Tsurphu Monastery
Encyclopedia
Tsurphu Monastery is a Tibetan Buddhist
monastery which served as the traditional seat of the Karmapa
. It is located in Gurum town (rgu rum / Gǔróng Xiàng 古荣乡) of Doilungdêqên County
in the Tibet Autonomous Region
of China
, 70 km from Lhasa
. The monastery is about 14,000 feet (4,300 m) above sea level
. It was built in the middle of the valley facing south with high mountains surrounding the monastery complex.
Tsurphu is a 300 square metres (358.8 sq yd) complex with walls up to 4 metres (13.1 ft) thick. The monastery or "gompa
", the traditional seat of the Karmapa lamas, is about 28 km up the Dowo Lung Valley, on the north side of the river. The original walls of the main building were up to 4 meters thick and 300 meters square (area 90000 square metres or 107,639.1 sq yd). The monks' residences were on the eastern side.
Tsurphu was founded by the first Karmapa
, Düsum Khyenpa
(1110-1193) in 1159, after he visited the site and laid the foundation for an establishment of a seat there by making offerings to the local protectors, dharmapala
and genius loci
. In 1189 he revisited the site and founded his main seat there. The monastery grew to hold 1000 monks.
It was totally destroyed in 1966 during the Cultural Revolution
and began to be rebuilt in 1980 by the 16th Karmapa, Rangjung Rigpe Dorje
. Following the recognition of Ogyen Trinley Dorje (b. 1985) by the Tai Situpa
and the Chinese government
, he was enthroned at Tsurphu and resided there until he escaped from Tibet to India
in 2000.
Tibetan Buddhism
Tibetan Buddhism is the body of Buddhist religious doctrine and institutions characteristic of Tibet and certain regions of the Himalayas, including northern Nepal, Bhutan, and India . It is the state religion of Bhutan...
monastery which served as the traditional seat of 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....
. It is located in Gurum town (rgu rum / Gǔróng Xiàng 古荣乡) of Doilungdêqên County
Doilungdêqên County
Doilungdêqên is a county north-west of the main centre of Lhasa, Tibet. Tsurphu Monastery and Nenang Nunnery are located in the county.-Geography:...
in the Tibet Autonomous Region
Tibet Autonomous Region
The Tibet Autonomous Region , Tibet or Xizang for short, also called the Xizang Autonomous Region is a province-level autonomous region of the People's Republic of China , created in 1965....
of China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
, 70 km from Lhasa
Lhasa
Lhasa is the administrative capital of the Tibet Autonomous Region in the People's Republic of China and the second most populous city on the Tibetan Plateau, after Xining. At an altitude of , Lhasa is one of the highest cities in the world...
. The monastery is about 14,000 feet (4,300 m) above sea level
Sea level
Mean sea level is a measure of the average height of the ocean's surface ; used as a standard in reckoning land elevation...
. It was built in the middle of the valley facing south with high mountains surrounding the monastery complex.
Tsurphu is a 300 square metres (358.8 sq yd) complex with walls up to 4 metres (13.1 ft) thick. The monastery or "gompa
Gompa
Gompa and ling are Buddhist ecclesiastical fortifications of learning, lineage and sadhana , located in Tibet, India, Nepal, and Bhutan...
", the traditional seat of the Karmapa lamas, is about 28 km up the Dowo Lung Valley, on the north side of the river. The original walls of the main building were up to 4 meters thick and 300 meters square (area 90000 square metres or 107,639.1 sq yd). The monks' residences were on the eastern side.
History
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....
, Düsum Khyenpa
Düsum Khyenpa
Düsum Khyenpa was the 1st Gyalwa Karmapa, head of the Karma Kagyu school of Tibetan Buddhism.Düsum Khyenpa literally means "Knower of the Three times"...
(1110-1193) in 1159, after he visited the site and laid the foundation for an establishment of a seat there by making offerings to the local protectors, dharmapala
Dharmapala
In Vajrayana Buddhism, a dharmapāla is a type of wrathful deity. The name means "Dharma-defender" in Sanskrit, and the dharmapālas are also known as the Defenders of the Law , or the Protectors of the Law, in English....
and genius loci
Genius loci
In classical Roman religion a genius loci was the protective spirit of a place. It was often depicted in religious iconography as a figure holding a Cornucopia, patera and/or a snake. There are many Roman altars found in Western Europe dedicated in whole or in part to the particular Genius Loci...
. In 1189 he revisited the site and founded his main seat there. The monastery grew to hold 1000 monks.
It was totally destroyed in 1966 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...
and began to be rebuilt in 1980 by the 16th Karmapa, Rangjung Rigpe Dorje
Rangjung Rigpe Dorje
The sixteenth Gyalwa Karmapa, Rangjung Rigpe Dorje was spiritual leader of the Karma Kagyu lineage of Tibetan Buddhism...
. Following the recognition of Ogyen Trinley Dorje (b. 1985) by the 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...
and the Chinese government
People's Republic of China
China , officially the People's Republic of China , is the most populous country in the world, with over 1.3 billion citizens. Located in East Asia, the country covers approximately 9.6 million square kilometres...
, he was enthroned at Tsurphu and resided there until he escaped from Tibet to 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...
in 2000.