Sed Gyued Monastery

༄༅། །སཱ་ལུ་སྒར་མ་དགོན་གསང་ཆེན་དཔལ་ལྡན་སྲད་རྒྱད་གྲྭ་ཚང་།

SED GYUED INSTITUTE OF BUDDHIST STUDIES

Life at the Monastery

About Sed Gyued Monastery

Lineage

The lineage of Sed-Gyued is based on its pure tradition of an unbroken line descending from Jetsun Sherab Senge, founder of the Sed-Gyued Monastery and a disciple of Je Tsong Khapa Lobsang Dakpa.

The lineage is passed on from one Great Master of the Sed-Gyued Monastery to the next one, and no reincarnation was ever recognized according to the tradition of the Sed-Gyued Lineage.

All lineage holders of Sed-Gyued are monks of the monastery. They receive all teachings from their master and practice both Tantra and Sutra throughout their life, thus becoming masters themselves. In Sed-Gyued tradition, there are no written documents for future reincarnations of the Great Masters, and the lineage holders in future will always remain practical philosophers and learned lamas.

Chief Abbot Geshe Lobsang Wangdu Rinpoche

Sed Gyued Monastery ceremony

The Chief Abbot

Geshe Lobsang Wangdu Rinpoche is the current chief Abbot of the monastery.

Known affectionately by some long term students as “Geshe Wangdu”, Rinpoche’s current full name, with all honorifics included, is Segyü Khen Rinpoche Lobsang Wangdü. (The title “Khen” denotes the role of current Abbot.)

Prior to being the monastery's Chief Abbot. he held the same role for a three year term at Gyümé Tantric College in South India.

Khensur Rinpoche is known for his warm heart, great wisdom and erudition, and strong guru devotion.

  • Monks at Sed Gyued Monastery
  • Monks performing rituals at Sed Gyued Monastery
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Sacred Rituals & Pujas

Monks' Daily Life

HISTORY

It is well known that Tibetan Buddhism had been bifurcated into four major sects, the reformed and latest of which is the Gelukpa sect. It was founded by Je-Tsong-Khapa in the 14th Century and all the previous Dalai Lamas including the present, H.H. The Dalai Lama XIVth, followed his teachings and traditional practices thoroughly.

The Founder and President of the monastery is Sed-Gyued Dorjee Chang Jampa Wangyal Rinpoche. The present Abbot of the monastery is H. E. Geshe Lobsang Wangdu Rinpoche.

  • Reincarnation

    In the Sed-Gyued tradition, lineage holders are chosen for their scholarship and tantric mastery — not through reincarnation. Seeking guidance, the monastery approached H.H. the 14th Dalai Lama in 1992. His Holiness confirmed the existence of several emanations of past masters but advised maintaining the status quo, noting that any future reincarnation would require his formal recognition and acceptance.

    The monastery remains committed to this guidance, upholding the integrity of the Sed-Gyued lineage and protecting its tradition against false or unverified claims of reincarnation.

  • Goals of the Monastery

    • Preserve and transmit the rare Sed-Gyued tradition of Mahayana tantric texts in their authentic form.
    • Provide comprehensive Buddhist education combining traditional monastic training with modern schooling.
    • Welcome students of all backgrounds and regions — no fees are charged to monks while at Sed-Gyued.
    • Serve the wider community through healthcare, cultural preservation, and support for Himalayan peoples.

    Learn more about our monastery →

  • Projects

    The objectives of having a medical clinic in the institute are two-fold: Firstly to look after the health care needs of the students, and secondly to provide free medical counseling and medicine to poor people who cannot afford the medical fees.

    Learn more about our monastery 
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Sed-Gyued Institute of Buddhist Studies 

Dive into the ancient wisdom of Tibetan Buddhism at the Sed-Gyued Institute. Here, traditional monastic discipline meets profound philosophical study, focusing especially on the unique Tantric practices and scholastic teachings of the Gelug lineage.

The institute offers comprehensive training in Sutra and Tantra, covering the entire spectrum of Buddhist philosophy — from logic and epistemology to advanced Tantric ritual and meditation. Monks receive instruction in Tibetan language, debate, ceremonial arts, and the full curriculum of the Gelugpa tradition.

Open to students from all backgrounds, the institute is committed to making authentic Buddhist education accessible while preserving the rare and precious Sed-Gyued lineage for generations to come.

Curriculum & Daily Life

Our monastery school blends Traditional Buddhist Education with a Modern Education curriculum aligned with the National Institute of Open Schooling (NIOS). Traditional studies cover the Study of Mind, The Middle Way, Perfectionism, Valid Cognition, Moral Ethics, Introduction to Tantra, Religious History, and Vajrayana Buddhist Philosophy. Modern subjects include English, Hindi, Mathematics, Science, Computer Studies, EVS, and Social Science.

Daily Schedule: The monastery day begins at 5:00 am with morning prayers from 5:30–7:00 am, followed by classes and study periods throughout the day until 10:00 pm, Monday to Saturday.

Examinations: Three terminal examinations are held each academic year — First Term in October, Second Term in February, and Third Term in May.

No fees are charged to students at Sed-Gyued. The monastery relies entirely on the generosity of donors to provide education, food, healthcare, accommodation, and clothing for all monks.

Mission & Sacred Practices

Founded in 2001 as the successor of the nearly 600-year-old Sed-Gyued Tantra Monastery of Tibet, our mission is to revive and preserve the unique tradition of tantric teachings of the Gelugpa school. This includes the study of the Four Interwoven Commentaries of the Two Yogic Stages and the performance of three Grand Sadhanas — Guhyasamaja, Chakrasamvara, and Vajrabhairava — conducted annually through elaborately painted colored sand mandalas over ten days, concluding with a fire puja ceremony.

Our Community: The monastery is home to 115 monks, 75 students, 13 staff, and several volunteers. Facilities include classrooms, a library, prayer halls, a meditation hall, a dining hall, and a small dispensary staffed by two nurses providing daily healthcare to monks and the surrounding community.

Nutrition & Wellbeing: Three fresh, nutritious meals are provided daily — lentils, vegetables, fruits, eggs, and cereals — prepared to the hygiene standards of the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI). All water on campus is filtered through RO systems and fully potable.