Thrangu Monastery
Brief History
'Pal Thrangu Tashi Choling'; in Eastern Tibet, Kham.
In the 15th century the 7th Gyalwang Karmapa Chodrak Gyatso visited the region of Thrangu in Eastern Tibet and established Thrangu Monastery at which time he enthroned Sherap Gyaltsen as the first abbot of the Monastery.
The Monastery
One must relate the introduction of Buddhism to Tibet without forgetting the role of the Princess Wen Cheng Temple which incidentally is situated about 10 km away and managed by Thrangu Monastery. This temple is more than 1300 years old and built by the Chinese Princess Wen Cheng who married the famous Tibetan King - Tsongtsen Gampo in the 7th Century A.D. She brought with her the famous Sakyamuni statue (that was personally blessed by the Buddha himself) and is still venerated today at the Jokhang Temple in Lhasa. Both Princess Wen Cheng and Thrangu Monastery have been the source of inspiration and the catalyst for the spread of Buddhism throughout the Kham province and especially the Karma Kagyu teachings.
The 7th Karmapa, Chodrak Gyamtso rebuilt and expanded this Monastery six hundred years ago and installed Sherap Gyaltsen - who was an emanation of Shuwu Palgyi Sengey, one of the 25 illustrious disciples of Guru Rinpoche - as the 1st Thrangu Rinpoche and Abbot of the Monastery.
At its peak, this Monastery had more than 10,000 lamas and was known as the "Monastery of the 10,000 Lamas". Due to the nature of impermanence and the passing of all conditioned things, this great centre of learning has deteriorated to its current state.
There are four Rinpoches who have guided and benefited this magnificent monastery. They are the Venerable Traleg Kyabgon Rinpoche, Khenchen Thrangu Rinpoche, Dzuri Rinpoche and Lodro Nyima Rinpoche. These Rinpoches have continuously reincarnated many times together in this Monastery to uphold this sacred and holy place out of compassion so that beings in the future can continue to benefit from the Buddha Dharma.
Current Day
This Monastery still practices and maintains its famous heritage and traditions and this is evident from the Great masters that hailed from this place such as the 9th Khenchen Thrangu Rinpoche, Khenpo Kathar Rinpoche and the 9th Traleg Rinpoche.
In 1982, when permission was given by the authorities to rebuild this Monastery, all the lamas here had the heavy responsibilities of seeking the means to see that this Monastery recapture some semblance of its glorious past.
The heavy responsibility of rebuilding now falls on the shoulders of the remaining Rinpoche that still resides in this monastery and he is the 9th Lodro Nyima Rinpoche. The monastery now has grown in the last few years to accommodate about 250 lamas and 65 children. A new Temple has been built over the original site that was destroyed and plans are in place to restore it to its glorious days.
With the kind support of Thrangu Rinpoche, Traleg Rinpoche and Khenpo Kathar Rinpoche and other well wishers, this Pureland of the myriad Buddhas in the current Saha world known as Thrangu Monastery will once again play a major role in liberating sentient beings from Samsara.
May the blessings of the Triple Gems be on all and by the dedication of this merit, may all sentient beings achieve the Four Immeasurables and gain release from Samsara.
Succession of Denrab (Abbots) & Lineage Masters
- 1st Thrangu Sherap Gyaltsen
- 1st Traleg Kyabgon Nyima Tashi
- 9th Thrangu Karma Lodrö Lungrik Maway Senge
- 9th Lodro Nyima Rinpoche
Other Lineage Masters
The Incarnation lines
- Thrangu Tulku
- Traleg Kyabgon
- Lodro Nyima Tulku (Tulku Line's name ???)