Samye

Samye Monastery, also called Samye Migyur Lhundrub Tsula Khang or the Shrine of Unchanging Spontaneous Presence, is the first Tibetan Buddhist and Nyingma monastery in Tibet. It was built during the time of King Trisong Deutsen. Construction began in the year 763 by a wise teacher named Shantarakshita. Before the monastery could be finished, a great spiritual leader named Guru Padmasambhava helped calm the spirits of the land in 767. The first monks became monks there in 779.

The monastery stands in the Chimpu valley, south of the city of Lhasa, close to the Hapori mountain and along the Yarlung Valley. Today, this special place is found in an area called Gra Nang or Drananga in Lhokha. Sadly, during a time called the Cultural Revolution, the monastery was destroyed, but people worked hard to rebuild it after the year 1988.

History

The earliest records say that building began in either 763 or 775 and finished in either 767 or 779. A later book from 1476 gives later dates, but these do not match with what we know about when monks were ordained there in 779. All stories agree that King Trisong Detsen was the one who supported the building.

The design of Samye Monastery is special because it looks like a mandala, which shows the Buddhist universe. In the middle is the main shrine, with four colorful stupas around it, and everything is enclosed by a circular wall with openings on each side. This design is also seen in temples in places like Japan, such as Tōdai-ji. The temple is dedicated to Vairocana, and an important book about him, called the Mahavairocana Tantra, was written in India and later translated into Tibetan and Chinese.

Samye Monastery's founding

The first Buddhist monastery in Tibet, Samye, was started by an Indian teacher named Khenpo Śāntarakṣita around the year 763. He was invited by a Tibetan king to teach and build this special place. However, every time they tried to build, the walls would fall down. People thought spirits in a nearby river were causing trouble.

To help, the king asked another wise teacher, Padmasambhava, to come from Nepal. He performed special rituals and dances to calm the spirits and clear the way for building. After these rituals, the monastery was finally finished in 767. At that time, it became the first monastery of the Nyingma school, the original Buddhist school in Tibet. Padmasambhava’s teachings helped make Vajrayana Buddhism, known as the third way of Buddhist practice, along with the earlier Mahayana teachings.

The Great Samye Debate

After the passing of Shantaraksita, a big debate happened at Samye between two Buddhist groups. Kamalasila stood for the ideas of Indian Buddhists, while Hosang Mahayana stood for the ideas of Chinese Buddhists. Their debate was held by Trisong Detsen in the early 790s.

Kamalasila, who carried forward Shantaraksita’s teachings, won the debate, as decided by the king. This debate is often seen as a turning point for Buddhist teachings in Tibet. Every year, a special dance celebration happens at Kumbum Monastery in Amdo (Ch. Qinghai) to remember this important event. The debate included discussions led by Mahayana, also known as Moheyan from the East Mountain Teaching of Chan Buddhism.

Influences

The beautiful Puning Temple was built in the 1700s by the Qianlong Emperor of Qing China. It is located in Chengde, Hebei, and was designed to look like the famous Samye Monastery.

Architectural features of the monastery and their history

Samye Monastery is shaped like a giant mandala, with a main temple in the center that represents the legendary Mount Meru. Buildings at the corners and main points stand for different parts of the Buddhist cosmology. The main building has three floors: the first floor looks like buildings in India, the second like buildings in China, and the third like buildings in Khotanese (Tibetan) style. The original building was finished in 780 CE.

There are four special structures called chörtens in the corners, each a different color. The monastery once had eight main temples, but the original buildings are gone now. Over the years, the monastery has faced damage from wars, fires, and earthquakes, especially during the Cultural Revolution. Despite this, the monastery has been rebuilt many times. Thanks to efforts starting in 1986, it is active again today and many people visit it as a place of pilgrimage. Samye still follows the original design from the time of King Trisong Detsen.

Recent events

Some monks from Samye Monastery were put in prison for taking part in a protest in 2008. They were asking for religious freedom and the return of the Dalai Lama to Tibet.

Sadly, a scholar who helped organize the protest later passed away, saying he felt the pressure was too much.

In 2007, a large statue of a important spiritual teacher at Samye Monastery was taken down by authorities.