Our Story
The Venerable Thupten Ngodup, the Medium (Kuten) of Nechung, the Chief State Oracle of Tibet, visited Los Angeles in 2007 and 2009. He gave teachings and blessings at various venues and private homes. It was at one of these gatherings in 2009 when an attendee, inspired by the Nechung Kuten’s message of kindness and altruism, spontaneously offered a substantial donation to establish a center for these studies. He felt that such a center would be of great benefit in the Los Angeles area.
In 2010, the Nechung Kuten (Kuten-la) founded Nechung Dharmapala Center (NDC) in Los Angeles. Kuten-la envisioned the center to be a place where local Tibetans, Mongolians, and Westerners could study and practice Buddhism in a non-sectarian way. NDC is dedicated to promoting the culture and wisdom of the Tibetan Buddhist tradition for people from all walks of life.
It took several years to find a suitable site to house the center. Finally, in 2013, NDC purchased a property in the Fairfax District of Los Angeles, close to West Hollywood. It had many great features including a sizable room for meditation and classes, high ceilings, rooms for resident monks, visiting lamas and guests, and sufficient street parking. It took a year to refashion the house into a Tibetan style building, construct the shrine, and install the Buddha statues and sacred texts.
Nechung Dharmapala Center opened in December, 2014. The Venerable Thupten Ngodup and monks from Nechung Monastery inaugurated the new center. Kuten-la and the Nechung monks visited again in 2015 and 2016. On each occasion, Kuten-la gave teachings and blessings and conducted prayer sessions and rituals.
Geshe Wangchuk, NDC’s resident teacher, arrived in December, 2016. He leads daily practice and gives weekly teachings, as well as performs special prayers during specific days in the Tibetan lunar month.
Nechung Dharmapala Center is a non-profit 501 (c) 3 religious organization.
In 2010, the Nechung Kuten (Kuten-la) founded Nechung Dharmapala Center (NDC) in Los Angeles. Kuten-la envisioned the center to be a place where local Tibetans, Mongolians, and Westerners could study and practice Buddhism in a non-sectarian way. NDC is dedicated to promoting the culture and wisdom of the Tibetan Buddhist tradition for people from all walks of life.
It took several years to find a suitable site to house the center. Finally, in 2013, NDC purchased a property in the Fairfax District of Los Angeles, close to West Hollywood. It had many great features including a sizable room for meditation and classes, high ceilings, rooms for resident monks, visiting lamas and guests, and sufficient street parking. It took a year to refashion the house into a Tibetan style building, construct the shrine, and install the Buddha statues and sacred texts.
Nechung Dharmapala Center opened in December, 2014. The Venerable Thupten Ngodup and monks from Nechung Monastery inaugurated the new center. Kuten-la and the Nechung monks visited again in 2015 and 2016. On each occasion, Kuten-la gave teachings and blessings and conducted prayer sessions and rituals.
Geshe Wangchuk, NDC’s resident teacher, arrived in December, 2016. He leads daily practice and gives weekly teachings, as well as performs special prayers during specific days in the Tibetan lunar month.
Nechung Dharmapala Center is a non-profit 501 (c) 3 religious organization.
Our Teachers
Current Teacher
Geshe Sonam Drakpa
Geshe Sonam Drakpa was born in Bir Tibetan settlement in Himachal Pradesh, Northern India. Geshe Sonam currently holds the post of the Dorje Lopon (Vajra Acharya) at the Nechung Monastery in Dharamsala. Geshe-la was enthroned to the post by Nechung Kuten la in 2013.
Geshe-la earned his Geshe degree at Drepung Loseling monastic university in south India in the year 2007. From 2008 Geshe-la studied the Vajrayana course at Gyuto monastery near Dharamsala. Following his study, he taught Vajrayana classes at the Nechung monastery.
Geshe la is a keen learner. He studied modern science topics such as neuroscience, biology, mathematics, and physics through a summer school jointly organized by Emory University and the Library of Tibetan Works and Archives at Dharamsala from 2009 to 2013. Gesha-la also attended a one-year Sanskrit and Hindi language course organized by the Dept of Religion (CTA) and the Sarah Institute of Tibetan Studies. Geshe-la will be joining us through Zoom from Nechung Monastery, India.
Geshe Sonam Drakpa
Geshe Sonam Drakpa was born in Bir Tibetan settlement in Himachal Pradesh, Northern India. Geshe Sonam currently holds the post of the Dorje Lopon (Vajra Acharya) at the Nechung Monastery in Dharamsala. Geshe-la was enthroned to the post by Nechung Kuten la in 2013.
Geshe-la earned his Geshe degree at Drepung Loseling monastic university in south India in the year 2007. From 2008 Geshe-la studied the Vajrayana course at Gyuto monastery near Dharamsala. Following his study, he taught Vajrayana classes at the Nechung monastery.
