Ramoche Monastery

Ramoche Monastery, also known as “Gyata Ramoche Tsu Lakhang,” it is referred to as the “Upper Tantric College,” called “Gyütö Dratsang” in Tibetan, meaning “School of Tantric Teachings.” It is named the “Upper Tantric College” because it is located in the upper part of Lhasa.

Ramoche Monastery is one of the highest institutions for Tantric studies within the Gelug school of Tibetan Buddhism.

The abbot of the Upper Tantric College also serves as the head of Ramoche Monastery.

Ramoche Monastery is located in the northeastern part of Lhasa, about 500 meters north of Barkhor Street and approximately 1 kilometer from Jokhang Temple.

According to the “Tibetan-Chinese Dictionary,” the Upper Tantric College uses Ramoche Monastery as its premises. The Upper Tantric College is situated within Ramoche Monastery.

According to the “Tibetan-Chinese Dictionary,” the Upper Tantric College uses Ramoche Monastery as its premises. The Upper Tantric College is situated within Ramoche Monastery.

Brief History

Ramoche Monastery is closely associated with the marriage of Princess Wencheng to Songtsen Gampo.

In 634 AD, the King of Nepal married his daughter, Princess Bhrikuti, to Songtsen Gampo. When Princess Bhrikuti arrived in Tibet, she brought Mahayana Buddhist scriptures, various exquisite crafts, and craftsmen with her.

In 641 AD, the Tang emperor sent Princess Wencheng to Tibet with a Shakyamuni Buddha statue, treasures, gold and jade bookshelves, 360 volumes of scriptures, and various gold and jade ornaments as part of her dowry. She also brought 300 types of divination classics, tokens for identifying good and evil, and 60 types of construction and craft books. The Shakyamuni statue was transported by cart, and treasures, silks, clothing, and daily necessities were carried by a large convoy of mules and horses.

After Songtsen Gampo’s death, Ramoche Monastery fell into neglect as Bon religion gained prominence.

During the reign of King Mangsong Mangtsen (650–676 AD), fearing that the Tang dynasty would send troops to retrieve the Shakyamuni statue, the statue was moved from Ramoche Monastery and hidden in a secret chamber in Jokhang Temple’s southern wing. Monks residing at Ramoche Monastery were expelled.

King Tride Tsuktsen (704–755 AD) married Princess Jincheng from the Tang dynasty in 710 AD, further promoting Chinese Buddhism in Tibet. Princess Jincheng reinstated the Buddha statue originally brought by Princess Wencheng to Jokhang Temple and placed the Shakyamuni statue brought by Princess Bhrikuti in Ramoche Monastery, managed by Chinese monks.

During Langdarma’s reign (mid-9th century), he persecuted Buddhism, forcing monks to return to lay life. Many were killed, scriptures were buried, burned, or thrown into rivers, and temples, including Ramoche and Jokhang, were destroyed.

Following slave uprisings from 869–877 AD, the Tibetan Empire collapsed, leading to regional fragmentation and prolonged warfare. Buddhism suffered greatly, with only a few monks secretly practicing in their homes, and Ramoche Monastery was significantly damaged.

Buddhism experienced a revival in the 1040s with the arrival of Indian monk Atisa, who translated scriptures and taught in Tibet, leading to the restoration of Ramoche Monastery. There is limited historical information about the monastery during this period.

Under the Yuan (1271–1368 AD), Ming (1368–1644 AD), and Qing (1616–1912 AD) dynasties, central government support for Buddhism led to the resurgence and extensive renovation of Ramoche Monastery.

In 1419 AD, the same year Tsongkhapa passed away, Jé Gungpa Döndrup was born in Nainang, western Tibet. He took novice vows at Nartang Monastery, studying logic with Jé Gönpa Döndrup and later continuing his studies at Drepung Monastery under Khenpo Bailo and Tsongkhapa’s tantric successor, Jé Sherab Sengge. He entered the Lower Tantric College to study tantra.

In 1464 AD, due to disagreements with the Lower Tantric College’s abbot, he and six disciples moved to the Seva Long Cave (now in Maizhokunggar County) to practice and teach tantra.

