Karmapa´s Healthcare Project

Original text (2007) published by Nedo Rinpoche and written by Tsewang Topden, teacher of the monastery

"It is really very helpful for all of our Monasteries. It is very beneficial for all the monks and nuns and our friends living in the Monasteries. We for example did Hepatitis Vacination for everybody. One monk got an eye operation. Another monk soon will get an ear operation in Gangtok Hospital. And all small problems and sicknesses can be taken care for. And 4 monks have bad eyesight, so they need a checkup every 6 month and eventually new glasses. So we are all very grateful for this very big help!
For the future we wish that the KHCP can grow and help even more effective for all Karma Kagyu family.

My personal idea for the future is: that we can also approach KHCP for big problems like expensive operations which may have to take place in Delhi Hospital. We are very much looking forward for our first medical camp together with Shamar Rinpoche’s monks and Ani Gompa and wish that it will take place every year. We are very grateful and thankful for the waterfilter which you sponsored and for all the precious help you are giving to all Karmapa’s Monasteries!"