Palpung Monastery
Encyclopedia
Palpung is the name of the congregation of monasteries and centers of the Tai Situpa
s as well as the name of the monastic seat in Tibet in Dege
. Palpung means "glorious union of study and practice". Palpung Monastery, also known as Babang, is a Tibetan Buddhist temple in Sichuan
in the vicinity of Dergé
, near the border with Tibet
, which originated in the 12th century and wielded considerable religious and political influence over the centuries.
The current monastery is said to have been founded in 1727 by King Denba Tsering. It is the seat of four lines of incarnate lama
s, the best known being the Situ Rinpoche or Tai Situpa
, as well as the Jamgon Kongtrul
and Beru Khyentse
. The temple has historically been associated with the Karmapa
s: for instance, the 16th Karmapa was enthroned first at Palpung before travelling to his main seat at Tsurphu Monastery
in Central Tibet. There are an estimated 40 monks residing in the monastery itself and a larger number resident in the surrounding region.
tradition in Eastern Tibet and evolved into the center of Buddhist Ecumenism (Rime
). The seat in exile, outside of Tibet, Palpung Sherab Ling, is situated in India
. The congregation has monasteries and centers around the world.
in the vicinity of Dergé
, near the border with Tibet
, which originated in the 12th century and wielded considerable religious influence over the centuries. Palpung monastery was founded by the 8th Kuanding Tai Situ Rinpoche in 1727 and developed into one of the most prestigious centers in Tibetan history.
It once hosted more than 1000 monks and had one of the most leading monastic universities of the area. It is the seat of various lines of incarnate lama
s, the best known being the Situ Rinpoche or Tai Situpa
, as well as the Jamgon Kongtrul
. Palpung was known for its huge library with more than 324 000 texts and an art collection of more than 10 150 Thangka
paintings. It was also leading in the fields of spiritual painting and the Situ Rinpoche is the founder of Karma Gadri painting style. At the time of the 11th Tai Situ Rinpoche, Palpung was already famous for it spiritual, studious and artistic excellence and authority. The monastery was destroyed in the late 1950s during the Cultural Revolution. It is currently still under construction. In 1998-1999 it was added to the list of worldwide endangered list of monuments Palpung as the mother monastery for Karma Kagyu in Eastern Tibet has historically always been associated with the Karmapa
s as for instance, the 16th Karmapa was enthroned first at Palpung before travelling to his main seat at Tsurphu Monastery
in Central Tibet. The Karmapas and Tai Situpas have through the incarnations closely been connected, alternating as master and disciple.
three-years retreat for both monks and nuns on the compound.
Tai Situpa
In Tibetan Buddhism the Tai Situpa is one of the oldest lineages of tulkus in the Kagyu school. According to tradition, the Tai Situpa is an emanation of the bodhisattva Maitreya, who will become the next Buddha, and who has been incarnated as numerous Indian and Tibetan yogins since the time of...
s as well as the name of the monastic seat in Tibet in Dege
Dêgê
Derge is a town in Dêgê County in Garzê Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture in China's Sichuan province. It was once the center of the Derge Kingdom of Eastern Tibet.-History:...
. Palpung means "glorious union of study and practice". Palpung Monastery, also known as Babang, is a Tibetan Buddhist temple in Sichuan
Sichuan
' , known formerly in the West by its postal map spellings of Szechwan or Szechuan is a province in Southwest China with its capital in Chengdu...
in the vicinity of Dergé
Dergé
Dêgê County is a county in Garzê Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture in China's Sichuan province. Its county seat is the town of Dêgê. It was once the location of the Kingdom of Dêgê.-External links:*...
, near the border with 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...
, which originated in the 12th century and wielded considerable religious and political influence over the centuries.
The current monastery is said to have been founded in 1727 by King Denba Tsering. It is the seat of four lines of incarnate lama
Lama
Lama is a title for a Tibetan teacher of the Dharma. The name is similar to the Sanskrit term guru .Historically, the term was used for venerated spiritual masters or heads of monasteries...
s, the best known being the Situ Rinpoche or Tai Situpa
Tai Situpa
In Tibetan Buddhism the Tai Situpa is one of the oldest lineages of tulkus in the Kagyu school. According to tradition, the Tai Situpa is an emanation of the bodhisattva Maitreya, who will become the next Buddha, and who has been incarnated as numerous Indian and Tibetan yogins since the time of...
, as well as the Jamgon Kongtrul
Jamgon Kongtrul
Jamgön Kongtrül is a name of a prominent line of Tibetan Buddhist teachers , primarily identified with the first Jamgon Kongtrul, but also the name shared by members of a lineage held by tradition to be his subsequent reincarnations , to date....
and Beru Khyentse
Beru Khyentse Rinpoche
His Eminence 2nd Beru Khyentse Rinpoche is an important lineageholder of the Karma Kagyu school of Tibetan Buddhism. Rinpoche is a veryprominent contemporary Kalachakra Tantra master...
. The temple has historically been associated with the Karmapa
Karmapa
The Karmapa is the head of the Karma Kagyu, the largest sub-school of the Kagyupa , itself one of the four major schools of Tibetan Buddhism....
s: for instance, the 16th Karmapa was enthroned first at Palpung before travelling to his main seat at Tsurphu Monastery
Tsurphu Monastery
Tsurphu Monastery is a Tibetan Buddhist monastery which served as the traditional seat of the Karmapa. It is located in Gurum town of Doilungdêqên County in the Tibet Autonomous Region of China, 70 km from Lhasa. The monastery is about 14,000 feet above sea level...
in Central Tibet. There are an estimated 40 monks residing in the monastery itself and a larger number resident in the surrounding region.