In 1465 AD, he relocated to Jampaling Monastery.

While teaching tantra, he wrote biographies of Tsongkhapa and Jé Sherab Sengge and organized an annual assembly of monks.

Around ten years later, after the Lower Tantric College abbot’s promotion, he was invited to serve as abbot but chose to stay at Jampaling Monastery to continue teaching.

In 1485 AD, he prayed by the Lhasa River to stop flooding, which subsequently subsided. For his efforts, he was awarded the decree and Ramoche Monastery by the Phagdru ruler, marking the establishment of the Upper Tantric College. The monastery was renamed as the base for tantric teachings.

In February 1487 AD, Gungpa Döndrup passed away at age 68. According to his wishes, his heart, tongue, and skull were preserved, with his heart and tongue placed in a new golden Buddha statue at Ramoche Monastery and his skull at Lhatsé Gönsar Monastery in Drigung. Tantra practice paused after his death but resumed at Ramoche Monastery in 1488.

In 1711 AD, King Lhazang Khan recognized the Upper Tantric College as the main Gelugpa tantric institution and issued a decree permanently allocating Ramoche Monastery, its Buddha statue, and property to the college.

In 1962, it was designated a key cultural relic protection site.

During the Cultural Revolution in the 1960s, Ramoche Monastery suffered severe destruction. Buildings were demolished, statues and relics looted, monks expelled, and it was repurposed as a warehouse.

In 1981, with the implementation of new religious policies, the Upper Tantric College received government funds and public donations to begin restoring Ramoche Monastery.

In 1986, further large-scale renovations were carried out, giving the monastery a new appearance.

In the 2000s, Ramoche Monastery had over 60 monks studying Tantric teachings.

Legend

In 641 AD, Princess Wencheng from the Tang Dynasty married Tibetan King Songtsen Gampo. When she traveled from Chang’an (present-day Xi’an) to Tibet, she brought with her a life-sized statue of the 12-year-old Shakyamuni Buddha. The statue was transported to Lhasa by two strongmen, Jiajia and Lujia, using a wooden cart.

Upon reaching the current location of Ramoche Monastery, the cart carrying the Buddha statue became stuck in the sand. They had to set up pillars around it and cover it with white silk for worship.

Princess Wencheng, who was knowledgeable and a devout Buddhist, calculated that this spot was the site of the Dragon Palace. She decided to place the Shakyamuni Buddha statue there and build a temple around it, believing this would subdue the dragon spirits and bring prosperity to the nation.

To construct Ramoche Monastery, Princess Wencheng summoned many skilled craftsmen from the central plains of China. They built a grand, multi-story temple in the style of Chinese architecture, combined with Tibetan features.

The entire construction of Ramoche Monastery was completed within a year. King Songtsen Gampo then hosted a grand ceremony to consecrate the temple, which was a magnificent and splendid event.

Architecture

Historical records indicate that Ramoche Monastery has been destroyed by fire several times, and the original structure no longer exists. Most of the current buildings are later reconstructions, with only the ground floor of the main hall remaining from the early period. The carvings on the 10 pillars in the hall still faintly reflect the style of the Tubo dynasty.

Ramoche Monastery faces east and its front section is a courtyard with a gatehouse, followed by the main hall and surrounding prayer corridors. The total area is about 4,000 square meters.

The main hall consists of three parts: the sutra hall, the Buddha hall, and the main hall. Surrounding it are corridors with painted images of Amitabha Buddha and various legends.

Gatehouse

The gatehouse is three stories high.

The ground floor of the gatehouse is a spacious “mingkuo” (prayer corridor) with ten large, 16-sided pillars (diameter 0.8 meters). Each pillar is adorned with three copper hoops engraved with flower petals, intricate floral designs, and motifs of treasures and the “Six-Syllable Mantra.” The brackets of the front four rows of pillars are carved with patterns of waves and dragons.

The walls of the prayer corridor are also decorated with murals of Amitabha, White Tara, the Four Heavenly Kings, the Wheel of Life, and the Pure Land.

The second and third floors of the gatehouse contain monks’ quarters and sutra rooms.

