Ba ri rig ’dzin gdga’ tshal gling is a monastery that uphold the family lineage of the great bilingual translator ba ri rin chen grags. It was said that a person named ba ri la ma has established the religious center as a residence. However, there was also a lama named ba ri dpal ldan rin po che who was a follower of the seventh Penchen Lama blo bzang bstan pa’i nyi ma. In accordance with the achievements of the previous lamas, the descendent of ba ri, lama dbang gyal rdo je was in charge of the monastery till the Chinese occupation of Tibet. In India, the monastery was founded by lama klong gsal rin po che at Gangtok in 1983. For a while, under the leadership of ’jigs med bzang po, the descendent of ba ri lama, there were around 11 monks from places like Tibet, Mon, ’bras ljong, sharpa and Tamang continuing the religious conducts and studies, however, there are only 2 two monks today.

Rdzogs chen ao rgyan bsam gtan chos gling, one of the seats of six rnying ma centers was founded by Grub pa’ dbang phyug pad ma rig ’dzin in 1684, the first incarnation of Rdzogs chen, at kham Dege. With the coming of the successive reincarnations of Rin po che, the complete teachings of Buddha were inherited without decline. As per the wishes of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, the parents of the seventh Rdzogs chen reincarnation ’jigs med blo gsal dbang po or bstan ’dzin ’jigs bral lhun po, who was born in ’bras ljongs took great responsibility of establishing Rdzogs chen ao rgyan bsam gtan chos gling in 1992. His Holiness the Dalai Lama has performed the inaugural consecration and emphasized the need of establishing the theory and practice community which is the seeds of learning and realization. Today, at the center, there is teaching and learning of Mantra and Sutra, hundred thousand preliminary practices, retreat for three years and three months, practice of rituals, performing dance, mandala paintings, and chants.

dga’ gdong gsal byed gling is founded by zhig po shes rab and is part of the three great dge lugs pa centers of learning. It was called dga’ skyo zul gsum before the establishment of the great dge lugs monasteries of Se ra, ‘bras spungs and dga’ ldan. At the time, the dharma lineage was ka dam rnying ma pa. Not only bla ma dbu ma pa and rje tsong kha pa stayed at the center, the place is also sacred, for rje tsong kha pa had a vision of rje btsun ’jam p’I dbyang at the same center. Later the central place of the dharma protector, dga’ gdong gsal byed gling monastery came into being. The center was restored by dga’ gdong medium bstan ’zin dbang grags near Central Tibetan Administration, Dharamsala, and its inaugural occasion was graced by the presence of His Holiness the Dalai Lama. Today there are 11 monks from different ethnic backgrounds; Tibetan, Monpa and Ladakhi. As per tradition, there is observation of rituals, memorization of prayers and other dharma activities at the center. Apart from sustaining this unique tradition of us, there is also study of logic, Bodhicarya Avatara and other Tibetan sciences.

Dgon byang ao rgyan mdo sngags chos ’khor gling was founded during 19th century by the sixth rig ’dzin pad ma chos ’phel at gtingskyes, in the central part of Tibet. In India, it was established in the year 1980 at Gangtok, by the disciple of the previous reincarnation mtha’ bral rdorje. In 1981, His Holiness the Dalai Lama has consecrated and supplicated for the center. Skyabs rje rdo grub rin po che has given the name ao rgyan mdos ngags chos ling to the center. In 1995 the byang dgon study center was established. As per the infallible prophecy of skyabs rje ’jigs bral ye shes rdoje, the present meditation center and residence of the study center and hall were established during the life time of byang dgon mchog sprul ao rgyan ’jigs med ’phrin las kun khyab mchog. The three cycles of the Northern Terma and treatises of the two kun mkhyen rong klongs are being studied by around 110 monks from Tibet, ’bras ljong, Mon, Bhutan and Nepal.

Thekchok Namdröl Shedrup Dargyé Ling was founded in the Derge area of Dokham by the accomplished master Rigdzin Kunzang Yeshé. The foundation for the monastery was laid in by the accomplished master Pema Norbu Rinpoché, the eleventh abbot of Palyul Namgyal Jangchup Chöling. His holiness the Fourteenth Dalai Lama named the monastery Namdröl Ling and inaugurated it with a blessing. He also traveled to the region many times to turn the wheel of the profound and secret Dharma. When the monastery was first built, there were only ten monks. In , the Early Translation Institute, Do-ngak Rigpai Jungne Ling, was established. The students study the classics of the Indian and Tibetan Buddhist traditions for nine years, and also study and practice the common preliminary sciences and other extensive texts of sutra and tantra. Between and , there were candidates for the title of khenpo, for the title of master, and for the title of vajra master who had completed three years and three months of study. In , the monastery was renamed Samten Ösel Ling, the “Ocean of Clear Light Retreat Center, ” and in , it was renamed Tsun Gön Tsogyal Shedrup Ling. The monastery has been maintaining the stainless view, meditation, and conduct of the Early Translation school, sending its fully ordained monks to teach in more than ninety monasteries in India, Nepal, and Bhutan. Today, it has over , monks and nuns from various countries, including India, Nepal, and Bhutan.

