Mardo Tashi Chöling Monastery

Mardo Tashi Chöling Monastery is located in Mardo Khok, in the Golok region of Amdo province, Tibet. Built more than two hundred years ago, it is one of the four main branch monasteries of Katog Monastery. Today, more than three hundred monks belong to the monastery of whom one-hundred sixty are full-time residents; twenty are in solitary retreat and eighty are in shedra (an institute for advanced study in Buddhist philosophy); sixty are child novices. The monastery's monks have taken the most extensive vows, including vows not to harm any other being, as well as to devote their lives to the study, contemplation, and practice of the Dharma for the benefit of others.

The retreatants, holding perfect discipline according to their monastic vows, work for the benefit of others by remaining in strict solitude and meditating on the Dharma.

The shedra students also hold monastic vows. They engage diligently in study, contemplation, and meditation on the texts of the Buddha, for the purpose of bringing about vast benefit for others.

Many of the children residing at the monastery are orphans, or come from families who are too poor to support them. Khentrul Rinpoche has started a school, with the purposes of educating local children who have no other opportunity to receive an education.

The Children at Katog Mardo Tashi Chöling

Mardo Tashi Chöling was, and still is today, home to many accomplished practitioners, including the great Tertön Jigmed Dorje, Gonpa Lama Chökyi's third emanation.

All members of the community continually work with their body, speech and mind to benefit others. The lay practitioners of the area have also taken Refuge and bodhichitta vows of non-harming and helpfulness. They diligently pray that illness not occur, fighting not break out, and that the four elements may cause no harm. These practitioners focus on developing the enlightened intention that not even the words "suffering" and "pain" be heard, and that all beings might enjoy the glory and wealth of peace and happiness.

History of Some of the Practioners and Abbots of Katog Mardo Tashi Choling

Mardo Tashi Chöling was the home of the great treasure revealer Dudjom Lingpa (1835-1904) and the succession of reincarnations of Katog Dampa Rinpoche, starting with Gonpa Lama Chökyi Dorje. Throughout its history, many other renowned and accomplished lamas, scholars, and practitioners lived at the monastery. Principal among these was Gelong Namkhai Nyingpo's reincarnation, His Holiness Katog Chagtsa, who was the son of Gonpa Lama Chökyi Dorje. Katog Chagtsa was the sovereign Golden Throne Holder of the great Katog Monastery, and a reincarnation of one of Guru Rinpoche (Padmasambhava)'s Twenty-Five Heart Disciples, and served as Mardo Tashi Chöling's abbot until his death. It has been held for over four generations by lamas born in the Gonpatsang family. The last Abbot was Tertön Jigmed Dorje who then passed it on to Khentrul Lodrö Thayé Rinpoche in 1993.

Reconstruction and Maintenance

During the unrest in Tibet, the entire monastery was destroyed. Today, some of the buildings have been restored, such as two temples and residential space for 160 monks. However, because of a lack of resources, a great deal of work still remains to be done. To fully support the monks and their activities, many more buildings need to be constructed. More than 140 monks still need housing. The monks' current quarters have only earthen floors; roofs are in desperate need of repair, with ceilings that leak when it rains.

An important goal of the monastery is that traditional representations of the Buddha's enlightened body, speech, and mind -- statues and t'hangkas, texts, and stupas -- continue to be produced and preserved for future generations. Presently, the statues in the temples are made mostly of clay, but with additional resources, the monks can resume the traditional method of creating them from metal. There are ongoing projects consisting of the printing and restoration of Dharma texts, as well as stupa construction.

Pictures of the Temple

Support

All the monks at Mardi Tashi Chöling are supported financially by Khentrul Rinpoche, through general donations, and through pujas (ceremonies) which they are sponsored to practice. When necessary, the monks seek support from their families or through the traditional practice of begging for necessities. We also have the opportunity to sponsor monks and retreatants at Mardo Tashi Choling.

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