Kagyu Pa Monasteries

Samding monastery is located on the top of a steep mountain in the southwest of Yamdrok lake. It belongs to the Shangpa Kagyu of the Kagyu school of Tibetan Buddhism.

Brief

It is an ancient Tibetan Buddhist monastery with history of more than 300 years. Since the creation of Samding monastery, after the continuous expansion of the second, 5^th and 9^th Dorje Pakmo, 15 halls were gradually been built, surrounded by grassland, rivers with beautiful scenery.

The Shangpa Kagyu was once very prosperous, but declined after the 15^th century. Nowadays, Samding Monastery is the only one reamined with tradition of Shangpa Kagyu Sect. According to “An Investigation of the Origin of the Tibetan Monk”, “Sanding Monastery had been converted to a Gelugpa monastery in Qing Dynasty, and the female living Buddha is also listed in the ten small Hutuktu. The only female living Buddha in Tibet, Samding·Dorje Pakmo, was the master of the monastery. Samding monastery has a special status among the various sects of Tibetan Buddhism.

There were 6 monks only when the temple was first built.During the period of Kashag Administration, the female living Buddha in the monastery was once granted the position of fourth grade monk official. In the 18^th century, there were 80 monks and nuns. At the beginning of this century, there were nearly 200 monks, but they continued to decrease.

Reincarnation and Female Living Buddha

The temple is inherited from the reincarnated female living Buddha and is also the only female living Buddha in Tibet today. The Reincarnation has been passed down for 12 generations. Among them, the second living Buddha was the niece of the 6^th Panchen Lama Lobsang Baidain Yexe, and now it is the 12^th living Buddha Dorje Pakmo·Dechen Chokyi Gonme.

Samding monastery accepts monks and nuns, the abbot is a female living Buddha， whose name is Dorje Pakmo meaning “Vajra Varahi”; The statue of Vajra Varahi is with one face and two arms, the face is red, showing passion and admiration. Has three eyes and wears a skull crown. Both hands hold the ritual instruments, the right hand holds the moon-shaped knife, and the left hand holds the human skull bowl. The bowl is filled with blood for offering to the deity. Her left leg stretched out to be flush with the main deity’s right leg, and her right leg was wrapped around the main deity’s waist. “Vajra Varahi” is companion of Cakrasamvara

“Vajra Varahi” decorated with 50 human skulls, symbolizing the 50 letters of Sanskrit; she also decorated with rosary beads made of bones, symbolizing the six ways of liberation: generosity, precepts, patience, diligence, meditation and wisdom.

There are different opinions about the time when Samding monastery was built. According to the “History of Religious Origins”, Samding monastery founded by by Kezun Xunzhu, the disciple of the fourth generation of Shangpa Kagyu founder Kyungpo Naljor (also Qiongbo Nanjue); the other is that it was established by Bodong Ramgyal(1375-1451） in the early 15^th century. Samding monastery is a monastery shared by monks and nuns. It is abbotted by the only female living Buddha in Tibet. And she is female deity who had a more complicated personality. In the Kagyu Sect of Tibetan Buddhism, she is the head of the female deity. Marpa, Mirarepa, Gampopa and other great achievers rely on her as the deity.

When the Mongolians entered Tibet in the Yuan Dynasty (AD 1271-1368), Samding monastery was destroyed, and the temple was destroyed again when the British army invaded Tibet in the 30^th year of Guangxu of Qing Dynasty (AD 1904), some cultural relics in the temple were looted. Later, a certain scale of restoration was carried out.

In 1959, Samding monastery still had 15 sutra halls and 75 monks left, and a large number of attached monasteries. During the “Cultural Revolution”, Buddhist scriptures, statues, pagodas and valuable cultural relics belonging to the monastery were taken over by the Langkazi local authority, and some of them were scattered in the countryside.

After 1983, most of the cultural relics were returned, and the hall of Tsu Lakhang and the Protector hall were restored.

In 1986, With government funding the monstery was renovated and opened to the public. Now, The size of the monastery is about 1200 square meters including monk’s dormitory, and more than 20 monks.

From the appearance, the architectural style of Samding monastery is quite similar to the Potala Palace, including the Red Palace and the White Palace.

In 1998, it was listed as a county-level cultural relics protection unit.

Nowadays, Samding monastery is still very popular in local tibetan community. Although the monastery is on the top of the mountain and the road is not good, however, there are still many pilgrims comnig to make cora and pray

How to get to there

---

Samding monastery is built on a hill on the peninsula, and it extends about 10 kilometers east of Yamdrok Lake. It is located 110 kilometers southwest of Lhasa , under administered by Langkazi county

There is no direct bus-line to this site, however, there are scheduled buses travel between Lhasa to Gyantse county passs by Langkazi county, from which you can hire local vehicle to transfer to this site.

