Druk Amitabha Monastery

Locally known as Seto Gumba (White Monastery) is a Tibetan Buddhist nunnery located on a hilltop just north of Swayambhunath in Kathmandu Valley. It belongs to the Drukpa Kagyu lineage of Vajrayana Buddhism and is one of the most well-known nunneries in Nepal.

Interesting Fact about Monastery

• Deeply dedicated to Amitabha Buddha and the Pure Land tradition, the nunnery blends daily prayers and ritual practices with intensive meditation retreats and a rigorous study of Drukpa Kagyu philosophical teachings to foster deep mind-awareness.
  
• The monastery is globally celebrated for its “Kung Fu Nuns,” who practice martial arts under the lineage’s leadership as a form of physical discipline, self-defense, and confidence-building while explicitly challenging traditional gender stereotypes.

• Beyond their spiritual training, the nuns are internationally recognized for their large-scale social activism and modern humanitarian work, translating their Buddhist values of compassion into direct community action.

• As a massive nunnery education system and a serene pilgrimage site, the institution beautifully bridges ancient Vajrayana traditions with progressive female empowerment, creating a thriving, sacred space for women in monastic life.