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Tralang monastery is also known as “Chalang Monastery” or “Khra Ling Gonpa”

The monastery was established in 1895 AD and was called “Tashi Chöten Ling” in Tibetan, meaning “Auspicious Island of Dharma.” It is commonly referred to as “Lang-gong.”

It belongs to the Nyingma tradition of Tibetan Buddhism, specifically the Katok lineage. It is a branch monastery of Katok Monastery in Baiyu County, Sichuan Province.

Overview

The monastery is situated with a river in front and mountains behind it. A stream flows in front of the monastery, and to the right stands a massive sky burial site, considered the largest of its kind in southern Qinghai Province.

The mountains behind the monastery are where King Gesar and his generals were said to have performed rituals for the sacred Amnye Machen Snow Mountain. The area is adorned with fluttering prayer flags, creating a solemn and dignified atmosphere.

Tralang monastery was founded by Lama Langzhi Padma Lungtok Gyatso and later led by figures such as Lama Langzhi Padma Lungtok Gyatso, Siji Rinpoche Gonsar Yangchi, Lama Langzhi Padma Longzhi, and Lang Lama Chökyi Dorje.

It is said that Lang Lama Chökyi Dorje was a descendant of the Qiongji tribe from the Kingdom of Ling during King Gesar’s time. The name “Tralang” (or “Chalang” or “Chamalang”) refers to the Kingdom of Ling, hence the monastery was named Khra Ling Gonpa.

The monastery follows the teachings and practices of the classical texts translated during the Early Spread (Ngadar) of Buddhism in Tibet.

The local pastoral communities of Jiànshè, Moba, Jimai, and De’ang townships in Darlag County are devoted to this monastery.

In addition to studying the doctrines and texts of various schools, the monastery places a particular emphasis on the teachings and writings of Mipham Rinpoche.

Monastery Scale

Before 1958, Tralang monastery covered a total area of 9,000 mu (approximately 600 hectares). This included 38 mu of building space, 8,662 mu of pastureland, and 300 mu of fenced area. The monastery housed three prayer halls with 70 rooms, and 33 stupas (including 30 stone stupas and 3 reliquary stupas).

Currently, the monastery occupies about 100 mu (around 6.67 hectares) of land. There are 175 monks residing in the monastery, including 23 reincarnate lamas (tulkus). The monastery also owns 100 cattle.

The main structures within the monastery include large and small prayer halls, large and small institutes of the Five Sciences, a Buddha statue stupa, a meditation retreat center, over 200 monk residences, and the Chalang sky burial site.

The monastery contains many valuable relics. The large prayer hall is adorned with sacred statues and treasures, creating an atmosphere of profound sanctity. The most valuable item is a bronze statue of Amitayus, crafted in the 10th century. Among the thousands of relics housed in the monastery, some were brought from India, while others were the result of the spiritual accomplishments of the monastery’s high lamas.

The monastery holds an extensive collection of scriptures, including over ten thousand volumes of Buddhist texts such as the Kangyur and Tengyur. Notably, it has a complete collection of various versions of the Nyingma Great Perfection (Dzogchen) texts, meticulously preserved.

Brief History

In 1895, Lama Langzhi Padma Lungtok Gyatso founded Khra Ling Gonpa, initially as a tent monastery known as “Chuggar.”

In 1913, the construction of monk residences using timber and earth began.

In 1916, the monastery initiated the “summer retreat” practice.

In 1920, a scriptural institute was established, focusing primarily on the texts authored by Ju Mipham Rinpoche.

By 1958, the monastery had 300 monks in total, including 14 reincarnate lamas (8 of whom had passed away and 6 who were still living), 1 newly recognized reincarnate lama, and 10 self-identified lamas.

In 1958, the monastery had one main prayer hall, 270 monks, 93 resident monks, and 10 living lamas.

The monastery was closed after 1958 but reopened in 1980.

Tromge Monastery was founded by Master Nima Jangtsen in 1163 AD, though some accounts suggest it was built in 1275 AD.

The monastery belongs to the Nyingma school of Tibetan Buddhism, with lineages from both the Sakya and Nyingma traditions.

