A week of collective prayers for world peace held during the auspicious month of Saga Dawa. Join Abbot Lama Yeshe Losal Rinpoche and Drupon Khen Rinpoche for daily recitation and insightful Dharma teachings.
We are honored to host the 6th UK Kagyu Monlam at Samye Ling. This major prayer festival is dedicated to world peace, harmony, and the well-being of all sentient beings. While the primary global gathering is held annually in Bodhgaya, India, we are delighted to bring this tradition to the UK for the sixth year.
Teaching & Practice
The Monlam coincides with Saga Dawa, the most auspicious month in the Tibetan calendar, commemorating Lord Buddha’s Birth, Enlightenment, and Parinirvana.
Daily Sessions: The prayer sessions will be presided over by Drupon Khen Rinpoche and our Abbot, Lama Yeshe Losal Rinpoche.
Refuge Ceremony: On the 15th day of Saga Dawa (31st May 2026), Abbot Lama Yeshe Losal Rinpoche will give Refuge to those wishing to formally enter the Buddhist Path.
About Drupon Khen Rinpoche’s Teachings
Drupon Rinpoche will offer two teaching sessions daily. His teachings are for those looking to challenge their limitations and cozy corners of ignorance—particularly those with the courage to reassess their current perspectives and extend the scope of their concern to encompass as many others as possible.
In Rinpoche’s approach, nothing is deemed too sacred to escape analysis: one’s practice, knowledge, personal hang-ups, the Buddha, Buddhist institutions and traditions, and Rinpoche himself are all open to scrutiny. If you are open-minded, wish to make progress in your practice, and care about the authentic teachings of the Buddha and how they might be integrated into the West, you may find these teachings insightful and are most welcome to attend.
The History of the Kagyu Monlam
Though the Kagyu Monlam belongs fully to the contemporary world, its roots lie in 15th-century Tibet, where the 7th Karmapa, Chödrak Gyatso, established the tradition of great prayer gatherings. People from all over Tibet assembled annually to pray for the benefit of all sentient beings.
The modern tradition in exile began in India in 1983, founded by two great lamas, Kalu Rinpoche and Bokar Rinpoche, at the Mahabodhi Temple in Bodhgaya. Since the 17th Karmapa assumed responsibility for the festival in 2004, he has brought many innovations, creating the international festival that exists today—now celebrated in smaller scales in countries all over the world.
Attendance & Contributions
There is no charge to attend the Kagyu Monlam. We welcome everyone with an open mind and a shared wish for global harmony. Please register via the form above. If you wish to support the event, contributions are gratefully accepted at the Samye Ling Reception Office.
