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.
Our spiritual director Lama Zopa Rinpoche recalls that Lama Yeshe and Geshe Ciampa Ghiatso, when both lived at the monastery of Kopan (Nepal), discussed the need to build a Buddhist monastery in Europe. When Geshe Ciampa Ghiatso arrived in Pomaia on November 30, 1980 he had this idea in mind and over time has followed the various attempts to build a monastery in Italy. A few years after his arrival, the International Mahayana Institute (IMI) was founded for this purpose. The first president of the Italian Buddhist Union was a monk of IMI.
Geshe Ciampa Ghiatso was the teacher who in Pomaia constantly looked after the monastic community and strongly encouraged the construction of the monastery, as well as conferring ordinations and teaching on the monastic discipline.
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.
At that point in the conversation he was asked to think of a male and female monastery in order to meet the needs of the entire ordained Sangha. Geshe-la, for a moment remained motionless and then lit up with light and opened to a pleased smile. He ruled: It will have to arise close to the Institute because the Sangha will have to continue its close relationship of collaboration to the Dharma activities of the Center. So the mayors of Santa Luce and Castellina Marittima were contacted to see if we could count on their help to find the most suitable land.
Naturally, the first choice was in the municipality of Santa Luce, precisely because it had to be as close as possible to the Institute.
In August 2004 Geshe-la was at the Sera Jey monastery in southern India with Ven. Thubten Tsognyi and speaking of the idea of the monastery and the name to be given to the association, he decided on the name Sangha " short and easy to remember ".
A year later the Sangha non-profit association was officially established.
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.
One day they showed us the land of Poggio la Penna, a disused quarry on a hill in Pomaia and it was love at first sight. Geshe Ciampa Ghiatso when he saw it said: "This place reminds me of my Tibet" - embracing a breathtaking view with his eyes and stamped the ground with his foot stating: "It is a beautiful place, very beautiful and solid, the temple must be south oriented "
When Geshe Ciampa Ghiatso met Lama Zopa in Sarnath in India at the end of 2006 he spoke to him about the project and Rinpoche reminded him that it was his idea and that of Lama Yeshe. At the same time, negotiations with the owners for the acquisition of the land went on.
In 2007 we signed the compromise for the purchase of the first hectares and presented a feasibility study to the municipality of Santa Luce. A little over a month later we met in person the Dalai Lama who was in Hamburg for some teachings and we explained the project to him.
2007 ends with a very sad event for all of us, Gesce Ciampa Ghiatso leaves his body and an unbridgeable void, still today.
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”.
In June 2008 from Dharamsala, India, the seat of His Holiness the Dalai Lama's residence, at the request of Lama Zopa Rinpoche, we received a letter with the seal of the Dalai Lama and the name of the monastery "Lhungtok Choekhorling". Finally at the beginning of July 2008 our spiritual director Lama Zopa Rinpoche went up to the hill where he gave some teachings and blessed the place… under a starry sky.
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.
For us it represented a huge organizational effort but it was a success thanks above all to the enthusiastic effort of all the volunteers. It was chosen to open participation to all residents of our municipality in order to allow them direct contact with His Holiness. In the presence of Lamas, monks, nuns, authorities and many friends, a total of about 800 people, His Holiness gave a speech on the importance of study and recited the Heart Sutra. We remember with pleasure Lama Zopa Rinpoche who, coming out of the tent, at the end of the event, meeting our eyes, raised the thumb of his hand with a big smile, expressing his satisfaction.
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.
Already in 2017 a memorandum of understanding was signed between the Tuscany Region, the Municipality of Santa Luce, the Lama Tzong Khapa Institute and our Sangha Onlus association, underlining the importance of a unique spiritual center in the territory. In 2019 we officially enter the FPMT and in 2020 the Italian Buddhist Union. After many meetings in the Region, Province and Municipality, the project can be presented and at the end of April 2021 the Municipality of Santa Luce approves the detailed plan. On July 6, coinciding with the birthday of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, the final project of the temple is delivered, which Lama Zopa Rinpoche advised to build first. Now we just have to wait for the building permit and proceed with the fundraising, suspended in all these years pending the definitive concession.
March June 2022
. Vinaya course with Ven.Gheshe Ciampa Gelek
From March 7 till June 7, 2022 Geshe Lharampa Jampa Gelek, resident Master of the Institute, will give teachings on the Vinaya al Sangha of all the traditions of Tibetan Buddhism and the Pali tradition.
The program provides that Geshe-la delves into the monastic code of ethics: the vows for the ghetzul and ghetzulma (novices and novices), and for the ghelong and ghelongma (fully ordained monks and nuns), explaining the guidelines that the Buddha established for the ordained Sangha. Novices will only have access to the first month of teachings, while the fully ordained Sangha will be able to follow the entire path.
