Samye Ling Monastery
Kagyu Samyé Ling Monastery and Tibetan Centre is a Tibetan Buddhist complex associated with the Kagyu school located at Eskdalemuir near Langholm, Scotland.
History
The site of Samyé Ling was originally a hunting lodge. Johnstone House Contemplative Community was founded there by Namgyal Rimpoche, but as this declined, Chögyam Trungpa and Akong Rimpoche took it over in 1967 and renamed it Samyé Ling. Trungpa later left and founded further centres in the United States. The name Samye refers to the first Buddhist monastic university in Tibet, while Ling meanse a large house with grounds.
The centre flourished and developed under the guidance of Akong Rinpoche and his brother Lama Yeshe Losal, who served as Abbot and Retreat Master, respectively. The centre includes the first Tibetan temple to be constructed in Europe, a large stupa, and accommodations for those taking a range of courses on Buddhism and meditation.
Tourist attraction
Listed as a tourist attraction by the Scottish Tourist Board, the centre attracts visitors who come simply to see a spectacular gilded temple, stupas and gardens with statues of bodhisattvas and Buddhas.
See also
