Chapter 12 10. Thoughts on Sakya Monastery

The Zhongqu River Valley is rich in water and grass, and the green grass is like weaving; under the setting sun, the Sakya Temple stands like a city that flies from the sky, bathed in golden light, standing in it.I can't help but sigh in my heart that it is a miracle that such a closed area as Issachar became the ruling center of such a large territory as Tibet. Among the many temples in Tibet, Sakya Monastery is arguably the most famous one.Sakya Monastery is famous all over the world for its large number of colorful murals and scriptures, and is known as the "Second Dunhuang".Sakya Monastery is located in Sakya County, about 160 kilometers southwest of Shigatse.

The Sakya Monastery was not included in our itinerary. Since each of us has long been full of yearning for the Sakya Monastery, since we left the Everest base camp, we have been constantly talking with the driver, demanding Can take us along the way.After arriving in Lazi County, the driver finally agreed to visit the Sakya Monastery on the way back to Shigatse.Depart from Lazi County at noon, go east along National Highway 318 for more than 100 kilometers, turn south to the county-level road in Sakya County, and drive for more than an hour to Sakya County.The first thing that catches the eye is a gentle gray slope. Sakya means "grey-white land" in Tibetan, which refers to the color of the soil here.The Sakya Monastery is built on the mountain and is divided into two by the Zhongqu River.The North Temple on the north side of the river is in ruins, only a few newly built white pagodas stand there alone.The South Temple on the south bank of the river is large in scale, especially the red, white, and gray color bands painted longitudinally along the courtyard wall, which are clearly visible, and people can tell it is a "Flower Sect" temple at a glance.Looking around, I found that the exterior walls of all buildings in the entire Sakya County were decorated with these three colors.It is said that among the three colors, red symbolizes Manjusri Bodhisattva, white symbolizes Guanyin Bodhisattva, and gray symbolizes Vajradhara Bodhisattva. The three colors form flowers, so the Sakya sect is also called "Flower Sect".

Exterior view of the main hall of Sakya Monastery At the east gate of the only entrance of Sakya Temple, I spent 30 yuan to buy a ticket, and then entered the main hall of Sakya Temple after passing through a patio-style courtyard.The long-term travel in Tibet has made us consciously maintain a kind of solemnity every time we go to such religious places.The guide Gesang Wuzhu, who accompanied us on the trip for many days, showed his rich historical knowledge at this time, and began to talk about the development history of the Sakya Sect. The Sakya sect was founded in the eleventh century by the ancient Tibetan aristocrat Kun Gongjuejiebu, and the North Temple of the Sakya Temple was established in 1073 AD.The Sakya sect stipulates that monks can marry wives and have children, but they can no longer approach women after giving birth.Both political and religious power are concentrated in the family and passed on in the form of family.When the Sakya sect was passed on to the fifth patriarch, Bhaspa, the sect was further developed.Basiba is a famous figure in the history of our country, not only for religious reasons, but also because he has made important contributions to the unification of the motherland.Basiba, whose real name is Luo Zhuijianzan, has been extremely intelligent since he was a child. It is said that he could recite scriptures at the age of 3 and lecture to monks at the age of 8, so he was called "Phasiba", which means child prodigy.At the age of 26, Phagsiba was named "National Teacher" and "Emperor Teacher" by Kublai Khan of the Yuan Dynasty. He created the Mongolian script for the Yuan Dynasty and was authorized to control the political and religious power in Tibet. At this time, Tibet officially belonged to the Yuan Dynasty.Tibet returned to the embrace of the motherland for the first time, and the people of the snow-covered plateau finally joined the big family of the Chinese nation.

Taking pictures in front of the prayer wheel inside Sakya Monastery Knowing the historical background of the Sakya sect, we began to visit the main hall of the Sakya Temple carefully with great reverence. The correct name of this main hall should be "Grand Sutra Hall".The most striking thing is the many thick wooden pillars in the hall, four of which are the most prominent, each as thick as 1.2 meters, and each pillar has a myth and legend, and it is displayed on the murals in the hall. Write it down in detail.The main worship Buddha in the main hall is the statue of Sakyamuni. There are a large number of beautiful butter flowers in front of the Buddha statue. The shape is unique and vivid. It is hard to imagine that it is made of butter, which is amazing.Turning around the main worship Buddha in the main hall, there is a huge library, tens of thousands of scriptures copied in Tibetan, Mongolian, Sanskrit, and Chinese are stacked densely, reaching the top of the hall, which is like a wall of books.Among them is the world's largest scripture, which is 1.3 meters wide, 1.7 meters long and 1 meter thick, copied from gold powder.On the second floor of the main hall, there are two stupas called "Pingcuo Phodrang" and "Dolma Phodrang", as well as a large number of books.In the east side hall of the main hall, the spiritual pagodas of eleven masters of the Sakya sect are enshrined.The Xibei Hall is the place where the art of making sand-painted mandala (also known as "mandala") is taught. This is a dojo where the tantric deity originated from ancient India to practice tantra.On the right side and behind of the entire Sutra hall are Basiba's office and a large row of monk's houses.