It is located in Tromge Village, Nata Township, Baiyu County, 138 kilometers from Baiyu County’s town

Overview

The monastery has over thirty monk rooms, six reincarnated lama lineages, and more than 100 monks.

Tromge Monastery was attacked twice by troops from Aba and Xiangcheng, destroying many rare artifacts. The monks fled to Sershul for refuge, where they stayed for three years.

Later, under the leadership of Kagyak Rinpoche and Gudeng Rinpoche, the monastery was restored, and the large and small scripture halls were rebuilt.

However, during the Cultural Revolution of the 1960s, the monastery suffered severe destruction, resulting in the loss of many precious relics.

Rituals

Today, a new main assembly hall has been constructed, and several annual rituals are held, including:

• On the 15^th day of the 1st month of the Tibetan calendar, an Eight Precepts retreat ritual is performed.
• In the 4^th month of the Tibetan calendar, a seven-day Medicine Buddha ritual is held.
• In March, obstacle-clearing and fire offering rituals are performed.
• In July, a nine-day practice of the three kāyas (bodies of enlightenment) nectar ritual is held.
• In the 10th month of the Tibetan calendar, a seven-day wrathful and peaceful deity ritual for the benefit of beings is conducted.
• In November, a memorial ritual for past masters is held, featuring the recitation of Minling Terchen’s Vajrasattva and the Collected Heart Essence of Great Completion by Karma Lingpa, with a focus on the Peaceful and Wrathful Deities for seven days.
• In December, a ten wrathful deities exorcism ritual for protection is held for seven days.

There is also a seven-day ritual to give thanks to the Three Roots.

In addition to these regular rituals, others are held in tents, including the Eight Heruka, Vajrakilaya, Hayagriva fire offerings, Namgyalma, Guru Rinpoche prosperity rituals, and thanksgivings to the protectors of the Eight Great Buddha Guardians.

Preserved Relics

The main lineages preserved at Tromge Monastery from the Nyingma school include the Great Perfection Longchen Nyingthig teachings, The Great Perfection, the Universe as Buddha by Pema Dundul, and the treasure teachings of Tertön Lhégyal Lama.

Tromge Monastery houses the following relics:

• Thangka paintings of the 31 incarnations of the Buddha and the 31 incarnations of Guru Rinpoche.
• Additionally, there are thangkas depicting Tara, Akshobhya, Shakyamuni Buddha, Amitayus, and a set of five depicting the Thousand Buddhas of Infinite Light.

The monastery holds over 340 thangkas, both new and old, all of immense spiritual and cultural value, believed to be imbued with blessings.

The scripture collection includes:

• Kangyur written in gold ink,
• One Hundred Thousand Verses of Prajnaparamita,
• Five Tantras,
• The Derge Kangyur and Tengyur editions, amounting to over 400 scripture volumes.

The monastery also houses over 200 statues, including treasure objects and bronze Buddha statues, with some treasures belonging to Kagyak Rinpoche and Pema Yeshe.

There are about 30 stupas in total, all made of gold and bronze, each of extraordinary value.

The top floor of the main assembly hall contains a Great Perfection retreat center.

Inside the main assembly hall are nine statues of Guru Rinpoche, statues of Dakinis, and the Sixteen Arhats. The murals depict the protector deities of the Sakya and Nyingma schools.

Within the main assembly hall, there is a large thangka of the life story of Guru Rinpoche, based on the Guru Rinpoche’s Sayings by the famous treasure revealer Ösel Nyingpo. There are depictions of the 1,000 Buddhas of Uddiyana, the life story of Jigme Gyalwai Gendun, the Liberation Through Seeing stupa, the Four Great Kings, and all the protector deities.

On the second floor of the main hall, there are gold and bronze stupas, each five feet tall, as well as five stupas that reach the height of an entire floor, adorned with dzi beads, coral, and amber.

There is also a collection of statues, including a one-foot-tall statue of Avalokiteshvara, Shakyamuni Buddha, Amitabha, and 32 Buddhas representing repentance and purification.

