Sakya Changlochen Ling

25/05/2026

Today, 25th May, we celebrate the 95th birthday of one of Lama Jampa’s principal teachers and master of the Sakya and Kagyu traditions, Karma Thinley Rinpoche.

Karma Thinley Rinpoche was born into the noble family of Bongsar in 1931 in the Nangchen area of Kham, Eastern Tibet. Over the last twenty-five years, Rinpoche has founded centres and taught extensively in Canada, the U.S.A., New Zealand and the United Kingdom. He has hundreds of devoted Western, Tibetan and Nepali students and has received a vast array of teachings from within the Kagyu, Sakya and Nyingma schools of Tibetan Buddhism.

In addition to being an accomplished poet and artist, Rinpoche is a renowned historian, having written (in English) 'The History of the Sixteen Karmapas'.

His major projects are the continuing supervision of his nunnery Tegchen Lekshey Ling in Bodhnath, Nepal and of Sangngak Phodrang in Nangchen, Tibet.

“Following the glorious Karmapa and Sachen, activity of the holders of the black and red crowns...Supreme guide, glorious spiritual friend, long may you remain.”

From Karma Thinley Rinpoche’s Long Life Prayer, composed by His Eminence Chogye Trichen Rinpoche.

Happy birthday Rinpoche from all of us at Sakya Changlochen Ling. May you live long! 🙏

19/11/2025

Today we celebrate the birthday of His Holiness the 42nd Kyabgon Gongma Trizin, Ratna Vajra Rinpoche 🙏. His Holiness is the eldest son of His Holiness Sakya Trichen (the 41st Sakya Trizin) and is considered one of the most highly qualified lineage masters of Tibetan Buddhism. Renowned for his erudition and the clarity of his teachings, His Holiness the 42nd Sakya Trizin is from the prestigious Khön family, whose successive generations have provided an unbroken lineage of outstanding masters.

From 2017 - 2022, His Holiness was the 42nd Sakya Trizin or throne holder of the lineage. He has continually guided students worldwide with his wisdom, genuine qualities of unaffected simplicity, humility and complete honesty, by presenting the Buddha’s teachings in the most authentic way, while maintaining the purest of Buddhist traditions.

We have been very fortunate to receive teachings from His Holiness here at Sakya Changlochen Ling and at our Centres in the UK and beyond at the invitation of Lama Jampa Thaye.

We aspire to welcome him again soon and, in the meantime, we send all our wishes for his long life and the flourishing of all his dharma activities! 🙏☸🙏

👉Read more at: https://hhsakyatrizin.net/42nd-sakya-trizin/ and enjoy more photos of His Holiness's visit in 2017 here: https://www.sakyabristol.org/sakya-galleries/gallery/rvr-clc-2017/

22/10/2025

Today, 23 October, is the birthday of our principal teacher and founder, Lama Jampa Thaye. All of us at Sakya Changlochen Ling would like to express our gratitude for his unending kindness and for the wealth of teachings and practices he has generously bestowed on us.

We wish you a very happy birthday and request you to please remain with us for many more years 🙏🙏🙏

“Lama Jampa has been my dharma friend for many many years…. It is very impressive that he has kept the traditional studies and dharma practice with all his followers together…. this is very encouraging to see, that dharma is growing and blossoming everywhere.”
HH Sakya Gongma Trichen

26/09/2025

🙏Remembering and celebrating David Armstrong, Co-ordinator of Sakya Buddhist Centre Bristol and Sakya Changlochen Ling. 🙏

Our incredible Centre Co-ordinator, David Armstrong, passed away last Saturday, 20 September, aged 69.

David was a devoted dharma practitioner and master craftsman who, over more than 40 years of Buddhist practice, was instrumental in establishing and developing Sakya Buddhist Centre Bristol and Sakya Changlochen Ling in France, where he organised the recent amazing summer course of teachings by Lama Jampa Thaye.

📿At Sakya Buddhist Centre Bristol, we'll be dedicating all of our prayers and practices to him over the 49 days since his passing, in particular the weekly Chenrezik pujas. We had the first of these last week and it was a time of mingled happiness and sadness, with comfort found in shared practice and friendship.

David and his family will remain very much in our thoughts and we'll be share more about his life and dharma activities over the next month.

15/09/2025

✨The 2025 Dechen Summer Course blog is now live! Click below for the link and a great photo gallery too!✨

https://www.sakyabristol.org/a-flash-of-lightning-on-a-dark-night-news-from-france/

News from the annual Dechen Summer Course in France at Sakya Changlochen Ling. This summer, many places have seen fierce heat, parched fields and sudden, heavy bursts of rain. The wild and beautiful Dordogne in France is often witness to such dramatic changes, leading to vivid sunsets and misty dawn...

14/09/2025

📣📣📣Following the summer course, announcing this online study group of Shantideva's 'Bodhisattvacaryāvatāra' led by Dechen London - more details below including how to join 👇

Saturdays 11am - 12 noon (London UK) Following Lama Jampa’s teaching of Santideva’s Bodhicaryavatara (The Bodhisattva Way of Life) this summer, you are invited to join this weekly study group for further study and reflection. Commencing September 2025 - contact [email protected] for

06/09/2025

Sending all our best wishes to His Holiness, Sakya Gongma Trichen Rinpoche on his 80th birthday! This amazing master was the 41st head of the Sakya tradition of Tibetan Buddhism taking on this role at just 14 years old. Renowned for the brilliance, clarity and warmth of his teachings, we've been very fortunate to receive many teachings from him and hope to welcome him again soon. May you be forever young! 🙏❤️🙏

31/08/2025

And so ends two weeks of Shantideva's beautiful and straight down the line poetry, taught with clarity, warmth and humour by Lama Jampa Thaye.

People of all backgrounds and ages from the US, Mexico, Europe, the UK and Ireland heard how to gradually cultivate the qualities needed to lead all beings to the freedom of Buddhahood.

Over the two weeks, coffee was sipped (often kindly sponsored), conversations experienced, music enjoyed, malas created; there was even time to play with the odd stick or two!

Come heat, thunder, rain or sun, a fantastic team of volunteers made sure that everyone was comfortable.

We completed the course having reached the mid point of Shantideva's 'Entering the Bodhisattva Conduct', with the supporting commentary by Sakya master Sonam Tsemo.

Follow us here to find out more on the next instalment of these extraordinary teachings.

In the meantime, there will be a study group so that people can deepen their understanding of the text - more details to follow soon!

✨See below for course highlights✨

25/08/2025

Moments that matter from this year's Dechen dharma course with Lama Jampa Thaye 🙏💗🙏

25/08/2025

Week 2 of the Dechen Summer Course with Lama Jampa Thaye started yesterday with more teachings on Shantideva's 'Entering the Bodhisattva Conduct' and the vajrayana initiation of Amitayus.

More news and photos to follow. In the meantime, sharing some memorable moments below 👇 from week 1 to enjoy 🙏🙏🙏