Namobuddha Monastery
Namobuddha Monastery is situated approximately 40 kilometers southeast of Kathmandu in the Kavrepalanchok District. Namobuddha is a highly significant Buddhist historical and cultural pilgrimage site in Nepal. It is one of the three most important stupas in the Kathmandu Valley, along with Swayambhunath and Boudhanath. Its profound importance stems from a powerful and ancient Jataka tale, which recounts one of the past lives of the Buddha.
Namobuddha is not just a geographical location but a powerful symbol of the Buddhist values of compassion, sacrifice, and ultimate generosity. The story of Prince Mahasattva's self-sacrifice is a fundamental teaching that continues to inspire and resonate with people of all faiths. Namobuddha is dedicated to the previous life of Gautam Buddha. You can observe around the Thrangu Tashi Yangtse Monastery, Namobuddha Chorten, a cave where Buddha sacrificed his body to the hungry tigress. The excursion around Namobuddha is absolutely mind-blowing and spellbinding. The perfect viewpoint with a stupa and the massive Himalayas, such as the Mt. Manaslu, Langtang, Ganesh Himal, Dorje Lakpa, to the Gaurishankar Range Mountains, a wide meadows with lovely valleys.
The monastery is spread widely on a sloping hill with several buildings. The Mahayana Buddhism is practiced in this Monastery. And, the Namobuddha Monastery School teaches the same tradition to numerous young monks who are staying and studying Buddhism in this Monastery.
Besides the Monastic school, this monastery provides a homestay for visitors who are willing to experience monastic life. They provide rooms and have to share food with all LAMAs at their big dining hall. The normal food vegetarian items, including butter tea, will be served.
In essence, the central and most important story of Namobuddha involves the ultimate act of compassion and self-sacrifice.
According to the legend
A King and His Sons: In a previous life, the Buddha was born as a prince named Mahasattva, the youngest of three sons of King Maharath.
A Fateful Encounter: While on a hunting trip in the forest, the three princes stumbled upon a tigress that was on the verge of starvation. She had recently given birth to five cubs but was too weak and famished to feed them. The tigress was so desperate that she was about to eat her own young.
The Act of Ultimate Compassion: Overcome with profound compassion, Prince Mahasattva decided to offer his own body to the tigress. He sent his brothers back to the camp, claiming he had forgotten something, and returned to the tigress's den. He lay down in front of her, but the tigress was too weak to even bite him. To help her, the prince cut his own body with a sharpened splinter of wood, allowing his blood to flow. The tigress, revitalized by the blood, then devoured the prince, saving her life and the lives of her cubs.
The Stupa: When the king and his other sons returned to the spot, they found only bones and hair. Overcome with grief, they collected the remains and built a stupa on that very spot to honor the prince's incredible act of generosity. It is this stupa that stands at Namobuddha today.
Key Aspects of Namobuddha
Pilgrimage Site: For Buddhists, Namobuddha is a deeply sacred place. It is a pilgrimage destination for devotees from Nepal, Tibet, Bhutan, and all over the world. The site is a living testament to the Buddhist ideal of compassion and selflessness.
Thrangu Tashi Yangtse Monastery: Adjacent to the stupa is the impressive Thrangu Tashi Yangtse Monastery, a major center for Buddhist education and practice. Established by the revered Khenchen Thrangu Rinpoche, the monastery is home to a community of monks and offers a serene environment for prayer, meditation, and study. The monastery's beautiful architecture and vibrant prayer ceremonies add to the spiritual atmosphere of the area.
