Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Samye was Tibet's very first monastery and has a history that spans more than 1200 years.
It was founded in the reign of King Trisong Detsen, who was born close by, though the ex-
act date is subject to some debate - probably between 765 and 780. Whatever the case,
Samye represents the Tibetan state's first efforts to allow the Buddhist faith to set down
roots in the country. The Bön majority at court, whose religion prevailed in Tibet prior to
Buddhism, were not at all pleased with this development.
The victory of Buddhism over the Bön-dominated establishment was symbolised by
Guru Rinpoche's triumph over the massed demons of Tibet at Hepo Ri, just to the east of
Samye. It was this act that paved the way for the introduction of Buddhism to Tibet.
Shortly after the founding of the monastery, Tibet's first seven monks (the 'seven ex-
amined men') were ordained here by the monastery's first abbot, Indian Shantarakshita
(Kende Shewa), and Indian and Chinese scholars were invited to assist in the translation of
Buddhist texts into Tibetan.
Before long, disputes broke out between followers of Indian and Chinese scholarship.
The disputes culminated in the Great Debate of Samye, an event that is regarded by
Tibetan historians as a crucial juncture in the course of Tibetan Buddhism. The debate,
which probably took place in the early 790s, was essentially an argument between the In-
dian approach to bodhisattvahood via textual study and scholarship, and the more immedi-
ate Chan (Zen) influenced approach of the Chinese masters, who decried scholarly study
in favour of contemplation on the absolute nature of buddhahood. The debates came out on
the side of the Indian scholars.
Samye has never been truly the preserve of any one of Tibetan Buddhism's different or-
ders. However, the influence of Guru Rinpoche in establishing the monastery has meant
that the Nyingmapa order has been most closely associated with Samye. When the
Sakyapa order came to power in the 15th century it took control of Samye, and the Ny-
ingmapa influence declined, though not completely.
Samye's most common icons are of the Khenlop Chösum - the trinity of Guru Rin-
poche, King Trisong Detsen and Shantarakshita.
Samye has been damaged and restored many times over the last 1000 years. The most
recent assault on its antiquity was by the Chinese during the Cultural Revolution. Extens-
ive renovation work has been going on since the mid-1980s and there are now 190 monks
at Samye.
