Rødby
A Country Center in Denmark
The Lolland Buddhist retreat center is a relaxed place with a rich history, where Diamond Way Buddhists can meditate away from the distractions of everyday life. The center is housed in a large farmhouse, with a stupa of enlightenment in the courtyard, on the peaceful island of Lolland in southern Denmark. The center is run by idealistic volunteers and funded by donations, and is available to Diamond Way Buddhists year round for meditation retreats as well as lectures and courses by visiting teachers.
The center was given the name “The garden where the teachings grow” (Tibetan Karma Chö Phel Ling) by His Holiness the 16th Karmapa in 1977. During his stay, Karmapa dreamt that Milarepa, the great Yogi of Tibet, walked through the garden. The following day Karmapa gave an empowerment into Milarepa and performed the black crown ceremony. He predicted that “1,000 Buddhas will appear from here.” Throughout the center’s history, all the highest lamas of the Karma Kagyu lineage have visited and taught here. Thaye Dorje, His Holiness the 17th Gyalwa Karmapa, gave empowerments and teachings here in 2000, 2004 and 2009, and many others such as Shamar Rinpoche, Jamgon Kongtrul Rinpoche, Lopon Tsechu Rinpoche and Sherab Gyaltsen Rinpoche have shared their wisdom and blessing with thousands here. Tenga Rinpoche held annual courses at Lolland until he handed over the responsibility to Lama Ole Nydahl in 1984. Today, about 2,000 people participate in the summer meditation course with Lama Ole every year.
On the 31st of July 1982 the enlightenment stupa was inaugurated at the Lolland retreat center, and a new chapter of Buddhism in the West was written. Tenga Rinpoche, one of Lama Ole and Hannah Nydahl’s teachers at the time, built the stupa with the help of team of energetic volunteers. Tenga Rinpoche filled it with relics, such as Buddha statues, and hair and clothing from Guru Rinpoche, all of the sixteen Karmapas, and other Karma Kagyu lineage holders. During his stay Tenga Rinpoche also created a large clay statue of the 16th Karmapa, which now sits in the centre of the altar in the gompa.