Namo Buddha (Thrangu Tashi Yangtse Monastery)
नमोबुद्ध
One of the three holiest Tibetan Buddhist pilgrimage sites in Nepal, where legend says a prince offered his body to a starving tigress.
Dedicated To
Prince Mahasattva / Shakyamuni Buddha
Period
Ancient legend; modern monastery 1978
Hours
Dawn to dusk (monastery prayers 5:30 AM and 3:00 PM)
Entry Fee
Free
Neighborhood
Namo Buddha Hill
Location
Kavrepalanchok, Bagmati
Visiting Etiquette
Remove shoes in monastery. Walk clockwise around stupas. Observe silence during prayers. Modest dress. Overnight stays possible — inquire at guesthouse.
Namo Buddha is one of the most important Tibetan Buddhist pilgrimage sites in Nepal, located on a serene hillside in Kavrepalanchok district, about 40km southeast of Kathmandu.
According to Buddhist legend, this is where Prince Mahasattva (a previous incarnation of the Buddha) offered his body to a starving tigress and her cubs — an act of supreme compassion that became one of the most celebrated Jataka tales. A marble stupa marks the spot where this sacrifice is said to have occurred.
The Thrangu Tashi Yangtse Monastery, established by Thrangu Rinpoche, is a large and active Tibetan Buddhist monastery complex with several hundred monks and a Buddhist university. Visitors can observe daily prayer ceremonies, stay in the monastery guesthouse, and walk meditation paths through the surrounding forests.
The area is also popular as a day hike from Dhulikhel or Panauti, through terraced rice paddies and traditional Tamang villages.