Gyuto San Jose

Donyo decided he had to find a way to help his monastery. Therefore, after seven years in Australia he decided to resign from the Melbourne Center and come to America to start a Gyuto branch in California. Since then Donyo made a firm commitment to help all the Gyuto monks and the Gyuto Monastery. After arriving in San Jose he received a great deal of support from friends of the Monastery and the local Buddhist community to fulfill his wish to set up a branch monastery in California.

It has been three years since Donyo established the Center in 2000. First he rented a three bed room house near downtown San Jose and decorated it to look like a Gompa, a small Tibetan Monastery. Then with other resident monks and specially requested senior lamas, the Center began to provide a program of detailed Dharma teachings. Slowly the number of students attending grew and became too much for the small house.

As a result, Donyo decided to find a larger property for the Gyuto Center and also to buy the property as opposed to renting it. With real estate advice from Ms. Jacqueline Nguyen and financial support from her and other friends and members Donyo was able to find an ideal new home for the Gyuto Center. He always expresses his deep gratitude to them for their support, without which the new Center could not have been bought.

The new Center has a beautiful altar, a beautiful prayer hall that could seat 100 people, better living quarters for the monks, a modern kitchen and a bigger dining area. A prayer wheel house at the back of the house and hundreds of flower have been planted around the house.

Due to Donyo’s enterprise and desire to help his monastery and fellow monks, he has established a branch monastery in San Jose. It has a growing base of members from which the Dharma can flourish. Already three high lamas and many monks from different monasteries have visited the Center and spent months giving a series of precious teachings and spiritual advice.

Donyo is full of great plans for Gyuto and the future of the Center.  He is a rare breed of monastic entrepreneur

Donyo’s message to friends of the Gyuto Center:

“I thank all of our friends for being very generous and kind to the monks.