Difference between revisions of "Paro Taktsang"

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[[Image:Paro Taktsang.jpg|frame|right|Paro Taktsang, Paro Valley, Bhutan]]'''Paro Taktsang''' ([[spa gro stag tshang bsam grub ke'u tshang]]), the place related to [[Jigten Chötö]], where [[Langchen Palgyi Senge]] / [[Palgyi Senge of Lang]] ([[rlangs dpal gyi seng ge]]), attained realization.
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Paro Taktsang ''([[spa phro stag tshang]])'' / ''([[spa gro stag tshang]])'' / ([[spa gro stag tshang bsam grub ke'u tshang]])
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----
  
[[spa gro stag tshang]] - Padro Tagtshang which is a meditation place in Bhutan [JV]
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One of the thirteen taktsang, or "Tiger Lair", sacred caves in Tibet and Bhutan blessed by [[Guru Padmasambhava]] and seventh of the [[Eight Sacred Places|eight sacred places]] in Tibet and Bhutan he blessed for the practice of the [[Eight Classes of Herukas]] ([[sgrub pa bka' brgyad]]). In particular this is the place related to Jigten Chöto ([['jigs rten mchod bstod]]), where [[Palgyi Senge of Lang| Langchen Palseng]] ([[rlangs chen dpal seng]]), attained realization.
  
[[spa gro stag tshang bsam grub ke'u tshang]] - Paro Taktsang, in Bhutan [RY]
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* [[spa gro stag tshang]] - Padro Tagtshang which is a meditation place in Bhutan [JV]
  
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* [[spa gro stag tshang bsam grub ke'u tshang]] - Paro Taktsang, in Bhutan [RY]
  
*One of the [[Eight Sacred Places]] in Tibet and Bhutan blessed by Guru Padmasambhava for the practice of the [[Eight Herukas]].
 
  
See also:
 
  
[[Drakmar Yamalung]] (''[[brag dmar g.ya' ma lung]]''), the eighth among the sacred places in [[Tibet]] and [[Bhutan]] blessed by [[Guru Padmasambhava]] for the practice of the [[Eight Herukas]].
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==Visit of [[Padmasambhava]]==
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[[Image:ParoTaksang-01.jpg|thumb|256px|right|'''Paro Taksang''']]<br>
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In the 8th Century CE Guru Rinpoche visited Bhutan and blessed it as the second Kailash. At that time malignant spirits abounded and, in order to subdue them, he assumed the terrifying form of [[Guru Dorje Dröllo]] one of the [[Eight Manifistations of Guru Rinpoche]] ([[gu ru mtshan brgyad]]) and consecrated Paro Taksang as a sacred site to protect the Dharma and subdue harmful forces.
  
::These eight places are:
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==Visit of [[Langchen Palgyi Senge]]==
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While confering the empowerments of the [[Eight Classes of Herukas]] Cycle to the [[Twenty-five Disciples]] at [[Yamalung]], Guru Rinpoche instucted [[Langchen Palgyi Senge]] (rlangs chen dpal gyi seng ge) to carry out the practice of the Fierce Mantra of the Tamer of All Haughty Spirits at Taksang Senge Samdup in the Paro valley of Bhutan. 
  
1) [[Drak Yangdzong]] ([[sgrags yang rdzong]]), the place related to the [[Heruka of the Body Family]], [[Jampel Shinje]], where [[Nup Sangye Yeshe]] achieved [[realization]],
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In accordance with these instructions Langchen Palgyi Senge came to Paro Taksang in 853 CE meditating until he accomplished the practice of the Tamer of All Haughty Spirits gaining profound siddhi which enabled him to bind gods and spirits to his service.
  
2) [[Samye Chimphu]] ([[bsam yas mchims phu]]), the place related to the [[Heruka of the Lotus, Speech Family]], [[Tamdrin]], where [[Gyalwa Choyang]] attained [[realization]];
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The cave in which he meditated became known as Pelphug or Drubphug.
  
3) [[Lodrak Karchu]] ([[lho brag mkhar chu]]), the place related to the [[Heruka of the Mind Family]], [[Yandak]], where [[Gelong Namkhai Nyingpo]] revealed [[realization]];
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==The nine sacred caves at Paro Taksang==
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* '''[[Machig Phug, Paro|Machig Phug]]''' (ma gcig phug) - the cave where [[Machik Labdron]] meditated. <br>
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* '''[[Senge Phug, Paro|Senge Phug]]'''  (sen ge phug)- the cave where Guru Rinpoche meditated on [[Vajra Kilaya]].  <br>
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* '''Pelphug''' (dpal phug)  - the cave where [[Guru Rinpoche]] meditated for four months on phur pa'i lha tshogs and <br>
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* '''Drolo Phug''' (gro lod phug)<br>
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* '''Osel Phug''' ('od gsal phug)<br>
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* '''Gedig Phug''' (dge sdig phug)<br>
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* '''Chogyal Phug''' (chos rgyal phug)<br>
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* '''Kapali Phug''' (ka pa li phug)<br>
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* '''Phagmo Phug''' (phag mo phug)<br>
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[[Image:ParoTaksang-03.jpg|thumb|256px|right|'''Paro Taksang''']]
  