History
Palpung monastery is the monastic seat of the successive incarnations of the Tai Situ Rinpoches in Eastern Tibet by the full name of Palpung Thubten Chökhor Ling. It is at the same time the mother center of the Karma KagyuKarma Kagyu
Karma Kagyu , or Kamtsang Kagyu, is probably the largest and certainly the most widely practiced lineage within the Kagyu school, one of the four major schools of Tibetan Buddhism. The lineage has long-standing monasteries in Tibet, China, Russia, Mongolia, India, Nepal, and Bhutan, and current...
tradition in Eastern Tibet and evolved into the center of Buddhist Ecumenism (Rime
Rime
Rime is a coating of ice:*Hard rime, white ice that forms when water droplets in fog freeze to the outer surfaces of objects, such as trees*Soft rime, similar to hard rime, but feathery and milky in appearance...
). The seat in exile, outside of Tibet, Palpung Sherab Ling, is situated in India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
. The congregation has monasteries and centers around the world.
Palpung in Tibet
Palpung Thubten Chökhor Ling is a Tibetan Buddhist temple in SichuanSichuan
' , known formerly in the West by its postal map spellings of Szechwan or Szechuan is a province in Southwest China with its capital in Chengdu...
in the vicinity of Dergé
Dergé
Dêgê County is a county in Garzê Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture in China's Sichuan province. Its county seat is the town of Dêgê. It was once the location of the Kingdom of Dêgê.-External links:*...
, near the border with 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...
, which originated in the 12th century and wielded considerable religious influence over the centuries. Palpung monastery was founded by the 8th Kuanding Tai Situ Rinpoche in 1727 and developed into one of the most prestigious centers in Tibetan history.
It once hosted more than 1000 monks and had one of the most leading monastic universities of the area. It is the seat of various lines of incarnate lama
Lama
Lama is a title for a Tibetan teacher of the Dharma. The name is similar to the Sanskrit term guru .Historically, the term was used for venerated spiritual masters or heads of monasteries...
s, the best known being the Situ Rinpoche or Tai Situpa
Tai Situpa
In Tibetan Buddhism the Tai Situpa is one of the oldest lineages of tulkus in the Kagyu school. According to tradition, the Tai Situpa is an emanation of the bodhisattva Maitreya, who will become the next Buddha, and who has been incarnated as numerous Indian and Tibetan yogins since the time of...
, as well as the Jamgon Kongtrul
Jamgon Kongtrul
Jamgön Kongtrül is a name of a prominent line of Tibetan Buddhist teachers , primarily identified with the first Jamgon Kongtrul, but also the name shared by members of a lineage held by tradition to be his subsequent reincarnations , to date....
. Palpung was known for its huge library with more than 324 000 texts and an art collection of more than 10 150 Thangka
Thangka
A "Thangka," also known as "Tangka", "Thanka" or "Tanka" is a Tibetan silk painting with embroidery, usually depicting a Buddhist deity, famous scene, or mandala of some sort. The thankga is not a flat creation like an oil painting or acrylic painting...
paintings. It was also leading in the fields of spiritual painting and the Situ Rinpoche is the founder of Karma Gadri painting style. At the time of the 11th Tai Situ Rinpoche, Palpung was already famous for it spiritual, studious and artistic excellence and authority. The monastery was destroyed in the late 1950s during the Cultural Revolution. It is currently still under construction. In 1998-1999 it was added to the list of worldwide endangered list of monuments Palpung as the mother monastery for Karma Kagyu in Eastern Tibet has historically always been associated with the Karmapa
Karmapa
The Karmapa is the head of the Karma Kagyu, the largest sub-school of the Kagyupa , itself one of the four major schools of Tibetan Buddhism....
s as for instance, the 16th Karmapa was enthroned first at Palpung before travelling to his main seat at Tsurphu Monastery
Tsurphu Monastery
Tsurphu Monastery is a Tibetan Buddhist monastery which served as the traditional seat of the Karmapa. It is located in Gurum town of Doilungdêqên County in the Tibet Autonomous Region of China, 70 km from Lhasa. The monastery is about 14,000 feet above sea level...
in Central Tibet. The Karmapas and Tai Situpas have through the incarnations closely been connected, alternating as master and disciple.
Palpung in India
H. E. the 12th Tai Situ Rinpoche fled Tibet to India at the age of six where he consequently received his formal traditional training under H. H. the 16th Gyalwa Karmapa. At the age of 22 he started to set up his seat in exile, Palpung Sherab Ling, in Himachal Pradesh, Northern India. The project provides four aspects - spirituality, education, health and culture. Currently approximately 750 monks live there, 250 are enrolled in the monastic university curriculum on the premises. Palpung also offers the traditional KagyuKagyu
The Kagyu, Kagyupa, or Kagyud school, also known as the "Oral Lineage" or Whispered Transmission school, is today regarded as one of six main schools of Himalayan or Tibetan Buddhism, the other five being the Nyingma, Sakya, Jonang, Bon and Gelug...
three-years retreat for both monks and nuns on the compound.