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Samye Monastery is a good 6-7 hours ride away from Lhasa. It was completed in 779, and was the first monastery established in Tibet. Like other monasteries, Samye suffered destruction during the Cultural Revolution. Much of it has been rebuilt today. The main hall has three stories, and each floor has a separate style from Chinese, Tibetan and Indian. And from the top of the main hall, you can have an amazing view of the surrounding houses and fields. There is a small village outside the monastery, with large fields of yellow rape flowers and barley. It is like an oasis in the middle of the barren mountain ranges.
There is a guesthouse and a small restaurant right next to the monastery. It provides very basic accomodation to visitors.
To reach Samye, it is best to leave early in the morning from Lhasa. The bus leaves in front of the Jokhang Square. (Ask your guesthouse for schedule.) Tell the driver that your destination is Samye Monastery. Get off at the dock and wait for the flat-bottom boat to cross the river. The boat leaves until it is full. The captain charges a different price for tourists. Once you reach the other side, a bus will take you to the entrance of Samye, after a bumpy ride for 20 minutes or so. Leave a Comment
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Drepung is scattered over a large area on a hillside, some 8 miles west of Lhasa. To reach the main palace and assembly hall, you need to climb the kora (pilgrim circuit) up through the winding path. Along the way, you will come across various rock carvings, depicting the founder of the Yellow Hat Sect (or just representations of the mantra Om Mani Padme Hum); see pilgrims turning the many prayer wheels positioned along the route; notice peaches hanging from the trees (not ripe while we were there); and you can even play with the rabbits bred by the nuns who reside in the hillsides (see separate tip). The climb is not arduous, but can easily take your breath way because of the altitude. Leave a Comment
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Drepung was once the world’s largest monastery, with 10,000 resident monks, who hailed from 321 different branch monasteries and lived according to nationality in various accommodation buildings. Today there are only about 600 monks remaining, but most of the 20,000 square metre complex remains. The name Drepung means head of rice symbolising the way the white buildings cling to the hillside. It was named after the sacred abode of Shridhanyakataka in South India. The monastery was famed in its time for its scholars - there are four major colleges in Drepung, Ngakpa, Loseling, Gomag and Deyang.
Drepung was founded in 1416 by Jamyang Choje Tshi Palden, a disciple of Tsongkapa. The monastry was expanded by the second Dalai Lama in 1530, when he established the Ganden Palace. This then became the home of the Dalai Lamas (and the head quarters of the Tibetan government) until the fifth Dalai Lama moved his home to the Potala Palace in Lhasa. The tombs of the second, third and fourth Dalai Lama are all found here. Leave a Comment
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Established in the early 15th century, the Geluk monastic city of Sera was once a considerable rival for Lhasa. The monastery had a population of some 7,000 monks, once famous for martial arts. They were popular as body guards for the well-to-do families. The name Sera means ‘merciful hail’ – a reference to the heavy rain which destroyed the rice paddies of neighbouring and rival Drepung. There are still a few hundred monks resident at the monastery. The Protector Chapel is dedicated to women and children and during our visit I was blessed with smoke by placing my head inside a dark and small opening. I received a white ceremonial scarf as recognition of this blessing. Leave a Comment Other Contact: 5km north of Lhasa
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The kitchen in Drepung monastery is absolutely amazing. All the walls are lined with pots, pans and kettles, and cooking was carried out in enormous vats. Stirring was done with a spade! The kitchen could feed up to 15,000 monks at any one time. I shouldn’t think it would have been a three course gourmet meal! Leave a Comment
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The highlight of any visit to Sera, is the Debating Courtyard, where monks can be seen debating in the traditional method, with the antagonist standing and aggressively questioning his seated protagonist by clapping his hands together near the opponent’s face. It is a lively and noisy discussion and an absolute cacophony of slapping hands, animated dialogue and raucous arguments interspersed with a little laughter. It is totally captivating to watch. Leave a Comment
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In the hillsides around the Drepung complex, a few nuns eke out an existence in ruins of the dormitories and caves. The spend most of their time meditating – they are pilgrims who never left. We were lucky enough to be invited inside to have a look at one of the caves, it was laid out more like a temple than a home, with very few home comforts. Water is boiled using the traditional solar heating method – at this altitude, water boils at 80C. Leave a Comment
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 8th century carved Buddha
pilgrimage site by gretsLeave a Comment
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Lhasa River is an amazing expanse of water, peaceful, very wide and backed by giant mountains. The dramatic sky reflected in the water is incredible. Along the river there is a nice paved path and you see colorful prayer flags fluttering in the wind. To get there just walk south from the Potala Palace area. Leave a Comment
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The Main Assembly Hall (Tsokchen Lhakkhang) is the biggest building in Drepung at 4500 square metres. The interior is enormous and has a very serene atmosphere. There are 180 pillars supporting the roof, many of which are adorned with colourful cloth. The room is filled with sculptures and many chapels lead off the main room. Leave a Comment
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