{"id":8877,"date":"2025-10-16T15:51:39","date_gmt":"2025-10-16T07:51:39","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.gloje.org\/en\/?page_id=8877"},"modified":"2025-12-07T10:50:57","modified_gmt":"2025-12-07T02:50:57","slug":"monastery_content","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.gloje.org\/en\/monastery_content","title":{"rendered":"

The Glorious Jewel Buddhist Monastery of Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche

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Founding Abbot- His Eminence Vajra Guru
\nRinchen Dorjee Rinpoche<\/p>\n<\/p>\n<\/h2>\n

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His Eminence Vajra Guru Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche is the Abbot Guru of the \u201cGlorious Jewel Buddhist Center\u201d and the Founding Abbot Guru of the \u201cGlorious Jewel Buddhist Monastery\u201d in Taiwan. In 1988, Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche took refuge in the Drikung Kagyu thirty-seventh throne holder, His Holiness the Drikung Kyabgon Chetsang. Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche is the first non-reincarnated Rinpoche of Han ethnicity in the history of the Drikung Kagyu Lineage to achieve attainment of Nkapa in this lifetime through authentic practice.<\/p>\n

In 1997, to propagate the authentic Dharma and benefit sentient beings, Rinpoche single-handedly founded the Glorious Jewel Buddhist Center in Taipei. In 2008, the guru inaugurated the Glorious Jewel Buddhist Center in Kyoto, Japan. To date, Rinpoche has over 1,500 disciples and countless believers, making the Glorious Jewel the largest Buddhist Center in the Drikung Kagyu Lineage.<\/p>\n

Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche regularly presides over Chod Pujas and General Pujas at the Glorious Jewel Buddhist Center, as well as Refuge Pujas. At all of these, the guru presides over the Dharma and expounds teachings in person, and participants include disciples from all over Taiwan, Mainland China, Japan, India, Australia, and elsewhere. At the same time, as gatherings of the fourfold assembly of Bhikkhus, Bhikkhunis, Upasakas, and Upasikas, every puja comes to a perfect and solemn completion. <\/p>\n

On several occasions, the three-grace root guru of Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche, His Holiness the Drikung Kyabgon Chetsang, has publicly praised Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche\u2019s utmost respect for the guru and devotion to the \uff2cineage as being greater than many people would be able to muster. His Holiness has also stated publicly that the two of them, guru and disciple, would continue together on the Dharma path, benefiting even more sentient beings.<\/p>\n

Great compassionate vow- \u201cI will not attain Buddhahood until all sentient beings have.\u201d<\/h2>\n

Since propagating the Dharma in 1997, Rinpoche has made the great compassionate vow of \u201cI will not attain Buddhahood until all sentient beings have.\u201dOver decades, Rinpoche has liberated countless sentient beings through Buddha Dharma and his capability of gaining a fruition level. Out of great compassion, Rinpoche grieves for the countless sentient beings in the Age of Dharma Decline who, burdened by suffering, have no opportunity to encounter the Dharma and thus see no end to the cycle of reincarnation. Therefore, he made the vow to construct the Glorious Jewel Buddhist Monastery, with a Mahavira Hall capable of accommodating 2,000 people, as a Center for propagating the Dharma and benefiting sentient beings, enabling more beings to establish virtuous connections with the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, and thereby receive the aid of the Dharma to liberate from the cycle of birth and death.<\/p>\n

In accordance with Tibetan tradition, when a great practitioner attains a certain fruition level, he will establish a Monastery to transmit his Dharma lineage. His Holiness the Drikung Kyabgon Chetsang has long authenticated Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche\u2019s attainment of cultivation, that he is fully qualified to have his own Monastery and to transmit his pure Dharma lineage for the benefit of more sentient beings. For Rinpoche\u2019s great vow power to construct the Glorious Jewel Buddhist Monastery, His Holiness joyfully blessed and prophesied that the construction of the Glorious Jewel Buddhist Monastery would be completed smoothly, and that Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche\u2019s pure Dharma lineage would continue to flourish in this world.<\/p>\n

