A Tibetan Buddhist Temple In The South Of Brazil
A Buddhist Temple of Tibetan traditions located only 30 km from my hometown of Canela was certainly an unexpected discovery during my recent visit to Brazil in December 2017. My sister Angelita who has been a fan of the Buddhist Temple of Chagdud Gonpa Khadro Ling for some time was keen to enlighten me about the teachings of Chagdud Tulku Rinpoche, the high Lama who settled in this region of Brazil in 1995.
Upon arrival, we watched a short video that tells the history of Khadro Ling, who left Tibet for India following the Chinese invasion in 1959. I learned little from the video since we only managed to catch the end of it. But later on, I read more about his journey from Tibet. He was the sixteenth Tulku of the Chagdud line who practised Tibetan Buddhism primarily in the Nyingma tradition of Padmasambhava. He has certainly led a fascinating life, including a life in exile from his beloved Tibet. Following Tibet’s invasion in 1959, Chagdud Tulku escaped to India where he lived in a number of Tibetan refugee camps. He later also lived in Kathmandu, Nepal and in the USA where he continued his teachings.
It was in 1992 that he accepted an invitation to teach in Brazil which led to him becoming a pioneer insofar as spreading the Dharma in South America. He moved to the Chagdud Gonpa Khadro Ling Temple in the town of Três Coroas, RS, Brazil in 1995. The Temple became the main seat of his activities for the rest of his life. He died peacefully at his home in Três Coroas in 2002 due to heart failure. His main students and the lamas he ordained continue to teach and carry on Chagdud’s many projects and practices in this region of Brazil and further afield.
Meditation is open to all here every Sunday from 9:15 am to 10 am. There are also opportunities to be part of ongoing meditation retreats and practices on site. During our visit, there was a retreat going on and hence why there were restricted visiting areas inside the Temple.
The site is located at the top of a mountain, surrounded by lush vegetation and natural beauty. It includes a large statue of Buddha, there are eight large Stupas, the main Temple itself and various other buildings erected at a later stage by artists, devotees and craftsmen from Nepal. The resident community is responsible for local maintenance and activities, volunteer workers are welcome.
Angelita trying to align her “chakras”
Main Temple
Large Buddha statue
According to the idealization of Chagdud Rinpoche, the temple was built to inspire positively all visitors regardless of their religious beliefs or traditions. Perfectly located in this quiet and idyllic setting it has certainly inspired me to learn more about Buddism and meditation.
Something To Eat
There is no food for sale inside the Temple complex site, there is only a small gift shop that sells water and soft drinks. You can bring your own food and drinks to make good use of the surrounding gardens and shaded areas for a picnic.
My sister and I went for a meal beforehand at the “Espaco Tibet” Restaurant, which claims to be the first Tibetan Restaurant of Brasil. It is located not far from Khadro Ling Temple complex, with an easy access from the main road between Porto Alegre and Gramado. There is a good car park on site. It is perfectly positioned on a hill overlooking the small town of Três Coroas and surrounded by lush green vegetation. As we entered the peaceful garden we could hear soothing Tibetan songs.
Tibetan inspired garden
You can eat “al fresco” if you wish
Angelita enjoying a peaceful sitting area at the Tibetan inspired gardens
Before our meal, we explored the beautifully kept gardens which have been carefully created to give the illusion of suddenly arriving in Asia. There is attention to detail, lots of hidden corners and places for contemplation and tranquillity.
Inside the Restaurant there is again a clear Asian vibe, staff are extremely friendly, the food had all the flavours of a unique culinary experience. Before the meal, we were served a complimentary Tibetan tea.
Complimentary tea
Angelita and I spent a day immersed in a different culture in the most unexpected of places. We ate the Tibetan flavours, we rejoiced in the peace and tranquillity of the Buddist Temple, we drank Tibetan tea. But also not forgetting our own traditions we drank Chimarrão sitting on our picnic blanket over the grass, shaded by trees overlooking the Tibetan Stupas.
It was most definitely one of the favourite days I had during my recent visit to Brazil.
Angelita brought the Chimarrão
It is only appropriate that I leave you with a favourite Buddha quote :
“We are shaped by our thoughts; we become what we think. When the mind is pure, joy follows like a shadow that never leaves.”
Hello sister! I Just loved that day out with you! I knew you would like this place, wich is so peaceful and where we can see a bit of a budhist life. Thank you for sharing with me this great time! Bjooo! Mal posso esperar pelas nossas próximas aventuras!
Hello gorgeous sister! Was that day super magical? Thank you so much for taking me there 🙂
I am so looking forward to meeting up with you in June…yes more adventures please 🙂
I think it would be very easy to embrace the Buddhist life. Simplicity is very appealing.
Suzanne, simplicity makes a lot of sense. I have only recently become more interested in learning more about Buddhism…I wish I had started learning long time ago. Thanks for your visit 🙂
Very memorable experience in a beautiful place. Great quote, too bad so many don’t follow the guidance 😉
Paula, I had no idea about this Buddhist Temple in the South of Brazil. It was such a lovely discovery, sometimes it is the unexpected experiences that we enjoy the most. When it comes to negative thoughts we are our worst enemies…yes we need to remember more often that peace comes from within and our thoughts play a huge part in our happiness.
