- This article is about a Tibetan monastery connected to the Dalai Lamas. For the Sikkimese institution, see Namgyal Institute of Tibetology.
Namgyal Monastery (Tibetan: རྣམ་གྱལ་; Wylie: rnam rgyal, named for a long-life deity) is a Tibetan Buddhist monastery associated with the Dalai Lamas. Founded in 1575 by the Third Dalai Lama, Sonam Gyatso, Namgyal Monastery was historically housed within the Potala Palace (the red section on top). Its primary role was to assist with rituals involving the Dalai Lama.
After 1959, Namgyal Monastery relocated to Dharamsala, India, where it continues activity today. (Whether the Peoples Republic of China has maintained an institution with this name is unclear.) According to its website Namgyal (Dharamsala) has "nearly 200" monks (up from 55 in 1959), representing all four Tibetan monastic lineages. Its main tantric practices are Kalachakra, Yamantaka, Chakrasamvara, Guhyasamaja, and Vajrakilaya.
In 1992, on the advice of the present Dalai Lama, Namgyal established an American branch in Ithaca, New York. For information on this see Namgyal Monastery Institute of Buddhist Studies.
In 1998, Namgyal incorporated a Tibetan monastery in Bodhgaya, India, called Gendhen Phengyeling. The monastery is now known as Namgyal (Bodhgaya), and has 45 monks. Namgyal (Dharamsala) also manages a temple in Kushinagar (since 1967), and an elderly home in Simla (since 1992).
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