Shalu Monastery ཞྭ་ལུ།

Shalu Monastery is a small monastery near Shigatse. The Monastery renowned its architecture and mural, as it is the most ancient and beautiful in Tibet. Jetsun Sherab Jungnay found the Shalu Monastery in 1040 A.D. Shalu was the first significant monasteries built by the noble family of Tsang at the time second defusion of Buddhism in Tibet. This monastery was an essential centre for the Sakya School.

A Devastating earthquake demolishes the Temple monastery in the year 1329. The local lords later rebuilt it under the command of Toghom Temür, last Khagan of the Mongol Empire. The design of the New temple influences Mongol, Han, Tibetan, and Nepali though Mongolian styles dominate the architectural framework.

In the year 1330, the Shalu temple was under the command of its 11th Abbot, Buton Rinchen Drub (1290-1364). He was not only a capable administrator, but he is remembered today as a prodigious scholar and write in Sakya School and is Tibet’s most celebrated historian. He catalogued all of the Buddhist text at Shalu, Some 4569 philosophical and religious works, and formatted them in a logical and coherent order. His famous work is History of Buddhism in India and Tibet; this book is used in the study by many Tibetan scholars today.

His popularity inevitably attracted considerable attention to the monastery, bringing in about 3000 by 1360 Buddhist intellectuals from all over Tibet and India. After his passing away, the monastery became an important centre for Buddhist learning and esoteric Studies for centuries to come. For its dedication to the study of Buddhist philosophy and practice, the Shalu Monastery become well-known thought out the far east.

As the monastery became less influential in the 19th century, Tibetan scholars chose to study at the Gelug dominate Samye, which most powerful politically at the time. As a result of the monastery gradually fell into ruin, and the little of the original 1330 structure remains. Several 14th-century murals on the outer walls of the temple still follow an iconographic scheme developed by the great Buton himself.

If you enjoy looking at the Murals, the Shalu Monastery has some of the finest ones from the 14th century that fuse Chinese, Mongols and Newari style. You will need to light up with a torch of phone light to see them in Dark hall.

Kangyur Lhakahgn on the southern has a particularly lovely Newari Style Murals Depicting the five Dhyani Buddhas. The main Chapel Serkhang has a Statue of Chenresig Kasrapani made from a black stone, which is the main relic of the monastery and the Vase in the right corner from which the pilgrims receive blessed sacred water. Gusum Lhakhang on the north has exquisite murals, including one on the left of depicting the monastery founder. The walls on the interior kora path hold some of the most beautiful paintings.

There are some upper chapels with beautiful mandala Murals. One your way out, you can ask the monks to show sacred wood block, they also sell block prints of now faded Mandala.

When you drive out, don’t forget to visit the Gyengong Lhakhang, A small chapel that predates the Shalu Monastery. It was here in the 13th Century that Sakya Pandita receives his ordination as a Buddhist monk. Don’t miss the sacred mushroom growing pillar on the group floor and stone basin where Sakya Pandita washed his hair before ordination.

10 Minutes drive from Shalu takes you to the Ri-puk hermitage. Built around a sacred spring, is the former meditation centre and summer resident for the Shalu Monks. Here you will have a lovely view of Shalu valley. It is the starting point of the Shalu to Narthang Trekking tour.

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