Sakya Monastery

Sakya monastery is located in the central Tibet, some 130 km southwest from Shigatse. “Sakya” is a translation from Tibetan pronunciation, it means “Grey and White Soil”.

• The white color that represents Avalokitesvara
• The red color that represents Manjushri
• The blue color that represents Vajrapani

Brief

Sakya monastery is to be painted with the above three colors, therefore it is also called as “Flower Pa”

The monastery cover more than 18,000 square meters, while the huge assembly hall covers 6,000 square meters. It was founded in 1073 by Konchok Gyelpo (1034–1102), whom was originally a Nyingma pa monk and became the 1^st Sakya Trizin. His powerful family governed Tibet during the 13^th and the 14^th centuries under the over-lordship of Yuan dynasty.

Artworks

It contains some of the most magnificent surviving artworks in Tibet, which have not been damaged even in the Culture revolutionary that happens in the 60’s of 20^th century

Its Mongolian architectural style is quite different from other monasteries of other sects of Tibetan religion. Moreover around 84,000 scrolls were found sealed in a wall 60 meters long and 10 meters high at this Monastery in 2003. It is anticipated that they will be Buddhist scriptures, as well as literature, history, philosophy, astronomy, mathematics and art from ancient times. Those scrolls are said to have remained untouched for hundreds of years.

How to get to there

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Sakya Monastery is located in the center area of Sakya county, it is about 5 minutes walk from Sakya county Bus Terminal

There are 3 buses between Sakya county and Shigatse county,

From Shigatse to Sakya county, with departures at: 10:00 am, 13:00 pm, 14:30 pm
From Sakya county to Shigatse, with departures at: 08:30 am, 10:30 am, 15:30 pm