Buddhist Heritage-Samye Monastery, Central Tibet: Facts in Brief

Samye Monastery is the first Buddhist monastery in Tibet. It was built in the 8th century by King Trisong Detsen, who invited the Indian tantric master Padmasambhava to help establish Buddhism in Tibet. The monastery was modeled after the Nalanda Mahavihara in India, and it became a center for the study and practice of tantric Buddhism.

 Capital is all set to witness the much awaited and informative exhibition of photographs of Buddhist heritage from the 19 countries by Benoy K Behl. 

The spiritual guru and most famous personality in the world, Dalai Lama inaugurated the exhibition which will provide a platform where all these rare things can be produces under one umbrella.

Benoy K Beh's exhibition consists of 100 photographs of Buddhist heritage in India, Tibet, Myanmar, Thailand, Lao PDR, Indonesia, Cambodia, Vietnam, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, China, Japan, Mongolia, Siberia, Uzbekistan, Kalmykia (in European Russia), Afghanistan, Nepal and Bhutan.

 It shows the birth and the development of different schools of Buddhism in India and their spread to the many countries of Asia.

Samye Monastery: Facts in Brief 

Samye Monastery is located in the Yarlung Valley, about 100 kilometers from Lhasa. It is a complex of three temples, representing the three vehicles of Buddhism: the Hinayana, the Mahayana, and the Vajrayana. The main temple is the Jowo Lhakhang, which houses a statue of the Buddha Shakyamuni. The other two temples are the Sakyamuni Lhakhang and the Guru Lhakhang.

Samye Monastery was destroyed several times in its history, most notably in the 10th century and the 17th century. However, it has always been rebuilt, and it remains an important pilgrimage site for Tibetan Buddhists.

Here are some other facts about Samye Monastery:

• It is one of the Six Great Monasteries of Tibet.
• It is the seat of the Sakya school of Tibetan Buddhism.
• It is said to be the place where Padmasambhava performed a series of miracles to defeat the forces of evil and establish Buddhism in Tibet.
• It is the site of the first Tibetan debate between Buddhist and Bon masters.
• It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
• Samye Monastery is a living monument to the rich history of Tibetan Buddhism. It is a place of great spiritual significance, and it continues to attract pilgrims and scholars from all over the world.