Bonpo Monasteries

Bongya Monastery, also known as “Wenjia Monastery,” the Tibetan name is “Bongya Manri Shedrub Mingdröl Ling,” meaning “Manri Liberation Teaching and Meditation Center.” It is a Bonpo tradition monastery

The monastery is located on the northern slope of the mountains near Muhesha Village, in the northwestern part of Ququhu (Chu Khol) Township, Tongren County, Qinghai Province, at an altitude of about 3,200 meters.

Overview

Bongya Monastery was founded in 1062 AD and is the largest Bon monastery in Qinghai Province. Due to its architectural style resembling the Potala Palace, it is also known as the “Little Potala Palace.”

The original site of the monastery was located in the “Redemu” area, just below its current location.

Initially, Bongya Monastery was a branch of Khyung Mo Gonpa in Tongde County, with its head lama, Khyung Tsang, serving as the head of the monastery. As the monastery grew, it developed its own system of reincarnated lamas, and the lineage became known as the “Bongya Lama.”

Religious Ceremonies

Bongya Monastery holds a seasonal religious ceremony four times a year, once each season.

One of the most significant events is the seven-day autumn retreat, dedicated to the Five Principal Bon Deities and the Walshe Bon Deity ritual. This retreat begins on the 15^th day of the ninth lunar month and ends on the 22^nd. It includes meditative practice and performances of the Vajra Dance. The purpose of this ceremony is to pray for the well-being of the people. It has become the largest and most important Bon religious festival in the region, drawing the most devotees from far and wide for pilgrimage and worship.

Development

In 1874, the reincarnated lama of Tshewang Tsang Sherab Namgyal, Bongya Yungdrung Puntsok Rinpoche, along with four of his monk disciples, built a Three Buddha Hall at the site. This attracted a growing number of practitioners who came for spiritual practice.

In 1980, when the 10th Panchen Lama visited various regions of Qinghai, he met with Bongya Lama and gifted him a decree. He also expressed his wish to rebuild and restore all the Bon monasteries in the Huangnan Prefecture area.

Under Bongya Lama’s leadership, Bongya Monastery began its expansion, eventually achieving its current scale.

Today, under the guidance of Wenjia Rinpoche, the monastery has established three institutes: a Five Sciences Academy, a Debating Academy, and a Meditation Academy, providing excellent conditions for learning and spiritual practice for its followers.

With the deep spiritual teachings and rigorous dharma transmission, today’s Bongya Monastery has become one of the most influential Bon monasteries, with a large number of disciples.

At its peak, Bongya Monastery housed over 800 monks. Currently, it has 108 monks, including 5 resident lamas and 9 khenpos.

Religious Ceremonies

Bongya Monastery holds a seasonal religious ceremony four times a year, once each season.

One of the most significant events is the seven-day autumn retreat, dedicated to the Five Principal Bon Deities and the Walshe Bon Deity ritual. It includes meditative practice and performances of the Vajra Dance. The purpose of this ceremony is to pray for the well-being of the people. It has become the largest and most important Bon religious festival in the region, drawing the most devotees from far and wide for pilgrimage and worship.

Notable Figures

Bongya Rinpoche
Bongya Rinpoche, also known as Wenjia Gyalwang Lungtok Gyatso Rinpoche, is often referred to as “Wenjia Rinpoche” or “Wenjia Lama.” He is a renowned Tibetan scholar and a distinguished historian and Buddhist philosopher. He currently serves as the abbot of Bongya Monastery in Qinghai. Through extensive study, reflection, and meditation, he has assimilated the essence of the Dharma and cultivated a selfless worldview. Rinpoche has made significant contributions to promoting Tibetan culture, particularly Bon culture, through his teachings, debates, and writings.

Some of his major works include:

• The Powerful Treasures of Guru Yoga
• The Heart Essence of the Buddha’s Words and Teachings
• A Brief Explanation of the Stages of the Path to Enlightenment
• Guidance on the Path to Omniscience
• Treatise on the Elimination of Darkness by Nature
• Songs of the Spiritual Path
• A Detailed Explanation of the Origins of Buddhism
• The Mirror of the Bon Tradition
• Collection of Teachings on Mind Training
• Anthology of Poetry
• A Concise Discussion of Bon Traditions and Chapters
• Biographies of Great Masters
• Tibetan Grammar
• Tantric Rituals and Notes
• Questions and Answers on Buddhism and Culture
• Collection of Essays
• Collection of Official Correspondence
• Calligraphy Collection
• Collection of Historical Writing

Jume Lodro Rinpoche

Jume Lodro Rinpoche, also known as “Jume Rinpoche,” is the third reincarnation of the esteemed Agong Lama. He was born on September 22, 1984, in the sacred land of Muru Sangge, at the foot of Mt. Zuri in Dzori Monastery, located in the present-day Donggaka Village, Niao Township, Diebu County, Gannan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Gansu Province. His father, Gesang, was a Vajrayana practitioner, and his mother was named Yurong.

