Around 250 nuns practice and study in two nunneries in Nepal and Bhutan founded by Khenchen Tsültrim Gyamtso Rinpoche
In 1959, when Khenchen Tsultrim Gyamtso Rinpoche left Tibet, he was accompanied by his nun disciples from Nyemo nunnery. With these dedicated nuns as the foundation, he established communities in Bhutan and Nepal that have grown into the vibrant nunneries of Tek Chok Ling in Boudhanath, Nepal, and Karma Drubdey in Kunga Rabten, Bhutan.
Khenchen Rinpoche always emphasized the importance of both study and practice for the nuns—formal education alongside meditation retreats. Today, the nuns maintain this tradition, conducting all the daily, monthly, and annual rituals themselves. They study and teach in their shedra in Bhutan, engage in retreats lasting from months to years, and the younger nuns attend local schools while continuing their dharma training within the nunnery.
During Rinpoche’s lifetime, he supported the nunneries from his own resources. Today, his international students and friends continue this support through donations to the Nunnery Endowment at Marpa Foundation, by becoming nun sponsors, or through direct contributions to the nunneries.
We invite you to visit the pages on Tek Chok Ling and Karma Drubdey to learn more about each nunnery and discover the inspiring stories of the nuns themselves.
