Thrangu Sekhar Retreat Center is situated in the hills forming the eastern rim of the Kathmandu Valley, just below a cave where the revered Tibetan yogi, Milarepa, practised. It was established in 2004 by the Lord of Refuge, Khenchen Thrangu Rinpoche, to serve as the main retreat for the Thrangu Monastery lamas in Nepal who are selected to undertake the traditional three-year three-fortnight retreat. Thrangu Rinpoche named the retreat ‘Sekhar’ after the famous tower built by Milarepa during his arduous training under Marpa Lotsawa.
Khenchen Thrangu Rinpoche regularly visits the retreat centre to give empowerments and advice to the retreatants.
Several lamas are resident and teaching in the retreat centre: Drupon Khen Rinpoche Karma Lhabu, Drupon Lama Dawa Phurba, Drupon Khenpo Wangchuk, Lama Samten from Ganden monastery, Geshe Tsering who was invited from Sera and Lopon Norbu who was invited from Namdroling.
The dharma activities of Thrangu Sekhar Retreat Centre are overseen by Drupon Khen Rinpoche, who has introduced a number of initiatives to further the retreat centre’s scope to benefit sentient beings and the buddha dharma. These include a six-year retreat programme for students of all nationalities and backgrounds; a 21 year and 26 year study programme for the ever-increasing number of children that are being nurtured in the retreat centre and for the international retreatants who are proficient in the Tibetan language; the Marpa Translation Society for the translation of classic Buddhist texts from Tibetan into Chinese, English and other European languages; and an open one-week retreat that is held annually for aspiring retreatants. These activities run alongside the primary focus of the retreat centre, the traditional three-year three-fortnight retreat programme for the Thrangu Monastery lamas.
At the time of writing, seven cycles of three-year three-fortnight retreat have been completed at the retreat centre; the eighth and ninth cycles are ongoing. One six-year retreat has been completed and the second is ongoing.
There are currently 117 people practising long-term in the retreat centre: 24 Thrangu gompa lamas and nuns in three-year three-fortnight retreat, 55 international students in six-year retreat, and 38 children in one of the two study programmes. The retreat centre also accommodates short-term retreatants, for retreats between one week and one month in duration.
Accommodation and food are provided free of charge for all retreatants.
For more information about the retreat centre please visit:
www.druponrinpoche.org
Thrangu Sekar Retreat Center
3 yr. retreat for monks – Located near Baktapur, Nepal
Mailing address: thrangusekhar@kagyupa.org
P.O. Box 1287, Kathmandu, NEPAL
Location: Saraswati Than, Sudal V.D.C., Ward No. 7, Bhaktapur, Nepal
Retreat Master: Drupon Rinpoche Khenpo Lhabu
Website: www.druponrinpoche.org