Samyai Travel Guide

 nattybabe Says:  You are able to visit the monastery during certain hours and in some temples you are also allowed to take photos (at a certain price!!). You usually have a monk as a guide (who speaks English) and explains all the various temples and icons. Very interesting! 

 grets Says:  There are many fine and interesting murals in the chapels of Samye Monastery. This mural is one of the original paintings dating from the 8th century. The paint used is colours made from 70 different minerals, hence the rather dark and dull colours. 

 grets Says:  The protector Chapel, or Gonkhang is entered through a door on the right side of the assembly hall. Inside this chapel there were images of various terrifying anti-gods and demons, most of whom had their faces covered up as they are deemed to be too frightening to be... 

 grets Says:  The Sakyamuni Buddha, whose name literally means ‘sage of the Sakya’, is the founder of Buddhism, the historical Buddha. He is known in Tibetan as Sakya Thukpa. Here he is shown in the form of Jangchub Chenpo, and is flanked on both sides by 10 standing bodhisattvas, as well... 

 grets Says:  The dormitories are home to some of the 280 monks who live and practise Buddhism here in Samye.The construction of dwellings in Tibet follow a strict tradition. Most buildings are white, with a black surround to the windows (to attarct the heat from the sun), which is always... 

 grets Says:  Although there is a restaurant in the Samye Guesthouse, it required pre-booking in order to cater for groups. We had brought our own picnic with us, which they allowed us to eat in the restaurant. Our picnic, which was prepared and provided for us by the hotel in Zedang,... 

 grets Says:  As well as being used to create sculptures, yak butter is also utilised as a fuel for butter lamps. Tibetans burn bowls of yak butter instead of candles as light, and the smell of yak butter is all over Tibet, in every temple, chapel and monastery. The faithful will carry... 

 grets Says:  Yak butter has a significant use in ceremonies. In particular, the 15th day of the first month is a high point of the Great Prayer Festival (Smom-lam), and is known as the "Butter lamp day." The festival started after Tsong kha-pa had a dream where beautiful flowers and... 

 grets Says:  The fifth Dalai Lama. Known as ‘The Great Fifth’, Lobsang Gyantso, is known as the Dalai Lama who unified Tibet and extended his authority to the fringes of Tibetan territory from Mt Kailash area in the west to Kham in the east. During his reign, Tibetan culture flourished –... 

 grets Says:  One of the more bizarre items I saw inside the ground floor of Utse, the main chapel at Samye, was this candle holder. It is fashioned from a human skull! 

 grets Says:  Another very bizarre incident was inside the ground floor chapel in Utse. As we were walking around the chapel, a mobile phone started ringing. I was rather annoyed with my fellow travellers, that they couldn’t switch off their phone when in such a holy place, when I noticed... 

 grets Says:  In the ground floor chapel within the Utse, is a row of Red Hat Sect masters. The correct term for what many people call the Red Hat Sect, is the Kagyupa Order. This order of Tibetan Buddhism takes its lineage back through Milarepa and Marpa and eventually to the Indian... 

 grets Says:  Also bring (and apply) a high factor sun cream, as the sun is very strong and at this altitude the air is thin so it is easier to become sunburnt before you know it. 

 grets Says:  Make sure you wrap up warm for the boat journey across the Yarlung Tsangpo River to Samye, as the winds can make the journey quite chilli. You can also encounter rain if you are unlucky, and the boat is open, so there is no cover. We were lucky to have a bright, sunny day.