Tibetan Meditation Center

General information

The Tibetan Meditation Center was founded in 1982 by Khenchen Konchog Gyaltshen Rinpoché based on the Buddhist understanding that everyone has the ground of goodness and thus the potential and desire for achieving complete freedom and happiness. To actualize this vision, the center offers regular study and practice retreats, public lectures and short-courses as well as celebrations and ceremonies. Aside from the weekly programs and special events offered at our Frederick location, our spiritual directors also maintain an active travel schedule teaching at related centers and groups throughout North America.

As a growing community of monastic and lay practitioners, we are grounded in the Drikung Kagyu lineage - a lineage of Tibetan Buddhism that began when Kyobpa Jigten Sumgön (1143-1217) established Drikung Thil Monastery in Central Tibet in 1179. Our lineage is currently led by the two Kyabgön ("the Refuge and Protector") Rinpochés, His Holiness Drikung Chetsang and His Holiness Drikung Chungtsang. We also have a special relationship with Drikung Thil Monastery as we are a formal branch of the head-monastery in Tibet.

The TMC today consists of two complementary facilities - the main Center where most of our public events take place and a retreat facility (Phuntsok Dhargé Ling). The main Center consists of a shrine hall, an adjoining house (with a small library, book/gift-store and residence of one of our spiritual directors), a rock-garden replicating Milarepa's cave and a stupa in the final stages of completion. Visitors are welcome to join any of our events or just to come and enjoy the peace and serenity around our grounds. Our retreat-facility sits on over forty acres of land within walking distance from the main Center. Presently we have completed the first phase and with the kind and generous support of all, we hope to realize Khenchen Rinpoché's vision for the place in the very near future.