Nyanlung Gonpa, meaning “Valley of Melodious Sounds” in Tibetan, is part of the Nyingma tradition of Tibetan Buddhism. It is located in Nyanlung Township, Sêrtar County, about 50 kilometers from Sêrtar town. The entire monastery is nestled in a mountain hollow, blending harmoniously with the surrounding peaks.
Nyanlung Monastery is regarded by Tibetan Buddhists as a sacred site personally blessed by “Guru Padmasambhava,” considered the embodiment of all Buddhas.
Many great masters have praised Nyanlung Monastery and Nyanlung Lama Rinpoche, considering him a true incarnation of “Guru Padmasambhava,” the Second Buddha of Uddiyana, and of “Acharya Nangka Nyangpo.” Additionally, Nyanlung’s “Dakini Rinpoche” is regarded as an incarnation of the “Dakini Yeshe Tsogyal.”
Nyanlung Monastery is known for its emphasis on practical teachings and spiritual practice. Each year, many fortunate disciples from various places come to Nyanlung seeking the rare and profound teachings of the Nyingma tradition’s unique treasure lineage, including the preliminary practices of the “Six Profound Dharmas of the Great Perfection” (Dzogchen), among other Dharma teachings.
The Stupas of Nyanlung Gonpa
In addition to its spiritual lineage, the stupas at Nyanlung Monastery are quite distinctive.
At the entrance gate, there is a traditional white stupa. Two gilded stupas stand nearby, resplendent in their golden brilliance, reflecting rays of gold under the sunlight, giving them an aura of regal dignity.
There is also a stupa built by Nepali artisans, which features distinct regional characteristics in its design and ornamentation.
The most unique feature is the Auspicious Eight Stupas located on an open ground not far from the front right of the monastery. Typically, a set of eight stupas is constructed to commemorate the eight great deeds of Shakyamuni Buddha. These types of stupas can also be seen at places like the Potala Palace and Kumbum Monastery in Qinghai.
What sets Nyanlung Monastery’s Auspicious Eight Stupas apart is their coloring. Unlike the usual white stupas, these are painted in vibrant colors like red, green, yellow, and blue.
Even from a distance, the colorful spires of these stupas are visible from the monastery. Such brightly colored stupas are indeed a rare sight.
Surrounding the eight large stupas are many smaller stupas, each in a color that complements the main stupa they encircle. When we visited, many of the smaller stupas were still being painted, with buckets of paint scattered around the area.
According to the monks, the colors of these eight stupas were chosen by the lay practitioners who funded their construction while undergoing retreat in the area. This allowed them to select the colors they preferred, adding a unique touch to the landscape of Nyanlung Monastery.
The Legend of the Monastery’s Name
According to the prophecy of Guru Padmasambhava (Guru Rinpoche), in the degenerate age, various tertons (treasure revealers) would gradually discover treasure teachings (terma) that would bring great benefit to the Dharma and sentient beings of their time.
One of Guru Rinpoche’s 25 chief disciples, the monk “Nangka Nyangpo,” manifested in an emanation form and was born in the sacred terma land in the eastern Tibetan region, surrounded by many sacred mountains—the region known as “Semogang.”
This area contains many sacred mountains where earlier great masters revealed terma. Among the most well-known is the sacred mountain Yupo Serdrü, which was a principal site for revealing treasures by the previous Dudjom Rinpoche and the great terton Urgyen Chenling Rampa.
Not far from this location lies a valley, where the peaks rise up, encircling each other like the petals of a magical eight-petaled lotus. The unique mountains take the forms of treasure vases, stupas, victory banners, and other auspicious symbols. In the center is a raised flatland shaped like a half-moon.
A silver river gently flows west to east, glistening through the valley. On auspicious days, particularly the 10th day of both waxing and waning moon phases, clouds of rainbow light often appear along the mountainsides, and from within the clouds, the melodious sounds of dakinis singing, along with the ringing of bells and drums, can be heard. Because of these harmonious sounds, the valley is called “Nyanlung,” which means “The Valley of Melodious Sounds.”
In this valley, at the half-moon-shaped site, Namtse Rinpoche, considered a reincarnation of Nangka Nyangpo, established a monastery after many lifetimes of efforts. The monastery is named Nyanlung Mahayana Dharma Wheel Monastery
Sagya Month (Saga Dawa)
The fourth month of the Tibetan calendar is known as “Sagya Month,” a significant period in Tibetan Buddhism commemorating the birth, enlightenment, and parinirvana of Shakyamuni Buddha (some records also suggest his ordination took place in this month). The name “Sagya” is a translation referring to the appearance of the star constellation Spica, one of the 28 lunar mansions, during this time.
Sagya Dawa refers to the period from the 30th day of the third Tibetan month to the 15th day of the fourth Tibetan month when Spica is visible. This month is considered the Tibetan Vesak.
Vesak: From the Sanskrit Visakha or the Pali Vesakha, it is the festival of the full moon.
Also known as the Vaisakha Festival, Visakha Festival, or Vesak Day (Pali: Vesakha Puja), this day falls on the full moon of the Vesakha month (Pali: Vesakha-masa), which corresponds to the 15th day of the ancient Indian lunar calendar’s sixth month.
This festival represents the Buddha’s perfect enlightenment, his compassionate teachings for the benefit of all beings, and the radiant wisdom he shared. It also serves to promote the Buddha’s teachings of compassion and equality, advocating for world peace. Vesak is a sacred month.
Tibetan Buddhists, regardless of sect, place special emphasis on performing virtuous actions and avoiding negative deeds during Sagya Month. Practitioners engage in a wide array of virtuous activities through body, speech, and mind:
- Body: Releasing animals, making offerings of food, circumambulating sacred mountains, monasteries, stupas, and mandalas.
- Speech: Reciting sutras, Buddha names, and mantras.
- Mind: Generating the bodhicitta (the mind of awakening) to guide physical and verbal actions, while reciting prayer texts.
During Sagya Month, collective virtuous practices yield immeasurable merit. Every participant benefits from the full merit generated by all involved. For example, if 300 people participate, each reciting 100,000 mantras, the entire group benefits from the merit of 30 million recitations. This is particularly valuable for lay practitioners.
Many monasteries, therefore, hold grand Dharma assemblies during Sagya Month. The empowerment and teachings vary annually, but the ritual practices remain consistent. These include texts such as “May All Bondages Be Liberated: A Meditation Ritual” and the extended “Spontaneous Prayers of Aspiration” and “Immaculate Confession Tantra.”
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