"Where a prince gave his body to save a starving tigress and her cubs"
Namo Buddha
Kavrepalanchok, Bagmati Province, Nepal
In the hills southeast of Kathmandu, a stupa marks where an early incarnation of the Buddha made the ultimate sacrifice. Prince Semchen Chenpo discovered a starving tigress unable to feed her newborn cubs. Rather than walk away, he offered his own body—cutting himself to revive the dying animal, who then consumed him. The stupa contains his bone relics, making Namo Buddha one of the three most sacred Buddhist sites in Nepal. The Thrangu Monastery nearby houses over 250 monks continuing the practice.
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Quick Facts
Location
Kavrepalanchok, Bagmati Province, Nepal
Coordinates
27.5750, 85.5500
Last Updated
Jan 24, 2026
Learn More
An early incarnation of the Buddha sacrificed his body to save a starving tigress and her cubs. His parents built a stupa over his bone relics. In 1978, Khenchen Thrangu Rinpoche established the monastery that now anchors the site.
Origin Story
Prince Semchen Chenpo went for a recreational outing in the Himalayan foothills with his parents and two brothers. The three brothers discovered a tigress lying in a cave, starving and unable to move after giving birth. The cubs could not nurse; all would soon die.
The prince's compassion moved him past ordinary response. He stopped his brothers from killing the weakened tigress. When they left to return to camp, he stayed behind. He approached the tigress and cut himself, allowing her to lick his blood. Once revived by this nourishment, she killed and devoured him.
The king and queen, learning of their son's fate, created a jeweled casket for his bones. A stupa was built over the burial site. The name 'Namo Buddha' means 'Homage to the Buddha'—the son recognized, even in this early incarnation, as one destined for awakening.
Key Figures
Prince Semchen Chenpo (Takmo Lüjin)
Previous incarnation of the Buddha who sacrificed himself to save the tigress
Khenchen Thrangu Rinpoche
Founder of Thrangu Tashi Yangtse Monastery (1978)
Spiritual Lineage
The monastery belongs to the Karma Kagyu lineage of Tibetan Buddhism. Masters from all four schools—Nyingma, Kagyu, Sakya, and Gelug—have made pilgrimage here throughout history.
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