Sera Monastery

There are 3 famous monasteries in Lhass: The Sera Monastery, the Drepung Monastery and the Ganden Monastery. The Sera Monastery locates in the northern suburb of Lhasa City. The Sera Monastery is in honour of the Gelugpa or Yellow Hat Sect which is founded as a branch of Tibetan Buddhism, founded by Tsong Khapa. Jamchen Chojey.It is built in 1419 by one of Tsong Khapa's disciples b during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644). The name Sera means wild rose in Tibetan because the wild roses behind the hills were in bloom when the monastery has been finished.
With an area of 114,946 square meters, the Sera Monastery includes Coqen Hall, Zhacang (college) and Kamcun (dormitory) as the main buildings. In these halls, we can see the scriptures with gold powder, scent cloth, unparalleled murals and fine statues on. In here, we can see the debates on Buddhist doctrines in a style distinctive from other monasteries.

Zhacang
Zhacang stands for the arena for the monks to learn the Buddhist Classic in Buddhist College in Tibetan. Me Zhacang, Je Zhacang and Ngaba Zhacang are the 3 Zhacangs in the Sera Minastery. Of the 3, the Me Zhacang was the oldest since it was built in 1419 in Ming Dynasty; the Hayagriva of the Je Zhacang is very famous around Tibet while the Ngaba Zhacang is the smallest and newest arena and its founder is worshipped.

Sera Bengqin Festival
As a grand festival held on December 27 of the Tibetan calendar, the Sera Bengqin Festival is well welcomed. The Dalai Lama prays and bless the carried Dorje Pestle. Then, the Khenpo (president) of the Ngaba Zhacang will place the pestle on the monks. The people who believe in the super powers can be transferred. Because it only happens at the Sera Monastery, so it attracts a lot of people to witness the holy ceremony.

Coqen Hall
Built in 1710, the Coqen Hall locates in the northeast of themonastery. It is a four-storey building. With an the area of 2.000 square meters, the main assembly hall is the place for different kinds of rituals supported by 125 pillars of varying heights. The 5 chapels are in honour of the Maitreya, Sakyamuni, Arhats, Tsong Khapa, and Kwan-yin who has one thousand hands and eleven faces. the monastery doesn’t only hold 105 out of the original 108 volumes, but also hold the delicate Gangyur of Tripitaka in Tibetan which is the proudest possession. The volumes originally printed by engraving were presented as a gift to Jamchen Chojey by Chengzhu, a Ming Dynasty Emperor.

Kamcun
Kamcuns are the places in which the monks usually eat and sleep. There are thirty-three Kamcuns which have a central court-yard in Sera Monastery and they are in different sizes. Each contains different halls to read the doctrine, houses to live in and tea houses.The numbers of monks living in each house is not fixed. The monks living in the same Kamcun usually comes from the same or neigboring areas.

The scenic spots in Sera Monastery
The Ngaba Zhacang
It is the smallest in size of the 3 Zhacang which served as the earliest Tsochin Hall in this monastery. Sagya Yeshes was the one to build the main chapel of the Zhacang, and he has a status to be enshrined in the hall with other famous lamas on each sides. The presents from the Ming Emperor to Sagya Yeshes are placed in the left of the 2 small chapels-- the sixteen Arhats carved with white sandalwood. YAMANTAKA and Palden Lhamo are honored in the right one.

The Meba Zhacang
With an area of 1,600 square meters, the Meba Zhacang was built in 1419 by Sagya Yeshe. The bronze statues of Sakyamuni, Maitreya (the future Buddha) and Manjusri are worshiped here.

Debating of Buddhist Doctrines
In Sera Monastery, a unique activity draws a lot of attention from people. The debating of Buddhist Doctorines is a traditional way to gain monkes’ understanding of Buddhism from India. It usually takes place under a big tree on the right side of the Gyi Zhacang for over 100 monkes. Learning Yellow Hat Sect of Tibetan Buddhism is a step-by-step process. The debate is a form which allows the monks to get further comprehensive understanding and advanced levels of study.
It usually goes like this: one of them stands in front of others and states his understanding of Buddhism. Others sit in front of him and form a circle, asking questions. Then the one answers and goes on debating. When the standing monk delivers an animated clapping of his hands, he means that has found really important arguments. However, when he slaps the back of one hand to the palm of the other, he means that he has failed to express himself.
If you are interested in this, you’d better arrive early because a lot of people are interested in it.

The Tsochin Hall
As the largest building in the monastery, the Tsochin Hall was built in 1709 by Lazang Han, the son of Gushe Han. It can hold 5000 monks at the same time. So, it is an important place to hold activities and ceremonies with 108 pillars in 1,092 square meters. On the second floor are thousand-arm and Thousand eye Avolokitesvara and
The statue of Sagya Yeshes, the Future Buddha (Maitreya) and his eight disciples, Zongkaba and his Two disciples are also enshrined here.
The admission Fee is CNY55 and you’d better spend hours to enjoy the beauty. It opens from 9 to 16. If you want to go there by taxi, it costs 15 but you can save some if you are good at bargaining.

Other attractive things in the Monastery
In the Tibetan Calendar, from June 30 to July 6, the Buddha-Unfolding Festival is held.  This festival provides a fantastic chance to worship the Buddha which is open to both locals and tourists. behind the Sera Monastery there is a hill for celestial bury place. However, visitors are forbidden to witness a celestial burial because of the local customs.

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