June 2022
Release of building permit signed
On Thursday 16 June 2022 in the council room of the Municipality of Santa Luce, in the presence of the Head of the technical area Dr. Daniela Galluzzi and the legal representative of the Sangha Onlus Association Ven. Massimo Stordi, the release of the building permit was finally signed for the Temple of the Monastery.
After 18 years of waiting and bureaucratic procedures (in 2004 we started negotiating with the municipality for the Monastery and in 2007 we delivered the first feasibility study) this signature actually allows us to start with the construction works. Thanks to the sensitivity of this municipal administration led by Mayor Giamila Carli, of the Tuscany Region and the Province of Pisa, a long bureaucratic process has thus been completed, which began way back in 2007 with the delivery of the first feasibility study.
January 2023
Lama Zopa Rinpoche appoints the Abbot of the Monastery
Our beloved spiritual director Lama Zopa Rinpoche, a few months before leaving his body in April 2023, gave us a further precious gift by appointing Khen Rinpoche Geshe Thubten Chonyi as our Abbot.
Born in Nepal in 1962, Khen Rinpoche Geshe Thubten Chonyi joined Kopan Monastery after being ordained as a monk by Lama Zopa Rinpoche in 1974. He studied for six years with our precious Master and first Abbot, Geshe Jampa Ghiatso. He then entered the Sera Je Monastery in southern India where, after 18 years of intense study and debate, he was awarded the highest academic title awarded in the Gelugpa monastic tradition, Geshe Lharampa. After completing his training at Sera Je, Khen Rinpoche studied and completed his studies in Tantra, coming top of his class, at the Gyudmed Tantric College. Gyudmed Monastery is one of the two main monastic colleges specializing in the teachings of Buddhist Tantra of the Gelugpa tradition. Since 1999, on the recommendation of Lama Zopa Rinpoche, he has been a resident teacher at the Amitabha Buddhist Center in Singapore. Since 2011 he has been Abbot of the male and female monastery of Kopan in Nepal, where approximately seven hundred monks and nuns reside. He is a member of the Board of Directors of FPMT International (Foundation for the Preservation of the Mahayana Tradition).
April 13, 2023
Lama Zopa Rinpoche has left his body
Our beloved Lama Zopa Rinpoche, our main spiritual guide, our lighthouse, stopped breathing on April 14, 2023 and is in the meditative state of clear light.
Another chapter is now opening for us, the Monastery project is in a delicate phase of development where Lama Zopa's advice and opinion were constantly the guiding star of our actions. We join in our daily prayers, with all the FPMT Centers that are offering Pujes and Prayers for the speedy return of Kyabje Lama Zopa Rinpoche..
MAY 2023
The Extraordinary Meeting and Advice of His Holiness the Dalai Lama
In May 2023, a delegation from Sangha Onlus traveled to Dharamsala, Himachal Pradesh, India, where they obtained the invaluable opportunity to meet His Holiness the Dalai Lama. It was a moment of great joy and emotion, beyond all expectations.
The Dalai Lama, pleased with the disciples of Lama Zopa Rinpoche, gave us the following advice: "An empty temple is of no use, the Monastery must be a place for study and inside it will be important to have a room for debate". Reading the name “Lhungtok Choekhorling” on the presentation image, His Holiness added: “The Monastery must also be a place for practice. With these two words Lhung-Tok the teaching of the Buddha is included, both in terms of scripture and realization. To become familiar with the practice of the Dharma, in addition to study, you must make it experiential and you can do this with two texts by Lama Tsongkhapa: the short Lamrim also called "The songs of experience", and "The Three main aspects of the Path". These texts should be studied together with the more extensive and in-depth ones, making them part of your curriculum. Being a Monastery with monks and nuns, in addition to your recitations, meditations and Dharma study, during prayer sessions, you should integrate these two texts by slowly reciting them and reflecting on their meaning. Thus, these two aspects of the Dharma, scriptural and realization, will go hand in hand, to the great benefit of the Monastery.” His Holiness concluded by praying again on the pages of the project and donating a wonderful statue of the Buddha for the Temple of the Monastery.
13 June 2023
Fundraising opening
June 13, 2023, the anniversary of the blessing of the Monastery land by His Holiness the Dalai Lama in 2014, is an extraordinary and highly auspicious day for us monks and nuns of the Sangha Onlus, in which we finally started the first fundraiser for the construction of the Temple.
A dream starting to take shape. 19 years have passed since the beginning of this project and thanks to the enthusiastic effort of many teachers, donors, friends and professionals, last June 9th we communicated the start of the works to the municipal administration. The first thought and thanks from the bottom of my heart goes to our spiritual guide Lama Zopa Rinpoche, who only a month before leaving his body (13 April 2023), once again gave us his words of encouragement, trust, appreciation and great support.
