Lhasa fortune-telling Lama _ Lhasa fortune-telling

Why is Jokhang Temple important? Introduction of three temples in Lhasa

When people mention the three major temples in Lhasa, they will definitely think of Jokhang Temple, where countless devout believers worship every year. Actually, they are not. The three major temples in Lhasa are Gandan Temple, Sera Temple and drepung monastery.

And in terms of style, these monasteries are all gelug sect monasteries. Together with Tashilhunpo Temple in Shigatse, Tibet, it is also called "the four major temples to defend Tibetan Buddhism", and together with Taer Temple in Huangzhong, Qinghai and Labuleng Temple in Gannan, it is also called "the six major temples of Huangjiao".

Then, let's learn about the three major temples in Lhasa and why Jokhang Temple is not among them!

Three major temples

Gandan temple 1

Gandan Temple is located on the mountainside of Zhuori Sleeping Car, about 30 kilometers northeast of Lhasa. Its full name is "ganden Langjielin", and ganden is a transliteration in Tibetan, which means "roaming the sky". Master Zong Kaba, the founder of the Gelug Sect, was personally founded in 1409 and is the ancestral home of the Gelug Sect.

Gandan Temple occupies a high position among the Gelug Sect, and its first leader (Chiba, ganden) was Master Zong Kaba. Therefore, Chiba, ganden has long been the actual leader of the Gelug Sect.

When the reincarnation system of the early Gelug Dalai Lama was not perfect, the determination of reincarnation was almost decided by Gandan Chiba.

Although the Panchen Lama and the Dalai Lama became the most important leaders of the Gelug Sect in the later period, especially after the Fifth Dalai Lama, Gandan Chiba remained one of the most important leaders, ranking second only to the Dalai Lama and the Panchen Lama. .

2. drepung monastery

Drepung monastery is located in the depression on the southern slope of Genpeiwuzi Mountain, about 10 km west of Lhasa. Its original name is auspicious and eternal ten parties win the state, which means "Duimisi" or "Jimi Temple" in Tibetan, and its full name is "auspicious ten parties win the state" in Tibetan.

Drepung monastery Gandanpo Zhangdian was founded in 14 16 by the disciples of Master Zong Kaba, and was once the place where the Dalai Lama lived for a long time. Therefore, the name of the Gelugpa regime was even named after Gandanpozhang.

After the establishment of the political power of combining politics with religion, drepung monastery enjoyed the privilege in politics and religion affairs, ranking first among the three monasteries. Historically, in order to balance the interests of various monasteries, the Gelug regime clearly stipulated the quota of monks in monasteries, and drepung monastery ranked first with the quota of 7,700 monks.

But at the peak, the number of monks far exceeded the quota 1 1,000, with 1 4 1 manor and 540 pastures.

Therefore, it is not an exaggeration to say that drepung monastery was a small town in its heyday. In the 1990s, Ali conducted a census, and the population of Zada County was only over 9,000, showing the huge scale of drepung monastery.

3. Sera Temple

Sera Temple is located at the foot of Jian Zihao Mountain in Sera Temple, 3 kilometers north of Lhasa. Its full name is "Sera Dacheng Temple". In the seventeenth year of Yongle in the Ming Dynasty (14 19), it was built by Zong Kaba disciple Jiang Qinque Jie, and was completed in the ninth year of Xuande in the Ming Dynasty (1434). It is the latest of the three temples.

There are two opinions about the origin of the name of the Sera Temple: First, there was a fierce hail when the foundation was laid, and the Tibetan pronunciation of the hail was "Sarah", so the temple was named "Sera Temple" after its completion, which means "Hail Temple";

It is said that the temple was built in the place where the wild rose blooms, so it was named "Sera Temple", and the Tibetan pronunciation of the wild rose is also "salad".

Sera Temple is the second largest temple in Gelug Sect after drepung monastery, and it is also the second largest temple in Tibet. The number of monks in the temple is 5500, but in fact, at the peak, the number exceeded 9000.

Why is Jokhang Temple important?

Jokhang Temple is a unique place among thousands of temples in Tibetan areas. Although the Gelug Sect controlled Tibet, four Galileans worked here. Although the monks in Jokhang Temple are basically Gelugpa monks, strictly speaking, Jokhang Temple does not belong to any sect in Tibet.

It is a sacred place shared by all Tibetan believers, and believers of any sect have the right to worship at Jokhang Temple.

The reason for this is not only because Jokhang Temple enshrines statues such as the Buddha, but also because it is associated with Songzan Gambu, Bhrikuti Devi and Princess Wencheng, which are the most admired by Tibetan compatriots. In the eyes of Tibetans, these three people are not three people, but a trinity, all of which are the embodiment of Guanyin Bodhisattva.

It is clearly recorded in Buddhist classics that they were conceived by a rainbow light on the forehead of Guanyin Bodhisattva, so the three were born on the same day of the same year, and turned into a rainbow light on the same day of the same year and gathered on the forehead of Guanyin icon.

Therefore, as the earliest temple established in Tibetan history (although Jokhang Temple and Jokhang Temple are not complete in a strict sense, the first temple in Tibetan areas recognized by Buddhism is Sanye Temple), its position in the hearts of Tibetan compatriots is beyond doubt, and it represents the origin of Buddhism in Tibet.

Its lofty status far exceeds that of the three major monasteries of the Gelug Sect in Lhasa, which is why some believers go not far from Wan Li and use their bodies to measure the land and worship at Jokhang Temple.

Because, in their hearts, Jokhang Temple is the center of the holy city of Lhasa, and even the center of the whole world in their hearts.

Here, these temples, especially Jokhang Temple, are very important to them. It can be said that they yearned for and guarded all their lives, and their beliefs are amazing and admirable, which is beyond the reach of ordinary people.

When we come to Lhasa, we should not only respect their beliefs, but also feel the power here, so as to be glad of your arrival.