At the end of 2009, the Tsoknyi Gebchak nuns moved from their temporary home in Parphing to the newly renamed Tsoknyi Gebchak Ling in Chobhar. This is now the seat of the Tsoknyi Gebchak lineage outside of Tibet. Up until last year, Tsoknyi Rinpoche was responsible for the Ngesdon Osel Ling monastery in Swayambhu. During Losar 2010, Mingyur Rinpoche and Tsoknyi Rinpoche exchanged responsibilities and the Chobhar monastery became the home of Tsoknyi Gebchak Ling. When Tsoknyi Rinpoche took over, the site contained one simple monastery, without a road and without water. After additional land purchases, Rinpoche began developing the area by building a road and drilling a well. The new road is 80% finished. He found the “best water” in Kathmandu. The area is also safe from earthquakes because it sits on a hill of granite.
In 2010, an administration building was completed, but temporarily it is being used as classrooms and a dormitory. In addition, seven new rooms have been built as living quarters for nuns.
The nunnery’s education program has been expanded and is running quite well. A nine-year shedra course was begun in 2010. About 25 nuns are currently enrolled in the shedra, from both Tsoknyi Gebchak Ling and Tsoknyi Gargon Ling, Rinpoche’s Muktinath nunnery.
This number will increase every year. The teachers are four lopons, including one ani lopon from the Ngagyur Nyingma Institute at Namdroling Monastery in south India. The primary school also serves nuns from both lineages.
At present, 82 nuns are following the primary school curriculum. They are mostly from Nubri, Tsoknyi Rinpoche’s mother’s home. Although Rinpoche is promoting education in the Nubri area and has been supporting a local school, he made this additional opportunity available for those girls who prefer to become nuns. Click here, choose “All My Albums” and the “Tsoknyi Gebchak Ling” button for many more wonderful photos of the nuns, and be sure to activate the “SlideShow” button.
From February 4–6, 2011, Rinpoche gave teachings to a group of about 250 Nepali people who had requested him to do so. This is the first time he has given teachings at Tsoknyi Gebchak Ling. Click link below for a brief slideshow of Tsoknyi Rinpoche’s first teachings at Chobhar showing students listening in the temple, meditating in the sun, and the Nepali community listening to Rinpoche’s teaching on meditation in the Chobhar Lhakang.
