Samye Monastery

Samye was founded in the eighth century as the first monastery in Tibet and the place where the first Tibetan monks were ordained, and its plan is a diagram: the central temple represents Mount Meru at the centre of the world, four halls around it stand for the continents with smaller ones for subcontinents, stupas in four colours mark the corners, and a circular wall topped with small stupas encloses the whole as the ocean and the ring of mountains beyond. The main temple's three storeys were built in Tibetan, Chinese and Indian styles. Sand dunes and the Tsangpo river lie beyond the walls.

History

Samye was the first Buddhist monastery in Tibet, built under King Trisong Detsen: the abbot Shantarakshita began it in 763, Padmasambhava is said to have tamed the local spirits before it was finished in 767, and the first Tibetan monks were ordained here in 779. Its plan is a three-dimensional mandala of the Buddhist universe, a main shrine ringed by four stupas of four colours inside a circular wall, like the Indian monastery of Odantapuri; an 8th-century stone pillar records the founding and the king's oath to protect its endowments, and a bronze bell at the entrance was made by one of his queens (Wikipedia, Samye).

Highlights

• The mandala plan - the layout of the whole complex as a model universe.
• The central temple - three storeys in Tibetan, Chinese and Indian styles.
• The four coloured stupas - white, red, black and green at the corners.
• The circular wall - the enclosing ring topped with small stupas.

When to go

April to October for mild weather and open roads; the site is at about 3,600 metres. Pilgrim numbers rise around festivals. Staying overnight allows the early morning circuit with pilgrims.

Things to know

Much of the complex has been rebuilt after damage over the centuries. Foreign visitors need permits and a guide. The site is a few hours from Lhasa and often combined with Yumbulagang.

Nearby

Yumbulagang lies southeast; Lhasa is north.

Key facts