Rikon im Tösstal

Rikon is the geographical center and the center of Zell, a political municipality in the district of Winterthur in the canton of Zurich in Switzerland. The village is situated 10 km southeast of Winterthur in the Valley of Töss and extends on both sides of the river. Became famous because of the Rikon above the village located in the Forest " Tibetan monastery ", which is however not referred to as such because since the secularization movement in Switzerland in the 19th century founding of new monasteries were not allowed until 1973.

The maintenance of the S-Bahn Zurich is also named after this village, the S 26 Winterthur HB - Bauma - Ruti ZH wrong there regularly.

The monastic Tibet Institute Rikon

After Switzerland in 1961 as one of the first countries in the West took up Tibetan refugees on a larger scale, the brothers Henri and Jacques Kuhn based in Rikon metal goods factory AG Heinrich Kuhn suggested the creation of a monastic Tibet Institute to the spiritual and cultural needs of Tibetans in exile in Switzerland as well as the preservation and maintenance to ensure the Tibetan culture for subsequent generations of Tibetans.

The Dalai Lama was a quick win for this idea and therefore sent an abbot and five monks to Rikon. The architect was Ueli Flück (Baden, Switzerland ). After the foundation stone was laid on 29 July 1967, the monastic Tibet Institute was passed on November 9, 1968 in an act of consecration of his determination.

The founding of a monastery in the Canton of Zurich was only by disguising as the " Institute " is possible - the de facto Monastery ( live it finally monks there ) actually represents a clear breach of the law is: Since 1874, the foundation of new monasteries in Switzerland - by Article 52 of the Federal Constitution - prohibited ( Swiss Federal Jesuit monastery and prohibition, a response to the dogma of infallibility ); the ban was lifted only in 1973 again ( the most populous cantons of Zurich, Bern and Vaud but were all against the lifting of the ban ) - so clearly after the founding of the Tibet Institute.

The Tibet Institute Rikon includes a library that is intended to represent the most extensive collection Tibetica world next to the Library of Tibetan Works and Archives in Dharamsala, northern India.

Previous abbots were:

  • Ew. Geshe Ugyen Tseten (1967-1974)
  • Ew. Geshe Tamdin Rabten (1975-1979)
  • Ew. Geshe Gedün Zangpo (1979-1995)
  • Ew. Geshe Tashi Phuntsok Phunyang (1996-2010)
  • Ew. Geshe Thupten Legmen ( since 2011 )
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