Jampa Lakhang

Jampa Lakhang, also known as Barkhor Maitreya Temple, is a Gelug Pa monastery of Tibetan Buddhism. It is a two-story yellow building.

It is located in Lhasa’s Sera Dagoe Alley One. From Mani lakhang, walk 20 meters to the right to reach Jampa Lakang.

Jampa Lakhang enshrines an approximately 8-meter-tall statue of Jampa Buddha (Maitreya). Upon entering the first floor of the main hall, one can see the lower half of the Jampa Buddha.

Traditionally, altars in Tibetan monasteries face the hall entrance, but this temple’s main door faces east, and the Buddha statue faces north.

In Lhasa, only two temples have such a layout; the other is Darpo Ling Tsankhang.

Introduction

Jampa Lakhang was founded by a disciple of Tsongkhapa. Inside, there is a retreat cave of the Gelug sect’s founder and the “Mad Monk” Drukpa Kunley (1455-1529) of the Kagyu sect.

Upon entering the first floor of the main hall, one can see the lower half of the Jampa Buddha.

The upper half of the Jampa Buddha can be seen from the second floor of the main hall.

This Jampa Buddha was originally erected to protect the livelihood of Barkhor, hence it is called “the Jampa Buddha guarding the market.”

In front of the statue, there is a small window that opens to the bustling market of Barkhor.

On either side of the Jampa Buddha, there are smaller statues of Shakyamuni and the Past Buddha, together known as the Three Buddhas of the Three Ages.

The second floor of Jampa Lakhang is generally very crowded. People line up in the corridors, waiting for the living Buddha to touch their heads and to wash their eyes and faces with holy water.

The living Buddha sits on a ceremonial seat in the center of the hall, with a Buddhist Thangka hanging behind him. More than ten devotees kneel before the living Buddha, and after prayers and recitations, the living Buddha pours holy water from a copper pot into each person’s hand, which they then apply to their eyes and face.

Jampa Lakhang holds a Buddhist ceremony daily known as the “Obstacles Removal Ritual,” which is believed to atone for sins, remove obstacles, cure illnesses, extend life, and ward off bad luck.

Pilgrims to Lhasa always come to Jampa Lakhang to participate in this ritual. Every Dalai Lama throughout history has made it a point to come to Jampa Lakhang annually to partake in this ceremony.

Obstacles Removal Ritual

Pilgrims can start queuing upstairs at the temple from 8 or 9 in the morning.

By the entrance on the second floor, there is a plate of brown dough. Pilgrims take a piece and roll it into a long strip, rubbing it over various parts of their bodies, especially areas with ailments. They imagine the dough absorbing their illness. They then blow on the dough, visualizing their sickness merging into it, and finally discard the dough into a designated plate.

When reaching the front of the ceremonial seat, worshippers bow and kneel on the mat. The presiding lama will sequentially bestow nectar from a precious bottle, pouring it over the worshipper’s head, symbolically sweeping their body with peacock feathers, and finally placing a vajra on their head.

While receiving the nectar, worshippers should cup their hands to catch it, drink it, and then spit it into a basin in front of them.

Pouring the nectar over the head and sweeping with peacock feathers symbolizes the removal of illness, misfortune, and obstacles. Placing the vajra on the head signifies strengthening of longevity.

After the ritual, worshippers are expected to offer a small donation according to Tibetan tradition. The amount is discretionary, with no fixed fee.

Connection to Jokhang Temple

From Jampa Lakhang, you can visit other nearby temples in the same alley, such as Jambhala Lhakang, Gongga Chode Monastery, and Meru Nyingba Monastery.

There is a door between Jampa Lakhang and Jambhala Lakang called “Sera Dagoe” (meaning “back door of Sera”), which is usually locked.

This door is used exclusively by monks from Sera Monastery to enter and exit Jokhang Temple during the Great Prayer Festival. Every year during the festival, tens of thousands of monks from Lhasa’s three major monasteries participate, and each monastery follows a designated route to control the flow of people.

This door actually serves as the back door of Jokhang Temple, aligned with the central axis of the temple, directly facing the back of the temple’s main Buddha statue.

Behind the door is the northern kitchen, one of the two main kitchens of Jokhang Temple.

During the Great Prayer Festival, the northern kitchen is responsible for preparing two large pots of food twice a day, first serving the monks and then distributing the leftovers to the public and beggars. The southern kitchen provides tea for the people.

A Visiting Suggestion

Next to the back door of Sera Monastery and in front of Jambhala Lhakang, there is a shop selling homemade barley wine. You can observe the traditional brewing process here.