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ibet... Potala palace seen from the roof of the Jokhang |
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In the little town of Shigatse, the second city of Tibet, is the Tashilumpo monastery. This monastery is the seat of the
Panchen Lama, the second ranking person in the Gelugpa tibetan buddhist hierarchy, after the Dalai Lama. The 10th Panchen Lama died in 1989, and a scandal took place when designating his reincarnation. The chinese authorities chose the new Panchen Lama, among some children selected according to tibetan traditions. The candidate chosen by the Dalai Lama, living in exile in India, was arrested and is now in jail in Beijing with his family, making him the youngest political prisoner of the world. The Tashilumpo monastery remains popular among the tibetans, as they carry on coming here on pilgrimage. It houses the tombs of Panchen Lamas, beautiful chortens decorated with gold and precious stones, as well as a Maitreya Bouddha statue 26 meters high. |
 Tashilumpo monastery , in Shigatse |
 The Utse in Samye monastery |
On the banks of Yarlung Tsangpo, the tibetan name for Brahmaputra river, south-west of Lhassa, is one of the important monasteries of Tibet : Samye. The monastery is built with the shape of a huge mandala. Surrounded by a circular wall, it is a representation of cosmos. The different buildings are arranged according to a complex symbolism, around the Utse, the central hall, housing the hall of prayers. It is here, probably around 790, that the 'Samye Debate' took place, debate that had to determine if the newly born tibetan buddhism had to follow the indian way, based on study or the chinese way oriented towards contemplation. The indian way was adopted. |
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The Hall of payers is the spiritual center of the lives of the monks in a monastery.
This place, often dark, is only lit by high windows.
The banks for the monks are disposed parallel to the axis of the hall. The walls are entierly painted with scenes from the life of Lord Buddha, other religious subjects or with representations of holy places. The framework is finely scuplted and painted. Tangkas and mandalas are hanging from the walls and cieling. These are sacred images decorated with colorful silk brocades. At the end of the hall, you can find Buddhas statues, Boddhisattvas and other deities, like Tsongkappa, Guru Rimpoche, Songtsen Gampo, etc... The hall can be surrounded by small chapels. The monks gather here several times a day for prayers. They chant the sacred texts accompanied by the sound of tibetan horns, drums and bells. |
 Monks in the prayer hall of Samye monastery |
 Yak butter lamps |
In tibetan temples, yak butter lamps always burn. This butter, given by the pilgrims as offerings,
is responsible for the acrid but unforgettable smell filling the temples of Tibet. |
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Above Chongye village, in the Yarlung valley, cradle of the tibetan buddhist civilisation, is the
Rewodechen monastery. Above the monastery, one can see, inscribed with white stones on the ground, the 'Om mani padme hum' mantra. |
 Rewodechen monastery, in Chongye, Yarlung valley |
 Pelkor Chode monastery, in Gyantse |
Gyantse is certainely the tibetan town that best survived the chinese invasion. Almost all the houses are made in the traditional tibetan style, and almost no chinese constructions are visible. The two attractions of this city are the Dzong, or fortress, built on a hill overlooking the city, and the Pelkor Chode monastery, surrounded by a big wall, like |
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a stronghold. The monastery houses the Khumbum, this three dimensional
mandala shaped temple, with its 108 chapels arranged in five storeys. |
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At 5000 meters above sea level, Rombuk monastery is the highest monastery in the world. It is built on the foot of Chomolangma, better known as Mount Everest. A little community of monks and nuns live here in pretty harsh conditions. |
 Rombuk monastery, on the foot of Mount Everest |