Chokorgyel Monastery
Encyclopedia
Chokorgyel Monastery is a Buddhist
monastery
in Gyatsa County in Tibet
.
, had a meditation cave and founded a hermitage here. The Gelugpa monastery of Chokorgyel (Tibetan: ཆོས་འཁོར་རྒྱལ་དགོན་པ་), is a four hour hike from the sacred lake, Lhamo La-tso
, and about 115 km northeast of Tsetang
and about 160 km southeast of Lhasa. The monastery is at an altitude of 4,500 m (14,764 ft), while the lake itself is at an altitude of about 5,000 m. (16,404 ft). It is a small, oval lake - no more than 2 square kilometres in size.
The Dzungar Mongols severely damaged the monastery in 1718, although it was rebuilt immediately by the Regent Kangchene, although little, if anything ancient would have survived until the time of the arrival of the Chinese in 1959.
It is said that Palden Lhamo
, the female guardian spirit of the sacred lake, Lhamo La-tso, promised the 1st Dalai Lama in one of his visions "that she would protect the reincarnation lineage of the Dalai Lamas." Ever since the time of Gendun Gyatso, the 2nd Dalai Lama, who formalised the system, and senior monks have since regularly visited the lake to seek guidance on choosing the next reincarnations. particularly of the Dalai and Panchen lamas, through visions while meditating there.
The monastery was an important halting-place for many senior lamas on their treks to and from the 'Vision Lake', Lhamo Lha-so. It once housed 500 monks but was completely destroyed during the Cultural Revolution
when every bit of wood was removed from the buildings, leaving only roofless walls. The main hall has since been rebuilt and a few monks have taken up residence once again.
site is located, and to the east, Mount Begtse, the "red" mountain residence of Protector Begtse, or Chamsing, who was imported by the Gelugpa from Mongolia
. On the eastern slope of this mountain is an ancient interdenominational Red Hat gompa
called Nyingsaka (composed from: Nyingma, Sakya and Kagyu).
The monastery is in the upper Metoktang Valley in the old province of Dakpo at the "geomantically powerful confluence of three rivers."
The monastery was originally built in a triangular form to reflect the symbolism of its position at the confluence of three rivers and surrounded by three mountains and also represents the conjunction of the three elements of water, earth and fire, as well as the female principle of Palden Lhamo in the form of an inverted triangle. The ruins, with their massive walls include two monastic colleges or dratsangs and two large temples, the Lukhang and Tsuklakhang.
At the centre of the monastery complex there is a small pillar engraved with sutra
s and a Buddhist swastika
. The Lukhang, to the west of this, is the temple of the Serpent Protectors, which was built over the original hermitage of the 2nd Dalai Lama. It is said to have been built by red eagles (kyungka, garudas). On the walls of the main temple, the Tsuklakang to the north, damaged murals can still be seen. This used to house a large statue of Mipam Gompo which dated back to the founding of the monastery.
South of the walls is the Shinje Melong or 'Mirror of the Lord of Death' - a polished grey granite stone in which it is said horoscopes may be read as in a crystal ball, and is also used in rain-making ceremonies.
Buddhism
Buddhism is a religion and philosophy encompassing a variety of traditions, beliefs and practices, largely based on teachings attributed to Siddhartha Gautama, commonly known as the Buddha . The Buddha lived and taught in the northeastern Indian subcontinent some time between the 6th and 4th...
monastery
Monastery
Monastery denotes the building, or complex of buildings, that houses a room reserved for prayer as well as the domestic quarters and workplace of monastics, whether monks or nuns, and whether living in community or alone .Monasteries may vary greatly in size – a small dwelling accommodating only...
in Gyatsa County in Tibet
Tibet
Tibet is a plateau region in Asia, north-east of the Himalayas. It is the traditional homeland of the Tibetan people as well as some other ethnic groups such as Monpas, Qiang, and Lhobas, and is now also inhabited by considerable numbers of Han and Hui people...
.
History
In 1509 Gedun Gyatso, the 2nd Dalai LamaGendun Gyatso, 2nd Dalai Lama
Gendun Gyatso Palzangpo , also Gendun Gyatso was the second Dalai Lama....
, had a meditation cave and founded a hermitage here. The Gelugpa monastery of Chokorgyel (Tibetan: ཆོས་འཁོར་རྒྱལ་དགོན་པ་), is a four hour hike from the sacred lake, Lhamo La-tso
Lhamo La-tso
Lhamo La-tso or Lhamo Latso , the small oval 'Oracle Lake', is where senior Tibetan monks go for visions to assist in the discovery of reincarnations of the Dalai Lamas. Other pilgrims also come to seek visions...
, and about 115 km northeast of Tsetang
Tsetang
Zêtang is one of the largest cities in Tibet and is located in the Yarlung Valley, 183 km southeast of Lhasa in Nedong County of Lhoka Prefecture, Tibet Autonomous Region of China...
and about 160 km southeast of Lhasa. The monastery is at an altitude of 4,500 m (14,764 ft), while the lake itself is at an altitude of about 5,000 m. (16,404 ft). It is a small, oval lake - no more than 2 square kilometres in size.
