Tshal Ba Monastery, also known as “Yang Gong monastery“, is now a Gelug pa monastery of Tibetan Buddhism.
It was built by Shang·Dzunzhui Drakpa in AD 1175, and together with Gungtang Monastery are collectively known as “Tshal Gungtang Monastery“.
Both monasteries were once the main monasteries of Tshal-ba Kagyu Sect，one of the four major branches of Tabu Kagyu tradition, a main branch of Kagyu pa.
This two monasteries face each other from north to south, with a distance of only about 700 meters in a straight line.
It is located in Caigongtang Township, east of Lhasa city, on the south bank of the Lhasa River, 10 kilometers away from the central district of Lhasa City.
The residents of Cai-gong-tang Township are also referred to as “Tshal Ba.”
Architecture
The scale of the reconstructed Tshal-ba Monastery is much smaller than the previous one.
The original main Hall had 4 long columns and 36 short columns, whereas the current main Hall has 4 long columns and 8 short columns.
The Buddhist halls behind and on both sides of the main Hall originally enshrined two statues of Sakyamuni, a statue of “Shang·Dzunzhui Drakpa” made of gold-plated copper, as well as the Bhaisajyaguru, the Gadgadasvara, Manjusri, and statues of 35 Confession Buddhas (Shakyamuni Buddha meditating together with the 35 Buddhas, engaging in confession and guidance for those who have committed the “five heinous crimes”).
Five heinous crimes
(1) killing one’s mother;
(2) killing one’s father;
(3) killing a saint;
(4) to wound the body of the Buddha;
(5) to destroy the harmony of the sangha.
The hall originally housed “Kanjur” written in gold, silver, ink, as well as numerous Thangkas, which are no longer preserved today.3
The first 10 abbots
The abbots of Tshal Ba Monastery and Gungtang Monastery are held by the same person. The accounts of the abbots after the death of “Shang·Dzunzhui Drakpa” vary in Tibetan historical records.
According to the 5th Dalai Lama’s “Records of Tibetan Nobles“: “Dama Xunnu“, a close attendant of “Shang·Dzunzhui Drakpa“, is believed to be an incarnation of “Indra“. He contributed the most to the construction of Gungtang Monastery. After the passing of “Shang·Dzunzhui Drakpa“, he was entrusted to be the abbot of both monasteries. Some historical records state that due to “Dama Xunnu” being adept in governance, he handed over the monasteries to others and took up a position as a local official.
Accounts in “Dether Ngonpo: The Story of How Tibetan Buddhism Emerged and Spread in the Snowy Land” and “Debther Manpo: The history of Tibet from its inception to the 14th century, including records of Buddhist history, as well as the histories of India, the Central Plains of China, Western Xia, and Mongolia. It also details the lineage histories of the Sakya Pa, Kagyu Pa, and Gelug Pa.” also document:
The first abbot of Tshal Ba Monastery and Gungtang Monastery was disciple of “Shang·Dzunzhui Drakpa” – “Nyangman Shakya Yeshe” who served as the abbot from 1187 AD to 1207 AD for 21 years.
The second abbot was “Jangkyu Yeshe,” whose birth and death years are unknown, serving from 1208 AD to 1210 AD;
The third abbot was the senior disciple of “Shang·Dzunzhui Drakpa,” “Rabchu · Kawa Nyetawo,” serving from 1211 AD to 1214 AD;
The fourth abbot was “Sanggye Ben,” whose birth and death years are unknown, serving from 1214 AD to 1231 AD, a total of 16 years;
The fifth abbot was “Sanggye Nyangbu,” whose birth and death years are unknown, serving from 1231 to 1237 AD, he was the nephew of “Nyangman Shakya Yeshe”;
The sixth abbot was “Sanggye Xunnu,” whose birth and death years are unknown, serving from 1238 AD to 1260 AD, a total of 23 years;
The seventh abbot was the son of “Ashari Sheren,” “Gongga Gyentsan,” whose birth and death years are unknown, serving from 1260 AD to 1292 AD, a total of 33 years;
The eighth abbot was the son of “Ashari Sakya Wo,” – “Sanggye Renchen,” whose birth and death years are unknown, serving from 1292 AD to 1301 AD;
The ninth abbot was “Sakya Ben,” serving from 1301 AD to 1310 AD, he was a distant relative of “Sanggye Renchen”;
The tenth abbot was “Jiangkyu Besangpo,” serving from 1310 AD to 1356 AD, with a long tenure of 46 years, he was the son of the elder sister of “Sanggye Renchen”;
Following these ten abbots, “Yan Nga Drakpa Shenyan” and others took turns serving as abbots.
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