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Samye Project - "Beyond Concept"

"It is said that to build temples and places where wisdom, truth and compassion flourish will generate incalculable virtue which will continue to generate for as long as even one stone or brick of the building exists". Abbot Lama Yeshe Losal Rinpoche

Artist's impression of the completed project

In 1967 Kagyu Samye Ling consisted of a single building, the old Johnstone House. During the next 10 years we were visited by His Holiness the 16th Gyalwang Karmapa, head of the Kagyu Lineage of Tibetan Buddhism. It was during these visits that he set out the vision for Samye Ling's future.

Since then Akong Tulku Rinpoche, the founder of Samye Ling, his brother the Abbot Lama Yeshe Losal Rinpoche and many devoted students and volunteers have worked tirelessly to bring His Holiness' vision to fruition.

The completed building will consist of two L-shaped wings that meet to form a ceremonial entrance into a quadrangle in front of the temple, as is traditional in Tibet.

We completed the Samye Ling Temple in 1988 and in 2005 we were able to begin using our new dining area, offices and monks accommodation. Building restarted in August 2008.

The final part of the building will include:

• A theatre and lecture hall suitable for a wide range of groups, seating several hundred people;
• A museum filled with precious relics and artefacts;
• A multi faith library with books in many languages;
• A Tibetan Buddhist library;
• Accommodation, reception and administration facilities;
• A state of the art Audio/Visual Department to support our teaching and cultural work;
• Several Shrine rooms

In Samye Ling we apply high standards to the Buddhist teachings which take place in our temple and over the years we have had the privilege of hosting all the main teachers of our Karma Kagyu Lineage as well as the leaders of all four main traditions of Tibetan Buddhism. With the new college we will be able to attract many great teachers from all over the world.

Each weekend we can be offering three different courses, all competing for the available space. The space created by the new building will enable us to offer a better experience to course attendees - as well as more courses!

The completed project was envisioned by His Holiness the 16th Gyalwang Karmapa and it is our heartfelt wish to be able to complete the project in time for the first visit of His Holiness the 17th Gyalwang Karmapa, Ogyen Trinley Dorje, which we hope will be very soon.

It is thanks to the many people who have donated their time and money to this project that we have been able to make all this progress so far.

Thanks to your donations the building is now wind and watertight!
NOW WE NEED TO RAISE £1 MILLION TO COMPLETE THE WORK ON THE INTERIOR.

Click here to make a donation online

"The Temple and college at Samye Ling will be a precious repository for Lord Buddha's teachings - and when one considers how many people will be helped in the future by those teachings coming through centers like this one, the number will certainly be hundreds of thousands. Now is a special time, the beginning is the beginning and here we are beginning a temple and college that will last for hundreds or perhaps even thousands of years."
Khentin Tai Situpa