Drepung Monastery

File:Repaired entrance, Drepung, 1993.JPG

Drepung Monastery was founded in 1416 by Jamyang Choge Tashi Palden (1397–1449), one of Tsongkhapa's main disciples, and it was named after the sacred abode in South India of Shridhanyakataka.Dorje (1999), p. 113.

Drepung was the principal seat of the Gelugpa school and it retained the premier place amongst the four great Gelugpa monasteries.Dowman (1988), p. 67. The Ganden Phodrang (dga´ ldan pho brang) in Drepung was the residence of the Dalai Lamas until the Great Fifth Dalai Lama constructed the Potala. Drepung was known for the high standards of its academic study, and was called the Nalanda of Tibet, a reference to the great Buddhist monastic university of India.

Old records show that there were two centres of power in Drepung: the so-called lower chamber (Zimkhang 'og ma)gong ma 'og ma - the higher and the lower, the one above and the one under

associated with the Dalai Lamas-to-be, and the upper chamber (Zimkhang gong ma) associated with the descendants of Sonam Drakpa, an illustrious teacher who died in 1554.{{cite web |url=http://www.tibet.com/dholgyal/CTA-book/chapter-5-3.html |title=Why the Dalai Lama Rejects Shugden |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/19991010111923/http://www.tibet.com/dholgyal/CTA-book/chapter-5-3.html |archive-date=1999-10-10 }} The estate of the Dalai Lamas at Drepung Monastery, called Ganden Phodrang, had been constructed in 1518 by Gendun Gyatso Palzangpo (1476–1541), retrospectively named and counted as 2nd Dalai Lama. The name of the Tibetan government established by the 5th Dalai Lama came from the name of this estate.

Penchen Sönam Drakpa (1478-1554 CE) in 1535 succeeded Gendün Gyatso (1476–1541) on the Throne of Drepung, both of them being major figures in the history of the Geluk tradition. By the time Sönam Drakpa was appointed to the Throne of Drepung (Drepung Tri), he was already a famous Geluk master. He had already occupied the Throne of Ganden (Ganden Tri) and was considered the most prolific and important Geluk thinker of his time. His successor was none other than Sönam Gyatso (1543-1588 CE), the lama who would receive the official title of the Third Dalai Lama (Talé Lama Kutreng Sumpa).

Before his death in 1554, Sönam Drakpa established his own estate, the Upper Chamber (Zimkhang Gongma), which was named because of its location at the top of Drepung, just below the Ngakpa debating courtyard "Ngagpa Dratshang".

Tibetan Buddhist Resource Center attributes the following Name variants to Penchen Sönam Drakpa: "bsod nams grags pa [primaryName], paN chen bsod nams grags pa [title], khri 15 bsod nams grags pa [primaryTitle], rtses thang paN chen bsod nams grags pa [title],

gzims khang gong ma 01 bsod nams grags pa [title], this last one referring to the Seat of the Upper Chamber established in 1554.[http://www.tbrc.org/kb/tbrc-detail.xq?RID=P101 TBRC]{{dead link|date=June 2013}} According to TBRC his successors referring to the estate of the Zimkhang Gongma were Sonam Yeshe Wangpo (1556–92),[http://www.tbrc.org/kb/tbrc-detail.xq?RID=P1000 TBRC bsod nams ye shes dbang po (gzims khang gong ma 02)]{{dead link|date=June 2013}} Sonam Gelek Palzang (1594–1615)[http://www.tbrc.org/kb/tbrc-detail.xq?RID=P5585 TBRC bsod nams dge legs dpal bzang (gzims khang gong ma 03)]{{dead link|date=June 2013}} and Tulku Dragpa Gyaltsen (1619–1656)[https://web.archive.org/web/20220331024222/https://www.tbrc.org/kb/tbrc-detail.xq?RID=P1729 TBRC grags pa rgyal mtshan (gzims khang gong ma 04)] - closely connected to the famous story of Dorje Shugden. (Some say{{Citation needed|reason=Who? -dead link is noted|date=June 2017}} that Drakpa Gyeltsen was Sönam Drakpa’s second reincarnation,[http://www.thdl.org/xml/show.php?xml=/collections/cultgeo/mons/drepung/essays/drepung-intro.xml&l=d1e2390&v=p Drepung: An Introduction by Georges Dreyfus (April 10, 2006)]{{dead link|date=June 2013}} but usually he is considered to be the 4th incarnation of Panchen Sonam Dragpa).{{cite web |url=http://studybuddhism.com/web/en/archives/study/history_buddhism/buddhism_tibet/gelug/brief_history_ganden_monastery.html |title=Brief History of Ganden Monastery |publisher=StudyBuddhism.com |date=2012-11-21 |access-date=2016-06-05 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160901211422/http://studybuddhism.com/web/en/archives/study/history_buddhism/buddhism_tibet/gelug/brief_history_ganden_monastery.html |archive-date=2016-09-01 |url-status=live }} It seems to be commonly accepted that Dragpa Gyaltsen was the fourth holder of the gzims khang gong ma incarnation line. According to Tibetan Buddhist Resource Center gzims khang gong ma 04 grags pa rgyal mtshan has been his "primaryTitle".[https://web.archive.org/web/20220331024222/https://www.tbrc.org/kb/tbrc-detail.xq?RID=P1729 TBRC] Since the search for his reincarnation has been banned, he has been the last one.

