Tibetan monasteries: description, history of occurrence, life and training of monks, photo

2024 Author: Miguel Ramacey | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 06:11

Journey to the sacred Tibet for many is an important and meaningful journey in life. For a long time, hidden from civilization, the country managed to preserve its traditions and culture. Many people, stepping on Tibetan land for the first time in their lives, feel how much mystical it is fraught with. It was here that the great sages bequeathed to learn their inner world through the practices of yoga and meditation. It is here that many ask the question, who guarded the Tibetan monasteries, and how did you manage to save all their shrines to this day?

Monasteries of Tibet

In Tibet there was a saying: "In the sky you will find the sun, moon and stars, on the earth you will find Ganden, Drepung and Sera." The monastic universities of Ganden, Drepung and Sera were the greatest educational centers of the Gelug tradition of Tibetan Buddhism. They were founded at the beginning of the 15th century on the initiative of the great Tibetan reformer Je Tsongkhapa and became famous throughout Tibet not only for their size. There were many thousands of monks studying in all three Tibetan monasteries. Thanks to the sophisticated system of teaching Buddhist philosophy that existed in them, monks came here from all regions of Tibet, as well as from Mongolia, to get an education. Everyone knows that the temples of Tibetan monasteries are not only places of worship and pilgrimage, but also the repository of many shrines.

Flight into exile

In 1959, relations between the Tibetans and the Chinese, who sought to seize Tibet, became especially aggravated. His Holiness the Dalai Lama was forced to flee to India, and 90,000 of his fellow tribesmen followed him into exile. During the escape, many monks from Tibetan monasteries were killed by the Chinese or died of starvation, cold, and disease. Those who remained had to witness the large-scale destruction of most of their monasteries, which embodied the most precious thing for all Tibetans - the Buddhist religion.

The monks who found safety when they reached India suffered a different fate. But in 1971, His Holiness the Dalai Lama proposed that the monasteries-universities of Ganden, Drepung and Sera be recreated on land generously provided to the Tibetans by the Indian government in the south of the country. In the 14 years since the restoration of the monasteries, the monks had to endure many hardships. However, at an early stage, they realized that their main task was to preserve the Tibetan cultural and religious heritage. Therefore, many new monks were accepted into the monasteries. Despite the difficulties in providing, all the monks were provided with decent food andclothes, every year the living conditions improved. The priority was to pass on to the younger generation all the practices and philosophies associated with the precious Buddha Dharma.

While most of the monks who received their full education in Tibet are still alive. Who guarded the treasures of the Tibetan monasteries, many of which were lost? There are whole legends about this. It is believed that there was a special kind of cats that for many centuries stood guard over Tibetan monasteries and their shrines.

Ganden

Ganden Monastery, located in the mountains northeast of Lhasa, was founded by the first Je Tsongkhapa himself in 1409. It actually played the role of a mother monastery and got its name in honor of the pure land of Maitreya - the Buddha of the future era. The elected head of the Gelugpa tradition was known as the holder of the Ganden throne. The monastery is located at an altitude of 4500 meters. There is a stupa in honor of Je Tsongkhapa himself. During the Tibetan turmoil in 1959 and during the long cultural unrest, Ganden Monastery suffered significant damage. Since the beginning of the 80s, the state began to finance its restoration.

Drepung

Drepung was founded in 1416 by one of the most prominent disciples of Je Tsongkhapa, Jamyang Choyje, also known as Tashi Palden. This Tibetan monastery, the photo of which is located below, is located on the western outskirts of Lhasa. It grew to enormous proportions and by 1959 was considered the largest monastery in the world. It trained about 10,000 monks.

Sulfur

Another one of Jae's studentsTsongkhapa - Jamshen-choyje or Sakya Yeshi - founded Sera Monastery in 1419, the year of the death of his mentor. Sera and Ganden had 7,000 and 5,000 monks, respectively, who were trained in a Tibetan monastery. It has become a tradition for the Dalai Lamas to study in these monasteries. The abbots of the three monasteries have always been part of the Tibetan government, and therefore these great institutions have been given the name "Three Pillars of the State."

Samie

The very first monastery in Tibet. Samye was founded by three prominent personalities of that time. 1200 years ago, the ruler of the country of snows, Tritson Desen, began to show great interest in the teachings of the Buddha. Wanting to spread knowledge everywhere, he invited the famous Indian abbot Shantarakshita to Tibet. Shantarakshita did much to spread noble knowledge in this country. But since the Bon religion was dominant in Tibet at that time, many were dissatisfied with the efforts of the abbot.

Then Shantarakshita advised the king the following: “If you want to overcome all obstacles and spread the teachings of the Buddha everywhere, you need to invite Guru Padmasambhava. This is a great guru with great spiritual power. If he arrives in the land of snows, the difficulties will certainly recede.” Thus the greatest guru was invited. Padmasambhava had mystical powers.

Initially, the architectural ensemble of Samye consisted of 108 buildings. The central temple, located in the middle, symbolizes Mount Meru. And temples built around two concentric circles,represent the oceans and continents surrounding the mountain according to physical cosmology. So, thanks to the efforts of the founders, the teachings of the Buddha were successfully consolidated and spread throughout Tibet.

