Best Monastery Pasadena Near Me

4worldlovers:
We are a Sangha (community) for those seeking to learn and follow the Dharma (teachings) of the Buddha. The Pasadena Buddhist Temple belongs to the Jodo Shinshu tradition of Buddhism. Shin Buddhism offers a path through the chaos of our lives and the world that embraces all and forsakes none. Our national organization is the Buddhist Churches of America, headquartered in San Francisco, California. Our temple was established in 1948, and incorporated in 1956. The temple and classrooms were completed in 1958. The annex (Sakai Hall), which is used by the PJAA Bruins organization to conduct basketball practices, was constructed in 1962. We celebrated our 50th anniversary in 2008. We welcome all to come and learn about the Buddha Dharma.

The Pride banner that was destroyed was made for us by our neighborhood community at the Harambee Ministries block party last summer to replace the worn flags that the Board approved back in 2020. The flag painting project was organized by Side Street Projects and and our artist-in-residence, Alan Nakagawa. Since the banner burning, other organizations and persons have offered to replace our banner. Gassho. ​

4worldlovers: Drikung Rinchen Choling (DRC) is H.E. the 8th Garchen Rinpoche's main Dharma Center in southern California. It provides a place for students to practice daily and for short term retreats under the guidance of H.E. Garchen Rinpoche and Ven. Lama Thupten Nima. H.E. Garchen Rinpoche is one of the most revered guru in the Drikung Kagyu tradition. He is famous for his vast realization, attainment, and great compassion.Ven. Lama Thupten Nima is the current resident abbot of DRC. He served as the Disciplinarian, Chant Master, and Retreat Master in the Gar Monastery in Tibet and Garchen Buddhist Institute in Arizona

His Holiness Drikung Kyabgon Chetsang Rinpoche is one of two heads of the Drikung Kagyu order of Tibetan Buddhism. Born in 1946 in Lhasa, Tibet, he was recognized at the age of four as the reincarnation of the previous Drikung Kyabgon and formally enthroned and educated at Drikung Thil, the main monastery of the Drikung Kagyu order in central Tibet. During the Tibetan exodus in the late 1950s, his parents fled to India while he remained at Drikung Thil. In 1959, Communist China closed the monastery, and His Holiness Drikung Kyabgon Chetsang Rinpoche was adopted by his former tutor, His Eminence Gyabra Rinpoche. After completing his elementary and middle school education in Lhasa, in 1969 he was assigned to a countryside farm, working fifteen hours a day doing hard physical labor.

In 1975, His Holiness Chetsang Rinpoche crossed the Himalayan border separating Tibet from Nepal on foot and all alone except for fortuitous help from two strangers at one impassable point. He traveled to Dharamsala, India, the seat of the Tibetan government-in-exile, where he was received by His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama and formally enthroned once again.

Then, after eighteen years of separation, His Holiness Chetsang Rinpoche was reunited with his family in the United States. He stayed for several years, completing courses in English and adult education and working after school at McDonald to practice his English.

In 1978, he returned to India, taking up rigorous Buddhist practice, retreats, and instruction from many of the greatest living masters of Tibetan Buddhism. In 1985, in Dehra Dun, India, he founded the Drikung Kagyu Institute, Jang Chub Ling, which provides traditional monastic and modern education to c. 450 monks and nuns; a meditation retreat center; and a project to collect and preserve all the Drikung Kagyu texts, as well as document the ways of life, philosophy, and religious traditions of the peoples of the Himalayas.

His Eminence Garchen Rinpoche is a Drikung Kagyu lama who was known in the thirteenth century as the Siddha Gar Chodingpa, a heart disciple of Kyobpa Jigten Sumgon, founder of the Drikung Kagyu lineage of Tibetan Buddhism. In ancient India, he had incarnated as Mahasiddha Aryadeva, the lotus-born disciple of the great Nagarjuna. In the seventh century, he was known as Lonpo Gar, the minister of the Tibetan Dharma King Songsten Gampo.


Garchen Rinpoche was recognized and enthroned in eastern Tibet by the former Drikung Kyabgon Zhiwe Lodro. When he was seven, he was brought to Lho Miyal Monastery, which he administered from the age of eleven. Studying and practicing under the direction of the Siddha Chime Dorje, Garchen Rinpoche received vast and profound instructions on the preliminary practices (ngondro), the fivefold practice of Mahamudra and the six yogas of Naropa.

