Shar Gaden Monastery Shar Gaden Monastery
Shar Gaden Nampar Gyalway Ling Monastery, a full-fledged Gelug monastic seat for higher Buddhist studies was established on 23 February 2008 to provide an... Shar Gaden Monastery

Shar Gaden Nampar Gyalway Ling Monastery, a full-fledged Gelug monastic seat for higher Buddhist studies was established on 23 February 2008 by monks from Gaden Shartse Monastery’s Dokham Khangtsen in order to provide an avenue for those with karmic affinity with the Dharma Protector Dorje Shugden to study, practise and uphold their lineage.

To give some perspective, both Gaden Jangtse which is also known as ‘North Peak’ and Gaden Shartse which is also known as ‘East Peak’ make up Gaden Monastery. For administrative efficiency, both Gaden Jangtse and Gaden Shartse have autonomous khangtsens, similar to fraternity houses.

Gaden Jangtse which housed Lama Tsongkhapa’s residence at first had 13 khangtsens, namely Lubum, Tsawa, Samlo, Hardong, Serkong, Trehor, Gyalrong, Bati, Ngari, Dora, Dranyi, Gowo and Kongpo khangtsens. In current times, there are only 12. Bati and Ngari khangtsens were dissolved, and Phara Khangtsen was added.

Gaden Shartse has 11 khangtsens, namely Dokham, Phukang, Nyagre, Lhopa, Zungchu, Tepo, Choni, Ta-on, Ngari, Sogpa and Gungru khangtsens. Dokham Khangtsen was generally recognised as the ‘right hand’ of Gaden Shartse Monastery on account of its sustained contributions over many centuries towards the preservation of monastic tradition and discipline.

Monks join khangtsens based on their place of origin and dialect spoken. Each khangtsen has several sub-houses or Mi-tshan, which are also divided according to the place of origin of the monks living in them.

Shar Gaden Monastery's main prayer hall

Shar Gaden Monastery’s main prayer hall

The lineage and history of Shar Gaden Monastery can be traced back to Lama Tsongkhapa and even to Buddha Shakyamuni. Gaden Monastery’s history dates back to the time of the historical Buddha Shakyamuni, who made a prediction about how Lord Manjushri would later emanate as Lama Tsongkhapa to establish Gaden Monastery. In the Manjushri Root Tantra, the Lord Buddha said,

After I have passed away from this world, when the Earth becomes desolate, you will take the form of a child and enact the deeds of a Buddha. At that time there will be a great monastery called Rabga (Rab-dga’) in the Land of Snows. “Ga” is the first syllable of “Gaden

In the Sutra Taught to King Dam-ngag-bogpa, upon Buddha Shakyamuni accepting the offering of a crystal rosary from Lama Tsongkhapa as a small boy in a previous life, Buddha Shakyamuni exclaimed,

O Ananda. This small boy who has given me a crystal rosary will restore my teachings. At a degenerate time in the future, he will found a monastery called ‘Ge’ (dGe) at the border between Dri (‘Bri) and Den (lDan). His name will be Lozang. Ge” is a variant of the first syllable of “Gaden

In return, the boy was given a conch shell that had been presented to Buddha Shakyamuni by a naga king. Buddha Shakyamuni then entrusted this shell to his disciple, Maudgalyayana, who buried it in Tibet as a treasure auspicious for the future spread of the teachings.

According to records, the original location of Gaden Monastery, Drogri Mountain, was approximately 50 kilometres east of Lhasa. The site was personally chosen by Lama Tsongkhapa following his disciples’ insistence to build him a monastery at any site of his choice as they were concerned about the effects of constant travel on his health. Lama Tsongkhapa personally consecrated the land and named the monastery Gaden, or Tushita in Sanskrit, after the pure land of the future Buddha, Maitreya.

Shar Gaden Monastery by night

Shar Gaden Monastery by night

Lama Tsongkhapa’s student, Duldzin Drakpa Gyaltsen who is one of the previous lives of Dorje Shugden, was primarily responsible for overseeing the construction of Gaden Monastery. The monastery, which comprised of a main temple and over 70 smaller buildings took only a year to build and was completed in 1409.

