Nalanda's 40th Anniversary

Honouring our Former Generations

This year we’re celebrating 40 years of existence of Nalanda Monastery and it is a wonderful opportunity to honour the former generation and appreciate our achievements. We would like to keep Nalanda’s history archived for the future, as Lama Zopa Rinpoche instructed the FPMT centers, projects and services to do.

1981 - 2021

Special Guests

Ven. Thubten Dondrub - Nalanda's director in 90s

11am (CET) December 4, 2021
From 1978 to 1980 Venerable Dondrub was Assistant Director at Chenrezig Institute; in 1981 he travelled as attendant to Sera Je Abbot, Geshe Ngawang Legden, to the FPMT Centres throughout Europe. In 1982 he lived at Sera Je Monastery in India and from 1983 to 1986 he was attendant to Lama Thubten Zopa Rinpoche. From 1988 to 1991 Venerable Dondrub lived in Taiwan, teaching and establishing the FPMT Centre in Taipei. From 1991 to 2000 he was resident at Nalanda Monastery in France and was director from 1992-1993. In June 2002 to 2012 he was the resident teacher at Hayagriva Buddhist Centre, Perth, prior to becoming a Resident Teacher at Buddha House in Australia.

James Dougherty (Pende)

7pm (CET) November 20, 2021
James Dougherty (Thubten Pende), from the USA, used to be a director of Nalanda from 1985 to 1992. After that he became the resident teacher once Geshe Tegchok became the abbot of Sera Je Monastery.
 

Kyabje Lama Zopa Rinpoche

3pm (CET) October 18, 2021
Special talk with Kyabje Lama Zopa Rinpoche, the spiritual director of the FPMT.

 

Prayer for the Flourishing of Je Tsongkhapa’s Teachings

This text will be used during the talk of Rinpoche. Download the PDF.

Millennial Directors & New Director of Nalanda

Happened October 16, 2021
Guest Speakers: Lama Zopa Rinpoche, Stephan Pende, Ven Gyaltsen, Ven Tendar.
 
Special: Ven Tendar handovers the directorship to the new director – Ven Tharchin.

Jean-François Bergevin

Happened on October 16, 2021
Jean-Francois was director of Nalanda Monastery from 1999 to 2002. Nalanda is Jean-Francois most grateful for the construction of the public building, which was finished in 2008. During this session a video will be shown about the different stages of construction of the public building.

John Feuille - Nalanda's director in 80-90s

Happened on October 5, 2021
John Feuille (as a monk he was named Konchog Lundrup) was acting director a couple of three times from 1981 to 1989 when Ven Gyatso was away or when Ven Pende was on teaching tour. He also was director in ‘98 and ’99, while he acted as the SPC at Jamyang Buddhist Centre in London at the time (spending three months at Nalanda and then a month in London). Jamyang still offered a monthly stipend which he could use to pay Nalanda.

Ven. Steve Carlier - Nalanda's monk and assistant for Geshe Thekchok in the 80s

Happened on September 15, 2021
Venerable Steve, born in England, became a monk at a young age, and lived at Nalanda Monastery in the 80s. He was translator for Geshe Thekchok, who was abbot at that time at Nalanda. Ven. Steve has been living for more than 15 years at Land of Medicine Buddha in California, USA, where he is also a teacher. Ven. Steve will share his own journey and experience of translating and being assistant of Geshe Thekchok at Nalanda and later at Sera Monastery in India.

Geshe Jamphel - abbot of Nalanda Monastery

Happened on September 7, 2021

Geshe Losang Jamphel has been a teacher at Nalanda since 2000, for 21 years at this moment. Geshe-la will tell about his background in Tibet and India where he studied in Sera Monastery. Also, how he ended up in Nalanda and his experience as a Tibetan Geshe in the monastery in the West.

Ven. Gyatso - the very first monk and the director of Nalanda

Happened on June 27, 2021

Ven. Thubten Gyatso (1943, Dr. Adrian Feldmann) is currently living at Thubten Shedrup Ling Monastery near Bendigo, Australia, which he also started. Ven. Gyatso was the first monk who arrived at Nalanda in 1981 after being invited by Lama Yeshe. Therefore he was also the first director of Nalanda Monastery, serving from 1981 to 1985. He also wrote an autobiography about his early Buddhist and ordained years, which is published in a book called ‘A Leaf in the Wind’. 

Ven. Elisabeth, who bought the property for Nalanda and Ven. Chantal Dekyi

Happened on June 15, 2021

Ven. Elisabeth (1949, Yeshe Choying) is currently director of Kalachakra Buddhist Centre in Paris & Saint-Cosme-en-Vairais, and was the director of nearby Institut Vajra Yogini in 1981. It was Ven Elisabeth who served her teachers and bought Nalanda on April 30, 1981, as guided and inspired by Lama Yeshe. 

Ven. Chantal Tenzin Dekyi (Chantal Carrerot) ordained in 1986. She studied extensively with Khensur Jampa Tegchok at Nalanda Monastery in France and at Sera Je Monastery in India. She has offered service in a variety of FPMT centers and has also taught in various countries. Since 2009 she has been resident teacher at Institut Vajra Yogini and currently the director of Dorje Pamo Monastery

More talks coming soon!

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