Chapman reported that in the late 1930s Drepung was divided into four colleges, each housing monks from a different locality: "one being favoured by Khampas, another by Mongolians, and so on." Each college was presided over by an abbot who had been appointed by the late 13th Dalai Lama.Chapman F. Spencer. Lhasa the Holy City, p. 198. Readers Union Ltd., London.

Drepung is now divided into what are known as the seven great colleges: Gomang (sGo-mang), Loseling (Blo-gsal gling), Deyang (bDe-dbyangs), Shagkor (Shag-skor), Gyelwa (rGyal-ba) or Tosamling (Thos-bsam gling), Dulwa (‘Dul-ba), and Ngagpa (sNgags-pa). It can be a somewhat useful analogy to think of Drepung as a university along the lines of Oxford or the Sorbonne in the Middle Ages, the various colleges having different emphases, teaching lineages, or traditional geographical affiliations.

According to local sources{{Citation needed|date=November 2014}}, today the population at the monastery in Lhasa is about 300 monks, due to population capping enforced by the Chinese government. However, the institution has continued its tradition in exile with campuses in South India on land in Karnataka given to the Tibetan community in exile by Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru. The monastery in India today houses over 5,000 celibate monks, with around 3,000 at Drepung Loseling and some 2,000 at Drepung Gomang. Hundreds of new monks are admitted each year, many of them refugees from Tibet.

The Ganden-Phodrang-Palace situated at Drepung Monastery was constructed by the 2nd Dalai Lama in 1518{{cite book|url={{Google books |id=bJPTTw4TtvAC |page=174 |plainurl=yes }} |title=Tibet. Kunst-Reisefόhrer: Lamaistische Klosterkultur, nomadische ... |author=Karl-Heinz Everding |access-date=2013-06-05}} and declared his chief residence/governmental palace until the inauguration of Potala Palace by the 5th Dalai Lama.

Almost half of the older monastic buildings was destroyed after the Chinese arrived in Lhasa in 1951. The chief buildings including the four colleges, the Tsokchen, and the Dalai Lamas' residence were preserved.

The first reported demonstration during the 2008 Tibetan uprising anniversary was on 10 March 2008, when a group of 300-400 monks from Drepung monastery marched to Lhasa's center demanding religious freedom and the release of Drepung monks arrested a year earlier. Chinese police blocked their route, and a sitting protest began. Reportedly, some monks were thrown to the ground and kicked,{{cite web|url= https://www.hrw.org/report/2010/07/21/i-saw-it-my-own-eyes/abuses-chinese-security-forces-tibet-2008-2010 |title=I saw it with my own eyes: Abuses by Chinese security forces in Tibet, 2008-2010 |date=21 July 2010 |publisher=Human Rights Watch |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200914080327/https://www.hrw.org/report/2010/07/21/i-saw-it-my-own-eyes/abuses-chinese-security-forces-tibet-2008-2010 |archive-date=September 14, 2020}} and up to 60 monks were arrested.{{cite news|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/idUSSP243117 |title=Tibetan monk protest in Lhasa draws China's ire |last=Blanchard |first=Ben |publisher=Reuters |date=11 March 2008 |access-date=30 November 2020 |quote=U.S. government-funded Radio Free Asia cited a source [...] "Authorities at a checkpoint along the way stopped and detained between 50 and 60 monks"}}

Drepung monastery was under siege four days later by Chinese forces, on 14 March 2008. Reports state forces had blocked off water, electricity, food and health facilities in Drepung Monastery and at other monasteries active in the demonstrations, including Ganden and Sera monasteries. As a consequence, monks were suffering starvation.

