History:The First Monastery.

Buddhism came to Khumbu in Nepal, over 350 years ago under the influence of Lama Sangwa Dorje. He established the first monastery at Pangboche, as well as many other small hermitages.   

While meditating in Tengboche, his foot slipped leaving an imprint in the rock. He interpreted this as a sign that some day a monastery would be established there too.   

Lama Sangwa Dorje realized the empty nature of all phenomena and often performed miracles, including hanging his shawl on a sunbeam. It is said that the Yeti brought him food when he was in retreat.  

Building Tengboche.

Chatang Chotar, known as Lama Gulu, began the construction of  Tengboche monastery in 1916. He is believed to be an incarnation of Sangwa Dorje's father. It took the local Sherpa community three years to build. The monks performed the famous Mani Rimdu dances for the first time and they have continued in an unbroken tradition.  

Tragedy.

In 1934, an earthquake damaged part of the monastery, and  coincidentally, Lama Gulu passed away shortly after. The monastery was rebuilt and a well-known local artist, Kappa Kalden, painted beautiful wall paintings in the shrine rooms. With the increase in the number of visitors, mountaineering and tourism, the outside world came to hear about Tengboche as a symbol of peace and beauty.  

Tragically, the monastery was again destroyed in 1989, this time by a fire caused by an electrical heater. The blaze was so intense that little could be saved. Even the famous stone in which Lama Sangwa Dorje left a foot print cracked in the tremendous heat.  

Like a Phoenix.

This time not only the Sherpa community, but also Sir Edmund Hillary and many other people worldwide, committed time and money to the reconstruction project. The monastery's entire financial resources were used to build the monastery for the third time.  

Slowly, Tengboche monastery was reconstructed under the skilful  guidance of Tengboche Rinpoche, the acknowledged incarnation of the founder Lama Gulu.  

The Statues and Paintings at Tengboche.

Entering the monastery at Tengboche, you will see a huge statue of Sakyamuni Buddha. Next to the Buddha are statues of close disciples, monks known as 'Arhats'. On the left is the Bodhisattva Maitreya, the future Buddha. To the right is the Bodhisattva Manjushri, the embodiment of wisdom.  Translated literally, Bodhisattva means 'hero of the enlightened mind' but also means someone who has vowed to attain enlightenment for the sake of all beings.  

Particular care has been taken to follow the traditional proceedings at each stage. It is built in stone rather than wood and is slightly larger, but is otherwise very similar to the old monastery. The Tibetan master painter, Thake-La, and a team of ten highly skilled painters, took over two years to complete the new paintings in the Prayer Hall.  

The wall paintings illustrate the Jataka, tales told by the Buddha  about his previous lifetimes before his enlightenment. These stories explain essential teachings in a way that is easy to understand. They are translated into several European languages and are inspiring examples of the practice of compassion, the foundation of Buddhism.  

'A beautiful place is a dream-like illusion. It is senseless to cling to it. Unless the inner forces of negative emotions are conquered, strife with outer enemies will never end.'  
--H. H. Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche.