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Located in Sakya County southwest of Shigatse, the Sakya Kloster (Sakya
Monastery) is the principal monastery of the Sakyapa Sect of Tibetan
Buddhism.
Originally, the Sakya Kloster comprised both the Northern and Southern
Monasteries. In 1073, Khon Konchog Gyalpo, the founder of Sakyapa Sect,
built a white palace on a grey clay hill near the northern bank of the
Chun Qu River. The locals named the palace 'Sakya' which means grey soil.
This was the Northern Monastery but today it is visible only as a ruin.
The Southern Monastery was built like a fortress and was surrounded by a
moat. Construction of the monastery began in 1268 and was led by Benqen
Sagya Sangbo under the commission of Choygal Phakpa, the fifth descendent
of Sakyapa Sect. The walls of this monastery were painted in red, white
and grey which indicate Manjusri Bodhisattva, Avalokiteshvara and
Vajradhara.
Sakya Kloster is famed as the 'Second Dunhuang' due to its colossal
collection of numerous Tibetan Buddhist scriptures, murals and Thangkas.
According to statistics, about 40,000 volumes of scriptures are housed
there. A wooden bookshelf which is about 57 meters (187 feet) long, 11
meters high (36 feet) and one meter wide (three feet) has 464 grids. More
than ten thousand scriptures are housed on the shelf. Among them, the
most precious is Burde Gyaimalung, which records Tibetan religion,
history, philosophy, literature, agriculture and animal husbandry. It is
1.8 meters (six feet) long, 1.3 meters (four feet) wide and 0.67 meter
(two feet) thick and boasts the biggest scriptures in the world.
Additionally, it also houses 21 volumes of Buddhist scriptures written on
Pattra leaves in Sanskrit. Each consists of one hundred to two hundred
pages and four-color illustrations. They are the most precious sutras in
the world.
Sakya Kloster has many murals and 'Thangkas'. Most of the murals are from
the Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368). Among them, the most outstanding and
precious are the murals which depict portraits of the former Sakya
ancestors, Phakpa's meeting with Kublai Khan (the founder of the Yuan
Dynasty) and mandalas. There are over 3,000 'Thangkas'. The 360 from Song
(960-1279), Yuan and Ming (1368-1644) Dynasties are the most precious.
The Main Chanting Hall, also called Lakhang Chenmo in Tibetan, is a
must-see for all visitors. Covering an area of about 5,800 square meters
(1.4 acres), Lakhang Chenmo can hold about ten thousand monks chanting
sutras together. In the hall are enshrined three Buddhas - Dipamkarara,
Sakyamuni and Maitreya, and five Sakyapa ancestors. There are forty huge
vermilion pillars supporting the ceiling, four of which are about one
meter (three feet) in diameter. Each of the four pillars has its own
story. Gyina Seqen Garna was bestowed by Kublai Khan. Chongbo Garwa, Dabo
Garwa and Nabo Chaza Garwa were carried to the monastery by a wild yak, a
tiger and the God of the Sea. In addition, on the second floor of the
hall are 63 murals of mandalas, the best preserved in the monastery.
Also in the monastery are some historical relics, such as seals, Buddhist
figures, porcelain wares and embroidery from the Song and Yuan Dynasties.
A black wooden casket which contains a white whelk clarion is the most
precious. It was presented by Kublai Khan.
Admission Fee: CNY 45
Opening Hours: 09:00-18:30
Bus Route: Take the bus (Shigatse-Sakya) at the Shigatse Bus Station
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