A Brief History

2500 years ago the Buddha established a community of monks and nuns, known as the Sangha, and set up guidelines of conduct for them, the Vinaya. The Buddha said, "Wherever there is Sangha, there the Dharma will flourish."

He also said, "Wherever a monk or nun observes the Vinaya, that place is luminous. I myself abide there."

The community of monks and nuns flourished in many countries, and is still in existence to this today, with more and more western Buddhists becoming inspired to take ordination.

In order to create a supportive environment Lama Thubten Yeshe and Lama Thubten Zopa Rinpoche founded Nalanda monastery as the first Western monastery of their organization in 1981. They didn’t want to create a Tibetan monastery in Europe, but rather a community adapted to Western needs.

Elizabeth Drukier, at that time director of Institut Vajra Yogini near Lavaur, bought it in response to Lama Yeshe’s appeal for a place to house the IMI Sangha. Vajra Yogini Institute and their resident teacher Ven. Geshe Tengye have always been very supportive of Nalanda and indeed Nalanda owes its existence to them.

During 1981, two monks came to establish the community with Ven. Adrian Feldman as Director and occupied the building, an old manor farmhouse in the countryside.

After the first Enlightened Experience Celebration many of the Western Sangha came to France and Nalanda was established for the monks and Dorje Pamo (which no longer exists) was established for the nuns. In the past there have been between 10 and 20 monks living at Nalanda, and some of those are now teaching all over the world. Others were able to use their time at Nalanda to create a strong foundation in studies and monastic life, with which they have been able to pursue further studies or retreat.

Geshe Jampa Tegchog of Sera-Je was the Abbot of Nalanda until 1994 when the duties of becoming the Abbot of Sera-Je took him to South India. Over the years he gave amazingly wide, profound, and detailed Dharma teachings to Western monks, nuns, and lay people who were always welcome for the teachings at Nalanda.

Also Geshe Tashi Tsering was a resident teacher at Nalanda for two years until taking up the position of Resident Teacher at Jamyang Buddhist Centre in London in 1994.

In 1994 Geshe Jampa Gyatso was appointed abbot of the monastery by Lama Zopa Rinpoche. Although living in Italy Geshe Jampa Gyatso came regularly to teach the monks, but mainly due to health reasons this became more and more difficult. There were also many other lamas who came to visit and teach.

In 1995, Khensur Dorje Tashi came for two years, while Mogchok Rinpoche came for one year in 1996-1997. During the times when there was no resident teacher, the monks enjoyed going to nearby Vajra Yogini Institute to follow the teachings given by Geshe Tengye or Geshe Palden or other visiting lamas.

After a few years without a resident teacher Geshe Losang Jamphel arrived at Nalanda in January 2000, and became resident teacher until December 2002. Since January 2003, Geshe Jamphal has been the teacher at Nagarjuna Centre in Barcelona and at Nalanda.

Following the passing away of abbot Geshe Jampa Gyatso in 2007, Lama Zopa appointed Geshe Jamphal as the new abbot in 2008. Geshe Jamphal also teaches at other FPMT centres in France and Spain.

2008 saw a lot of changes for the monastery, mainly the start of the FPMT Basic Program which will run for 5 years. Geshe Jamphel is the main teacher, while the Western Teacher is Ven. Fedor Stracke who teaches for one week in every month. There are now about 25 monks and nuns following the program and about 20 lay people. Nalanda also re-established the rains retreat during 2008 which we hope to follow every year as part of the commitment for fully ordained monks.

The Future:

The new building is almost finished, and we hope to have all the final donations in place to fully complete for Lama Zopa’s visit to the monastery in April 2009, before he gives the long retreat at the nearby Institute Vajra Yogini and CPMT meeting in May 2009. Then we need to find donations to renovate the old building which is in parts seriously falling apart!

His Holiness the Dalai Lama also accepted to teach in the nearby city of Toulouse in 2011, after a successful invitation by IVY and Nalanda. It is hoped that His Holiness will visit both Nalanda and the Institute during his visit.

After the Basic Program finishes in 2012, Nalanda plans to run the FPMT Masters Program, at the same time as another Basic Program. Students can choose to continue onto the Masters, or do the Basic Program again, whilst at the same time welcoming new students for either program. Lama Zopa Rinpoche recently gave his blessing to this plan after a meeting with the students during his visit to Italy in 2008. It is hoped that another Geshe will take residence at Nalanda to teach the Basic Program at the same time as the Masters Program which will be led by Geshe Jamphel. All plans are of course subject to impermanence!