Samye
From Buddhist Encyclopedia
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- Chinese : 桑耶寺
- Tibetan : བསམ་ཡས་ bsam yas
The Samye Monastery or Samye Gompa is the first Buddhist monastery built in Tibet, constructed in approximately 775 AD under the patronage of King Trisong Detsen of Tibet who sought to revitalize Buddhism, which had declined since its introduction by King Songtsen Gampo in the 7th century. The monastery is located in Dranang, Shannan Prefecture.
History
According to tradition, the Indian monk Shantarakshita made the first attempt to construct the monastery while promoting his sutra-centric version of Buddhism. Finding the Samye site auspicious he set about to build a structure there. However the building would always collapse after reaching a certain stage. Terrified, the construction workers believed that there was a demon in a nearby river making trouble.
However, when Shantarakshita's contemporary Guru Rinpoche, also known as Padmasambhava, arrived from northern India, the great guru was able to subdue the problematic Bön demons and thus build the monastery.
This marked the foundation of the original school of Tibetan Buddhism, the Nyingma. This also helps explain how Guru Rinpoche's tantric-centric version of Buddhism gained ascendence over the sutra-based teaching of Shantarakshita.
Samye Monastery was badly damaged during the Cultural Revolution and renovated beginning in the 1980s. Today it is still an active monastery and important pilgrimage destination, and tourists are welcomed to visit as well.
The monastery
Samye Monastery is laid out on the shape of a giant mandala, with the main temple representing the legendary Mt. Meru in the center. Other buildings stand at the corners and cardinal points of the main temple, representing continents and other features of the Buddhist universe.
The main temple is full of Tibetan religious art in both mural and statue form, as well as some important relics. Many Tibetan Buddhists come on pilgrimage to Samye, some taking weeks to make the journey.
See also