Sometimes things are just meant to happen, aren’t they? It sounds like a wonderful experience to be able to share with your sister. I saw that you are meeting again in June. Is she coming to the UK? 🙂 🙂
Jo, it really was a wonderful experience and I got to hang out with my little sister Angelita. I will be meeting her again in Peru in June. We will have our husbands in tow…fingers crossed they will get on…I suspect they will get own very well indeed since they don’t actually speak each other’s language…perfect hahaha.
Beautiful! and very unexpected. I wouldn’t have believed this is in Brazil..haha! Federico walked in as l was reading it and he said Thailand? 🙂 . I absolutely love the last saying about thoughts shaping us. It is so true. Thanks for sharing, and love that picture of you with the tea. You look so rested and relaxed.
Kemkem, my visits to Brazil are often all geared up to spend lots of time with the family and not much sightseeing, therefore, I was pleasantly surprised to find something like this so near my hometown. This Temple would certainly be a much more familiar sight in Thailand than here in Gaucho country hahaha. I enjoyed learning more about Buddhism and meditation practices…yes if only we could control our thoughts and channel them towards a more positive outlook 🙂 I did feel very rested and relaxed…it might have been all that Zen surroundings and music 🙂
Not anything I would have ever expected in Brazil. It actually seems to fit into the landscape and if you had shown me a photo I would probably have guessed somewhere in South East Asia.
Frank, this Temple did actually fit perfect in the mountainous landscape of the South of Brazil. Certainly a very surprising and enjoyable finding for me. I am loving all your posts from Thailand Frank, you are certainly visiting some AMAZING Temples there 🙂
What a beautiful and inspiring post! So glad to see Tibetan influences arriving in Brazil. Personally, I feel this benign and wise influence benefit every corner of our world. Loved the photos too!
Thank you Val, I was pleasantly surprised to find the Temple complex so near my home town. I don’t really know enough about Buddhism to have a strong opinion, but I certainly feel curious enough to want find out more about it 🙂 I am pleased you enjoyed the photos, I used mostly the camera on my mobile phone…so not a bad effort I guess 🙂
Gilda if I had just glanced through the photos I would have certainly assumed you were in south east Asia! What a fascinating discovery and as you say one of your favourite days of your trip. Such lovely colours and looking so relaxed.
Sue, it was a perfect place to spend a day of discoveries with my baby sister. My Brazilian trip was almost over, I was indeed feeling very relaxed after so much sunshine and family love. The zen surrounding of this Buddhist Temple was also a tonic for the soul 🙂
This looks like a lovely place for some spiritual guidance and awareness and a nice little picnic. I am very happy that you introduced me to your blog, and look forward to following your travel adventures.
Joe, this Temple was a very unexpected finding for me. I have certainly never heard of a Buddhist Temple only 40 minutes from my hometown of Canela…our picnic felt surreal, surrounded by structures that would look more at home in Asia. I am thoroughly enjoying your blog and have now managed to read all your blog posts…I am up to date:) I like your writing style. Thank you for your lovely comment here 🙂
Gilda, It just goes to show that you don’t have to go half-way around the world for a meaningful travel experience. I am elated that you enjoy of our blog, and quite impressed by your endurance slogging through all its posts.
Somehow, I don’t think of a Tibetan Buddhist Temple when I think of Brazil but I enjoyed this story of your unexpected discovery near your home town. The temple and its surrounding are so beautiful and it’s easy to imagine the peaceful environment, I especially love the fact that it’s open to everyone, regardless of their religion. Anita
Anita, the setting for the Buddhist Temple was just beautiful…a lovely discovery. Yes, it is open to all and they offer free meditation classes there every Sunday. There are lots of local people that volunteer to work there and help to maintain the gardens. Has spring arrived in the Algarve yet? Here we are well fed-up of the cold days 🙁
Your photos are lovely, Gilda, such a peaceful presence. Your post reminded me of a Buddhist Temple we came upon in southern Oregon, here in the US, several years ago. Nothing else around it, just a temple on a hill. Quite strange really, but completely serene. It looks as if you and your sister enjoyed a similar experience including a fantastic lunch view!
Patti, thank you, it was a very bright day with lots of good light for outdoors photography. Also Buddhist Temples tend to be quite photogenic 🙂 but it was an unexpected finding for sure…I imagine you felt the same when you came upon a Buddhist Temple in Oregon? Angelita and I made the most of the beautiful surroundings for our picnic 🙂
Very nice, I absolutely love that first photo.
Thank you so much, I am so glad you like that picture, it means a lot coming from someone like yourself who really does take amazing photos 🙂 I am trying hard to improve the composition of my photos. I did a 3 months photography course last year which has helped me a lot 🙂
Beautiful temple! One thing I missed about travelling in South America was temples, I loved that aspect of living in Asia.
Amy, the Asian Temples are AMAZING. I have only visited a few of the Temples in Thailand but I would love to travel more in Asia and explore many others. So much to explore that one lifetime is not enough 🙂
We have buddhist temples everywhere here in Bhutan and neighboring countries in Asia, but didn’t expect one in Brazil. Quite a surprise. Is it the only one there? Are there a lot of Buddhists in Brazil?
Sonam, there are many Buddhist Temples in Brazil and I think the largest one is in Sao Paulo where there is also a large Asian population. I was surprised to find this one so near my home town, I thoroughly enjoyed visiting it and learning more about Buddhism. I hope to visit Bhutan one day and I am sure the Temples there will be beautiful. Thank you for your comment 🙂