Jokang

The main shrine of Lhasa. The Jokhang Monastery was built in the very center of the city. Some say that the Jokhang is the most sacred place in Tibet. This Tibetan monastery is one and a half thousand years old. The complex was built for the statue of Buddha Shakyamuni, brought from China. This is a one of a kind statue. It is believed that it was created during the life of Shakyamuni Buddha and was consecrated by him.

The statue is made in natural size from an alloy of precious metals with the addition of precious stones. Now it looks fuller, because it is very often covered with new layers of gold. According to legend, it was created by the divine architect Vishvakarma and subsequently presented to the Chinese emperor. During the reign of Songtsen Gampo, the Chinese princess Wen-Chen brought the statue to Tibet as a dowry.

Usually tourists easily get to the temple on foot. Pilgrims make a sacred circumambulation of the Jokhang complex, which is called Kora. In the square in front of the Jokhang, locals perform prostrations from early morning until late at night, an ancient practice often referred to in the sutras as touching the ground with the five parts of the body. Most Tibetans believe that after this life there will definitely be another, so this one should be lived as well as possible.

Drak Yerpa

One of the strongest spiritual places in centralTibet is Drak-Yerpa - this is a whole cave complex. It is located two hours drive from the city of Lhasa. This Tibetan monastery is located in the mountains. In these places, many great yogis practiced and reached the heights of their self-realization, monks and hermits went into seclusion.

Despite the fact that the cave complex was damaged during the cultural upheaval, its restoration continues. And most importantly, the energy of calmness and silence still reigns. Many pilgrims and tourists note how especially calm and peaceful they feel here. Drak Yerpa has over 70 meditation caves.

Pelkor Chede

A unique monastery from the 9th century. Pelkor Chede is located on the outskirts of Gyangdze village. The temple houses many majestic statues of Bondhisattvas and Idams. Bondhisattvas are wind-forged souls who serve others life after life for an infinite amount of time.

In order to correctly evaluate the deeds of Bondhisattvas, one must be at the same level of development as they are. In Buddhist countries, Bondhisattvas are revered with deep respect, recognizing in them true wisdom, inaccessible to narrow-minded understanding.

Tashilunpo

The famous monastery in Shigatse district. Tashilhunpo, founded in the 15th century, became the largest center of philosophy in Tibet. In fact, this is a whole city, where its majestic buildings were decorated with whole statues and murals. Here is the most famous 26-meter golden statue of Maitreya Buddha. According to legend, Buddha Maitreya resides in heavenTushita before her arrival in this world. When you perform Kora around this statue, you feel a strong, but at the same time, soft energy of compassion emanating from it. Life in a Tibetan monastery is very measured. A monk sitting nearby reciting sutras, the smell of lit incense, many burning lamps, statues of Bndhisattvas - all this creates an unusual atmosphere of something long forgotten and very familiar.

Labrang

One of the largest Buddhist monasteries, which is located in the village of the same name. About 10,000 people live in the village, and almost all of them are engaged in servicing numerous tourists and pilgrims. There are 18 prayer halls and about 500 chapels and cells on the territory of the monastery. A pilgrimage trail runs along the perimeter. Prayer drums are installed throughout the trail. In Labrang there are many statues of various sizes covered with gold and adorned with precious stones. The question arises who guards the treasures of the Tibetan monasteries and why no one encroaches on the shrines. Perhaps the point is the sacredness of these places.

Mystery of Buddhism

Tibet is an ancient land. Time seems to have stopped here. The monasteries of Tibet seem to be cut off from reality and live their lives almost the same as 20, 100 or 500 years ago. You can wander around the monasteries for hours, participate in prayers, eat with the monks, but gradually you begin to understand that, despite the openness, the inner life of the monastery is still inaccessible. It must be said that Buddhist monks are not attached toone monastery. Following free will, they can leave one monastery and, having received the blessing of the abbot, go to perform obedience to another monastery. The ritual aspects of monastic life are based on a strong faith that comes from deep study of Buddhist philosophy.

Sacred Mandala

Who guarded the temples of Tibetan monasteries? A rhetorical question, because Buddhist monks are more busy with their own self-knowledge and self-improvement. Their whole life is focused on certain actions that are of greater value to them than material goods. A sacred act for a Buddhist is the creation of a sand Mandala. It symbolizes the schematic map of the life of the universe in Buddhist cosmology. Mandala is one of the main sacred images for a Buddhist.

The ritual art of its creation dates back to the 6th century BC. The technique of creation remains unchanged for centuries. Colors are obtained by staining with powder from crushed soapstone. In the hands of llama artists, metal pipes. Through the expanded end of the tube, sand is collected from special cups. And from the hole at the thin end, the sand pours in a trickle onto a pre-drawn plan. Small colored stones are also used.

Mandala is a means of achieving harmony. Both around and within yourself. It is remarkable that after the completion of work on the creation of the shrine, it is immediately destroyed. This action testifies to the fragility of everything earthly, to the frailty of the world. After the destruction of the Mandala, they begin to create anew, and this processendless.