Tsurphu Monastery
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Tsurphu, also Tolung Tsurpu (sTod lung mTshur phu); Tulung Churbu Gompa; (Tibetan: མཚུར་ཕུ་; Wylie: Mtshur-phu; ZWPY: Curpu) is a Tibetan Buddhist monastery which served as the traditional seat of the Karmapa. It is located in the Tolung area of Central Tibet in the Dowo Lung valley, 70 km from Lhasa. It is about 4,267 metres (14,000 feet) above sea level and built in the middle of the valley facing south, with high mountains surrounding the monastery complex. Tsurphu is a 300m2 complex with walls up to 4 meters thick.
Tsurphu was founded by the first Karmapa, Düsum Khyenpa (1110-1193) in 1159, after he visited the site and laid the foundation for an establishment of a seat there by making offerings to the local protectors. In 1189 he revisited the site and founded his main seat there. The monastery grew to hold 1000 monks.
The monastery or "gompa", the traditional seat of the Karmapa lamas, is about 28 km up the Dowo Lung Valley, on the north side of the river. The original walls of the main building were up to 4 metres thick and 300 metres square. The monks' residences were on the eastern side.
It was totally destroyed in 1966 during the Chinese Cultural Revolution and began to be rebuilt in 1980 by the 16th Karmapa, Rangjung Rigpe Dorje. Following the recognition of Ogyen Trinley Dorje (b. 1985) by the Tai Situpa and the Chinese government, he was enthroned at Tsurphu and resided there until he escaped from Tibet to India in 2000.
[edit] References
- Dowman, Keith. The Power-places of Central Tibet: The Pilgrim's Guide. 1988. Routledge & Kegan Paul. London. ISBN 0-7102-1370-0
- Martin, Michele. Music in the Sky: The Life, Art & Teachings of the 17th Karmapa, Ogyen Trinley Dorje. 2003. Snow Lion Publications. Reprint: New Age Books, New Delhi, 2004. ISBN 81-7822-193-4.
