Saraswati Bhawan About Us

Preserving the ancient tradition of Buddhist Yoga

Saraswati Bhawan is a non-profit religious organization founded by Acharya Dawa Chhodak Rinpoche. We are dedicated to the practice and preservation of the ancient Buddhist Tantric tradition as held by the Nyingma sect of Tibet. In particular, we focus on the Khandro T’huk-t’hik path of the Dudjom Tersar and the Rigdzin Sogdrub yogic practices of the Northern Treasures lineage.

We are dedicated to upholding the tradition of the Yogis, or ‘Ngakpas’ according to the precepts set forth by Guru Rinpoche. Ngakpas and Ngakmos are a unique order within the tantric Buddhist tradition, dedicating their lives to the profound meditative and yogic practices of the tantras which involve long, isolated retreats.

Under Rinpoche’s direct supervision, students traverse the path of practice, beginning with the Ngondro, and progressing through the generation and completion stages of the Three Roots (Khandro, Lama, and Yidam). After successfully completing these retreats, students are taught the ‘Five Essential Yoga’ practices, beginning with the practice of Tummo and Tsa-Lung - from the outer yoga exercises (trulkhor) to the inner and sacred levels of practice – and

continuing with the practices of Illusory Body, Bardo, Dream Yoga, and Chod. Finally, the most advanced levels of the path, the profound practices of Dzogchen – Khorde Rushen, Trekchod, Todgal, and Odsal – are emphasized.

Located on the bluffs overlooking the pristine Upper Mississippi River Valley in Northeast Iowa, Saraswati Bhawan is dedicated to providing an ideal environment for in-depth and personalized instruction, especially for those fortunate practitioners who recognize the importance of following a dedicated path of practice. We are not a public Dharma center; rather, we are a small, dedicated community of practitioners who operate a private retreat facility, providing practice opportunities for those who wish to study directly under Dawa Chhodak Rinpoche’s guidance.

Saraswasti Bhawan Publications

In order to support Western practitioners of the Dudjom Tersar path, as well as the Rigdzin Sogdrub, Saraswati Bhawan also sponsors numerous translation projects, providing English and Spanish translations of key practice texts. We also provide audio recordings of some of Lama Dawa Rinpoche’s teachings. Click here for more information about CDs and texts available on our site.

P’hurba Peace Mandala

Saraswati Bhawan is currently sponsoring the construction of a traditional Vajrakilaya mandala for world peace, from the Vajrakilaya terma of the Dudjom tersar. This full-scale mandala is a replica of the only Phurba mandala in existence today, which is in Bhutan. For more information, click here.

Come Visit

We welcome pilgrims and visitors, as well as donations and volunteers - click here for more information on how you can be involved. If you would like to be on our mailing list and be kept informed of our activities, please click here.

Directions

Saraswati Bhawan is located just north of Lansing, Iowa. We are 30 miles from the LaCrosse, WI airport. If you would like to visit, please contact us for more information.