In 1410, a year after the completion of Gaden Monastery which was constructed in strict adherence to the Indian monastic rules, Lama Tsongkhapa unearthed the treasure conch shell that was buried by Maudgalyayana on a hill behind Gaden Monastery. In 1416, Lama Tsongkhapa gave the Gaden Conch to his disciple, Jamyang Chojey, who founded Drepung Monastery later that year. The Gaden Conch has been kept at Drepung Monastery ever since.

The construction of Gaden Monastery was Lama Tsongkhapa’s fourth great deed and became his main seat. When he passed away in Gaden Monastery, his disciples accordingly kept his remains there.

Since its founding, Gaden Monastery has been the seat of the Gaden Tripa or the ‘Holder of the Golden Throne of Gaden’, who serves as the spiritual leader or head of the Gelug tradition. The Gelug tradition is also called the Gaden Tradition and is named after Gaden Monastery. “Lug” means tradition, and “Gelug” is an abbreviation of “Gaden Lug.” The term of office for a Gaden Tripa is seven years and the position alternates between the Sharpa Choje and Jangtse Choje.

After the Tibetan Uprising in 1959, Gaden Monastery was relocated to the Tibetan refugee settlement (Camp 1) in Mundgod, south India. After a difficult beginning during which great masters including His Holiness Kyabje Trijang Rinpoche and His Holiness Kyabje Zong Rinpoche played a pivotal role in keeping up the spirits of the displaced monks, both Gaden Shartse and Gaden Jangtse continued to flourish and have produced many great masters, scholars, monks and practitioners.

In accordance with the rich history of Gaden Monastery, Shar Gaden Monastery adopts a combined study program of Sutra and Tantra based on texts composed by Lama Tsongkhapa and his two main disciples, Gyaltsab Je and Khedrub Je, and supplemented by commentaries and textbooks developed to explain the finer points of the teachings. The textbooks commonly referred to include:

  1. The Jetsunpa textbooks composed by Jetsunpa Chokyi Gyaltsen which are used by Gaden Jangtse, Sera Jey and Sera Ngagpa Colleges.
  2. The two sets of textbooks composed by two disciples of Jetsunpa, one of whom is Khedrub Tendarwa. It is said that Jetsunpa intentionally asked his two disciples to write commentaries explaining some of the major texts slightly differently than he had, so that future disciples would be able to sharpen their intelligence by debating their discrepancies.
  3. The Panchen textbooks composed by Panchen Sonam Drakpa which are used by Gaden Shartse, Drepung Loseling and Drepung Ngagpa Colleges.
  4. The Kunkyen textbooks which were composed several centuries later by the first Kunkyen Jamyang Zheypa Ngawang Tsondru and which are used by Drepung Gomang and Drepung Deyang Colleges, Labrang Monastery in far-eastern Amdo and most monasteries in Inner and Outer Mongolia, Buryatia, Kalmykia, and Tuva.

Each of the textbook traditions includes several additional texts written by later scholars.

The interior of Shar Gaden Monastery's prayer hall

The interior of Shar Gaden Monastery’s prayer hall

Similar to Gaden Shartse Monastery, Shar Gaden Monastery places importance on the Panchen set of textbooks. The author of these books, Panchen Sonam Drakpa, is considered to be one of the previous lives of Dorje Shugden and hence an emanation of Manjushri. Thus, it is no surprise that his texts are still used as an essential part of the standard monastic curriculum and for debates, a benchmark of the geshe accreditation programme of study.