Then, at the age of 22, after completing a two and a half year retreat, he was imprisoned for 20 years during the political turmoil of China's Cultural Revolution. While in the labor camp, he received meditation instruction from his root lama, the Nyingma master Khenpo Munsel. Enduring hardship and practicing secretly, Garchen Rinpoche attained realization of the lama's wisdom mind. Since his release from prison in 1979, Garchen Rinpoche has made great effort to rebuild the Drikung Kagyu monasteries, reestablish the Buddhist teachings, and build two boarding schools for local children in eastern Tibet. Rinpoche is the founder and spiritual director of the Garchen Buddhist Institute in Chino Valley, Arizona.

Garchen Rinpoche is known for his vast realization, as well as for his great kindness.

4worldlovers: The Holy Miracles Temple will offer everyone the opportunity to request Blessing Lamps be lit in the Hall of the Dipankara Buddha once the construction is completed.

The Great Treatise on the Perfection of Wisdom states: “When Dipankara Buddha was born, all things around the Buddha were like lamps. That is why the Buddha is called Dipankara Buddha, or Light-bearing Buddha.” The Hall of Dipankara Buddha is located on the holy place where Buddhas bestowed holy amrita from the sky. Once the construction of the Hall is completed, the Dipankara Buddha Statue will be respectfully enshrined in the Hall. The Hall will be consecrated to formally become the Dipankara Buddha Hall where faithful Buddhists can request the lighting of Blessing Lamps to make offerings to the ancient Dipankara Buddha, and generate boundless merit. Lamp-lighting in front of Dipankara Buddha, in the Holy Hall where holy amrita once descended, will be the most magnificent place to beseech good fortune, surpassing the auspiciousness of any other lamp-lighting occasion in the world.

A Great Holy Guru who is of higher status than holy virtuous persons will chant sutras and mantras before Dipankara Buddha to generate additional merit for those who request Blessing Lamps to be lit. Every day, Dharma masters will recite mantras, chant sutras, and perform Dharmas in front of the lamps offered to Dipankara Buddha to beseech good fortune for all those who request the lighting of Blessing Lamps, praying for their good health, career success, prosperity in business, growth of good fortune and wisdom, and success in academic study. They will also pray for the prosperity of the United States and the peace of the American people. This exceptionally magnificent empowerment is not what any ordinary temple can offer.

In response to enthusiastic requests from faithful Buddhists in all walks of life, online registration and on-site registration are now open. All are welcome to give rise to sincerity and request the lighting of Blessing Lamps to beseech good fortune.

After receipt of your meritorious donation is verified, your registration forms for lighting Blessing Lamps will be presented to the Great Holy Guru to beseech good fortune and additional merit. If the receipt does not match the pledged donation, the registration form will not be presented to the Great Holy Guru.

The names of recipients who light Blessing Lamps to beseech good fortune will be listed in sequential order in the book of record and stamped by seal. The book of record will be made available at the temple for everyone to check and verify. If your name is not in the open book of record, that means you have not completed the registration procedures to request lighting of Blessing Lamps. If you have made the donation but cannot find your name, please contact the monastics at the Holy Miracles Temple and present your receipt.

The Holy Miracles Temple is not an ordinary temple. This Temple is managed in an absolutely fair manner in accordance with true Buddha Dharma. To strictly guard against corruption and fraud, the Temple does not have an abbot or a prior. Even the role of guest prefect is shared among the monastics. All matters are evaluated and decided collectively. Therefore, currently, this is the only temple in the world that is managed by a collective leadership.

This temple is empowered by Holy Gurus of three levels: Shangzun, Jiaozun, and Ruzun. They take turns to perform Dharmas at the temple to serve faithful Buddhists. Recently, the great Dharma of Uncovering Terma with Direct Verification was performed at the Temple by a Great Mahasattva who is a Yuzun. The Buddhist undertakings conducted at the temple are exceptionally rare and magnificent, such as the great Dharma of Holy Fire Offering, the Dharma of Uncovering Terma with Direct Verification performed by the Great Mahasattva Yuzun, and the Refuge Ceremony held for non-Buddhist spirits and celestial beings. As of now, this is the only Temple where an Inner-tantric Mandala has been established. The hall-blocking Vajra scepter used in establishing the mandala weighs 1,000 jin (approximately 1,100 pounds.) It remains at the front entrance of the Grand Hall of Shakyamuni Buddha at the Temple.

Lighting Blessing Lamps at the Holy Miracles Temple for One Month (The duration of the lamp lighting will begin when you register and when the lamp is lit.)

Lighting Blessing Lamps at the Holy Miracles Temple for Three Month (The duration of the lamp lighting will begin when you register and when the lamp is lit.)