The below are listed two ways to get to Samding monastery

By chartered vehicle 

Departing from Lhasa, it usually costs RMB 1,000-1,500.00 per day for a 4-6 seats mini van

By bus 

starting from Lhasa, Terminal: Langkazi county ; then by local mini bus to this monastery,

The Four Major Sects of Tibetan Buddhism

---

Drigung Monastery is also called “Drigung til Monastery”, it is located in Maizhokunggar County about 130km northeast of Lhasa. It seats on the south slope of the mountain ridge approxiamtely 200 meter above the bottom of the valley with altitude of 4465 meters.

Brief

Its dominate position provides a wide and wonderful view of the whole valley. There are another three monasteries of the Drigung Kagyu sect located in the same region, of which are Yangrigar, Drigung Dzong, and Drigung Tse.

Founded and development

Drigung Monastery was founded in 1179, it’s the main seat of the Drigung Kagyu tradition of Tibetan Buddhism. In its early years the monastery played an important role in both religion and politics.

Historically, this monastery was detroied twice, one was in 1290 AD by Mongol troops under the direction of a rival sect. Then, after it was rebuilt and regained some of its former strength, and also maintain its position as of being a primarily center of Tibetan meditative studies. The other one was after 1959, but has since been partly rebuilt. As of 2015 there were about 250 monks are housed in this monastery

How to get to there

---

It is about 130 kilometer northeast from Lhasa city in Maizhokunggar County, the road to this site has been rebuilt, it is now all paved, every morning, there is one bus departure at 07:00 am from the “Yu Tuo Road Intersection” near Jokhang Temple.

The one way bus-ride takes about 3 hours long, with rate: RMB 40 per person, the same bus will return to Lhasa in the afternoon. Be sure to check with driver about the time for return journey

Alternatively, you can hire local vehicle from Lhasa to here, it usually costs RMB 500.00 – 600.00 pne way per trip with one 7 seats minivan

The Four Major Sects of Tibetan Buddhism

---

Densatil Monastery is situated on Mt. Drakri Karpo in Sangri county on the North bank of Brahmaputra River. It is a major branch of Kagyu pa monastery, the Phaktru Kagyu of Densa.

Brief

Densatil Monastery is surrounded by wild roses, rhododendrons and other flowering bushes. Its juniper trees are famous.

Its meditation caves are embed with cliff in west. The most sacred relic is a tooth that is claimed to belong to Buddha. Its assembly hall was built into the cliff by nearly a thousand ascetics in the late 12^th century.

It was founded in 1158 by Phagmo Trupa Dorje Gyelpo, and was the one of the most influential in Tibet. Between 1349 AD and 1453 AD, Phagmo Trupa family ruled Tibet from their castle close to Tsetang, and so it acquired a great wealth and religious artifacts that to make it one of the richest monasteries in Tibet. Nowadays there is nothing left except the broken red walls and a newly rebuilt chapels.

The rebuilding of this monastery is processed slowly.

How to get to there

---

Starting from Tsetang (Shannan), approximately 7 km to arrive at Tsetang Bridge, where you need to across the bridge onto road S302, turn right for about 21 km to arrive at Jiang village, where it leads the way into the valley entrance. From which, a 3 – 4 hours steep climb to the monastery. This is the old way that has been used ever since the monastery was built.

Nowadays, there is one new jeep-able road has been built, on which you are able to reach the monastery closely, still you will need to walk for about 100 meter to enter the chapels. To get on this jeep-able road, you will continue drive about 3-4 kilometers eastward from Jiang village, where you will see a large vegetable planting base. A dirt road is at its east end, which leads up to Densatil monastery;

The Four Major Sects of Tibetan Buddhism

---

Gongga monastery is located at the west slope of Mt Gongga with altitude of 3030 meters above sea level.

Location

It situates on a small “stage” that overlooking the large glacier that descends off the west side of Mt Gongga which is the highest peak in the eastern Tibet of Kham and Amdo.

Tradition

It is the sealed shrine of Kagyu sect’s succession living Buddha, who is known as Tulku Rinpoche. The reincarnation was formally started here by Kagyu Pa.

From this origin, systems of reincarnation—including Dalai Lama and Panchen Lama–were adopted by all major sects of Tibetan religion.

