Contents

Yangpachen Monastery

Yangpachen Monastery
Dorje Ling Ani Gompa Nunnery, 2006
Religion
Affiliation	Tibetan Buddhism
Location
Location	Yangpachen, Tibet Autonomous Region
Country	China
Location within Tibet Autonomous Region
Geographic coordinates	29°59′33″N 90°24′48″E / 29.9924°N 90.4134°E / 29.9924; 90.4134
Architecture
Date established	1504

Part of a serieson
Tibetan Buddhism
Schools Nyingma Kadam Sakya Bodong Kagyu Jonang Gelug Rimé
Key personalities First dissemination Padmasambhāva Śāntarakṣita Kamalaśīla Songtsen Gampo Trisong Detsen Ralpacan Second dissemination Atiśa Talika Abhayakirti Niguma Sukhasiddhi Milarepa Nyingma Yeshe Tsogyal Longchenpa Jigme Lingpa Patrul Rinpoche Dudjom Lingpa Mipham Kagyu Marpa Rangjung Dorje Jonang Dolpopa Taranatha Sakya Sakya Pandita Gorampa Bodongpa Samding Dorje Phagmo Gelugpa Je Tsongkhapa 5th Dalai Lama 13th Dalai Lama 14th Dalai Lama 10th Panchen Lama
Teachings General Buddhist Three marks of existence Skandha Cosmology Saṃsāra Rebirth Bodhisattva Dharma Dependent origination Karma Tibetan Four Tenets system Rangtong-Shentong Svatantrika-Prasaṅgika distinction Nyingma Dzogchen Pointing-out instruction
Practices and attainment Lamrim Pāramitās Bodhicitta Avalokiteśvara Meditation Laity Vajrayana Tantra techniques Deity yoga Guru yoga Dream yoga Thukdam Buddhahood
Major monasteries Tradruk Drepung Dzogchen Ganden Jokhang Kumbum Labrang Mindrolling Namgyal Narthang Nechung Pabonka Palcho Ralung Ramoche Rato Sakya Sanga Sera Shalu Tashi Lhunpo Tsurphu Yerpa
Institutional roles Dalai Lama Panchen Lama Lama Karmapa Rinpoche Geshe Tertön Tulku Western tulku
Festivals Chotrul Duchen Dajyur Galdan Namchot Losar Dosmoche Monlam Sho Dun Losoong
Texts Kangyur Tengyur Tibetan Buddhist canon Mahayana sutras Nyingma Gyubum
Art Sand mandala Thangka Wall paintings Ashtamangala Tree of physiology Festival thangka Mani stone
History and overview History Timeline Outline Culture Index of articles
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Yangpachen Monastery is a Tibetan Buddhist monasteryinYangpachen (Tibetan: yangs pa can; Thub btsan yangs pa can), in the Lhasa PrefectureofTibet. It is historically the seat of the ShamarpasofKarma Kagyü. It is about 85 km (53 mi) southeast of Lhasa "on the northern side of the Lhorong Chu valley above the Lhasa-Shigatse highway."^[1]

It was founded around 1504 (520 years ago) (1504) by the 4th Shamarpa who on finding the site proclaimed, "There shall be a monastery built on the left side of the Yangpachen as the support for Kagyu teachings and symbol of everlasting victory".^[2] Yangpachen Gompa was founded by Murab Jampa Tujepel in 1490 under the auspices of the fourth Sharmapa and financed by the Prince of Rinpung. It was the residence of the Sharmapas for only 300 years.... When the Gorkhalis under Pritvi Narayan Shah, king of the newly unified Kingdom of Nepal, invaded Tibet in 1792 to be defeated by a Chinese army, the tenth Sharmapa was accused of traitorous support of the Nepalis. A modern Tibetologist proved this interpretation of history to be wrong and showed that the Shamarpa mediated in this conflict.^[3] (In 1963, following a request from the 16th Karmapa, the Tibetan Government in Exile lifted the ban.) "Yangpachen was confiscated by the Gelukpas, the Sharmapa's hat was buried and recognition of future incarnations was prohibited. In Nepal the present fourteenth Sharmapa has resumed his full status amongst the Karma Kagyupas."^[4]

The monastery was attacked around 1966 during the Cultural Revolution by the Chinese forces and totally destroyed, but is now being rebuilt.^[2]

"The principal lhakang contains some new images; the Pelkor Gomkang contains an original image of Chakdrukpa (Mahakala) that resisted attempts to destroy it; but the image of Chakdrukpa in the Sinon Gomkang has vanished, along with the glory of Yangpachen."^[4]

The associated Dorje Ling (rDo rje gling) Ani Gompa or nunnery is about a day's walk from Yangpachen Monastery and two days' walk north of Tsurphu. It is at the bottom of the eastern face of a long ridge with magnificent views of the high Nyenchen Tanglha range to the north. By 1986 the lhakang and domestic quarters had been rebuilt after the depredations of the Cultural Revolution, and about 30 anis (nuns) were again in residence.^[5]