Passing through the gatehouse leads to the prayer corridor surrounding the main hall. The south, west, and north sides originally had wooden prayer wheels and murals of Amitabha and White Tara.

Main Hall

The main hall of Ramoche Monastery is three stories high. The ground floor is divided into the entrance hall, sutra hall, and Buddha hall.

Ground Floor of the Main Hall
The entrance hall has small rooms on either side. The right room stores ritual instruments, and the left room contains an altar with a statue made of pomegranate branches called “Kong pu zin ston ma.” The central area has four large round pillars, each flanked by carvings of “strongmen” in supportive poses. The pillar capitals are decorated with lions, cloud patterns, and vases. Some capitals have carvings of symbolic lions and human figures. The doors feature cymbal-shaped knobs with dragon designs, and the crossbeams are inscribed with the “Six-Syllable Mantra” in Sanskrit. These carvings are simple yet dignified, reflecting early architectural styles. The entrance hall also houses clay statues of the Four Heavenly Kings.

Behind the entrance hall is the sutra hall, which covers about 330 square meters with 30 pillars, each with a stone base, accommodating around 500 people for religious ceremonies. Four central pillars extend to the second floor, supporting a high skylight. These pillars are 6.2 meters tall with a diameter of 0.46 meters, while the remaining 26 pillars are 2.8 meters tall with a diameter of 0.48 meters. The capitals are decorated with cloud patterns, jewels, and lotus designs. The beams originally had carvings of 28 reclining lions, with 27 still remaining, featuring four- or eight-petaled lotus decorations. The walls were once covered with murals of Shakyamuni and other deities. The west side of the sutra hall contains statues of Sāriputta and Moggallāna, as well as a bronze statue of Vajradhara and a clay statue of Jé Gungpa Döndrup.

The rear part of the main hall is the Buddha hall, with two columns and no stone bases. It measures 4.35 meters long and 5.4 meters wide, covering an area of 23.5 square meters. The columns are wrapped in hemp rope and coated with a layer of mud for protection, possibly against decay and fire. The upper parts of the columns are uncoated, revealing well-preserved hemp ropes despite some decay in the wooden columns. The capitals have simple lotus designs, with minimal decoration on the brackets, reflecting early architectural features. The walls of the Buddha hall are blackened by smoke, with faint line drawings of seated figures, such as “meditation mudra,” “earth-touching mudra,” and “fearlessness mudra” Buddhas. The entrance has an iron grate, and the walls are built with large and small stones, giving a neat appearance. The rear of the hall originally housed the statue of Jé Gungpa Döndrup and later the statue of Vajradhara. The rear and sides of the Buddha hall are surrounded by narrow, high corridors typical of early Tibetan architecture.

Second Floor of the Main Hall
The front part contains monks’ quarters, with the abbot’s residence in the central inner rooms. The middle part is the skylight of the sutra hall, and behind it is the main Buddha hall with six pillars and open spaces, containing statues of Sangye Lhuwang Japu, the Sixteen Arhats, and scriptures. There is another hall with eight pillars, housing statues of the Medicine Buddha and the Kangyur scriptures, with more statues of Tara and other deities on the north side.

Third Floor of the Main Hall
The front section is the residence for the Dalai Lama, consisting of six rooms. The rear part is the golden roof hall, covering about 54.5 square meters with two rows of eight pillars, small windows on the sides, and a narrow surrounding corridor enclosed by wooden railings.

Golden Roof of the Main Hall
The golden roof is in the Chinese hipped-gable style, supported by dougong brackets. The roof ends are adorned with karma fish heads, giving a dazzling, majestic appearance visible from all parts of Lhasa.

Artifacts

Ramoche Monastery houses many cultural relics, including a life-sized statue of the eight-year-old Shakyamuni and numerous other Buddha statues and thangkas.