Geshe la is a keen learner. He studied modern science topics such as neuroscience, biology, mathematics, and physics through a summer school jointly organized by Emory University and the Library of Tibetan Works and Archives at Dharamsala from 2009 to 2013. Gesha-la also attended a one-year Sanskrit and Hindi language course organized by the Dept of Religion (CTA) and the Sarah Institute of Tibetan Studies. Geshe-la will be joining us through Zoom from Nechung Monastery, India.
Former Resident Teacher
Geshe Fnu Tenzingaphel (Wangchuk)
Geshe Wangchuk became a monk in 1985 at the age of 12. He took his ordination vows at Nechung Monastery, Institute of Buddhist Studies, in Dharamsala, India. He began his training by learning the unique rituals of Nechung Monastery such as creating sand mandalas and butter sculptures. Later, he began taking Buddhist philosophy courses such as the Collected Topics, Mind and Awareness, Logic, Perfection of Wisdom, and the Middle Way. He excelled in his studies and graduated in 1999.
He furthered his higher education at Drepung Loseling Monastic University and received his Geshe degree (equivalent to a PhD) in 2007. Later he completed a year of tantric studies at Gyuto Tantric University. He then went back to Nechung Monastery and began teaching Buddhist philosophy and the arts of creating sand mandalas and butter sculptures in the unique Nechung tradition to the young monks there.
He is currently the resident teacher at Nechung Dharmapala Center in Los Angeles. His presence is a great addition to the center and its activities.
Geshe Fnu Tenzingaphel (Wangchuk)
Geshe Wangchuk became a monk in 1985 at the age of 12. He took his ordination vows at Nechung Monastery, Institute of Buddhist Studies, in Dharamsala, India. He began his training by learning the unique rituals of Nechung Monastery such as creating sand mandalas and butter sculptures. Later, he began taking Buddhist philosophy courses such as the Collected Topics, Mind and Awareness, Logic, Perfection of Wisdom, and the Middle Way. He excelled in his studies and graduated in 1999.
He furthered his higher education at Drepung Loseling Monastic University and received his Geshe degree (equivalent to a PhD) in 2007. Later he completed a year of tantric studies at Gyuto Tantric University. He then went back to Nechung Monastery and began teaching Buddhist philosophy and the arts of creating sand mandalas and butter sculptures in the unique Nechung tradition to the young monks there.
He is currently the resident teacher at Nechung Dharmapala Center in Los Angeles. His presence is a great addition to the center and its activities.
Ven. Thupten Ngodup (Nechung Kuten)
Thupten Ngodup was born on July 13, 1958, in Pari, Tibet. As a child he was artistically gifted and had great compassion for others. In 1966, he and his family escaped Tibet by way of Bhutan to arrive in Dharamsala, India. In Dharamsala, he took ordination as a monk at Nechung Dorje Drayang Ling Monastery in 1970 at the age of 12. Nechung Monastery is an institution that has been closely affiliated with the Tibetan Government and the succession of Dalai Lamas for centuries. The monastery was being reestablished in Dharamsala, and Thupten Ngodup was one of the first wave of new monks. Due to his qualities and artistic abilities, he quickly rose to the position of the Chief Ritual Assistant to the Nechung Protector while in trance.
Thupten Ngodup was born on July 13, 1958, in Pari, Tibet. As a child he was artistically gifted and had great compassion for others. In 1966, he and his family escaped Tibet by way of Bhutan to arrive in Dharamsala, India. In Dharamsala, he took ordination as a monk at Nechung Dorje Drayang Ling Monastery in 1970 at the age of 12. Nechung Monastery is an institution that has been closely affiliated with the Tibetan Government and the succession of Dalai Lamas for centuries. The monastery was being reestablished in Dharamsala, and Thupten Ngodup was one of the first wave of new monks. Due to his qualities and artistic abilities, he quickly rose to the position of the Chief Ritual Assistant to the Nechung Protector while in trance.
Nechung Rinpoche
Venerable Tenzin Losel was born in Lhasa, Tibet, in 1985. In 1993, at 8 years of age, he was recognized by His Holiness the Dalai Lama as the re-incarnation of the previous Nechung Rinpoche. In order for him to be educated and take on the traditional duties and responsibilities for Nechung Monastery and the Tibetan government in exile, he had to be smuggled out of China-controlled Tibet.
Venerable Losel began his formal studies in 1995 at Nechung Monastery in Dharamsala, India. He will finish his extensive studies in 2020 and will then begin to take on the full range of his responsibilities.
Venerable Tenzin Losel was born in Lhasa, Tibet, in 1985. In 1993, at 8 years of age, he was recognized by His Holiness the Dalai Lama as the re-incarnation of the previous Nechung Rinpoche. In order for him to be educated and take on the traditional duties and responsibilities for Nechung Monastery and the Tibetan government in exile, he had to be smuggled out of China-controlled Tibet.
Venerable Losel began his formal studies in 1995 at Nechung Monastery in Dharamsala, India. He will finish his extensive studies in 2020 and will then begin to take on the full range of his responsibilities.
