visit and blessing of
Dalai Lama
Watch the video of the Dalai Lama's visit to the monastery hill
Relive the emotions of the land blessing day
Friday 13 June 2014, on the day of Saka Dawa (uone of the four great sacred days of the Tibetan calendar celebrating the birth, enlightenment and parinirvana of Buddha Shakyamuni) His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama of Tibet has consecrated the land where the Lhungtok Choekhorling Monastery will be built. The ceremony, on a splendid sunny day, was attended by Masters from all over the world, monastic Sangha, institutional offices and hundreds of happy and excited people for the special event they were attending.
His Holiness the Dalai Lama blessed the hill of Lhungtok Choekhorling Monastery on June 13, 2014, which translates into English as “The place where Dharma is transmitted and realized.”
This visit marked a fundamental moment in the life of our project because after having given it the name, it also agreed to bless the place where it will rise. We consider it an enormous fortune and it's up to us to ensure that not only the structure of the monastery is realized but above all what its name clearly expresses.
His Holiness gave new creative energy to a commitment that has lasted since 2004 and which has allowed us, thanks to the farsighted vision of Geshe Ciampa Ghiatso, to think that we can realistically overcome all the obstacles for its realization.
Every year June 13th has become a moment of celebration for us which we celebrate on the hill with ceremonies and prayers.
Here we want to share with all of you the transcript of the speech His Holiness gave on that occasion, in the presence of the Masters, monks, nuns and everyone present.
Transcript in Italian of His Holiness the Dalai Lama's speech, June 13, 2014: https://bit.ly/3XoEwxt
English transcript of His Holiness the Dalai Lama's speech, June 13, 2014: https://bit.ly/3xjqUca
the main temple
Lama Zopa Rinpoche has stated on several occasions:
"It will be the first monastery of the Tibetan tradition in Italy and the first monastery built from scratch specifically for the FPMT in Europe and it is important to do it in the best way."
A short excerpt from His Holiness's speech XIV Dalai Lama, Lhungtok Choekhorling Hill, June 13, 2014:
"The flourishing of the Buddha's teachings in a particular place is determined by the existence of fully ordained monks and nuns and practicing laymen. So the existence of monks and nuns and the practice of Vinaya, the Buddhist monastic discipline, are very important.
So I pray and hope that the realization of this project has a good purpose, an appropriate place, where one can study the authentic tradition and practice meditation. I think a place like this, a place where authentic tradition is carried on can be very useful."
The project
To found
a 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 Monastery
It will be the first monastery in Italy, a point of cohesion and a point of reference for all those who intend to take their vows, it will allow access to a complete and in-depth study curriculum under the guidance of qualified teachers, it will preserve the tradition of Buddhism and the purity of its transmission. As a monastic project of the Foundation for the Preservation of the Mahayana Tradition, founded by Lama Yeshe and Lama Zopa, it relies on the teaching and advice of His Holiness the XIV Dalai Lama of Tibet, Lama Zopa Rinpoche and the Abbot of the Monastery.
location
It will be built on the rock of a hill in the immediate vicinity of the Lama Tsong Khapa Institute, recovering the territory marked by the excavation of a previous disused quarry. On the rock, like the monasteries of Tibet!
The architecture will be sensitive to both ancient traditions and the landscape context and will follow a path of eco-sustainability, thus guaranteeing a low environmental impact, energy and resource savings.
renaturation
The use of the Mediterranean flora species, typical of the area, and the creation of a park of contemplation with the improvement of the ancient pathways, will be the way in which the Association will contribute to the recovery of a tormented area, originally expression of the rich Mediterranean scrub and the great forest of Santa Luce. Existing wildlife will also be protected, with the confirmed presence of some wolves.
openness to others e
interreligious dialogue
The Monastery will reserve some spaces for silence and contemplation, but fundamentally it will be open to contact with others, to spiritual counseling and interreligious dialogue. It will allow people of different faiths to open their hearts and minds to the harmony of a communication based on respect and tolerance and to increase their serenity in everyday life and promote peace in the world.
how the project developed
Many ideas were considered for the site: some, such as building on rock, were discarded; others were considered too invasive and not in harmony with the territory. After the study of the University of Pisa in 2008, the architects drew up more detailed plans for the site, which were proposed to the municipal administration in 2011. These plans form the basis of the most recent project, presented in 2021, shared with the local authorities and with a view to developing an architecture that is as sustainable as possible.
How to share the project
We bought the 96 hectares of land and have a magnificent architectural project. Everything else still has to happen.
If you think you can help us we will be extremely grateful