Snga ’gyur rdor brag gsang sngag schos ’khor gling was founded as a homage to rdo brag rig ’dzin pad ’phrin mchod gnas by the myriarch of the five the Dalai Lama, zil gnon dbang rgyal rdo je or zhabs drung mthu stobs grags pa after the demise of his mother. It is said that the monastery has a history of more than three hundred and thirteen years. However, it suffered unbridled destruction during the Cultural Revolution, and only the trace is to be seen today. For the benefit of doctrinal teachings in general and the critical condition of the snga ’gyur lha brag teaching in particular, stag lung rtse sprul rin po che has established the new monastery at Mundgod Tibetan settlement in 1973. The main inner monuments are statues of the Guru glorious subjugator of appearance and existence, Buddha and Avalokiteshvara. Additionally, there are scriptures ranging from translated words of Buddha into Tibetan, the great treasury of precious Termas, hundred thousand nying ma tantras, collected works of kun mkyen klong chen and an all-victorious stupa made of copper and brass. Since 1987, His Holiness the Dalai Lama has visited the monastery three times. Along with consecrating and blessing the center, he has given profound advices and guidance.Today there are around 34 monks including the head stag lung rtse sprul rin po che. To the young monks, traditional prayers, tune and melody of rituals with special emphasis on the three cycles of the northern Terma are being taught. Painting of mandala and practicing conch and trumpet are an integral part of the system. The elder monks complete the elementary of the northern treasure and practice intensive retreat.

snga ’gyur sgrub bryud chos ’phel ling dgon is one of the monasteries of the four that were situated at four different corners of the byang gnam tsho lake in Tibet. It is situated at the south side of the lake and called gur chungrnying ma dgon. When Tibet was occupied by China, the monastery suffered tremendous destruction. The seventh gur chung lama blo gros dpal ’byor bzang po rin po che initiated the construction of new hall in 1974 at Bhandara, India and constructed zhing sgrub temple and tshe bcu temple one after another. Monks from the border areas of Tibet and Nepal study and practice the snga ’gyur rning ma rituals, such as the Embodiment of the three jewels, root initiation of zhi khro and zhi khro kar gling tshogs le rin chen phreng ba. It is a monastery that has three kinds of Mantrasand upholds the religious lineage of snga ’gyur rnying ma.

snga ’gyur btsun dgon mtsho rgyal bshad sgrub gling was founded by skyab srje grub dbang pad nor rin po che on 27 Nov 1993 at Bylakuppe, south India. The monastery was primarily meant for as a center of study and reflection, for the upholders of rnying ma school from different places like India, Tibet, Mongolia, Sikkim, Bhutan and Nepal, and who also wanted to become nun. His Holiness the Dalai Lama consecrated the monastery and given the name mtsho rgyal bshad sgrub gling. Like other rnying ma colleges, the nuns at this center study from class one to up to nine. As of now, there are 300 nuns at the nunnery. There are 250 nuns in the foundational classes and 23 were enthroned as instructress. Those who have graduated from the center are working as teachers in Bhutan, India and Nepal. The younger ones, apart from learning how to read and write from class one to eight, they study and take part in lots of other activities such as; rituals, blowing, beating and tooling of instruments and butter adornment of gtor mas. The elders in the nunnery, as per the norms of their predecessors, accumulate and purify preliminary practices, recite the three roots, practice yogic exercises and cutting through of primordial purity. For the long lives of great personalities of dharma holder, they perform Tara rituals and petition offerings. The 10th day of every month is always observed. Thus, the nuns spend most of their times in studying learning and completion and practicing renunciation of worldly. As of now, there are 805 nuns at the nunnery.

Pad ma gsangsngagschos ’khor gling, consisted of three monasteries; lhasgangdgon, rnargadgon and lhabdundgon, was a vast religious institution. It was founded by kagyu lama zhangrin po che. Initially ordained monastic community prevailed, however, it later became a center for the rnying ma tantric practitioners and it remained till Tibet lost its independence. In India, grub dbang pad ma nor burin po che, the eleventh of abbots of rgyalbadpalyul pa, one of the seats of six great rnying ma centers have facilitated the establishment of the foundation of monastery at second village of Bylakuppe Tibetan settlement. The over all construction was completed in 2007. Today, around 18 tantric practitioners are maintaining the rtogspa’ichos.

Phun tshogs rnga yab chos ’khor ling was restored and its three supports were newly built at rdor rje ling by bya bral sngas rgyas rdo rje in 1959. The main support includes a gold and copper statue of Guru glorious subjugator of appearance and existence and other sacred relics of images, scriptures and mind. The monks at the center hear, learn and study the ocean of mantra and sutra treatises. The monks after finishing the series of stages of meditation from the center, they take the role of meditation master for three years and then stay at the center as per the norm. Today, up to three batches have completed the meditation. Based on the ritual tradition of ka thog, the monks annually perform rites and rituals for religious and secular purposes, such as Elaborate Assemblage of Knowledge Holder, recitation of the translated works of Buddha and ten thousand Tara prayer. The monastery has 35 monks including the director of the institute snga ’gyur bstan pa’i gsal byed skyab srje bya bral sgnas rgyas rdo rje.