Other valuable artifacts include:

• A bronze Bodhisattva statue, 2 meters tall, with the Bodhisattva itself measuring 1.32 meters high. The statue wears a jeweled crown and ornaments, draped in a sash, and sits in a lotus position on a square base. The base is 0.68 meters high and inscribed with “Respectfully made in the year of Gengyin of Qianlong of the Great Qing.”
• A bronze statue of Padmasambhava, 1.55 meters tall, with a 0.03-meter-high and 0.14-meter-wide base. The statue depicts Padmasambhava in robes, holding ritual objects, and seated in a lotus position.
• A bronze statue of a lady, 1.33 meters tall, seated on a semicircular base 0.17 meters high. She holds a porcelain vase adorned with flowers, wears a short top and a long skirt, and is draped in a sash down to her feet.

Personnel Structure and Setup

Ramoche Monastery (Upper Tantric College) is designated to have 500 monks, organized into five Khangtsens (monastic colleges). However, the actual number of monks can vary from 200 to 1,000.

The administrative structure includes:

• One Khenpo, who oversees all administrative and religious affairs of the monastery.
• One Lama Umze, responsible for leading religious activities and guiding monks in tantric practices.
• One Gegyur, who ensures the adherence to monastic rules and regulations.
• Six Tsangtsos, who manage the monastery’s estates and provide for the monks’ needs.

Apart from Tsangtsos, the positions of Khenpo, Lama Umze, and Gegyur must be filled by scholars who have obtained the Geshe Lharampa degree from the three major monasteries in Lhasa.

Monks

To join Ramoche Monastery (Upper Tantric College), monks must have completed studies at one of the three major Gelug monasteries in Lhasa.

Although Drepung and Sera Monasteries also have tantric colleges, these are considered lower-level, while the Upper Tantric College is advanced.

The Upper Tantric College is organizationally parallel to Ganden Monastery.

There are two sources of monks for the Upper Tantric College:

1. Monks who have obtained the Geshe degree from the three major monasteries, known as “Tsorampa.”
2. Monks who hold monastic status from the three major monasteries or a few other monasteries, known as “Gyirampa.”

Both groups are collectively referred to as “Lama Jüpa” (Masters of Tantric Monastery), but only Tsorampa are considered fully qualified Lama Jüpa.

The Upper Tantric College is known for its strict discipline. Both Tsorampa and Gyirampa receive equal treatment, including those with the status of reincarnated lamas.

The monks practice austerity and itinerancy, characterized by strict and harsh living conditions:

• Monks go barefoot for midnight prayers.
• During scripture recitations, each monk digs a pit under a tree, sits on stones within the pit, and remains outdoors regardless of weather conditions.
• They follow the rule of not eating after noon.
• At night, they sleep collectively in the main hall.

For their itinerant practice, monks travel to designated locations annually, practicing specific rituals continuously. During these journeys, they travel in groups, carrying their own luggage, except for the Khenpo who may ride a horse. All others walk, regardless of weather conditions.

The itinerant practice period is one year for Tsorampa and nine years for Gyirampa. Destinations range from nearby locations like Potala Palace, Jokhang Temple, Drepung, Sera, and Ganden Monasteries, to places over 100 kilometers away.

The Upper Tantric College primarily studies the three major Tantric deities: Guhyasamaja, Chakrasamvara, and Yamantaka, along with other minor deities and protectors. These deities often have fierce appearances, distinguishing tantric practices from general Buddhism. The rituals, mantras, initiations, mandalas, and ceremonies are numerous and mysterious.

The Upper Tantric College is a lifelong learning institution. Monks can leave at any time or stay for life. Tsorampa monks with the Geshe Lharampa degree can rise to administrative positions within the college, leading to the highest ranks.

The administrative structure of the Upper Tantric College is similar to other monasteries, but higher positions (from Gegyur and above) must be filled by monks with the Geshe Lharampa degree. After completing their term, monks may be promoted to higher roles based on seniority, eventually reaching the position of Khenpo. A Khenpo serves for three years and is then called “Khensur” (retired Khenpo).

Khensurs from the Upper Tantric College may be promoted to positions at Ganden Monastery, eventually becoming “Ganden Tripa” (holder of the Ganden throne), the spiritual leader of the Gelug school and the successor of Je Tsongkhapa. This prestigious role is held for seven years. After their term, they are called “Trisur” (retired Ganden Tripa) and may become candidates for leading the Tibetan government in place of the Dalai Lama.