Geshe Rabten Rinpoche founded in 1977 in Mont Pèlerin a Buddhist monastery and study centre for European monks, nuns and lay people as well.
One year later, in 1978 the Swiss Buddhist Union (Schweizerische Buddhistische Union / Union Suisse des Bouddhistes / Unione Buddhista Svizzera) was founded by the Czech Buddhist Mirko Fryba.
Switzerland is now home to several Tibetan-Buddhist and Zen monasteries, among them the
Tibet Institute Rikon located in Zell-Rikon im Tösstal in .