Karmapa (Nov. 1975 and 12.12.-26.12.1977), Khamtrul Rinpoche, Dilgo Khyense Rinpoche and Urgyen Tulku. In 1969, musicians David Bowie and Leonard Cohen were students at Samye Ling. In fact Bowie not only studied Buddhism at Samye Ling, he almost became a monk there: "I was a terribly earnest Buddhist at the time [...] I had stayed in their monastery and was going through all their exams, and yet I had this feeling that it wasn't right for me. I suddenly realised how close it all was: another month and my head would have been shaved." The centre flourished and developed under the guidance of Akong Rinpoche and his brother Lama Yeshe Losal Rinpoche, who serves as both Abbot and Retreat Master. The centre includes one of the first Tibetan temples to be constructed in Western Europe, a large Stupa, and accommodation for those taking a range of courses on Buddhism, meditation, spiritual development and art. ROKPA trust The Johnstone House Trust ceased to exist in 1995 and the centre now describes itself as part of the ROKPA trust whose objectives are to promote Buddhism and to foster non-sectarian inter-religious dialogue and understanding. To provide medical care and therapy. To provide education. To relieve poverty. The ROKPA trust administers a number of other centres and projects worldwide, notably the Holy Island Project which has Buddhist retreat facilities and a centre for world peace and health on Holy Island on the Firth of Clyde and its Overseas Projects on behalf of ROKPA International based in Switzerland. A ROKPA International project based at Samye Ling to raise funds for the girls school at Kandze Monastery was successful in reaching its target of £9,449. As at 2010 the trust was actively involved in relief efforts following the Yushu earthquake. In 2008 the total declared income of the ROKPA trust was £2,916,136. The total funds received for Overseas Projects was £294,586 of which £260,361 was disbursed to ROKPA International. The trust is planning a further expansion of its Samye Ling temple project involving a major multimillion-pound extension which will eventually house a museum, a library, lecture theatres, offices and accommodation. Work began on this in early 2008. It lodged an amendment to the layout of this second phase with the Dumfries and Galloway Council on 18 June 2010. Preservation of Tibetan art and crafts Under the guidance of the Tibetan artist Sherab Palden Beru, Samye Ling