4) [[Yarlung Shardrak]] ([[yar lung shel brag]]), the place related to the [[Heruka of the Enlightened Qualities Family]], [[Dudtsi Yonten]], where [[Karchen Yeshe Shonnu]] attained [[realization]];
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=='''Lhakhang'''==
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There are seven chapels within the present temple complex:
 +
* '''Drubkhang''' (sgrub khang)<br>
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* '''Chapel of the Speaking Guru''' (gu ru gsung byon ma'i lha khang)<br>
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* '''Dröllo Lhakhang''' (gro lod lha khang)<br>
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* '''Chapel of Amitayus''' (rtse dpag med lha khang)<br>
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* '''Chapel of Vaishravana''' (rnam sras lha khang)<br>
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* '''Shrine room of Nedag Senge Samdup''' (seng ge bsam grub gnas khang) <br>
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* '''Chapel of [[Marpa]], [[Milarepa]] and [[Gampopa]]''' (mar mi dvags sum lha khang)<br>
  
5) [[Monkha Senge Dzong]] ([[ mon kha seng ge rdzong]]), the place related to the [[Heruka of the Activities Family]], [[Dorje Phurba]], where [[Khandro Yeshe Tsogyal]] attained [[realization]];
 
  
6) [[Yarto Shambo Khyangkyi Rawa]] ([[yar stod sham po gangs kyi ra ba]]), the place related to the [[Mamo Botong]], where [[Drokmi Palkyi Yeshe]] attained [[realization]];
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==Consruction of Temple==
  
7) [[Paro Taktsang]] ([[spa gro stag tshang bsam grub ke'u tshang]]), the place related to [[Jigten Choto]], where [[Langchen Palgyi Senge]] attained [[realization]];
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The first known temple at Taksang Pelphug was built in about  c. 1508 by  Sonam Gyaltsen a Nyingma lama belonging to the Kathog lineage who was invited from Tibet by Taksang Lama Nganggyu (ngang rgyud). Lama Sonam Gyaltsen resided at nearby [[Urgyen Tsemo]] temple above Taksang, which had been established by his uncle Yeshi Bunpa (). Sonam Gyaltsen transmitted 46 volumes of the Nyinma Gyudbum to his disciples. Taksang remained in the care of his family lineage until the 17th Century. 
  
8) [[Samye Yamalung]] ([[bsam yas g.ya' ma lung]]), the place related to the [[Mopa Trak ngak]], where the Great Translator, [[Vairocana]] revealed [[realization]]. ([[MR-ShabkarNotes]])
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In 1645 [[Shabdrung Ngawang Namgyal]] with his Nyingma teacher Rigdzin Nyingpo, a descendant of [[Terton Sangye Lingpa], and the temple was offered to him.  
  
[[Category: Sacred Sites]] [[Category: Deities]]
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Construction of a large Lhakhang at Taksang Pelphug was begun by Shabdrung Rinpoche's successor [[Gyalse Tenzin Rabgye]] in 1692. The construction was supervised by the artisan Grags-pa rGya-mtsho.
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Sacred images were made by the Newar artists Pañca Deva, Darma Deva and Darma Shrī.
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==Fires and Restoration==
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==Alternate Names & Spellings==
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* Padro Taksang  ([[spa gro stag tshang]])
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* Paro Taksang ([[spa phro stag tshang]])
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* [[Paro Taktsang]]
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* Taksang Senge Samdup ([[stag tshang seng ge bsam grub]])
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* Taksang Pelphug
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* [[spa gro stag tshang bsam grub ke'u tshang]]
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==References==
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* John A. Ardussi: [http://orion.lib.virginia.edu/thdl/texts/reprints/jbs/JBS_01_01_02.pdf| Gyalse Tenzin Rabgye and the Founding of Taktsang Lhakhang]. Journal of Bhutan Studies, 1:1, 1999<br>
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* ''Guide to Taktshang'' (གནས་ཆེན་སྟག་ཚང་ལམ་འཁྲིད)/ ''Restored Taktshang'' (ཉམས་གསོ་ཞུགས་པའི་སྟག་ཚང་), Department of Culture, Thimphu, Bhutan 2005. ISBN 9993661716
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==External Links==
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* <br>
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[[Category:Sacred Sites in Bhutan]]

Revision as of 03:53, 19 August 2008

Paro Taktsang (spa phro stag tshang) / (spa gro stag tshang) / (spa gro stag tshang bsam grub ke'u tshang)


One of the thirteen taktsang, or "Tiger Lair", sacred caves in Tibet and Bhutan blessed by Guru Padmasambhava and seventh of the eight sacred places in Tibet and Bhutan he blessed for the practice of the Eight Classes of Herukas (sgrub pa bka' brgyad). In particular this is the place related to Jigten Chöto ('jigs rten mchod bstod), where Langchen Palseng (rlangs chen dpal seng), attained realization.


