Dzongsar Monastery
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Dzongsar Monastery
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| Coordinates | 31°38′35″N 98°57′46″E / 31.64306°N 98.96278°E |
| Monastery information | |
| Location | Mehnshek, Dêgê County, Garzê Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Sichuan, China |
| Founded | 746, refounded 1275 |
| Date renovated | 1983 |
| Type | Tibetan Buddhist |
| Sect | Sakya and Rimé |
| Lineage | Khyentse Lineage. Jamyang Khyentse Wangpo and Jamyang Khyentse Chökyi Lodrö |
| Head Lama | Dzongsar Jamyang Khyentse Rinpoche |
| Number of monks | 200+ |
Dzongsar Monastery is a Buddhist monastery in Dêgê County in the Garzê Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture of Sichuan, China, southeast of the town of Derge and east of Palpung Monastery. Historically it lay in the Kham region of Tibet. It was founded in 746, destroyed in 1958, and rebuilt in 1983.
The monastery belongs to the Sakya school of Tibetan Buddhism and was the main seat of Jamyang Khyentse Wangpo and Jamyang Khyentse Chökyi Lodrö. However it is noted for its eclecticism of the Rimé movement and its openness to most of the teaching sects of Tibetan Buddhism.
Dzongsar Gonpa was founded in 746 AD by a Bönpo Lama. There was just a very small temple at this site, called Jowo-Lha-Chig-Kar-Chig and the Bönpo shrine remained until 1958. The original Bönpo Gonpa was transformed into a Nyingma and a Kadampa temple at some stage. In 1275 it was founded as a Sakya monastery by Drogön Chögyal Phagpa on his return from China.
Before 1958, Dzongsar had between 300 and 500 permanent resident monks, but frequently had many more people who camped around the monastery in tents to meet with the lamas. All the temples were destroyed in 1958, but rebuilding began in 1983 under the guidance of Dr. Lodrö Puntsok.
The monastery had twenty three temples, large and small, and many important sacred rooms. It contained hermitages such as Khamshe Shekdra, Karmo Taktsang retreat centre, Gargu Shangchub Rihtrek retreat centre, Zamnang Pema Shelpuk, Zingkhok Trawo retreat centre, Tsedrak Drulphuk, Gyalgen Chungtak, Munong Dorjee Drakal, Tsa-chu-juk Chenresig Lhakang, Honda Thongthong Gyalpo, and others. Dzongsar had a unique collection of Rimé scriptures and teachings, gathered by the proponents of the Rime movement, Jamgon Kongtrul, Chokyi Lingpa and Khyentse Wangpo. Although Dzongsar was a Sakya monastery by principle it was known to be flexible in its teachings and made it possible to study eight sects of Buddhism.
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Wikipedia