Creating The Sacred World: A New Shrine for Columbus KTC

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Five years after a devastating arson fire destroyed the Karma Thegsum Chöling Meditation Center in Columbus, Ohio, a brand-new meditation hall is rising from the ashes.  

A two-level 10,000 square-foot meditation hall and sangha activity center – twice the size of the original temple – is being built at the corner of West Rich and South Grubb streets in Columbus’ East Franklinton Neighborhood.

Its creation is a testament to the power of founder Khenpo Karthar Rinpoche’s wishes for his Columbus sangha – that we rebuild on the site of the arson and that we make the building larger and better than before.

Now that construction is more than half complete, it’s time to turn our attention to creating the “sacred environment” of our KTC shrine room.

To that end, we’re announcing our Shrine Fundraising Campaign. Starting Sunday April 18, all donations to the KTC Rebuilding Fund will be dedicated to the shrine until we reach a goal of $125,000! It’s easy to donate online: https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick…

Here are details about the new KTC’s Shrine:

Khenpo Karthar Rinpoche gave us the parameters for the new shrine room before he passed away in 2019. He asked us to create an environment that reflected the main shrine room at Karma Triyana Dharmachakra, our “home” monastery in Upstate New York:

  • A flat ceiling with walls at right angles, symbolic of the mandala palaces of Buddhist Meditational deities.
  • Four central pillars, symbolic of the Buddha’s Four Noble Truths.
  • Eight ceiling beams, symbolic of the Buddha’s Eightfold Noble Path
  •  A large central Buddha figure, symbolic of our Buddha Nature
  •  Side statues of awakened Bodhisattvas, symbolic of the qualities of wisdom and compassion.
  •  A full set of the Kangyur (Buddhist scriptures), symbolic of the treasury of the Buddha’s instructions.
  • The best available materials, so we have a shrine room that is “built to last 100 years.”

To make these a reality, Khenpo Rinpoche pre-ordered all of the statuary and some of the religious scroll paintings, and arranged for us to have a beautiful set of the Kangyur.

Now it’s up to us to complete the work he started and finish this room that we hope will uplift and support future generations of meditators and Buddhist practitioners.

Using Khenpo Rinpoche’s basic guidelines, a nine-member Shrine Design team – six lamas and three laypersons – has come up with plans for a stunning sacred environment, with all of the qualities Rinpoche envisioned, including:

  • A solid oak hardwood floor
  •  Pillars and beams made of fine wood with gold decorations
  •  Large central throne for the Buddha statue
  • Two side shrines for bodhisattva statues and texts.
  •  Brand-new chairs and meditation cushions

Final figures are not yet complete, but our best estimates say that these items and appointments will cost approximately $125,000. 

This is the initial goal for the “Creating the Sacred World” campaign.

In the last five years, we’ve raised $3 million to help make Khenpo Karthar Rinpoche’s vision a reality. Friends from all over the world have donated, flooding the world with generosity and merit

The KTC Shrine Room will be a further expression of Khenpo Rinpoche’s wise and loving vision for the expansion of the Dharma in America and a sheltering sanctuary of mindfulness, love and kindness in the center of our city.

Won’t you join us in making this sacred vision a reality?

It is said that the virtue of creating a sacred space for dharma lasts as long as the structures stand; every donation you make will last 100 years or more, and will uplift the hearts of generations of future dharma students, who will meditate there, receive Refuge Vows there, take Bodhisattva Vows there and receive Vajrayana empowerment there. 

All donors’ names will be placed in a Book of Honor in the KTC foyer; those who give $1,000 or more will be memorialized on plaques displayed on the foyer walls.

We look forward to seeing your contributions take share as sacred beauty all around us. May all beings benefit!

Happy Losar from Columbus KTC!

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Tibetan Lunar New Year (Losar) dawned today, Friday Feb. 12. We wish you Tashi Delek (all auspciousness) in the New Year!

The arrival of New Year’s Day means there are just a few days left in our effort to raise $25,000 to meet a challenge from donors who say they will match all donations dollar for dollar up to $25,000 to help us rebuild Columbus KTC. 

You can double the impact of your giving in TWO ways – by buying tickets in our “Win/Win” Raffle (prizes include an 8” Shakyamuni Buddha Statue, 6” gold-color treasure vase and gilded standing Guru Rinpoche statues) before 12 Midnight Saturday Feb. 13, and by donating to KTC online or through GoFundMe before Midnight Sunday Feb. 14.

