Misplaced Pages

Muru Nyingba Monastery

Article snapshot taken from Wikipedia with creative commons attribution-sharealike license. Give it a read and then ask your questions in the chat. We can research this topic together.

This is an old revision of this page, as edited by JarrahTree (talk | contribs) at 05:57, 1 January 2019 (specifically more accurate). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.

Revision as of 05:57, 1 January 2019 by JarrahTree (talk | contribs) (specifically more accurate)(diff) ← Previous revision | Latest revision (diff) | Newer revision → (diff)
Muru Nyingba Monastery
Tibetan transcription(s)
Wylie transliteration: rMe ru snying pa
Nearby Barkhor street scene, 1993
Religion
AffiliationTibetan Buddhism
Location
LocationBarkhor, Lhasa, Tibet, China
CountryChina
Muru Nyingba Monastery is located in TibetMuru Nyingba MonasteryLocation within Tibet
Geographic coordinates29°39′10″N 91°7′58″E / 29.65278°N 91.13278°E / 29.65278; 91.13278
Architecture
FounderSongtsen Gampo
Date established7th century
Part of a series on
Tibetan Buddhism
Tibetan Dharma Wheel
Schools
Key personalities
First dissemination
Second dissemination
Nyingma
Kagyu
Jonang
Sakya
Bodongpa

Samding Dorje Phagmo

Gelugpa
Teachings
General Buddhist
Tibetan
Nyingma
Practices and attainment
Major monasteries
Institutional roles
Festivals
Texts
Art
History and overview

Muru Ningba or Meru Nyingba (rMe ru snying pa) (Tibetan: རྨེ་རུ་སྙིང་པ་) is a small Buddhist monastery located between the larger monasteries of Jokhang and Barkhor in the city of Lhasa, Tibet, China. It was the Lhasa seat of the former State Oracle who had his main residence at Nechung Monastery.

It is located immediately behind and east of the Jokhang and may be accessed from the north side of the Barkhor.

History

It is said that Emperor Songtsen Gampo built the first building here and it is where the great Tibetan scholar, Thonmi Sambhota, completed his work developing the Tibetan alphabet in the first half of the 7th century.

The present building, first constructed during the reign of King Ralpacan (c. 806-838 CE), is built like an Indian vihara around a courtyard, with the lhakang ('temple', literally 'residence of the deity') to the north and monks quarters on the three other sides.

It was destroyed during the persecution of Buddhism under Langdarma (c. 838 to 841 CE), but rebuilt by Atisha (980-1054 CE) and became Gelugpa under Sonam Gyatso, the 3rd Dalai Lama (1543–1589).

It became the Lhasa residence of the Nechung Oracle in the 17th century, who was possessed by Pehar in his trances.

Description

The lhakang contains a number of fine murals — the central image being that of Guru Rinpoche (Padmasambhava), with images of the five Nyingma Yidam-Protectors and Tseumar and Tamdrin in glass cases around the walls.

On the western side of the gallery upstairs is the Gongkar Chode Branch Temple, a Sakya shrine dedicated to an image of Gonpo Pelgon Dramtso or Bramze, the Sadhu-Protector of the monastery. His image is to the right of the door and used to be flanked by images of the six-armed Mahakala, Panjara and Shridevi.

The oldest extant structure is the Jambhala Lhakhang which was originally built under Ralpacan. It is quite small (7.5 x 7.2 metres), with a low ceiling. It is said to have been where Thonmi Sambhota worked on the alphabet and later became attached to Nechung.

The Dhukang or Assembly Hall, a very active temple, was built in the 19th century by Nechung Khenpo Sakya Ngape, and renovated in 1986. There are frescoes portraying the protector deity Dorje Drakden, Tsongkhapa, Atisha, Padmasambhava, Shantarakshita, and King Trisong Detsen. The central image of Avalokiteshvara is new with a copper Padmasambhava to the right and a sand mandala to the left. Behind is an inner sanctum with more images and upstairs is the Tsepame Lhakang with 1,000 small images of Amitayas (or Amitābha) Buddha.

Footnotes

  1. Dowman (1998), p. 40.
  2. Vitali (1990), p. 19.
  3. ^ Dorje (1999), p. 88.
  4. Dowman (1998). pp. 48-49.
  5. Dorje (1999), pp. 88-89.

References

  • Dorje, Gyume (1999). Footprint Tibet Handbook with Bhutan. Footprint Handbooks, Bath, England. ISBN 0-8442-2190-2.
  • Dowman, Keith (1998). The Power-Places of Central Tibet: The Pilgrim's Guide. Routledge & Kegan Paul, London and New York. ISBN 0-7102-1370-0.
  • Vitali, Roberto (1990). Early Temples of Central Tibet. Serindia Publications, London. ISBN 0-906026-25-3.
Lhasa
County-level
divisions
District
Counties


Location of Lhasa Prefecture in the Tibet Autonomous Region
Towns and villages
Monasteries
and palaces
Sera Monastery
Chupzang Nunnery
Drakri Hermitage
Garu Nunnery
Keutsang Hermitage
Keutsang East Hermitage
Keutsang Hermitage
Khardo Hermitage
Negodong Nunnery
Nenang Monastery
Pabonka Hermitage
Panglung Hermitage
Purbuchok Hermitage
Rakhadrak Hermitage
Sera Monastery
Sera Chöding Hermitage
Sera Gönpasar Hermitage
Sera Utsé Hermitage
Takten Hermitage
Trashi Chöling Hermitage
Other landmarks
Culture & Life
Business & Development
Education & Science
Hotels & Parks
Transport
Government
Buddhist monasteries in Tibet
Lhasa
Lhoka Prefecture
Shigatse
Ngari Prefecture
Chamdo Prefecture
and former Kham
Nyingchi Prefecture
Categories: