Famed Buddhist institute in Rumtek turns 25

Gangtok, Jun 15 (UNI) The Karmae Sri Nalanda Institute, one of the biggest Buddhist learning centres at the Dharma Chakra centre in Rumtek, East Sikkim, today completed 25 years.

A two-day celebration to commemorate the event began today at the institute, 30 kms from here.

The institute of higher Buddhist studies founded by the 16th Gyalwa Karmapa Rangjung Rigpe was inaugurated by the Dalai Lama.

The institute is affiliated to the Sampuranand Sanskrit University, Varanasi.

The celebrations began with recitation of prayers in Tibetan and Sanskrit by monks.

Messages of the Dalai Lama, the 17th Karmapa, Orgyen Trinley Dorji, the cabinet minister in the Tibetan government in exile were also read out.

The regent and caretaker of the monastery Goshir Gyaltshab Rimpoche presided over the function.

Certificates to the graduating students were also presented at the function.

Cultural programmes, discourses and teachings on Buddhist philosophy and religious debates are part of the celebrations.

Set up in 1983, the institute was upgraded and a new annexe building was built in 1987 by Jamgon Kongtrul Rimpoche one of the four regents. The institute is located next to the famous Rumtek monastery, the seat of the Karmapa, the head of the Karma Kagyu lineage of Tibetan buddhism which has over 500 centres around the world.

The present head of the Karma kagyu lineage Orgyen Trinley has not been allowed to take his seat at the monastery. He has been residing at Gyuto monastery in Dharamshala ever since he fled Tibet as a young boy ten years ago.

UNI BG PC PD AS1853