The Tibet Center

"Within human beings there are so many different mental dispositions that one religion or one philosophy simply cannot, I believe, be sufficient to satisfy the whole world such a large number of human beings. I think it's clear that a variety of philosophies and traditions is much more useful to a variety of human beings." His Holiness the Dalai Lama, New York City, 1991.

Founded in 1975 by the Reverend Khyongla Rato Rinpoche, a scholar and reincarnate lama of the Gelugpa order of Tibetan Buddhism, the Tibet Center provides a place where members and the general public can explore Buddhist teachings and practices as well as those of other faith communities.

In the ensuing quarter century the Tibet Center has hosted the most important Tibetan masters of our time including Venerable Kyabje Ling Rinpoche, the Senior Tutor of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, Venerable Tsenshab Serkong Rinpoche, who served as the official debating partner of H. H. the Dalai Lama, Sakya Trizin Rinpoche, the hereditary head of the Sakya order of Tibetan Buddhism, Venerable Trulshik Rinpoche of the Nyingma tradition, and Venerable Tenga Rinpoche of the Kargyu tradition.

Teachers at the Tibet Center have not been limited to masters from the Land of Snows. Other Buddhist teachers have come from the Chan, Theravadan, and Zen traditions and non-Buddhist teachers have included Jain, Hindu, and Christian practitioners as well as scientists and philosophers.

The Tibet Center has also had the honor of hosting His Holiness the Dalai Lama on two occasions. In 1979, when His Holiness first visited the United States, the center sponsored a public address at the Cathedral Church of St. John the Divine. In 1991, in partnership with the Gere Foundation, the Tibet Center hosted His Holiness' Kalachakra teachings in New York City over two weeks during which he gave introductory teachings on Buddhism, presided over the creation of a colored sand mandala of Kalachakra, and bestowed the actual rite of initiation into this most profound Buddhist practice.

The Reverend Khyongla Rato Rinpoche has begun to implement plans for the establishment of The Buddhist Temple of New York. This initiative, commemorating the Dalai Lama's Kalachakra teaching in 1991, is a multi-year project including a capital campaign to build a temple dedicated to world peace and understanding among peoples: fundamental qualities of Buddhism. The Temple will lend an international focus to the growing interest in the study and practice of Buddhism and other religions. To launch the project a fund raising dinner was held at the National Arts Club in late 1997 and a life-size statue of the Kalachakra deity was commissioned by the Tibet Center from the Master Sculptor of H. H. the Dalai Lama in India.

Currently at the Tibet Center, the Reverend Khyongla Rato Rinpoche offers classes in Buddhist practice and theory on a weekly schedule. Ancient Indian and Tibetan texts are taught together with methods of integrating them into daily meditation and practice. The Venerable Nicholas Vreeland teaches and leads Buddhist meditation. Visiting masters and scholars give Buddhist teachings and provides lectures on different aspects of Tibetan culture as well as weekend seminars and retreats. Meditations on Kalachakra, Medicine Buddha, Tara and other practices are held.

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