Raffle ticket buyers can click here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScrqmauIwKKbDlFhSHD1nUUU7CZmMH42JE2avY7lXjr5ckCpg/viewform

Those who simply wish to donate can click here: https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=YMTXX46F2X7AG&source=url

Either way, all gifts will accumulate more than doubled donations – they will accumulate great virtue, as the impact all virtuous actions (including providing a place for meditation and the veneration of sacred objects) are multiplied many, many times during the first 15 days of the Lunar New Year.

Meanwhile, please enjoy the below photos taken by Lama Adam Berner of our rebuilding site on Losar Day. 

May all beings benefit!

Lama Adam Shows Us Around the KTC Rebuilding Site

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This past week, our associate resident teacher Lama and Adam Berner took a short walk around our construction site. He did a little video showing how the work is progressing, and encourages us to keep the project going through donation.


Right now your donations count DOUBLE as we are continuing our “$25,000 Challenge” through Losar Sunday. Feb. 14. All donations up to $25,000 are being doubled by generous donors. Or, consider donating through our KTC Losar (New Year) Raffle. Raffle ticket donations will be doubled too!


You can make an immediate donation here: https://columbusktc.org/rebuild/

You can connect to the Raffle here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScrqmauIwKKbDlFhSHD1nUUU7CZmMH42JE2avY7lXjr5ckCpg/viewform

May all beings benefit!

Chant with Us This Sunday to Observe 5 Years Since the Fire

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This coming Sunday, January 31, is the 5th Anniversary of the Columbus KTC Fire – the arson blaze that destroyed our center and made us “dharma nomads,” conducting our meditations and classes in rented spaces all over town. 

To commemorate the event and make powerful aspirations for the future of our community, KTC will sponsor a special “Look to the Future” Chenrezig chant on Zoom at 10 AM Sunday Jan. 31, 2021.  We hope you will join us! 

Our goal is to have as many people as possible in the “Virtual Shrine Room” for this puja. We don’t think we can “break” Zoom, but it would be gratifying to “fill” the room.   

There will be brief introductory remarks by KTC Director Kim Miracle and then the chanting of Chenrezig/Amitabha prayers. You can find the prayers on the KTC Dharma Downloads page.

Sponsorships – if you would like to sponsor our “Look to the Future” Chenrezig chant, you can go to our PayPal Donation page.

Donations of any amount are welcome and will be MATCHED as part of our “$25,000 Matching Challenge” rebuilding campaign.   

Our new building is going up rapidly at the site of the old, and we rejoice together at what our sangha has accomplished.

May all beings benefit!

Buddha Rupa, Guru Rinoche Rupa, Treasure Vase, Prayer Wheel and More in KTC’s Exciting Losar Raffle!

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Columbus KTC’s new building is going up on our property in East Franklinton. Foundation and lower floors are in, walls are rising and the roof and cupola are watching over drivers on the Ohio Route 315 expressway.

Meanwhile, we are still working to “close the gap” and raise the last $200,000 needed to complete Basic Construction of our building. To help the fundraising – and to give our sangha friends a chance to obtain some beautiful shrine objects for their home – we’re holding a raffle of some very special items, culminating in a drawing on Losar, Tibetan New Year.

The KTC New Year’s Raffle will feature an impressive gold statue of Standing Guru Rinpoche, called ““Guru Who is Supreme Among the Great,” which is said to bring great auspiciousness. There also will be a gilded 8-inch statue of the Buddha Shakyamuni, filled with mantras and relics and consecrated by Khenpo Ugyen Tenzin. There also will be a large wooden prayer wheel with millions of mantras inside, and a gold-color treasure vase.

Full list of items (with photos) is below. 

TIckets are $15 each, or four for $50.

Here’s how to enter:

Step 1: Click here to order tickets using our Google Raffle Ticket form.

Step 2: Use the “Donate” button on KTC’s PayPal Donation page, and donate $15 for each ticket – or $50 for four tickets.

We are using the HONOR SYSTEM for ticket sales. Please submit only the number of tickets to match your donation.  Entries will be checked before the drawing takes place.

DEADLINE for SALES is 12 Midnight (Eastern Time) Saturday Feb. 13.

