history
of the monastery
A place where monks and nuns can live in accordance with the discipline and ethics taught by Buddha Sakyamuni, to receive teachings, study, progress in practice and keep the Buddhist tradition alive.
the time line
1979
Where to found a monastery
From the stories of the first Italian monks it is recalled that Lama Yeshe had asked His Holiness the Dalai Lama where it was most beneficial to build a monastery in the West. His Holiness replied that Italy was the most suitable country in consideration of the natural propensity of Italians to respect religious traditions.
2004
Think of a monastery
One day, speaking of the Sangha who lived at the Institute, Geshe Jampa Gyatso clearly listed the many problems that monks and nuns had to face in order to respect the rules of Vinaya (discipline) and keep vows.
2006
possible site for the monastery
With the establishment of the Sangha Onlus association, the search for the possible site for the monastery began: the investigations involved many areas in the municipality of Santa Luce and in particular in Pomaia, but also in the neighboring municipalities. When the searches did not give the desired result, Sicily was also taken into consideration.
2008
The name of the monastery
On the death of our precious abbot Geshe Jampa Gyatso, our guide Lama Zopa Rinpoche becomes, albeit extremely busy and from a distance, our main contact. At the beginning of 2008, meeting him in India, we ask him to take care of us and our project. Rinpoche from our very first steps encourages us, as an association, to be part of the Foundation for the Preservation of the Mahayana Tradition “because it would have been of great benefit”.
2014
Blessing of His Holiness the Dalai Lama
It is the year of the Dalai Lama's visit to the hill. On June 13, the day of the Sakadawa when the Buddha's enlightenment is celebrated, His Holiness visits and blesses the land where the monastery will be built. Since then, every year, on the same day, we have celebrated this historic event with a puja.
2021
approval of the plan
From the first feasibility study of the project presented to the Municipality of Santa Luce in 2007, several years pass in which everything remains stalled. Finally in 2016 the new municipal administration gets underway recognizing the importance of the monastery.