At the age of seventy-three, Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche single-handedly initiated the construction of the Glorious Jewel Monastery of Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche. Adhering strictly to environmental regulations, Rinpoche painstakingly planned every aspect of the complex project in detail, without receiving any assistance from the Lineage. He persevered through immense hardship to lay the foundation for the monastery\u2019s construction. Motivated by his great compassion and vow to liberate sentient beings, Rinpoche devoted his heart and strength to the project, personally guiding and supervising the construction team every step of the way. Holding weekly meetings without interruption, providing direction and oversight throughout the process. To ensure the quality of the construction, Rinpoche braved the cold of winter, the heat of summer, as well as typhoons and muddy rains, frequently observing the site. By 2025, Rinpoche himself had donated more than NT$300 million, contributing both financially and physically with unwavering dedication to the Monastery.<\/p>\n

After nearly a decade of planning and construction, the Glorious Jewel Monastery of Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche held its consecration ceremony on November 12, 2024, marking the establishment of a most auspicious Dharma Center of Hevajra. His Holiness the Drikung Kyabgon Chetsang proclaimed: \u201cThe Glorious Jewel Monastery of Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche is one of the three root Drikung Kagyu Dharma Buddhist Centers of Hevajra in the world.\u201d It is the only one that is a monastery as well. The Dharma Buddhist Center of Hevajra is a place open to both ordained and lay practitioners to practice. This Monastery is the first Drikung Kagyu monastery in Taiwan, and also the first in the more than 800-year history of the Drikung Kagyu lineage to be built outside of Tibet by a Ngakpa\uff08Puja Teachings Index 02), non-reincarnated Rinpoche of Han ethnicity. Founded to uphold and transmit the pure and precious lineage of the Vajra Guru Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche, the Monastery seeks to purify minds through the Dharma, bring peace to society, and benefit countless sentient beings.<\/p>\n

The Glorious Jewel Monastery of Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche is the first Tibetan Buddhism Monastery in Taiwan. The complex includes the Mahavira Hall, Vajra (Secret) Hall, Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara Monastery, Retreat Center, Founding Abbot\u2019s Residence, Monks\u2019 Hut, and Administrative Center. The total land area of the Monastery covers 21 hectares, of which the building structures occupy only 0.495 hectares\u20142% of the total area\u2014while the rest has been preserved in its natural state.<\/p>\n

In gratitude to the believers who have made offerings to the Monastery, Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche holds a puja at the Monastery once every month (for details, please refer to <\/b>The Glorious Jewel Buddhist Monastery of Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche Pujas<\/a>\uff09<\/b>. Rinpoche firmly upholds the principle that the Monastery is a place for genuine practice and retreat, free from worldly pursuits. The \uff2donastery does not designate meritorious patrons or provide accommodation for external monastics or lay practitioners, nor does it operate a large kitchen to supply meals for those who are not monastics or retreatants of the Monastery. Moreover, there are no shops, no lamp-lighting, and absolutely no commercial activities of any kind, so as to preserve the Monastery\u2019s purity and solemnity.<\/p>\n

Construction of the Monastery \u2014 Tireless Effort and Perseverance<\/h2>\n

In early 2015, Rinpoche began personally searching for suitable land to build the Monastery. Through his own strength, Rinpoche embarked on the journey of establishing the Monastery. To find the proper site, Rinpoche inspected over a hundred locations across central, northern, and eastern Taiwan in person. Regardless of wind or rain, muddy roads or rough terrain, Rinpoche tirelessly visited each location in person to conduct on-site evaluations.<\/p>\n

In order to manage the various matters related to the construction of the Monastery, and due to disciples\u2019 prayers to support the Monastery, Rinpoche established \u201cThe Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche Foundation\u201d in June 2016. The Foundation serves as the representative for the Monastery\u2019s administrative affairs and receives donations from believers and the public.<\/p>\n

