Name |
Location |
Built |
Function |
Current status |
Kham Nalendra Thegchen Jangchub Choeling (a.k.a. Orthok monastery) (formerly known as Geden Tashi Dargyeling) |
Thangkarma Holong township, Nyagchu county |
Begun 1988; Main structure completed 1993 |
Tenzin Delek’s main monastery, all others are branches; Included a School of Dialectics and a School of Medicine; Population some 700 monks including: 40 in the medicine school; 360 at the dialectics school; 60 novices; 80-90 senior monks; and 170 studying at monasteries in Lhasa. |
Open but size greatly reduced; some 290 monks remain; August 2003 unconfirmed threats of demolition. |
Jamyang Choekhorling |
Nyagchukha, Nyagchu county |
Property purchased 1991; Main structure (first chapel) completed in 1994 |
Tenzin Delek’s residence since 1998 after authorities required he stay close to the Nyagchu county seat. Official population limit 25 monks; some 40 in April 2002. |
Closed by police after Tenzin Delek’s arrest; By April 2003 a few monks were in residence although the monastery is officially closed. |
Tsun-gon Dechen Choeling | Dzomkhog Golog township, Nyagchu county |
1990 |
Nunnery; estimated population 30-60 nuns in April 2002. |
Estimated 25-50 nuns remain. |
Golog Thegchen Namdrol-ling |
Golog township, Nyagchu county |
1994 |
Estimated population 25-40 monks, most of them novices, in April 2002. |
Estimated 8-25 monks remain. |
Tsochu Ganden Choeling |
Tha-ngo Mara township, Nyagchu county |
1992 |
Estimated population 30-40 monks in April 2002. |
Estimated 3 monks remain. |
Golog Tashikyil | Wamda Gating Golog township, Nyagchu county |
1991-92 |
Remote but warmer location for the younger students from Ortok school to live and study during the winter. Residents included the students in winter, teachers, and monks in retreat. |
Three monks remain: one caretaker, and 2 monks in retreat. |
Kham Choede Chenmo Jangsen Phengyal-ling (a.k.a. Detsa monastery) |
Thrado Detsa township, Nyagchu county |
Early 1990s |
Monastery primarily for preliminary assessment and education of novice monks and nuns. Estimated population 140-160 monks in April 2002. |
Estimated 60 monks remain. |
Sungchoera | Kechukha, Nyagchu county |
1998- 2000 |
Initial population 40-70 monks. |
Monks in residence sent home after Tenzin Delek’s arrest; monastery closed. |
Tshe-gon Shedrub Dargyeling |
Ritrama Tshaka/Maya district, Lithang county |
New structure completed 1995 |
Sakya school of Tibetan Buddhism (the others are Gelugpa school); Monastery not founded by Tenzin Delek; Is not a branch of Orthok monastery; Left under overall tutelage of Tenzin Delek in early 1990s. Estimated population 330 monks in April 2002. |
Estimated 290 monks remain. |