Brief

This monastery was damaged during the Cultural Revolution in 1960’s of 20^th century. It has been rebuilt by local villagers since late 1990’s of 20^th century.

Nowadays, this small Kagyu monastery is getting popular for its wonderful location for those, whom make this fairly tough Gonga Mount trek. This monastery is also a base for those whom plan to start a mountain climbing to the peak of Mt Gongga.

How to get to there

---

There is no road to this site, the only transportation tool are motorcycle and small tractor. There are two routes that leads to here

By foot

A 5 days trekking starting from Kangding leads to here

By vehicle and Foot

One other option is by driving around from the north side of Mt Gongga to reach Liuba county, then switch to local 4 wheel drive vehicle to reach Tsemi La pass, then descending to Tsemi village, from which you will start to hike for about 1.5 -2 hours to reach at Gonga monastery

Be advised : There are three “Tsemi villages” — “Upper Tsemi village”, “Middle Tsemi village”, “Lower Tsemi village”; among of which the “Upper Tsemi village” is the one that closer to this monastery; the other two are near to each other and leads to the east slope of Mt Gonga and heading to Hailuogou Glacier and Luding

The Four Major Sects of Tibetan Buddhism

---

Choku Gompa is about 2 kilometers from Tarpoche. Its elevation is about 4820 meters above sea level. It is a kagyu Pa monastery, located on the cliff that faces the western bank of Lha Chu River.

Brief

It was founded in the 13^th century as a shrine, and houses a white stone statue of Buddha Opame and a sacred silver embossed conch shell, which was said to belong to Milarepa. The founder of Choku Gompa was Gotshangpa Gompo Pel, whom was a Drukpa Kagyu disciple of Tsangpa Gyare, the orignal Guru and celebrated discoverer of the great Tsari pilgrimage, and a cave near the back of this monastery belongs to him.

Inside the Gompa, the center of the back wall is one unique , orignal Thangkar image of Nangwa Thaye, known as Choku Renpoche.

Below this monastery is the Langchen Bepuk which means Hidden Elephant Cave where Padmasambhava stayed and meditated when he came to Mt Kailash. From Chouku Gompa, the view on the south face of Kailash is stunning, and photos are strictly forbidden to the shrines, because in 1991 a group of art thieves from Nepal and working for western art dealers broke into this gompa and stole 16 ancient statues. Two of them were arrested and admitted that they stole to order, and they use “tourist’s” photo to find out the inside detail. This shall help to understand why the strictly forbidden on photo inside.

Choku Gompa Data

---

How to get to there

---

Choku Gompa is located at Tarpoche which is the “start” of Kailash Cora trek. In general you will need to get to Darchen first, and then by foot to reach this monastery.

The nearest airport is Ali airport, and then by vehicle to get to Darchen

Starting from Darchen, there are two ways to reach this monastery, one is to climb down from Buddha’s Platform directly to the trail; another one is to cross over the bridge to reach this site from the main trail that circle Mount Kailash

The Four Major Sects of Tibetan Buddhism

---

Palpung Monastery is also called “Ba Bang Si” in chinese Ping Ying. It is the seat of the Tai Situpa and Jamgon Kongtrul, and also the historical seat of the successive incarnations of the Tai Situ in Kham. It is also the “mother-monastery“ of Kagyu pa in Kham

Brief

Palpung means “glorious union of study and practice”, and was found in 1727 by King Denba Tsering of ancient Derge kingdom. It was the largest Kagyu monastery in this ancient kingdom, and it rapidly grew to be the most important center in the east Tibet of Kham and Amdo for learning Kagyu tradition.

The monastery once hosted more than 1,000 monks, and had a huge library with more than 324,000 texts and an art collection of more than 10,150 Thangkas. The Situ Rinpoche is the founder of Karma Gadri painting style. At the time of the 11^th century, Palpung monastery was already famous for it spiritual, studious and artistic excellence and authority. Currently it houses about 40-50 monks, and a large number of local Tibetan lives in the valleys that next to it.

Location

It is located in a valley that is about 70 km from Derge county near Jinsha River, which is considered the bordering river of the east Tibet of Kham and the central Tibet. It originated in the 12^th century and wielded religious and political influence over centuries.

The 16^th Karmapa was enthroned first at Palpung monastery before he traveled to the main seat of Tsurphu Monastery.

How to get to there

---

Palpung Monastery is located in a valley that there is only one jeep-able trail leads to the Derge-Pelyul Road. The valley junction is about 45 km southeast from Derge county or 70 km northwest from Pelyul county.

The closest airport is Garze airport which is about 210 kilometers north from this site.