Tsadra Rinchen Drak

Sponsored since 2002. Support for over forty monks in three-year retreat.

The first Jamgön Kongtrul (1813-1900) founded a three-year, three-month retreat center at his residence Tsa’dra Rinchen Drak (“Jewel Cliff like Tsari”) in 1860. Humble in size—only five meditators per retreat—this institution became mythic due to Kongtrul’s voluminous writing there and to the quality of the lamas he trained. Kalu Rinpoché (1905-1989) completed one three-year retreat at Tsadra (1920-1923) and returned there in 1941 to become its head teacher. After one retreat, he had the center renovated and enlarged to house twenty meditators. The buildings were demolished during the Cultural Revolution, but have been rebuilt on Jamgön Kongtrul and Kalu Rinpoche’s model. The program of the retreat continues unchanged since Kongtrul’s time: one year and a half are devoted to Shangpa Kagyu meditations, one half year to Kalachakra, and the final year to Great Perfection.

Tsadra Foundation has provided Tsadra Rinchen Drak Hermitage with grants to support the resident lama and the three-year retreatants for successive retreats since 2003.