About Us


Our Mission  

Sakya Thupten Dargye Ling, also known as the Minnesota Sakya Center, is the Minnesota branch of Tsechen Kunchab Ling, seat of His Holiness the Sakya Trizin in the United States. Our mission is to provide authentic Buddhist teachings and support for Buddhist practice to members and the wider community. We strive to serve the spiritual needs of the local Buddhist community, provide Dharma teachings appropriate to many levels of interest and understanding, and ultimately preserve the teachings of the Buddhist traditions and the Sakya lineage of Tibet so that they may continue to flourish and inspire wisdom and compassion for all beings.

Our History and Teachers

The Minnesota Sakya Center is one of the oldest Sakya Centers in the United States, and is a branch of Tsechen Kunchab Ling, seat of His Holiness the Sakya Trizin in the United States.

Over the years, The Center’s primary activities have included inviting great teachers to our area and holding group study and meditation sessions. Additionally, it has supported our teachers’ Dharma endeavors, supported student monks in India, and helped with the publication of several books.

It has been our incredible good fortune that, due to the boundless compassion of the Lamas, the list of our visiting teachers reads like a “Who’s Who” of great Sakya masters. We’ve welcomed to Minneapolis, His Holiness the Sakya Trizin and his two sons, H.E. Dongsay Ratna Vajra Rinpoche and H.E. Dongsay Gyana Vajra Rinpoche; H.E. Dagchen Rinpoche, H.E. Chogye Trichen Rinpoche, H.E. Luding Khenchen Rinpoche, H.E. Jetsun Kushok Chimmey Luding, H.E. Luding Khen Rinpoche, the late Venerable Deshung Rinpoche, the Venerable Lama Kunga Rinpoche, the Venerable T.G. Dhonthog Rinpoche, the Venerable Geshe Sopa Rinpoche, the Venerable Geshe Jamspal, Dr. Peter Della Santina and the Venerable Lama Lobsang Dakpa. We’ve also enjoyed many visits from the Venerable Lama Kalsang Gyaltsen, the Venerable Lama Dorje, the Venerable Lama Pema Wangdak, and the Venerable Lama Migmar Tseten, and were delighted to have the Venerable Lama Gendun Gyatso as our resident lama from 2000 to 2005.

Please click here for more information on our teachers.

In August, 2002, our Center was recognized by the Internal Revenue Service as tax exempt under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code as a branch of Tsechen Kunchab Ling, seat of His Holiness the Sakya Trizin in the United States.

It is our fervent wish and prayer that, with the enthusiastic support of our kind friends and members, and the blessings of the Great Masters, this Center will blossom and flourish, will continue to serve the spiritual needs of our community, and will bring great joy and meaning to all of our lives.





His Holiness gave initiation and public talk at Touchstone Energy Place at RiverCenter on June 29, 2003.


Rainbow filled the sky over TAFM after H. E. Ratna Vajra Rinpoche gave Long Life and Vajrakilaya Initations on June 3, 2007.


H. E. Ratna Vajra Rinpoche gave “Parting from The Four Attachments” teachings at First Universalist Church on June 2, 2007.


Hundreds attended initiations bestowed by H. E. Ratna Vajra Rinpoche at TAFM.


The Minnesota Sakya Center, Sakya Thupten Dargye Ling, is a branch of
Tsechen Kunchab Ling, Seat of His Holiness the Sakya Trizin in the United States.
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