JULY 2023
Podcast Dharma Stories
We launched our Dharma Stories Podcast.
Listening – Reflection – Meditation.
With Dharma Stories, you can experience the activities of the monks and nuns of the Buddhist Monastery. Through reflections, meditations, books, articles, and news, you can find inspiration to cultivate happiness.
We would like to highlight the ongoing series of Dharma Podcasts available on the platform (only italian):
Listen to Dharma Stories Podcast
With Dharma Stories Experience with us the activities of the monks and nuns of the Buddhist Monastery. Find inspiration to cultivate happiness through reflections, meditations, books, articles and news.
Podcasts are also accessible from major platforms, such as Spotify e Apple Music.
September 8, 2023
Donation from His Holiness the Dalai Lama
It is with profound joy and emotion that we share the wonderful news of having received a donation from His Holiness the Dalai Lama as a contribution to the creation of the Monastery.
Following the meeting in Dharamsala last May, His Holiness had already given us a gift of a beautiful statue of Shakyamuni Buddha. A few months after that meeting we received another unexpected gift, a precious donation that strengthens confidence in our project and encourages us to continue fundraising. We take this opportunity to renew our most sincere gratitude and appreciation for all the donors, friends of the Monastery project and those who want to join in the concrete creation of this place of peace, preservation of teachings and spiritual growth. We dedicate our prayers that His Holiness's life may long continue to benefit all sentient beings, and never be separated from him in all our lives.
September October 2023
Khen Rinpoche's Visit to Italy
Khen Rinpoche Geshe Thubten Chonyi, abbot of the Kopan Monastery and member of the Board of Directors of FPMT International, accepted our invitation to come to Italy to officially assume the role of abbot of the Lhungtok Choekhorling Monastery, assigned to him by Kyabje Zopa Rinpoche last January.
The conditions have finally developed for us monks and nuns to have the presence and qualified guidance of the Abbot, who will help us grow and keep the Sangha united in this extremely important moment for the creation of the Monastery. We look forward to seeing many of you to share this historic moment in the history of our Monastery.
February 2024
Our Course Platform
We have developed a modern course platform where our monks and nuns, along with our respected teachers and friends of the Monastery, offer live-streamed courses and teachings and recorded video lessons. These are enriched with meditations, study materials, self-assessment quizzes, and much more.
All courses are free-will offerings, and over 1200 people have already signed up. A true success that gives us hope also for the diffusion of the most authentic Dharma, a commitment in which our monastic community plays an important role.
Currently available to everyone:
- "Liberation in the Palm of Your Hand" – a long-term course on Pabongka Rinpoche’s Lamrim, taught by nun Jampa Tashi, with live sessions every Wednesday at 18:30 pm.
- Online teachings, translated into Italian and English, by our Abbot, Geshe Thubten Chonyi, on "The Heart Sutra" and "The songs of experience", the short lamrim of Lama Tsongkhapa.
The courses are always accessible on our platform in Italian: Go to the course platform
And in English on our YouTube channel: Visit YouTube channel
February 23-25, 2024
Presentation of the Monastery to the first European Gelug Monlam
We were invited to the first “Gelug Monlam” organized for the first time in Europe by Nalanda Monastery, France, where we had the opportunity to present the Monastery project.
Last February we were invited to the first "Gelug Monlam" organized for the first time in Europe by Nalanda Monastery, France, where we had the opportunity to present the Monastery's project. This prayer festival was born from Lama Zopa Rinpoche's desire to celebrate the Buddha's miracle day, a very special time for Buddhists. The presentation can be seen here (audio in English): Watch the video.
March 2024
Khen Rinpoche Teachings
Khen Rinpoche Ven. Thubten Chonyi, Abbot of Kopan and Lhungtok Choekhorling Monastery, has accepted our invitation to give online teachings, translated into Italian and English.
Our precious Abbot has been teaching from March to September 2024, first on Heart Sutra and subsequently on Songs of Experience. Translated into both Italian and English.
The teachings are available on our Course Platform (only in Italian) at this link: Go to the Course Platform
In English on YouTube at this link: Watch on YouTube
April 2024
The Sangha Foundation ETS Is Born
On April 5, after a long procedure, our Association was transformed into the Sangha ETS Foundation, with the consequent acquisition of legal personality, a necessary step for its registration among the “Third Sector” entities and for the management of the association's assets in order to build the Lhungtok Choekhorling Monastery in Pomaia.