Among the many donations received by the Foundation, one came from a deity. It began when a believer visited a temple to ask for things; the medium conveyed that the deity also wished to support the Monastery. Such occurrences bear witness to the vast compassion and mighty power of cultivation and merit of Rinpoche, whose virtuous influence even led temple deities to offer their support.<\/p>\n

The Sacred Land Appears of Its Own Accord \u2014 The Auspicious Good Fortune and Fate for the Monastery\u2019s Site<\/h2>\n

For over a year, Rinpoche searched for a suitable site on which to establish the Monastery, yet no appropriate land could be found. At this time, as Rinpoche was presiding over the annual \u201cGreat Indiscriminate Amitabha Puja for Transferring Consciousness\u201d, his selfless compassion for benefiting all sentient beings gave rise to the incomparably wondrous fate, and the precious site for the Monastery naturally revealed itself.<\/p>\n

In August 2016, during the twelfth \u201cGreat Indiscriminate Amitabha Puja for Transferring Consciousness\u201d presided over by Rinpoche, a believer invited by a disciple attended with a sincere wish for his late mother and departed relatives to be liberated by Rinpoche. On the eve of the puja, he dreamed of his deceased parents standing within a magnificent, golden palace of extraordinary splendor. The next day, upon entering the venue, he was astonished to see that the majestic mandala before him was identical to the palace he had seen in his dream. Deeply moved by this inconceivable manifestation, he believed that his departed family members had been transferred to a virtuous realm through Rinpoche\u2019s compassionate blessings.<\/p>\n

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When the believer heard that Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche had vowed to construct a Monastery and was searching for suitable land, he immediately introduced a site located in Longsheng Village, Zaoqiao Town, Miaoli County. The area was tranquil and secluded, with excellent geographic conditions, it had long been well maintained and had never been used for any other purpose, as if it had been waiting for a great practitioner to propagate the Dharma and benefit sentient beings, it is a rare sacred land. With all auspicious good fortunes and fate coming together, it was thus determined that the Glorious Jewel Buddhist Monastery of Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche would be established at this location.<\/p>\n

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Aerial imagery shows that the Monastery was constructed on its original site without any expansion, preserving the natural landscape and maintaining the existing ecosystem.<\/h3>\n

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Groundbreaking Ceremony \u2014 A Site Authorized and Blessed by His Holiness<\/h2>\n

After the location of the \uff2donastery was confirmed in Miaoli, His Holiness the Drikung Kyabgon Chetsang readily bestowed the date November 7, 2016, as an auspicious day for the Groundbreaking Ceremony. On that day, Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche respectfully invited His Holiness to personally preside over the groundbreaking ceremony.<\/p>\n

During the \uff24harma performance, auspicious signs appeared in abundance\u2014the forest birds sang in harmony, fish leapt joyfully in the pond, and white smoke ascended straight into the sky. Upon the perfect completion of the liturgy, Rinpoche offered three full prostrations to His Holiness and made a Mandala Offering with heartfelt gratitude. His Holiness expounded: \u2018Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche cares deeply for the monastics. This is a peaceful place, a most suitable place for practice.\u2019 His Holiness praised the Monastery\u2019s valley terrain, surrounded by trees and gentle breezes\u2014 a truly auspicious and serene place for Dharma cultivation.<\/p>\n

Following the ceremony, Rinpoche respectfully sought His Holiness\u2019s advice regarding the orientation of the Stupa, the Monastery buildings, and the location of His Holiness\u2019s resting residence, serving his guru with complete gratitude and reverence. For decades, Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche\u2019s devotion and loyalty to His Holiness the Drikung Kyabgon Chetsang have remained unwavering. His Holiness personally bestows blessings through Dharma performance, representing that the Glorious Jewel Buddhist Monastery of Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche will surely benefit countless sentient beings, and the pure Dharma lineage of Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche will eternally be passed down!<\/p>\n

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Vision of the Monastery \u2014 Purity, Sustainability, and Harmonious Symbiosis with Nature<\/h2>\n