The scripture collection includes the complete works of the Nyingma lineage, the collected works of Longchenpa, Mipham Rinpoche, Gochen Rinpoche, and the Tantric texts, comprising over 400 scripture volumes.

The “Speech Treasures” include the collected works of Dudjom Lingpa, Longchenpa, Rigdzin Jigme Lingpa, Gawang Lingpa, Datsangpa, and Sangye Lingpa, including both woodblock and handwritten editions.

The “Mind Treasures” include many Kadampa stupas.

In the protector deity hall to the left of the main assembly hall, there are statues of King Gesar, Tséymar, Rahula, Lion-Faced Dakini, and Tsiu Marpo, among others.

Additionally, there are sacred texts written in gold ink, such as the Names of the Thousand Buddhas of the Fortunate Aeon, the 8,000 Verses of Prajnaparamita, and the Golden Light Sutra. To the left of the main assembly hall, there is a dark retreat room for Great Perfection practice, with a practice area behind it dedicated to energy channels and essential points of the body.

A Dzom Monastery, also known as “A Dzom Chogar,” has the full Tibetan name “A Dzom Aogsal Thechogling,” which means “A Dzom Island of Radiant Great Accomplishment.”

The monastery was first built in 1645 AD and belongs to the Nyingma school of Tibetan Buddhism.

A Dzom Monastery is located at an altitude of 4,020 meters, nestled on the hillside of Drashi Dungkar Gang at an altitude of 4,500 meters, in A Dzom Village, Maqiong Township, Baiyu County. It is situated along the upper reaches of the Changqu River, a tributary of the Jinsha River, and is 136 kilometers from Baiyu County’s town.

Brief History

A Dzom Monastery was initially called “Tsekongma,” meaning “Red Roofed Hall,” and was located in present-day Litang County. The 3^rd Dalai Lama, Sonam Gyatso, bestowed land and religious items, and a monk named Tashi Ben began its construction around 1580 AD.

Several years later, the reincarnated lama from Katok Monastery, Penlu, resided there, and the monastery became a branch of Katok Monastery.

Later, Penlu moved to Drung Yi Gonpa, located near the present A Dzom Monastery in Maqiong Township, Baiyu County, leading to the monastery’s relocation.

After Penlu passed away, Ba Sanggya Drashi succeeded as the abbot, and around 1742 AD, he rebuilt Aogsal Thechogling, which is now A Dzom Monastery.

Ba Sanggya Drashi had five brothers, all of whom had “Tashi” (meaning “Auspicious”) in their names, and they were all reincarnated lamas. A servant named Khage (meaning “Good Mouth”) exclaimed in amazement, “Atsam! Atsam! Truly ‘A Dzom Bu’ (meaning ‘Perfect’).” From then on, people began calling the monastery “A Dzom.” This is the origin of the name A Dzom Monastery.

The reincarnated lama of Ba Sanggya Drashi, Rigzin Chenpo, was a great “terton” (treasure revealer). He built Kegu Yamathing Monastery in the deep mountains along the lower reaches of the Changqu River and was a renowned teacher of the Dharma at that time.

Rigzin Chenpo’s reincarnation, Rigzin Trodue Barwa Dorje, became the first A Dzom Drubpa Lama.

Around 1855 AD, the first A Dzom Drubpa Lama received the teachings of the “Great Completion Heart Essence,” and the monastery became a center for the propagation and practice of this teaching, emphasizing pure, undistracted focus on realization and liberation, without attachment to wealth or superficial pursuits.

Later, Rigzin Trodue Barwa Dorje built Phuntsog Gatsal (meaning “Garden of Complete Bliss”) in a valley opposite the winter retreat mountain.

During the time of his son, Gyalse Lama Jikme Dorje, the A Dzom Monastery grew to its current scale, with a large assembly hall, printing house, debating hall, and monastic college.

Like other monasteries, A Dzom Monastery was destroyed during the Cultural Revolution in the 1960s, and many of its valuable woodblock prints were lost.