Drawing will be held during the 11:30 AM Dharma Talk on “Losar Sunday,” Feb. 14.

Enter now – and thank you for your generosity to Columbus KTC. May all beings benefit!

Tickets $15 each; four tickets for $50.

Losar Raffle Items – 2021

Click here to see photos of each item. 

Buddha Rupa – 8 Inches tall, gilded with gold-painted face; filled and consecrated by Khenpo Ugyen Tenzin

Gold-Color Treasure Vase – 5 Inches tall 3.5 inches wide, Gold color with inset silver color medallion

Large Gold Statue of Standing Guru Rinpoche – 12 ¾ inches tall (16 in. including wand) with cushioned box.

Small Gold Statue of Standing Guru Rinpoche – 4.5 inches tall with cushioned box.

Beautiful Wooden Prayer Wheel – 9 ¾  inches tall, comes with carrying bag and cushioned box.

Medicine Buddha Thangka – Beautiful thangka 34 x 23 inches in size and honoring Medicine Buddha.

Wall Hanging of Seed Syllable – Peaceful colors, quality cloth, 33 x 23.5 inches in size.


Book – Dharma King: The Life of the 16th Gyalwang Karmapa in Images, “Produced under the direct guidance of the 17th Gyalwang Karmapa, Ogyen Trinley Dorje,Dharma King: The Life of the 16th Gyalwang Karmapa in Images commemorates the 16th Gyalwang Karmapa’s contribution to the practice and study of Buddhism around the world, as well as his preservation of one of Tibetan Buddhisms oldest lineages, the Karma Kagyu” (KTDPublications.com).

January 17, 2021 Construction Update

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Dharma at work ?!

This week the construction crew poured and “cured” the concrete slab that will be our lower-level floor and started wood framing for our Community Room, which will be in the lower level under the shrine room.

Other photos show the western wall, which was poured and waterproofed, and will soon be topped with steel girders to help create our lobby, office and classroom wing.

Meanwhile, a team of lamas, carpenters and a draftsman is working with our project management team to create plans for our new shrine. We are still raising money to help “fill in” the $525,000 shortfall in our construction budget.

We’ve raised $325,000 so far, and are getting closer every day to our goal. You can donate funds here or recite prayers for us!

Blessing Our New Building with Prosperity: A Collection of Goodness

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It’s been exciting to watch the new Columbus KTC building rise above Rich Street. The roof beams have been set, the cupola placed. Our future meditation hall is taking shape!

Meanwhile, our lamas are collecting the various types of blessings and sacred items needed for a Buddhist temple. The statues are on order; the golden spire for our roof will be designed soon. And next, we are planning to place blessing vases into the ground underneath our foundation.

These Blessing Vases contain relics, fragrant incense and semi-precious gems. They act as an offering to the local spirits to repair any damage we do to the Earth while building our new center, and magnetize prosperity for our sangha in the future.

Recently, when new stupas were built at our Karme Ling Retreat Center in Delhi, NY, the lamas collected jewelry made of silver, gold and gems as part of the stupa project. When we asked KTD President Lama Karma Drodhul if we could do something similar at KTC, he gave approval and encouragement.

So for the next few weeks – until January 15 – we will be collecting donations of gems and jewelry to bless Columbus KTC. Items should be genuine gold or silver, precious or semi-precious stones, pearls, etc. All will be placed beneath the foundation as a blessing.

To get the address for sending gems and jewelry, send an email to lamakathy@columbusktc.org

Deadline is Jan. 15. Thank you for your interest in the KTC project.

May all beings benefit!

Help KTC Raise Matching Funds on Facebook Tuesday Dec. 1 at 8 AM!

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We have been so touched by the response of our many donors and friends to the KTC’s requests for funding for the last $525,000 we need to cover Basic Construction of our new meditation center.

If you are a participant on Facebook, you can be part of our “Be a Fundraiser for a Day” rally on Tuesday Dec. 1.  The event is called #GivingTuesday, and it’s a way of encouraging generosity on the Tuesday after Thanksgiving. After spending money on holiday gifts, generosity to non-profit organization is the next logical use of funds – and more meritorious, too!

HERE’S HOW TO HELP

  • On Monday night Nov. 30 or anytime Tuesday Dec. 1, post a copy of the photo below on your Facebook page. 
  • When posting the photo click the three dots labeled “More” on the post* Choose “Raise Money”
  • Type “Karma Thegsum Choling” in the search box.
  • Choose Karma Thegsum Choling

And that’s it! We will automatically get the money you raise and you will have the good feeling of helping KTC.