After the 7 April 2008 foreign press tour by Chinese authorities, 80 monks had disappeared from DrepungNirmala Carvalho, More than a thousand monks and many civilians have disappeared since the March crackdown, 29 September 2009), http://www.asianews.it/index.php?l=en&art=13322&geo=6&size=A and two from Labrang had disappeared for speaking out to reporters.

The International Herald Tribune reported that Drepung Monastery reopened in 2013 after being shut for five years.{{cite web |last=Richards |first=Huw |url=http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2008/08/29/news/China-Tibet-Monastery.php |title=Major Buddhist monastery reopens in Tibet. The Associated Press |publisher=International Herald Tribune |access-date=2013-06-05 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080915213215/http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2008/08/29/news/China-Tibet-Monastery.php |archive-date=2008-09-15 |url-status=live }}

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File:Young monks of Drepung.jpg|Young monks debating at Drepung

File:Monks in the great assembly hall at Drepung Monastery, Tibet.jpg|Monks in the great assembly hall, 2006

File:Monks chanting, Drepung monastery, Tibet.webm|Monks chanting, 2013

File:Drepung_Loseling_Monastery_(Karnataka_-_India)_(33561248421).jpg|Thankas painted on the walls of Drepung

File:Drepung monastery kitchen.jpg|Monastery kitchen, 2013

File:Ganden Phodrang.JPG|Ganden Phodrang, the Dalai Lama's residence

File:Destroyed buildings at Drepung, 1993.jpg|Destroyed buildings at Drepung, 1993

File:Drepung Loseling Monastery Temple (Karnataka - India) (32877229023).jpg|Drepung monastery in Mundgod, India

{{reflist}}

• Dorje, Gyurme. (1999). Footprint Tibet Handbook with Bhutan. 2nd Edition. Footprint Handbooks. Bath, England. {{ISBN|0-8442-2190-2}}.
• Dowman, Keith. (1988). The Power-places of Central Tibet: The Pilgrim's Guide. Routledge & Kegan Paul, London and New York. {{ISBN|0-7102-1370-0}}
• von Schroeder, Ulrich. 2001. Buddhist Sculptures in Tibet. Vol. One: India & Nepal; Vol. Two: Tibet & China. (Volume One: 655 pages with 766 illustrations; Volume Two: 675 pages with 987 illustrations). Hong Kong: Visual Dharma Publications, Ltd. {{ISBN|962-7049-07-7}}. ’Bras spungs («drepung») monastery: pp. 550, 705, 715, 830, 1004, 1005. bKra shis sgo mang grwa tshang («tashi gomang dratsang»), p. 824; Pls. 196A, 196B; Blo gsal gling grwa tshang («losaling dratsang»), p. 1005; Fig. XVI–4; Mi ’khrugs lha khang («mintrug lhakhang»), p. 824; Pls. 196A, 196B.

{{Commons category}}

• [http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/77829/Bras-spungs Bras-spungs monastery, Tibet, China] Encyclopædia Britannica
• [http://www.drepunggomang.org/ Official Website of Drepung Gomang Monastery]
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20070226124334/http://thdl.org/collections/cultgeo/mons/drepung/ A multimedia guide to Drepung]
• [http://www.drepung.org/ Drepung Loseling Institute in North America]
• [http://studybuddhism.com/web/en/archives/study/history_buddhism/buddhism_tibet/gelug/brief_history_drepung_monastery.html A Brief History of Drepung Monastery]
• [http://www.thdl.org/xml/show.php?xml=/collections/cultgeo/mons/drepung/essays/drepung-intro.xml&l=d1e2390&v=p Drepung: An Introduction by Georges Dreyfus (April 10, 2006)]{{dead link|date=December 2016 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}
• [http://www.gomang.org/ The Gomang College home page]
• [http://www.christravelblog.com/tibet-drepung-and-sera-monastery-in-lhasa-with-monks-debating/ Tibet Lhasa Drepung Monastery Tour Blog by Chris]
• [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oHA8tQuxgws Drepung Loseling video tour in 2006, Tibetan settlement in Mundgod, India]

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