The Dzungar Mongols severely damaged the monastery in 1718, although it was rebuilt immediately by the Regent Kangchene, although little, if anything ancient would have survived until the time of the arrival of the Chinese in 1959.
Palden Lhamo
Palden Lhamo , Palden Lamo , Shri Devi , or Ukin Tengri is a protecting Dharmapala of the teachings of Gautama Buddha in the Gelug school of Tibetan Buddhism. She is also called Remati...
, the female guardian spirit of the sacred lake, Lhamo La-tso, promised the 1st Dalai Lama in one of his visions "that she would protect the reincarnation lineage of the Dalai Lamas." Ever since the time of Gendun Gyatso, the 2nd Dalai Lama, who formalised the system, and senior monks have since regularly visited the lake to seek guidance on choosing the next reincarnations. particularly of the Dalai and Panchen lamas, through visions while meditating there.
The monastery was an important halting-place for many senior lamas on their treks to and from the 'Vision Lake', Lhamo Lha-so. It once housed 500 monks but was completely destroyed during the Cultural Revolution
Cultural Revolution
The Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution, commonly known as the Cultural Revolution , was a socio-political movement that took place in the People's Republic of China from 1966 through 1976...
when every bit of wood was removed from the buildings, leaving only roofless walls. The main hall has since been rebuilt and a few monks have taken up residence once again.
Description of the Monastery and its surroundings
The monastery is situated between three mountains. Mount Zhidag to the north is the "white" residence of the ancient Bonpo protector of the earth, Shidrak, at the foot of which is the Dalai Lamas' residence. Higher up are the remains of a temple in which is the footprint of Damchen Choje, the 'Dharma Protector Bound to Service'. Above this was the now-destroyed meditation cave of the 2nd Dalai Lama, although his footprint in stone has survived in a mani wall. The mountain to the south, Shridevi, is the "blue" residence of the Protectress Palden Lhamo on which the dundro or sky burialSky burial
Sky burial, or ritual dissection, is a funerary practice in Tibet, wherein a human corpse was incised in certain locations and placed on a mountaintop, exposing it to the elements and animals – especially to predatory birds. The locations of preparation and sky burial are understood in the...
site is located, and to the east, Mount Begtse, the "red" mountain residence of Protector Begtse, or Chamsing, who was imported by the Gelugpa from Mongolia
Mongolia
Mongolia is a landlocked country in East and Central Asia. It is bordered by Russia to the north and China to the south, east and west. Although Mongolia does not share a border with Kazakhstan, its western-most point is only from Kazakhstan's eastern tip. Ulan Bator, the capital and largest...
. On the eastern slope of this mountain is an ancient interdenominational Red Hat gompa
Gompa
Gompa and ling are Buddhist ecclesiastical fortifications of learning, lineage and sadhana , located in Tibet, India, Nepal, and Bhutan...
called Nyingsaka (composed from: Nyingma, Sakya and Kagyu).
The monastery is in the upper Metoktang Valley in the old province of Dakpo at the "geomantically powerful confluence of three rivers."
The monastery was originally built in a triangular form to reflect the symbolism of its position at the confluence of three rivers and surrounded by three mountains and also represents the conjunction of the three elements of water, earth and fire, as well as the female principle of Palden Lhamo in the form of an inverted triangle. The ruins, with their massive walls include two monastic colleges or dratsangs and two large temples, the Lukhang and Tsuklakhang.
At the centre of the monastery complex there is a small pillar engraved with sutra
Sutra
Sūtra is an aphorism or a collection of such aphorisms in the form of a manual. Literally it means a thread or line that holds things together and is derived from the verbal root siv-, meaning to sew , as does the medical term...
s and a Buddhist swastika
Swastika
The swastika is an equilateral cross with its arms bent at right angles, in either right-facing form in counter clock motion or its mirrored left-facing form in clock motion. Earliest archaeological evidence of swastika-shaped ornaments dates back to the Indus Valley Civilization of Ancient...
. The Lukhang, to the west of this, is the temple of the Serpent Protectors, which was built over the original hermitage of the 2nd Dalai Lama. It is said to have been built by red eagles (kyungka, garudas). On the walls of the main temple, the Tsuklakang to the north, damaged murals can still be seen. This used to house a large statue of Mipam Gompo which dated back to the founding of the monastery.
South of the walls is the Shinje Melong or 'Mirror of the Lord of Death' - a polished grey granite stone in which it is said horoscopes may be read as in a crystal ball, and is also used in rain-making ceremonies.
External links
- 28 Travel Blog photos of Lhamo La-tso and region http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-city/China/Lhamo%20La-tso,%20Tibet/tpod.html
- Palden Lhamo