Tushita Meditation Centre

Tushita Meditation Centre is a Tibetan Mahayana Buddhist centre dedicated to the study and practise of Buddhism. They're on a wooded mountain slope above McLeod Ganj, the residence in exile of His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama, in Himachal Pradesh, Northern India, in the magnificent Himalayan foothills, at a height of 1888m (6190ft) in the Dhauladhar range.

Dharamkot, McLeod Ganj, Kangra, Himachal Pradesh 176219 India

Western ‘seekers' met Lama ThubtenYeshe and his major pupil Lama Zopa Rinpoche in Northern India in the 1960s, and after requesting lessons from the Lamas, they worked together to find a suitable location for instruction. They purchased land on Kopan Hill in Kathmandu, Nepal, and in November 1971, the first annual ‘One-Month Meditation Course' was held at Kopan Monastery. In response to the increasing demand from their Western students, the Lamas decided to build a sister centre that would be utilised for retreats, and they chose McLeod Ganj, Dharamsala, because it was where many of their instructors lived. In 1972, Lamas Yeshe and Zopa, along with a few of their Western pupils, purchased an ancient colonial mansion on a hill above McLeod Ganj (near the settlement of Dharamkot) and established Tushita Retreat Centre (later renamed Tushita Meditation Centre). Tushita is the pristine country of the future Buddha Maitreya, and it signifies "The Place of Joy." Students mostly came from Kopan Monastery during these early years; after completing the famed November course at Kopan Monastery, they undertook retreats at Tushita, some staying for months, if not years! Tushita has come a long way since then. Demand for courses rose as Westerners became more interested in Buddhist philosophy and meditation, especially when His Holiness the Dalai Lama was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1989. Tushita could no longer give priority to a few experienced persons taking retreats, therefore Lama Zopa Rinpoche (who became our spiritual director when Lama Yeshe died away in 1984) decided to start providing regular courses, emphasising access for those fresh to the Buddha's teachings. Tushita's 10-day residential Introduction to Buddhism courses have been increasingly popular in recent years. At Tushita, many people from all over the world were exposed to the Buddha's teachings. Tushita holds a unique place in the hearts of many course participants who tell us that taking an introduction course at Tushita was one of the highlights of their vacation to India. Lama Yeshe's reincarnation was identified as a Spanish kid named Osel a few years after his death. Lama Osel was enthroned at Tushita when he was three years old. He now goes under the moniker "Osel" and aspires to be a cinematographer. He is also a member of the FPMT board of directors, and he is continuing to study and gather experience in order to eventually take on a leadership role within the organisation. We highly suggest Vicki Mackenzie's book "Reincarnation: The Boy Lama" for further information about Lama Yeshe and Osel, as well as the concept of reincarnation. Lama Yeshe'sTushita chamber has been re-created as precisely as possible to as it was when he left it. When H.H. the Dalai Lama came to Tushita in 1997, he walked straight to this chamber and prostrated before Trijang Rinpoche, his old instructor. Our spiritual director, Lama Zopa Rinpoche, requested Tushita to look after this chamber during the main building renovations, which began in 2007. As a result, the chamber was included in the designs for the new Gompa with the exact same proportions as the one in the old structure, and Lama Yeshe's furnishings and possessions were returned to their original locations. It is our long-term goal to turn it into a public museum.