Terence's @rchive

Tashilunpo Monastery (扎什伦布寺) is inside Shigatse Town. It is the “palace” for Panchen Lama, like Potala Palace for Dalai Lama.

Panchen Lama (班禅喇嘛) holds the leadership power over religion in Western Tibet. Panchen Lama is consider second to Dalai Lama (达赖喇嘛) in Tibet because Dalai Lama holds religious power of Eastern Tibet and political power of entire Tibet.

Tashilunpo Monastery 扎什伦布寺

Inside the monastery compound there are many living quarters for monks staying inside the monastery. Our guide said that many families of the past send their eldest son here to become monks. The monastery will take care of food, lodging, education of the child. But nowadays since families can only have 1 child, the numbers of families sending their children here to be monks have decreased a lot.

There are 4 main buildings in the monastery, the 4 with gilded golden shiny roofs. Above picture from left, is a temple that houses a giant bronze buddha, a building where 10th Panchen Lama’s Tomb Stupa is kept, a Chanting Hall and a building where the 5th to 9th Panchen Lama’s Tomb Stupa is kept. The white wall on the far right is a Thanka Wall. Its used to hang a giant Thanka (a painted buddhist banner) during Tibetan New Year.

The giant bronze buddha is really HUGE. It is 26.2m in height. After praying to the Buddha, I followed the pilgrims to go round the Buddha statue 3 times. They brushed their body onto the statue while circling the statue so I did the same as well. At 1 point I brushed the back of my head against the statue’s finger.

Monk living quarters

I don't know what is this but its on most of the roofs

Should be for blessing purpose lar.

Monks

A young monk walking pass

Monk with Yellow Headgear. (Yellow Sect)

Stupas which kept 5th - 9th Panchen Lama's Tomb Stupas fragments

During the cultural revolution, Tashilunpo Monastery was badly destroyed by the Chinese Revolution Army. The 5th to 9th Panchen Lama’s tomb stupas was destroyed during that time. Then the 10th Panchen Lama collected the fragments of the tomb stupas like jewel stones and walls and place them inside the 3 stupas above.

Pilgrims doing their rounds around the stupas in clockwise direction

Stones the pilgrims used to keep track the no of rounds they circle the stupas

Pilgrim holding a prayer wheel doing her rounds

Tibetan Lady spinning prayer wheels

I went through it 3 rounds. Tiring of coz

Pilgrims having their pit stop break

They were drinking yak butter milk tea

Giant 26.2m Buddha inside this temple

Building that houses 5th - 9th Panchen Lama's Tomb Stupa

The 10th Panchen Lama built this place and the tomb stupa inside to place the body remains of the 5th – 9th Panchen Lamas. The tomb stupa inside this building now holds the 5th to 9th Panchen Lama’s body remains. 1 day  after the 10th Panchen Lama officiated the opening of this building, he passed away. Seems like he was waiting for the completion of this place before he leaves.

Building that houses 10th Panchen Lama's Tomb Stupa

After the 10th Panchen Lama passed away, the Chinese Goverment build this building and place his body inside the tomb stupa.

According to the guide, the 10th Panchen Lama, stayed outside of Tibet, controversially married a Chinese and had a kid between them, but he contributed a lot towards preserving the identify of Tibetan Culture. He advocated to teach Tibetan Language in Tibet schools and having Tibetan characters in roads signs. Another guide I met in Lhasa said that the 10th Panchen Lama died of exhaustion. He wouldn’t turn any one away from requesting a blessing from him, the guide say that he blessed around 20,000 people at 1 go without rest.

After hearing the stories from the guides, I really respect this 10th Panchen Lama for his contribution towards Tibet and its culcure.

Inside is 10th Panchen Lama's Tomb Stupa

When u enter and leave the building/temple, ring the bell.

Ring the bell to indicate you enter the temple or building and ring it again to inform that you are leaving.

There are Tibetan Scriptures under the bell

Giant Thanka Wall

Alley

A building that looks like a face

Monk Shoes

Monk Chanting Hall

The monks left their shoes on the floor and head in here for chanting. Went in 1 round but couldn’t take picture inside. All the monks inside are chanting their own verses by reading their own sutra.

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This entry was posted on Sunday, July 5th, 2009 at 4:36 am and is filed under Travel. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.