Korche Monastery and Monastic College (Shedra)
Korche Monastery, where Lama Norlha Rinpoche received his early training as a monk, was completely destroyed during the Communist Revolution. Since 1982, Lama Norlha Rinpoche has worked steadily to re-build Korche Monastery as a central educational and religious resource for the Nangchen community. Today, over 300 monks have been ordained in the Kagyu tradition at Korche, and more than 10 traditional three-year retreats have been completed.
In 1996, the Korche Shedra, or monastic college, was established for monks who have finished the traditional three-year retreat and wish to continue their study of Buddhist scriptures, commentaries and debate. The nine-year intensive program opened with 16 students and now serves a community of more than 200 monks. Construction of a building to house the Shedra is completed and classes have been moved to the new facility.
Projected Cost: The cost of maintaining Korche Monastery and Shedra is approximately $55,000 per year.
