Green Tara statue in Tara Shrine, Kagyu Samye Ling
Dharma Study & Practice in Kagyu Samye Ling
Since its founding in 1967, Samye Ling has been committed to preserving and providing access to pure, authentic Dharma. Every activity within the monastery flows from this dedication to genuine study and practice. Everyone is welcome to participate in daily puja and meditation in the main Temple, join annual events, and receive Dharma teachings, which are always freely offered.
Samye Ling Main Temple
Regular Practice Schedule
Green Tara Puja
Daily
6:00 AM
Silent meditation
Daily
8:00 AM
Mahakala Puja
Daily
4:30 PM
(may change to suit daily activity)
Chenrezik Puja
Daily
7:00 PM
Amitabha Puja
Sundays
7:00 PM
before Chenrezik Puja
Please note that during periods of retreat or Dharma teachings, this schedule will change without notice.
Annual Events & Special Prayers
Beyond the daily rhythm of the Temple, Samye Ling hosts several periods of intensive practice throughout the year. These special events are open to all, offering a precious opportunity for the community to gather and dedicate their practice to global peace and the wellbeing of all sentient beings.
Please note: While these events are open to everyone, intensive practice retreats and Dharma teachings require formal registration via the individual event details.
Week long Protector Prayers prior to Losar (Tibetan New Year) to clear away obstacles.
We celebrate Wesak (the birth, enlightenment and parinirvana of the Buddha) by holding the UK Kagyu Monlam, which is a great highlight of the year.
Nyungney fasting practice during the ‘Month of Miracles’, traditionally mainly for lay people.
In October we honour the anniversary of the passing of our Founder, Choje Akong Tulku Rinpoche, with a week-long intensive practice and teaching retreat, usually led by Drupon Khen Rinpoche.
Nurturing the Future
Thanks to Drupon Khen Rinpoche’s great kindness we have also been able to send many of our ordained monks and nuns as well as a number of lay people to long term retreat under Rinpoche’s direction in the Thrangu Sekhar Retreat center, Nepal. Some have made a commitment to remain in retreat for six years while others intend to stay for longer.
This we feel is the best investment for the future of the Dharma in the hope that these fortunate practitioners will truly assimilate the Buddha’s teachings into their innermost being. If all goes well, some will eventually take over responsibility for continuing Samye Ling’s Dharma activities in years to come.
Closer to home, a dedicated group of practitioners continues with an ongoing series of consecutive one-year retreats. These take place at our Women’s Retreat on Holy Isle and our Men’s Retreat on the Isle of Arran.
We are once again deeply indebted to Drupon Khen Rinpoche’s kindness. Through modern technology every teaching he gives in Sekhar, Nepal, is transmitted directly to our island retreats. This allows our retreatants in Scotland to receive daily teaching sessions to complement their own intensive practice.
Upcoming Dharma Activities
Annual Protector Prayers
THE 7TH UK KAGYU MONLAM
Samye Ling Dharma Activity Archive:
- Dharma Teaching
- Practice Retreat
- Refuge Ceremony
13th Anniversary of Khyabje Akong Tulku Rinpoche’s passing
Choje Lama Yeshe Losal RinpocheDrupon Khen Rinpoche Karma Lhabu
- Dharma Teaching
- Practice Retreat
Akong Rinpoche Memorial Retreat
Every year we commemorate our Founder, Khabje Akong Tulku Rinpoche, with a short retreat. We practice together and receive teachings. This year, Drupon Khen Rinpoche kindly returned to lead the retreat and to continue teaching from Gampopa’s ‘Jewel Ornament of Liberation’.
- Dharma Teaching
Abhidharma and Meditation
On week days, Khenpo Phurpa Wangchuk continued teaching from ‘The Essence of the Great Ocean of Abhidharma’ by His Holiness the 9th Gyalwang Karmapa, which Khenpo Drodul had started teaching earlier in the year.
Khenpo Purpha completed Chapter 3 and also Chapter 4 (on Karma).
At weekends, Khenpo taught Tranquility Meditation based on Chapter 6 of the same text, as well as leading meditation practice sessions.
We hope that visiting teachers will continue teaching this important text in future years, thus giving students the opportunity to study a text usually only available to Shedra (Monastic College) students.
- Dharma Teaching
Five Dharma Teachings
During his visit to Samye Ling this year, Khenpo Ghawang gave uniquely inspiring and informative teachings on five separate topics:
- Verses of the Drumbeat
- Practice Within Daily Life
- Condensed Meaning of the Middle Way
- Entering into the Wisdom of the Middle Way
- The Sūtra Requested by Maitreya.
- Dharma Teaching
Abhidharma Teachings
Khenpo Karma Drodul taught from ‘The Essence of the Great Ocean of Abhidharma’ by His Holiness the 9th Gyalwang Karmapa, completing Chapters 1 and 2 – the first time this text has been taught in Samye Ling.
Learn about Buddhism
The study and practice at Samye Ling follow the ancient wisdom tradition of Buddhism. To find out more about the Buddha, the Three Vehicles, or Meditation: