Tshurphu Monastery

Tshurphu Monastery is located in Doilung Deqen County, about 70 kilometers away from Lhasa. It is about 4300 meters above the sea level. Tshurphu Monastery is the main monastery of Karma Kargyu in Tibet. It has a history of 800 years. It is said that Karma Kargyu firstly created the rule of reincarnation.

Tshurphu Monastery faces south. It was built by the fist Karmapa in 1189. He realized that all the people could get energy from Cakrasamvara at Tshurphu Monastery. It developed rapidly and there are 400 lamas in the monastery.

The large construction of Tshurphu Monastery centers on the assembly hall, including the shrines and chapels, and libraries for the important Buddhism classics and scriptures, institute of Buddhism studies and the residence of the Buddhists.

Tshurphu Monastery – Legend

There are many versions about the name origin of Tshurphu Monastery. Among which two of them are widely accepted.

The first version said that Tshurphu means Feilai (Flying). It is said that Tshurphu Monastery flied here from India. The second version goes that the founder of Tshurphu Monastery found this place is a treasure land when he passed through here. And he decided to build a monastery here and named it Tshurphu Monastery. Tshurphu means extremely prosperous in Tibetan.

Tshurphu Monastery – History

Tshurphu Monastery is thought to be the most important monastery of Karma Kargyu. The rule of reincarnation created by First Karmapa was carried out in Tshurphu Monastery firstly.

The Sceond Karmapa – Karma Pakshi was thought to be the incarnation of the First Karmapa in Tshurphu Monastery. Since then the Tulku tradition was started. The tradition was inherited successively and Ogyen Trinley Dorje is the 17th Karmapa.

Tshurphu Monastery has been the practice place of the excellent celebrities, including the Karmapas. The constructions of Tshurphu Monastery represent the traditional Tibetan art achievements.

Tshurphu Monastery – Cultural Relics

There is a large quantity of rare and precious cultural relics in Tshurphu Monastery. The ancient monastery tablet carved with ancient Tibetan is of great significance in the research of the politic, economic and religion in Tubo Kingdom Period.

Most of the historical and cultural relics in Tshurphu Monastery are well preserved. Some of them are stored in the Buddhism statues while others were kept in the Buddhism pagodas. There are some holy relics hided in the famous big Buddhist statue in Tshurphu Monastery.

The silver statue manufactured by the eighth Karmapa to memorize his guide is the treasure of Tshurphu Monastery. There is a legend goes that the silver statue suspended in the air for 7 days after it was completed. Besides, the ancient implements are also precious treasures of Tshurphu Monastery. There is a series of cultural sites on the hill surround the monastery, including the celestial burial platform and the cave in which the karmapas isolated themselves for practicing the Buddhism.