Beginning in the 1980s, the 2^nd A Dzom Drubpa Lama raised funds from various sources to restore the monastery. After nearly two decades of effort, the monastic college was rebuilt, many scriptures and statues were added, and some woodblocks were reprinted, bringing new vitality to A Dzom Monastery.

Architectural

The overall layout of the monastery is in the shape of a “conch shell,” covering an area of about 1.5 square kilometers, with a total building area of approximately 3,420 square meters.

The main structures include the main hall, scripture hall, reliquary stupas, and a relic room.

Main Hall

The main hall is a Tibetan-style building made of timber and earth, constructed by both Han and Tibetan craftsmen.

It consists of two levels, standing 17.4 meters high, 30.2 meters long, and 22 meters wide. The structure features intricate, layered brackets, showcasing a majestic and ancient architectural style with unique charm.

The first floor serves as the main hall, housing a 2.4-meter-tall statue of Guru Padmasambhava. The walls are adorned with large murals, and this space is used for the master to teach and for monks to chant. Six large carved wooden pillars stand around the hall, decorated with intricate patterns of flowers and the eight auspicious symbols.

A particularly striking feature is the 5-meter-tall and 3-meter-wide Dharma seat of Gyalse Lama, adorned with colorful ribbons. The pillars are carved with reliefs of four elephants bearing treasures, eight lions offering lotus seats, and four pairs of dragons and phoenixes dancing in welcome.

The second floor is a smaller scripture hall, where the reliquary stupas of the first Gyalse Lama and the second Drubpa Lama, along with many relics blessed by earlier lamas, are enshrined.

To the right of the main hall is the “Great Completion Heart Essence” scripture hall.

Sutra Hall

Adjacent to the left of the main hall is another newly constructed scripture hall, which is built on the foundation of the original hall from when A Dzom Monastery was first established.

The current hall is about 140 square meters, containing over 900 scriptures, 2,000 woodblocks, and 98 statues of various sizes made of clay.

Above this hall, slightly to the rear, is the Ladrang (residence) of Gyalse Lama. The first Gyalse Lama and the second Drubpa Lama frequently taught here, and in 2002, the newly appointed lama, Gyangga Rinpoche, gave his first teachings on “Yeshe Lama” in this small courtyard.

Next to this Ladrang is the area where the monastery stores and prints scriptures. It houses a large collection of carved wooden printing blocks, including the “Seven Treasuries of Longchenpa.”

Reliquary Stupa Hall

To the left rear of the main hall is the reliquary stupa hall, which was initiated by the first Gyalse Lama.

Inside the hall are three exquisitely crafted relic stupas, over two meters high, made by famous Kham-area painters and artisans.

The central stupa enshrines the relics of the first Drubpa Lama, Rigzin Trodue Barwa Dorje, and is embedded with a statue of the deity “Heruka,” showcasing a vivid and primitive artistic style, making it a rare treasure.

To the left is the stupa of Gyalse Lama, which contains gold coins gifted by the King of Bhutan, along with jewels and Buddha statues donated by monks from India and Nepal. The stupa has five tiers adorned with 146 gems, including jade, pearls, agate, coral, and nine-eyed beads, creating a dazzling and colorful display of beauty.

To the right is the stupa of Drubpa Lama’s chief disciple, the famous Qinghai-Tibet artist Bama Lodro, whose mummified body was preserved and restored after death. His likeness remains identical to how he appeared in life. Two large gems, the size of eggs—one purple-red and the other emerald green—hang on his headdress, shining brilliantly.

Relic Room

To the right rear of the main hall is the relic room, about 24 square meters in size.

The room houses over 240 gilded bronze Buddha statues, the most notable being a carved sandalwood statue of the dakini protector owned by the 7th-century Indian master Langrapa, and a gilded statue of the Buddha Mother gifted by the Tibetan lama Socha, inlaid with 53 gemstones.

There is also a crystal reliquary stupa, a rare treasure brought from India.

Additionally, the room contains the “Seven Collections of the Heart Essence,” the world’s only surviving Tibetan texts for studying the Heart Essence teachings of Buddhism.

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 15^th 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.”