The conception and planning of The Glorious Jewel Buddhist Monastery of Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche embodies Rinpoche\u2019s vision of Monastery building, the state of practice he has achieved, and his refined artistic sensibility. The design was undertaken by the world-renowned architect Li Tien-Tuo. This also arose from Rinpoche\u2019s great compassion in liberating sentient beings. A young couple visited The Glorious Jewel Buddhist Center on a Saturday to seek Rinpoche\u2019s audience. Through Rinpoche\u2019s teachings and guidance, they overcame a difficult period in their lives. The husband, who worked at Architect Li\u2019s firm, was deeply moved upon hearing that Rinpoche had sold his own house and car to shoulder the great responsibility of building the Monastery during a Sunday General Puja. He later shared this with Architect Li, who had deep respect for Rinpoche\u2019s great vow to benefit all sentient beings. Out of deep admiration, Architect Li voluntarily offered his assistance, and on April 8, 2017, he met with Rinpoche \u2014 marking the beginning of the Monastery\u2019s architectural design.<\/p>\n

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In February 2017, the Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche Foundation submitted a monastery development proposal to the Miaoli County Government. When planning the monastery complex, Rinpoche proposed seven guiding principles, aiming not only to preserve the environment and local ecology but also to revitalize the local economy and foster a virtuous fate with local residents.<\/p>\n

1.\tA Monastery Dedicated Purely to Practice<\/b>
\nThe Monastery is primarily devoted to cultivation and retreat, with approximately 30 resident personnel. It does not provide dining or accommodation services and conducts no commercial activities. Monthly prayer pujas are held on a regular basis, and daily visits are limited to 100 people.<\/p>\n

2.\tBuilt in Harmony with the Landscape<\/b>
\nThe design preserves the original forest and natural terrain. All buildings and facilities are constructed on level valley ground to minimize earthwork and maintain the existing skyline.<\/p>\n

3.\tProtecting the Natural Ecology<\/b>
\nThe entire Monastery site covers 21 hectares, yet the actual built area is only 0.495 hectares, occupying 2% of the total area, the rest remains in its natural state. The Monastery complex strictly prohibits any damage to wildlife habitats, the felling of trees, or the use of pesticides, insecticides, and chemical fertilizers. Animal release is forbidden, and meat products are not allowed within the area.<\/p>\n

4.\tMinimizing All Kinds of Pollution<\/b>
\nThere are no large incense burners or kitchens on site. Fuel-powered vehicles are prohibited; only electric vehicles may be driven within the grounds. Wastewater is recycled and reused, while food waste is categorized, refrigerated, and collected using a sealed green-energy system.<\/p>\n

5.\tGreen and Energy-Efficient Transportation<\/b>
\nNo parking lots are available within the Monastery grounds, encouraging the use of public transportation. Shuttle services are available from the High-Speed Rail station. Visitors enter the Monastery on foot, while electric vehicles are provided for those with mobility difficulties.<\/p>\n

6.\tEnsuring Smooth Traffic Flow<\/b>
\nDuring pujas, volunteers and security personnel assist in directing traffic to minimize inconvenience to local residents.<\/p>\n

7.\tRevitalizing the Local Economy<\/b>
\nAs the Monastery does not provide food, lodging, or transportation services, these needs are met by local businesses, thereby stimulating the regional economy.<\/p>\n

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Official \uff30ermission for the Project \u2014 Upholding Pure Precept and Observing the Law<\/h2>\n

Rinpoche\u2019s planning and guiding vision received unanimous recognition from the Environmental Impact Assessment Review Committee. After five review meetings, the proposal was successfully approved in the next year (August 2018), and the soil and water conservation plan was promptly approved as well. Upholding his strict adherence to the precepts and to legal compliance, the Miaoli County Government officially approved the construction of the Monastery on January 10, 2019. In accordance with regulations, a public briefing was held prior to the commencement of construction to present the Monastery\u2019s vision and development plan to local residents.<\/p>\n

