"Doors and Windows of Tibet"

Just beautiful.

Source: Hannibal Taubes, Ungern and Sternberg

Six Mother Monasteries of Nyingma

Now for a bit of distant virtual travelling...

As referenced in the last post, the Nyingma school of Tibetan Buddhism has six "mother monasteries" (in Tibet) where the Nyingma tradition is regarded as developing. Wherever possible in this blog, I like to use photos, to show both the spaces, places and landscapes where Vajrayanic practices continue and endure. I also like to use photos to illustrated the elements of Tibetan Buddhist architecture.

Finding good, representative photos of these monasteries and the set of buildings and temples they encompass is no easy feat. At least not online. Perhaps this is due to the fact that much of the religious architecture in Tibet suffered destruction in the last century and have sometimes only seen partial renovations. Additional reasons as to why there is a lack of photographs on some of these buildings is a question to mull at a later date.

There are two different historic listings of the mother monasteries of the Nyingma tradition. The first six included Dorge Drak, Mindroling, Palri, Kathog, Palyul and Dzogchen monasteries. Later, the development of Shechen monastery led to it's inclusion, replacing Palri monastery in the listing of the mother monasteries.

Palyul Monastery, Lower Tibet

Source: http://palyulmedia.smugmug.com/

Kathog Monastery

Source: http://www.zhaxizhuoma.net/

Dorje Drak Monastery

Source: Don Croner's World Wide Wanders Part 2

Mindroling Monastery

Source: http://www.explore-himalaya.com/

Dzogchen Monastery

Grand temple rebuilt on site of the original in 2003

Source: http://www.dzogchen.cn/

Schechen Monastery

Source: http://www.shechen.org/

Nyingma in Dallas

G'day! This day's virtual journey takes us to the Lone Star State and more specifically to the city of Dallas, where Palyul Changchub Dargyeling is celebrating it's twelfth year in existence. Founded in the late 90's by H.H. (His Holiness) Penor Rinpoche, the center follows the Nyingma tradition. Nyingma means "ancient" and is the oldest of the four major schools of Tibetan Buddhism.

As referenced in the center's name, studies follow in the Palyul lineage. Palyul is one of the six "mother monasteries" of the "old school" lineage-Nyingma.

Palyul Monastery in Tibet

Source: http://www.palyul.org.uk/

Studies at Palyul Changchub Dargyeling in Dallas are currently under the direction of Khenchen Tsewang Gyatso Rinpoche, an accomplished Buddhist scholar as well as senior professor at Ngagyur Nyinmga Institute (Higher Buddhist Studies & Research Center) at Namdroling Monastery in India. He has been travelling and teaching in the United States for 2 decades now. The studies at Palyul Changchub Dargyeling are intended to be in accordance and harmony with the Palyul Ling Retreat Center in upstate New York administered by H.H. Penor Rinpoche.

From what I can glimpse online, both centers appear spacious and with the foundation for a long existence.