It is apparent that the establishment of Shar Gaden Monastery plays an important role in the preservation and spreading of the Gelug lineage and by extension, the practice of Dharma Protector Dorje Shugden. The current throneholders of Shar Gaden Monastery include His Holiness Kyabje Trijang Chocktrul Rinpoche, the current incarnation of the late Kyabje Yongdzin Trijang Dorjechang who was the junior tutor and spiritual guide of His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama; His Holiness Gaden Trisur Jetsun Lungrik Namgyal Rinpoche, the 101st Gaden Tripa; His Eminence Kyabje Domo Geshe Rinpoche Losang Jigme Ngak-Gi Wangchuk, the great meditator and master; His Eminence Kensur Rinpoche Losang Phende, the venerable abbot emeritus of Shar Gaden Monastery and the current abbot, Khen Rinpoche Geshe Lobsang Jinpa. These great masters are just some of the recognised and realised holy beings who look to Shar Gaden Monastery as their spiritual home.

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  • Wylfred Ng

    Posted on June 22, 2016 #1 Author

    谢谢分享关于萨甘丹寺的来源。

    萨甘丹寺提供了一个地方给修习多杰雄登法门的僧侣修习佛法, 把宗喀巴大师的教诲继续延续下去。

    当初杜固扎巴坚赞崛起成为多杰雄登护法的原由就是为了守护宗喀巴大师对于龙树菩萨中观见的教诲, 可见这个教诲是多么的重要。也是宗喀巴大师一个重要的教诲之一。

    当然多杰雄登其他的使命就是维护佛教, 让我们修行人可以更顺利修习佛法。 萨甘丹寺在维护多杰雄登法门上是占了举足轻重的角色, 让这个护法的传承可以继续, 利益更多修佛的人。

    谢谢

    Reply

  • William Chua

    Posted on June 22, 2016 #2 Author

    Shar Gaden Monastery has an illustrious history from it being built by the main diciple of Lama Tsongkhapa, Dultzin Drakpa Gyeltsen, in Tibet to the re-establishment in India.It is one of the main monastery which propagates Dorje Shugden as the Dharma protector. Many of the traditions and the texts are still preserved and practiced by the monks int he Monastery. It is indeed compassionate of the great masters like Trijang Rinpoche who continues to spread Lama Tsongkhapa’s teachings.

    Reply

  • Sock Wan

    Posted on June 23, 2016 #3 Author

    Gaden, Drepung and Sera monastery have produced many great masters since it was establish over 600 years ago. Gelug lineage is very strict in terms of keeping vows, and being humble. For example when Tsongkhapa had a vision of Manjushri, he didn’t think the Manjushri he saw was real, he thought it was his illusion, until his teacher told him it was Manjushri that he saw. A real Gelug master will also not tell you how powerful he is, he will always say he is nobody, he knows nothing. Even if they have the clairvoyance, they will not admit, they will only tell you “it will be good if you do this or that”. Therefore if you believe your guru is a Buddha who can see the past, future, present, when he gives advices, just listen and do.

    Reply

  • Carmen

    Posted on June 27, 2016 #4 Author

    The 3 great schools of the Gelug Tradition – Gaden Monastery, Sera Monastery and Drepung Monastery. I have visited Gaden Monastery, as well as Shar Gaden Monastery, and something that is pivotal in the monastic curriculum that I have been in awe of is the debate session, which they have it daily. Being in debates allows the students to further their understanding and depth of knowledge on the subject topic which they are studying on. This strengthens their knowledge, and therefore, provides as a stable foundation in their learning. They debate back and forth, pro and con, and you can see how quick and skilled some of them are. Kyabje Zong Rinpoche Dorje Chang, of Gaden Shartse Monastery, was so famed in his debates that it was said as if the master of the texts were there, present himself debating on the topic he wrote on. Such was the depth of understanding and knowledge of Zong Rinpoche on both the sutra and tantra.

    Supporting the monasteries supports the monastic education of monks, lamas and teachers, who in turn preserve the doctrine of the Buddha, so that we can access, learn and bear fruits from practicing the Dharma today.