In the autumn of 1995, Jume Lodro Rinpoche was recognized by Dzongtrul Nanka Tenzin Rinpoche as the unmistakable reincarnation of the third Agong Lama. He then left his parents and traveled to Bongya Monastery in Qinghai. On the way, they visited the famous Labrang Monastery, where he received the name “Jume Lodro” (meaning Fearless Wisdom) in the Manjushri Hall. On September 15 of that year, Rinpoche arrived at Bongya Monastery and took his monastic vows in front of Bongya Gyalwang Lungtok Gyatso Rinpoche, receiving the full monastic name Jume Gesang Lodro.

Key works:

• The Reincarnation Lineage of Jang Rinpoche
• Compilation of the Works of Tshechog Rinpoche, the Buddhist Master: The Great Treatise on the Stages of the Path to Enlightenment

Yeshe Gonpa was founded in 958 AD by a local tribal chief named Lejia and belongs to the Bon religion. It is located in Jialaxi Township, Xinlong County, about 3 kilometers from the county seat. At the temple entrance, there is a sacred stone said to bear the footprint of the temple’s protective deity, a tiger, which appeared on the night of November 27^th, 1983.

Yeshe Gonpa is considered a sacred site for various deities, including Samantabhadra Buddha, the Buddha of Infinite Light, the Compassionate Mother Buddha, Avalokiteshvara, the Buddha of Wealth and Victory, and Vajra Tiger-Clad Deity.

Introduction

Yeshe Gonpa is situated in a picturesque environment surrounded by mountains and forests, filled with birdsong and flowers. There are four meditation retreats and sacred sites around the temple.

• 1 kilometer to the east lies the sacred site “Dari Xingba Jiangze,” resembling a kind elder watching over Yeshe Gonpa.
• 3 kilometers to the south are the sacred sites of “Guxi Raomei” and “Genden Rongbu.”
• 1 kilometer to the west are the sacred sites of “Chuge” and “Daxiague.”
• 4 kilometers to the north are the sacred sites of “Lage” and “Longlong Laza.”

These sacred sites all feature charnel grounds, Vajra land dances, and large stone stupas.

Behind the temple is Xiang Wanda Zhu, a mountain with an elevation of over 1,000 meters. To the left of the temple lies a charnel ground, and to the right are the relic stupas of two lamas, A’yong Lama and Qubudengden.

The temple itself covers an area of about 1,490 square meters. The eastern forest surrounding Yeshe Gonpa is home to rare wildlife, such as musk deer, black bears, leopards, and red deer.

Yeshe Gonpa is encircled by four majestic sacred mountains, which were sent to Liangru by the ancient king Indra.

1. Kawaloro
   Conquered by Sangda* Langa Yeshe, Kawaloro is located 83 kilometers north of Yeshe Gonpa. It is the highest peak in the county, standing at 5,992 meters, with three towering, snow-capped peaks that remain covered year-round. Its magnificent landscape is a sacred Bon site, and it is known as the Vajra Dance Mountain, where sacred gatherings occur during the Year of the Monkey.
2. Xionglong Zhagya
   Conquered by Bonpo yogi master Jiza Zhagwa, Xionglong Zhagya is located 42 kilometers west of the temple. The area is surrounded by mountains and water, with dense shrubs and three white granite peaks rising to an elevation of 4,600 meters. This is another sacred Bon site, where sacred gatherings take place during the Year of the Dog.
3. Xiangdi Silang Mountain
   Conquered by Khumbu and Lozhen Tongmen, Xiangdi Silang Mountain lies 9 kilometers southwest of Yeshe Gonpa. The mountain is steep and forested, with an elevation of 4,600 meters. It is surrounded by twelve smaller peaks, with a lake at the summit covering five or six acres. The mountain is home to lions and bears the handprints and footprints of many masters. This is another Vajra Dance Mountain, where sacred gatherings take place during the Year of the Dog.
4. Baima Bozhen
   Conquered by Mecha Jingmei, Baima Bozhen is located 5 kilometers east of the temple. It features dense shrubs and six peaks, rising to an elevation of 4,400 meters. The spectacular scenery includes canals running through the cracks in the cliffs, and the area is steeped in Bon legends related to the Vajra Dance, with sacred gatherings during the Year of the Dragon.

