Samye

Photo

by Gerd Eichmann

/ CC BY-SA 4.0

Samye is one of the oldest and most significant monasteries in Tibet, not China. Founded in the 8th century under the patronage of King Trisong Detsen, it was the first Buddhist monastery established in Tibet and is considered the birthplace of Tibetan Buddhism. Located in the Shannan Prefecture, Samye Monastery features a unique mandala design, with a central temple symbolizing the mythical Mount Meru, surrounded by four smaller temples. It was here that the great scholar Padmasambhava, also known as Guru Rinpoche, helped to establish the foundations of Vajrayana Buddhism.

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