The operations already partially activated to start the construction of the Monastery require certainty and stability of the regulatory framework, which is not guaranteed by the current rules on non-profit organizations, which will cease to be in force as soon as the European Community has approved the tax regime of the Third Sector. Furthermore, the increasingly complex management of the assets in function of the construction of the Monastery would have led to the worsening of personal responsibility for the obligations assumed by those who actually carry out business activities in favor of the association. The transformation overcomes this inconvenience by limiting the responsibility for the debts contracted by the foundation to its assets only. The transformation also took the opportunity to clarify and integrate the purposes of the "new" entity, expanding them to the defense of the territory and the protection of animals, in addition to the continuity of the religious aspect, the preservation of the Dharma, the promotion and collaboration with other humanitarian, cultural and religious entities, and initiatives in favor of dialogue. Ultimately, with this transformation we have now equipped ourselves with the most suitable legal instrument to pursue the construction of the Monastery, an initiative strongly desired by Ven. Geshe Jampa Ghiatso, Kyabje Thubten Zopa Rinpoche and blessed by His Holiness the XIV Dalai Lama.
June 2024
The signature with the company for the construction of the Monastery!
It was signed on procurement contract for the construction of the main Temple of the Lhungtok Choekhorling Monastery which will be built on the former quarry of Poggio alla Penna, near Pomaia, a hamlet of the municipality of Santa Luce (Pisa).
After a long wait and thanks to the aggregation of several favorable conditions, but above all to the indispensable help of many donors, the construction of the first Tibetan Buddhist Monastery in Italy is formally starting. The first built from scratch at a European level that refers to the tradition of the Dalai Lama, who visited and blessed the area and who also recently supported this work, which will attract practitioners and visitors from all over the world to the Tuscan territory.
July 8-14, 202
Meditation Retreat in Assisi
The week of the LamRim Retreat, organized by the Sangha Foundation in the context of the course “Liberation in the Palm of Your Hand” with Ani Ciampa Tashi, was an unforgettable experience, hosted in the Monastery of San Giuseppe by the Benedictine nuns and welcoming us, all around, the suggestive and green Umbrian hills.
Moments of meditation, interreligious meetings with the Clarisse nuns. The visit to the Eremo delle Carceri and nature to accompany our silences and daily activities. It was a special experience.
July 29th, 2024
Serkong Rinpoche's Visit
We had the precious opportunity to meet Serkong Rinpoche, on the grounds of the Monastery, for a talk on “The Value of Having a Tibetan Buddhist Monastery in Our Country”.
Rinpoche, who had been on our hill in 2016, was amazed at the progress made in expanding the land available to the Monastery, considering it very auspicious. “The most important thing to create the conditions for this Monastery is the harmony of the Sangha, all other conditions are secondary,” Rinpoche told us, recalling that the Buddha gave very specific rules for a harmonious coexistence of the Sangha in what is called the Vinaya, the “Basket of Discipline.” “If a member of the Sangha dwells in the Vinaya,” he added, “95% of the problems are solved.” He asked us to commit ourselves to creating more and more opportunities for connection with the community: each member of the Sangha must commit not only to prayers, but to connecting with the local community and becoming a source of inspiration also for those who want to take monastic vows. One day, Rinpoche said, when the Monastery is built, there will be three complete conditions: a place to study like the Lama Tsong Khapa Institute, a place to practice like the Monastery, with a harmonious monastic community within it, and finally a wonderful environment to stay in. “There will be nothing else missing for it to be a successful Monastery!”
September 2024
Legal Transformations of Sangha Onlus
2024 has also been a year of legal transformations, which involved us in complex and detailed procedures to safeguard the assets collected over the years for the realization of the Monastery.
In anticipation of the implementation of mandatory legal measures that will change the existence of non-profit organizations, as they have been conceived up to now, we have transformed the Sangha onlus association into a dual entity:
- Sangha Foundation ETS
- Associazione Monastica Sangha Lhungtok Choekhorling
July 29th, 2024
Serkong Rinpoche's Visit
We had the precious opportunity to meet Serkong Rinpoche, on the grounds of the Monastery, for a talk on “The Value of Having a Tibetan Buddhist Monastery in Our Country”.
Rinpoche, who had been on our hill in 2016, was amazed at the progress made in expanding the land available to the Monastery, considering it very auspicious. “The most important thing to create the conditions for this Monastery is the harmony of the Sangha, all other conditions are secondary,” Rinpoche told us, recalling that the Buddha gave very specific rules for a harmonious coexistence of the Sangha in what is called the Vinaya, the “Basket of Discipline.” “If a member of the Sangha dwells in the Vinaya,” he added, “95% of the problems are solved.” He asked us to commit ourselves to creating more and more opportunities for connection with the community: each member of the Sangha must commit not only to prayers, but to connecting with the local community and becoming a source of inspiration also for those who want to take monastic vows. One day, Rinpoche said, when the Monastery is built, there will be three complete conditions: a place to study like the Lama Tsong Khapa Institute, a place to practice like the Monastery, with a harmonious monastic community within it, and finally a wonderful environment to stay in. “There will be nothing else missing for it to be a successful Monastery!”