Vajrapani Institute
P.O. Box 2130
Boulder Creek, CA 95006
(831) 338-6654 

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 About  Us

Vajrapani Institute for Wisdom Culture is a Tibetan Buddhist retreat center located in the Santa Cruz Mountains in Boulder Creek, California, USA. The Institute is set in 70 acres of spectacular redwood forest populated by many species of birds and a variety of wildlife including deer. Being quiet and remote, but also relatively close to major cities and airports, Vajrapani is an ideal setting for retreat, serenity and quietude. Vajrapani is an extremely blessed setting and has been visited over the years by many Holy Beings including a visit by His Holiness the Dalai Lama in 1989. As a result of this, we provide a rare and sacred space for spiritual healing and growth. We appeal to a wide spectrum of visitors: people who participate in facility rentals, practice in our private retreat cabins, and take part in our courses and group retreats.  

Vajrapani Institute is part of the Foundation for the Preservation of the Mahayana Tradition (FPMT), a worldwide organization of more than 130 retreat and city centers, hospices and health care projects, monasteries and nunneries, and schools and publishing houses. We follow the Geluk-pa tradition of Tibetan Buddhism, as founded by Lama Tsong Khapa (1357-1419). Founded in 1977 by Lama Thubten Yeshe, who established the FPMT, Vajrapani is now under the care of Lama Thubten Zopa Rinpoche, foremost disciple of Lama Yeshe and the present spiritual director of the Foundation.  

Traditional for Tibetan retreat centers, the land is situated in the ford of two creeks. It borders a state park with accessible hiking trails. All buildings and facilities have been built and are maintained in an environmentally-conscious manner by residents and community members, some of whom have lived here for more than 20 years. We generate our own power through a solar and hydroelectric system. The Institute is a registered 501(c)(3) organization and is also classified in Section 509(a)(2) of the Internal Revenue Code as a tax-exempt non-profit organization.  

 

The spiritual heart of the center is an Enlightenment Stupa, a monument dedicated to the life and works of Lama Yeshe.  

  

Meditation Hall

 

Private retreat cabins

 

Facility Rentals  


About our Wisdom Culture

“In the midst of a thick forest

Of a wealth of turquoise trees

Lies the monastery – dharma center of the

Glorified owner of secrecy, Vajrapani

May every single outer and inner harm

Of generous people be pacified.

May their life, merit and wealth increase.

May this land be pervaded by holy beings,

Holders of the teachings,

Who have completed the practice of the three higher trainings.”

Serkong Rinpoche, a teacher of His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama wrote this praise of Vajrapani’s land during his stay at Vajrapani Institute in 1983. This was followed three years later, in 1986, by a visit from His Holiness himself. Vajrapani Institute is nestled within 70 aces of sparkling turquoise redwood forest. Our trees shimmer green in the winter rain and glow red in the summer dusk. This forest is sanctuary to numerous deer, rabbits, hawks, finches, humming birds and other illustrious denizens. Our wooded areas and trails offer life’s weary traveler many opportunities to be surprised and rejuvenated by life herself.

Our Institute is named for Vajrapani, the Tibetan Buddhist Archetype for the energy of wisdom. This archetypal Buddha is considered the guardian of the Buddhist tantras. Tantras here refer to secret buddhist teachings about the true nature of reality. These unique tantras describe sacred environments that restore our body and spirit. At these power places we easily experience our interconnectedness with all life and are made whole.

Buddhists do not consider these sacred environments as places to escape from reality, but to enter into it even more fully. This journey is made through the three trainings of ethics, meditation and wisdom understanding the true nature of reality; done with the higher motivation of benefiting others. In this journey we are guided by the many Buddhist teachers that visit our institute.

This journey is not made by just visitors to our institute but also by our staff. The multinational staff at Vajrapani Institute sees their service as an extension of their spiritual journey. The qualities of wisdom culture inform our customer service. These are:

1. That all things arise due to causes and conditions

2. That beings seek to be happy and avoid suffering

3. That all experience and knowledge is dependent on mind and its projections

4. That mind is a continuum whose essential characteristics are awareness and clarity

5. That this awareness and clarity is clouded by opportunistic afflictions

6. That we all have the potential of reconnecting with this clarity

7. That all actions of body, speech and mind have consequences and influence future circumstances

8. That the key to achieving peace and happiness for oneself is to work for peace and happiness of others

These qualities allow us the freedom to attend to the unique needs of each of our guests as they represent an aspect of our inner selves, an invitation from life to host a particular quality of ourselves. In this, we are inspired by our precious founder, Lama Yeshe.

Our Institute was the second world-wide center founded by pioneering Tibetan teachers, Lama Yeshe and Lama Zopa Rinpoche in the late 70s. The organizations that they founded today numbers 143, of which Vajrapani Institute remains an elder sister. Lama Yeshe passed away in 1984 and his remains are enshrined in a Buddhist memorial called a stupa. Many of our guests have remarked that they can still feel the kind motherly presence of Lama Yeshe on our land.

We extend this opportunity for you to experience for yourself the qualities described in the Praise above.