On January 21, 2019, the town mayor, village head, and more than thirty local residents attended the meeting. During the briefing, the participants were deeply moved by Rinpoche\u2019s compassionate vow to propagate the Dharma and benefit all beings, as well as his sincere efforts to foster good neighborly relations and harmony with the community. The town mayor praised Rinpoche for his conscientious observance of the law and called upon all residents to give their full support to the project.<\/p>\n

Construction Commences-Moving Forward Steadfastly Bearing Tremendous Responsibilities<\/h2>\n

On January 23, 2019, the formal commencement of construction for the Glorious Jewel Buddhist Monastery of Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche took place. At the venerable age of 73, Rinpoche planned and arranged all of the complex construction and details. He consistently led the Monastery Construction team in weekly meetings to discuss and instruct the project’s direction, overseeing the construction process while ensuring compliance with all relevant governmental regulations. To maintain the construction quality of the Monastery, despite the extreme cold, sweltering heat, typhoons, heavy rain, and mud, Rinpoche regularly went on-site for inspections.<\/p>\n

Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche greatly cherishes all donations made in support of the monastery, not taking a single cent from the Foundation\u2019s funds for personal use. All administrative expenses are kept to a minimum. All external procurement and construction projects must undergo formal tendering, and rigorous reviews, while reminding contractors to cherish the virtuous intentions of sentient beings, the foundation requested cost-efficiency and honesty.<\/p>\n

To put the public\u2019s donation to good use, Rinpoche made every effort to economise. Instead of employing a Turnkey method with a single general contractor, Rinpoche divided the entire project into detailed segments to negotiate and award contracts one by one. The massive project required dozens of contractors, each of whom needed negotiation, contracting, progress coordination, and quality suprevision \u2014 an extraordinarily complicated and labor-intensive task. Rinpoche took charge throughout the whole process and saved over one hundred million NTD for the Monastery. The amount of time and effort Rinpoche dedicated to building the Monastery is beyond the capacity of an ordinary person.<\/p>\n

Meticulously Caring for the Living -Watching over Sentient Beings Even in the Most Minute Aspects<\/h2>\n

When building the Monastery, Rinpoche would not harm any sentient beings, showing meticulous care for every blade of grass, every tree, each insect, bird, fish, and creature; the only prayer was that all sentient beings may be relieved from reincarnation, be liberated from suffering and attain joy. <\/p>\n

The site of the Monastery had many large trees and a pond filled with aquatic creatures. With cherishing thoughts towards the sentient beings, before the water and soil conservation construction began, Rinpoche had ordered the trees to be replanted elsewhere, and for the fish, shrimps, tortoises, soft-shell turtles et cetera\u2026nearly ten thousand creatures to be temporarily relocated to, and cared for at a local fish farm until the Monastery completed construction. To minimize the fear of these beings during the relocation, Rinpoche specifically practiced a Dharma during the Ch\u00f6d Puja in December 2018 to comfort them and instructed disciples to be meticulous when overseeing the move, ensuring that all beings were safe and sound. <\/p>\n

The most unusual occupant of the pond was a golden carp. Every time a waterfowl tried to eat a minnow near the bank or the surface of the pond, this gold-colored carp would swim to the surface and thrash its fins and tail to splash water to drive away the waterfowl.<\/p>\n

On January 4, 2019, Rinpoche was propagating the Buddha Dharma in Japan. He saw the golden carp in a vision, and soon after made a phone call to inquire about the carp, and disciples reported to Rinpoche that indeed there was such a fish. Rinpoche instructed that they must take very good care of it, and that Rinpoche will assist it in the future. On January 23rd, the day marking the ground-breaking of Rinpoche\u2019s Monastery, this golden carp leapt out of the water multiple times, its intelligent eyes flashing, leaping over and over just as the proverb describes, \u201ca golden carp jumping over the dragon gate\u201d. Everyone present marveled at the unfathomable sight!<\/p>\n

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