Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
The central Tsuglhakhang is an elegant brown stone structure on the west side of the court-
yard. As you walk clockwise, the first chapel you'll see is the Zheye Lhakhang, with
statues of Guru Rinpoche and Terdak Lingpa (with a white beard and excellent hat). The
bare main hall itself has another statue of Terdak Lingpa, along with Dorje Chang and a
row of seven Kadam-style chörtens - the monastery originally belonged to the Kadampa
school.
The inner chapel has a large Sakyamuni statue. Only the statue's head is original; the
body was ripped apart by Chinese troops for its relics.
Upstairs, the
Tresor Lhakhang
houses several treasures, including a stone hoofprint, a
mirror that reputedly takes away disease and a famed old thangka with the gold footprints
and handprints of Terdak Lingpa, which was given to the fifth Dalai Lama.
The top floor holds the Lama Lhakhang, with some fine ancient murals of the Nyingma
lineages, plus a central statue of Kuntu Zangpo (Samantabhadri). The Dalai Lama's quar-
ters remain empty.
Sangok Podrang
BUDDHIST, CHAPEL
The other main building, to the right, is the Sangok Podrang, used for Tantric practices. To
the left of the main entrance is a famous 'speaking' mural of Guru Rinpoche. Flanking the
left wall is a huge thangka that is unfurled once a year on the 18th day of the fourth lunar
month.
Kumbum Tongdrol Chenmo
BUDDHIST, CHÖRTEN
This new white chörten just outside the monastery was constructed in 2000 with
Taiwanese funds. It replaces an original 13-storey chörten destroyed in the Cultural Re-
volution. It's possible to climb past the ground-floor statue of Jampa to its upper floors.
Sleeping & Eating
Mindroling Monastery Guesthouse
GUESTHOUSE
(dm/d/tr ¥20/100/120)
Staying overnight at a Tibetan monastery sounds romantic but there are some significant
drawbacks at this one, including ropey mattresses, doors that don't lock and basic shared