According to the ancient Bon historical texts, these four sacred sites are all important Bonpo spiritual locations.

Architecture

The entire Yeshe Gonpa complex is composed of a main hall, auxiliary halls, a kitchen, storage rooms, neatly arranged monk residences, a single-story building used by musicians and chant masters during the temple’s sacred dances, and a courtyard paved with stone slabs.

The main hall is intricately adorned with carved beams and painted pillars, with doors, windows, and Buddha shrines all meticulously crafted. The rear hall houses a Buddha statue over 10 meters high. The walls inside the hall are covered with murals, and the roof is a gilded bronze hip-and-gable structure that shines brilliantly under the sunlight.

On the inside wall of the temple entrance, there are century-old murals depicting various themes, including the “Treatise on Rhetoric,” the “Cycle of Life and Death,” a map of the Brahma world, the Seven Royal Symbols, the Eight Auspicious Signs, and depictions of protective deities, as well as three ancient scripts and symbols that dispel misfortune.

To the right of the temple is an ancient relic commemorating the 12 great achievements of Shenrab Miwo, the founder of the ancient Zhangzhung Bon religion.

Among the relics is a giant Thangka painting from the Qing dynasty, depicting Dunba Shenrab, the founding master of Bon, along with over 200 Buddhas and protective deities. This Thangka is the largest of its kind in Bon temples across the Tibetan region.

Legends

Yeshe Gonpa was founded by the great Bon master Sangda Langa Yeshe, who named the temple after himself, with “Yeshe” meaning “sacred wisdom.” When Sangda Langa Yeshe passed away, his entire body transformed into a rainbow light except for his hair and nails, marking his attainment of Buddhahood.

Langa Yeshe’s father, Muya Dase, was one of the ten ministers of King Trisong Detsen, the 38th ruler of the Tibetan Empire, and he was also a Bon yogi. Following his father’s instructions, Langa Yeshe traveled to the Liangru region (modern-day Xinlong County), where he subdued eight dragon deities.

The local chieftain, Lejia, recognized Langa Yeshe’s extraordinary spiritual powers and became a devoted follower. From that point on, Sangda Langa became Lejia’s lama and spiritual master.

Sangda Langa Yeshe named the temple “Yeshe Gonpa,” using the two characters of his name.

His successor, Xingba Jiangze (the sixth Sengen Rinpoche), used his supernatural powers to create a Buddha statue called “Xinla Wuga” at Yeshe Gonpa. When Xingba Jiangze passed away, his body also transformed into rainbow light, leaving behind only his hair and nails, just like his predecessor.

Ritual Activities

Every year, Yeshe Gonpa holds several religious events. Particularly, in the 6^th and 11^th months of the Tibetan calendar, the temple hosts the traditional Cham (sacred dance) performances. During this time, local devotees and visitors from afar gather at the monastery to watch the event, creating a lively and festive atmosphere.

Cultural Relics

Yeshe Gonpa, with its long history, houses numerous cultural relics and historical artifacts. The temple holds many gilded bronze Buddha statues and a variety of Bon scriptures. This includes several thousand volumes of the Bonpo Canon, Kangyur and Tengyur, as well as 15 Thangka paintings presented by various Tibetan officials who had governed Xinlong over the centuries.

Among the relics is a set of bronze cymbals crafted in the fifth year of the Ming Xuande era (1430 CE). Another notable item is a set of golden and silver dragon-engraved cymbals, gifted to the temple by Dodong Pumbu. The temple also possesses a large Thangka from the Qing Dynasty, depicting the Bonpo master Dunba Shenrab, with over 200 Buddha figures and the Black Flag of the wrathful Vajra dance deity, Sije. Other artifacts include a set of iron-forged Buddha images of the Mother Tantra and Dalai Buddha, and Vajra dance costumes from the Yuan dynasty, along with various musical instruments made of gold and silver.

The collection also contains ritual implements, including items from the Yuan, Ming, and Qing dynasties used in the Vajra dance.

Current Status

With the support of four temple stewards, Yeshe Gonpa has built over 130 monks’ quarters. The temple is home to 30 khenpos and reincarnate tulkus, with a total monastic population of about 280. The temple’s administrative committee changes every three years.

In terms of monastic study, the primary focus is on Dzogchen (Great Perfection), the Net of Magical Illusion, the Bardo teachings of peaceful and wrathful deities, and the core wrathful deities and protectors of Bon.

Yeshe Gonpa places particular emphasis on practical meditation, with strict spiritual discipline. Many monks engage in long-term retreats, and currently, about two-thirds of the monastic population is in retreat. Except for special occasions, such as major religious festivals, these monks rarely leave their retreat.