Visit of Padmasambhava[edit]

Paro Taksang


In the 8th Century CE Guru Rinpoche visited Bhutan and blessed it as the second Kailash. At that time malignant spirits abounded and, in order to subdue them, he assumed the terrifying form of Guru Dorje Dröllo one of the Eight Manifistations of Guru Rinpoche (gu ru mtshan brgyad) and consecrated Paro Taksang as a sacred site to protect the Dharma and subdue harmful forces.

Visit of Langchen Palgyi Senge[edit]

While confering the empowerments of the Eight Classes of Herukas Cycle to the Twenty-five Disciples at Yamalung, Guru Rinpoche instucted Langchen Palgyi Senge (rlangs chen dpal gyi seng ge) to carry out the practice of the Fierce Mantra of the Tamer of All Haughty Spirits at Taksang Senge Samdup in the Paro valley of Bhutan.

In accordance with these instructions Langchen Palgyi Senge came to Paro Taksang in 853 CE meditating until he accomplished the practice of the Tamer of All Haughty Spirits gaining profound siddhi which enabled him to bind gods and spirits to his service.

The cave in which he meditated became known as Pelphug or Drubphug.

The nine sacred caves at Paro Taksang[edit]

  • Machig Phug (ma gcig phug) - the cave where Machik Labdron meditated.
  • Senge Phug (sen ge phug)- the cave where Guru Rinpoche meditated on Vajra Kilaya.
  • Pelphug (dpal phug) - the cave where Guru Rinpoche meditated for four months on phur pa'i lha tshogs and
  • Drolo Phug (gro lod phug)
  • Osel Phug ('od gsal phug)
  • Gedig Phug (dge sdig phug)
  • Chogyal Phug (chos rgyal phug)
  • Kapali Phug (ka pa li phug)
  • Phagmo Phug (phag mo phug)
Paro Taksang

Lhakhang[edit]

There are seven chapels within the present temple complex:

  • Drubkhang (sgrub khang)
  • Chapel of the Speaking Guru (gu ru gsung byon ma'i lha khang)
  • Dröllo Lhakhang (gro lod lha khang)
  • Chapel of Amitayus (rtse dpag med lha khang)
  • Chapel of Vaishravana (rnam sras lha khang)
  • Shrine room of Nedag Senge Samdup (seng ge bsam grub gnas khang)
  • Chapel of Marpa, Milarepa and Gampopa (mar mi dvags sum lha khang)


Consruction of Temple[edit]

The first known temple at Taksang Pelphug was built in about c. 1508 by Sonam Gyaltsen a Nyingma lama belonging to the Kathog lineage who was invited from Tibet by Taksang Lama Nganggyu (ngang rgyud). Lama Sonam Gyaltsen resided at nearby Urgyen Tsemo temple above Taksang, which had been established by his uncle Yeshi Bunpa (). Sonam Gyaltsen transmitted 46 volumes of the Nyinma Gyudbum to his disciples. Taksang remained in the care of his family lineage until the 17th Century.

In 1645 Shabdrung Ngawang Namgyal with his Nyingma teacher Rigdzin Nyingpo, a descendant of [[Terton Sangye Lingpa], and the temple was offered to him.

Construction of a large Lhakhang at Taksang Pelphug was begun by Shabdrung Rinpoche's successor Gyalse Tenzin Rabgye in 1692. The construction was supervised by the artisan Grags-pa rGya-mtsho. Sacred images were made by the Newar artists Pañca Deva, Darma Deva and Darma Shrī.

Fires and Restoration[edit]

Alternate Names & Spellings[edit]

References[edit]

  • John A. Ardussi: Gyalse Tenzin Rabgye and the Founding of Taktsang Lhakhang. Journal of Bhutan Studies, 1:1, 1999
  • Guide to Taktshang (གནས་ཆེན་སྟག་ཚང་ལམ་འཁྲིད)/ Restored Taktshang (ཉམས་གསོ་ཞུགས་པའི་སྟག་ཚང་), Department of Culture, Thimphu, Bhutan 2005. ISBN 9993661716

External Links[edit]