Setenling Gompa, Ser Gompa, (pinyin: Saigesi) is a Jonangpa (or Jonang) monastery about a kilometre from the eastern edge of Aba or Ngawa City (Chinese: 阿坝镇; pinyin: Ābà Zhèn Standard Tibetan: Ngawa), the main city in Ngawa (Aba) County, within the Ngawa (Aba) Tibetan and Qiang Autonomous Prefecture (Tibetan: Amdo) in northwestern Sichuan, China. It is located on the Tibetan plateau at an elevation of 3,200 metres (10,499 ft.). The head lama, Thubten Dorje Rinpoche, is still living in the monastery.[1]

Setenling Gompa
Religion
AffiliationTibetan Buddhism
SectJonangpa
LeadershipThubten Dorje Rinpoche
Location
LocationAba Tibetan and Qiang Autonomous Prefecture, Sichuan Province of China.
CountryChina
Geographic coordinates32°54′1″N 101°43′19.53″E / 32.90028°N 101.7220917°E / 32.90028; 101.7220917
Architecture
FounderNamnang Dorje
Date establishedmid-13th to 14th centuries

Description

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One enters the courtyard through a gate between the office cum shop of the monastery and a mani wall with the large restored Assembly Hall in front. The Assembly Hall contains many images of Kunkhyen Dolpopa, Jetsun Kunga Drolchok,[2] Taranatha, Namnang Dorje as well as of the deities Cakrasamvara and Kalacakra.

Left of the Assembly Hall are the Tsenyi Dratsang with a walled garden for debating, the Gonkhang with an image of Takkiraja, the 'tiger-riding' form of Mahakala, and the Drubkhang or meditation hermitage with images of Dolpopa, Taranatha, Namnang Dorje and the deity Vajrakila. Newer buildings include the Dukhor Lolang with a three-dimensional mandala of Kalacakra and the Head Lama's residence with a Jokhang Chapel containing many fine images, books and tankas.[3]

History

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The monastery was founded by Namnang Dorje, and reconstituted in the late 19th century by Dro-ge Yonten Gyatso. There are about 800 affiliated monks.

Ceremonies

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  • Sunning the Buddha and turning Maitreya Buddha.

Footnotes

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  1. ^ Kotan publishing (2000), pp. 227-228.
  2. ^ Stearns, Cyrus (August 2008). "Kunga Drolchok". The Treasury of Lives: Biographies of Himalayan Religious Masters. Retrieved 2013-08-10.
  3. ^ Dorje (2009), pp. 780-781.

References

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  • Dorje, Gyurme (2009). Footprint Tibet Handbook. Footprint Books. ISBN 978-1-906098-32-2.
  • Kotan Publishing (2000). Mapping the Tibetan World. Kotan Publishing, 2004 reprint. ISBN 0-9701716-0-9.
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