AND IF YOUR PAGE IS OPEN AT 8 AM Tuesday Dec. 1, anyone who gives at 8 AM or in the next hour or so afterward might have their donation increased by 10-100 percent!

If setting up a fundraiser is not your style, you can donate to the Columbus KTC’s Facebook page instead.

Either way, we thank you and dedicate your merit!

May all beings benefit!

Beam Signing Postponed due to Stay-at-Home Order

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We regret to report that due to an increase in COVID-19 cases in Central Ohio, the Franklin County and Columbus Departments of Public Health have advised all residents of Columbus and Franklin County to stay home beginning at 6 PM Friday Nov. 20. As part of the order, county residents are advised to only leave home to go to work or school, or for essential needs such as seeking medical care, going to the grocery store or pharmacy, and picking up food.


This means that as much as we would like to host our dharma family at our construction site this weekend, it is the wisest course of action for us to follow the advice of our public health leaders and stay at home to protect our family and community health and prevent the spread of COVID-19.

Rest assured that when the emergency orders are lifted, we will joyfully gather to place our signatures on other building materials that will go into our new meditation center.


Meanwhile, please join us on Zoom on Tuesday Nov. 24 at 7 PM for our weekly compassion chant, as we pray the Chenrezig and Amitabha sadhanas for the protection and blessing of all beings.


Please take care during these difficult days and stay home when you can. Remember to wear a mask when you’re out and about, and remember to wash your hands. We love you and treasure you and look forward to seeing you in the coming months.  

May all be auspicious and may all beings benefit!

Big Week for KTC – Matching Funds! Meditation Marathon! Beam-Signing Event!

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It’s an exciting week for the Columbus KTC sangha – our 10-Day “Meditation Marathon” fundraiser has inspired a $5,000 matching-funds challenge, and our contractor will give us a chance next Saturday, Nov. 21, to SIGN OUR NAMES on a steel beam that’s going inside our building!

First Things First – $5,000 Match Fund Opens NOW!

Our first-in-a-generation Meditation Marathon has been a great success – 35 Meditators have taken up our “10-Day Meditation Challenge” and raised almost $10,000 for the #RebuildKTC project. Seven Teams, including one led by Lama Karma Drodhul – KTD President and nephew of our founder, Khenpo Karthar Rinpoche – have generated excitement and encouraged donations.

NOW WE HAVE A MATCHING FUND OPPORTUNITY! Inspired by KTC’s Rebuilding project, a group of KTC-related friends who meet weekly and call themselves “Men Having Coffee,” are putting up a $5,000 challenge. Every dollar raised from NOW through the close of business FRIDAY Nov. 20 will be DOUBLED, up to $5,000!

To donate to the challenge, visit: https://p2p.onecause.com/rebuildktc/home

We thank the Men Having Coffee for this inspiring giving opportunity.

Leave Your Mark: Sign Your Name on a Steel Beam  for the New KTC!
We’re all excited by the new construction at Columbus KTC. Seems like only yesterday that we had our “Drive-Through Construction Celebration” in September, and now we’re ready to offer our KTC sangha friends an opportunity to “leave their mark” by signing their names on a commemorative steel beam that will go into the KTC’s wall and roofing system.


From 10:30 AM to 12 Noon on Saturday Nov. 21, the gates to our materials yard will be open so our sangha friends can drive in and sign their name on a special steel beam.  You can write your name or the name of someone you love, and a one-word wish: “Love” or “Joy” or “Equality” or “Peace” or other wishes. No long strings of words – just one. And no profanity, please.


As we did during the “Drive-Through Celebration” we ask people to approach the materials yard by driving north on Pennington Alley (the alley behind the center), pull to the side of the alley, put on a mask, head into the yard, sign the beam, and then exit, taking your car north on Pennington Alley toward Rich Street. 


Masks, hand sanitizing and social distancing will be required to participate. Masks, hand sanitizers and marker pens will be provided.

Although the names won’t be visible in the finished KTC building, your name will be part of our building for many years to come.  We look forward to seeing you on Saturday the 21st!

May all be auspicious for Columbus KTC, and may all beings benefit!