Namobuddha Stupa

Namobuddha, on a forested ridge south-east of the valley near Dhulikhel, is revered as the place where, in a previous life, the Buddha-to-be gave his own body to feed a famished tigress and her cubs. The ancient stupa, prayer flags and the large Thrangu Tashi Yangtse monastery make it a tranquil and major pilgrimage destination.

The legend of the 'tigress sacrifice' (Takmo Lüjin) is recorded in the Buddhist Jataka tradition and has drawn pilgrims for centuries. The hill carries an old stone stupa and a relief depicting the story; the surrounding monastic complex is a more recent expansion that has made Namobuddha a centre of Tibetan Buddhist practice.

Together with Swayambhunath and Boudhanath, Namobuddha is counted among the most sacred Buddhist sites in Nepal. It embodies the Mahayana ideal of selfless compassion and is an important meditation and pilgrimage retreat.

A whitewashed stupa with the painted eyes of the Buddha crowns the lower shrine, beside a carved stone stele of the sacrifice legend. Above stands the gilded-roofed Thrangu monastery with richly painted halls, prayer wheels and a hilltop shrine reached by a flag-lined path.

Current condition: Excellent; actively maintained by the monastery

Maintained by the resident monastic community; a popular and growing pilgrimage and retreat centre.