    Reply

  • Sofi

    Posted on July 15, 2016 #5 Author

    Reading of monasteries always fills me with warmth and awe at their histories and the greatness of those involved in its actualisation. Shar Gaden Monastery is no less. All those great enlightened Masters that had lived, learnt and taught there, blessing the monastery with so much wisdom and compassion. I could just imagine the dharmic energy infused into the monastery’s wall that will keep blessing the monks centuries after centuries. May the pure lineage teachings of Je Tsongkapa continue to be preserved, flourish and spread to the ten directions. May this great monastery continue to host great Masters who holds pure lineage teachings. May I one day have the merits to witness a real debate of the dharma in the traditional way.

    Reply

  • Fong

    Posted on August 23, 2016 #6 Author

    Shar Gaden seems like an extension of Gaden Monastery in that it places importance on the Panchen Sonam Drakpa set of textbooks. But, here in Shar Gaden Monastery, the preservation and spreading of the Gelug lineage and by extension, the practice of Dharma Protector Dorje Shugden is given importance.

    Shar Gaden has great masters like H.H. Kyabje Trijang Choktrul Rinpoche, H.H Gaden Trisur Jetsun Lungrik Namgyal Rinpoche, the 101st Gaden Tripa; H.E. Kyabje Domo Geshe Rinpoche Losang Jigme Ngak-Gi Wangchuk, H.E. Kensur Rinpoche Losang Phende, the venerable abbot emeritus of Shar Gaden Monastery and the current abbot, Khen Rinpoche Geshe Lobsang Jinpa to guide them in spreading and preserving the Gelug lineage.

    Thus the stainless teachings of Je Tsongkhapa is preserved and spread for the benefit of many sentient beings.

    Reply

  • Stella Cheang

    Posted on September 20, 2016 #7 Author

    Thank you for this insightful article with details to explain the background, the history and the people who built and preserved monasteries. It is important because, in my opinion, monasteries are places where spiritual aspirants seek higher learnings. It is a place where Buddha’s Dharma is consolidated and archive for students to study. It is also a concentration of skillful and learned lamas who tirelessly turn the wheel of dharma. As the monastery is an institution built by the people for the people, we can see thoughtfulness in the system to ensure conducive learning environment, for example the makeup of Khangtsen. It is very illuminating to learn about monastery life in greater details.

    Reply

  • Alice Tay

    Posted on September 21, 2016 #8 Author

    Shar Gaden Monastery established is to provide to those have karmic affinity with the Dharma Protector Dorje Shugden to study, practise and uphold their lineage.

    The monastery combined study program mainly based on texts composed by Lama Tsongkhapa and his two main disciples. Besides, the other textbooks such as The Panchen textbooks composed by Panchen Sonam Drakpa as an essential part of the standard monastic curriculum and for debates, a benchmark of the geshe accreditation programme of study.
    To those have the opportunity to study at Shar Gaden Monastery, they should pay more attention and focus on their studies in order to achieve the attainments and subsequently spread the dharma (knowledge) which is benefiting to many others.

    Reply

  • yin ping

    Posted on October 29, 2017 #9 Author

    Shar Gaden Monastery was founded on 2008 with an important role in preserving and spreading the Gelug lineage. It is also extension for those with karmic affinity with the Dharma Protector Dorje Shugden to study, practice and upholds the lineage. The Monastery adopt combined study program of Sutra and Tantra by Lama Tsongkhapa and his two disciple, supplemented by commentaries and text books developed to explain the finer points of the teaching. The Monastery emphasized on the Panchen Sonam Drakpa set of textbook. This teachings is used as the standard monastic study for debates and also benchmark of the geshe programme. Panchen Sonam Drakpa is one of the previous life of Dorje Shugden and hence an emanation of Manjushri. So it is no surprised that this text was important.

    Reply

  • Maggie

    Posted on October 29, 2017 #10 Author

    Great information. Shar Gaden has valiant lamas who uphold the lineage and traditions in keeping with their samaya with their teachers. Valiant in the fact that they have to start a monastery from scratch in he face of so much adversity due to their choice to keep their samaya with their Gurus.

    May they always be blessed by the The Three Jewels and Dharmapala Dorje Shugden and the stainless teachings of Lama Tsongkhapa spread to the ten directions.

    Reply