In May 2004, Khenpo Sherab Ozer invited his Tucson sangha to help establish a Tibetan Buddhist meditation center supporting the teachings and practices of the Drikung Kagyu tradition. Many sangha members pledged their support and have, over the last 10 years, come together to begin to build the foundation of a center for our sangha, and a home for our precious teacher.
Our First Steps
In August of 2004, we incorporated Drikung Namgyal Ling as a non-profit, religious corporation in the state of Arizona, assigned a Board of Directors, established accounts, and applied and were granted federal 501(c)3 approval as a tax-exempt, non-profit organization.
In October of 2004, Khenpo Rinpoche received an enormously generous donation of $15,000. from a local practitioner to help in the purchase of future property for our center. Since then many volunteers have worked tirelessly raising additional funds. This, coupled with a generous sangha community, we have raised more than $40,000.00. We continue these efforts and invite you to visit our Building Fund page.
With Khenpo Rinpoche and Drupon Thinley Ningpo’s guidance and encouragement over the last 10 years, we have sponsored many dozens of weekend teachings, 5-day closed retreats, Tsok feasts, practices, public lectures, Losar (Tibetan New Year) celebrations, yard sales and other activities
In addition to receiving teachings by our own Khenpo Rinpoche, we were very fortunate to have the opportunity to host a wonderful set of visiting teachers, including His Eminence Garchen Rinpoche, His Eminence Lho Bongtrul Tenzin Nyima, Drupon Thinley Ningpo, Khenchen Konchog Gyaltsen, Khenpo Yeshi, Drupon Rinchen Dorje, Thubten Nima Lama, Drupon Thinley Yeshi and others.
In September 2015 DNL’s Board of Directors, with the approval of our Spiritual Director Drupon Thinley Ningpo, decided to make DNL’s home in the lovely Sahuarita, just south of Tucson. On three and 1/2 acres or rural desert, this property is beautiful and an excellent location for our weekend teaching events. But it is especially suited for our practice retreats and Drupchens, led by Drupon Thinley Ningpo, which our sangha undertakes with devotion and delight.
Our future looks ever busier. We are deeply gratified to find ourselves able to bring wonderful teachers to the United States, and to Tucson, where we may all benefit from their presence and teachings.
Our plans for the immediate future include continuing with our formal teaching program, including weekend and week-long retreats, as well as Tsoks and other activities. We send out our thanks to the Dharma community which supports us and contributes to the continuation of these Dharma traditions in our Sonoran Desert region.
Building a Dharma Center is no simple task, but we are fortunate to have the wisdom and experience of our teachers, the endless energies and devotion of our practitioners and volunteers, and the warm light of the Dharma to comfort and guide us.
If you’d like to participate in our activities, please drop us an email or give us a call. You are always welcome. May all beings benefit!