The murals of the Sakya Temple, which has always been praised, did not make me feel happy, unlike the flying goddess in the murals of Dunhuang, which gave people a beautiful feeling.The murals of the Sakya Temple depict all kinds of monsters with a circle of skulls and mouths wide open, and ghosts and ghosts holding human internal organs, which are rough and terrifying.Especially on the door beam of a side hall, there are five hideous specimens of jackals, which is frightening... All of them show different characteristics from other sects. Door decoration of the side hall of Sakya Monastery

Looking at the Sakya Monastery, its architectural pattern is like a castle, in a square shape, surrounded by two walls, with turrets at the four corners and a blockhouse in the middle.From this, one can imagine how glorious and prosperous it used to be here.The Sakya Monastery is not only a temple, but also an administrative organ. The first hereditary local government of theocracy and religion in Tibetan history was established here.Therefore, Sakya Monastery became the local political, religious and cultural center at that time. The emergence and development of the Sakya sect is only a small part of the entire development process of Tibetan Buddhism.Opening up the development history of Tibetan Buddhism will play a very important role in our understanding of Tibet and the Tibetan people.During the reign of Songtsen Gampo in the seventh century AD.Tibet was formally unified and a unified Tibetan script was established. In order to strengthen and stabilize the unified regime, Songtsen Gampo attached great importance to and supported Buddhism, and married Princess Chizun of Nepal and Princess Wencheng of the Tang Dynasty successively.The two princesses are both from countries where Buddhism is prevalent. When they entered Tibet, they brought a large number of Buddhist scriptures and statues.During this period, a group of Buddhist monks came from the mainland and the Western Regions to spread Buddhism.When Chisong Detsen, the grandson of Songtsan Gampo and the son of Princess Jincheng, came to the throne, he invited the eminent Indian monk Master Jihu to Tibet; after that, Master Padmasambhava also came to Tibet to teach the Dharma.Master Padmasambhava was well versed in esoteric dharma. After entering Tibet, he subdued many gods and demons and made them the protectors of Buddhism. He established the Samye Monastery and selected seven outstanding Tibetan children to become monks. This is the first batch of monks in Tibet. Jue Shi".Since then, a number of temples have been built one after another, a large number of Tibetans have become monks, and a large number of Buddhist scriptures have been translated into Tibetan. Buddhism prevailed in the snow-covered plateau, known as the "pre-exposure period" of Tibetan Buddhism.

In the eleventh century A.D., Lang Dama believed in the Bon religion and killed monks and Buddhas. Soon after, he was assassinated by monk Beiji Dorji.After that, Master Atisha from India went to Tibet to promote Buddhism. At the same time, other Buddhist masters also did a lot of work for the restoration of Buddhism in Tibet. Buddhism became prevalent in Tibet again.The newly promoted Buddhism is obviously different from the Buddhism spread in the "pre-expanding period". After a long struggle with the Bon religion, it infiltrated each other and absorbed a lot of things from the Bon religion, thus becoming a local form of Buddhism in Tibet. .Since then, Tibetan Buddhism has been spread and developed in the snowy plateau and other places with its unique theoretical system and religious form.

After Tibetan Buddhism has gone through the "pre-expansion period" and "post-expansion period", due to the separatist regime in Tibet at that time and different teachers and teachers, many sects have been formed.In addition to the above-mentioned Sakya sect, there are the following four main sects: Nyingma school. "Nyingma" in Tibetan means "ancient" or "old". It refers to the Buddhism of Tibet's "pre-explosion period" relative to the "post-explosion period" Buddhism.This school attaches great importance to Tantric Buddhism and promotes the old secret mantras.Because the Nyingma monks wear red monk clothes, it is commonly known as "Red Sect".

Kadampa. "Karma" in Tibetan means "Buddhist language", and "Dang" means "teacher" or "teaching", that is, to use Buddhist language to teach people to accept the principles and teachings of Buddhism.The Kadampa sect originates from Master Atisha, who uses Rezhen Temple as the fundamental Taoist place to promote Buddhism. developed on the basis and replaced the faction. Kagyu sect.The Tibetan word "Kagyu" means "oral inheritance".Because the esoteric practice of this sect is passed down from master to disciple by word of mouth, it is called "Kagyu sect"; and because the monks of this sect wear white monk clothes, it is commonly known as "White Sect".The Kagyu sect has complex inheritance and many schools, but they all originated from the two venerables Marpa and Milarepa. The living Buddha reincarnation system of Tibetan Buddhism began with the Karma Kagyu of this sect. The Kagyu sect has a long history in Tibet. It has a huge influence on the world, and it still occupies a place in Tibetan Buddhism.

Gelug faction.This sect is the latest sect among the various sects of Tibetan Buddhism. It was founded by Master Tsongkhapa in the early fifteenth century based on the teachings of the Kadam sect and absorbing the classic teachings of other sects.The power and influence of the Gelug Sect are unmatched by other sects. The reincarnation systems of the Dalai Lama and the Panchen Lama all originated from this sect.The formation of the Gelug Sect systematized the philosophy of Tibetan Buddhism, and politically promoted the "unity of politics and religion" in Tibet. This sect occupies the dominant position of Tibetan Buddhism.Because the monks of the Gelug Sect wear yellow hats, it is commonly known as the "Yellow Sect".

I have visited many temples in Tibet, but I have never felt as deeply touched as I did after visiting the Sakya Monastery.For many days, I have been thinking about such a question, what will attract me to come to Tibet after all the hardships, is it the vast nature, the mysterious religion, or the tenacious Tibetan people, maybe it is their organic combination.But in any case, the understanding of Tibetan Buddhism is your key to unlock the mysterious door of Tibet. I have long heard that the knives of Sakya County are very famous in Tibetan areas, and its steel processing and quenching techniques are unique.I saw a few good knives in a small shop in Sakya County. Although I couldn't put it down, I gave up because the controlled knives were not suitable for carrying. In the evening, when we were about to leave Sakya County, we looked back at this historic city, and saw that the Zhongqu River Valley was rich in water and grass, and greenery was woven; in the setting sun, the Sakya Temple was like a city flying from the sky, bathed in golden light, towering in.I can't help but sigh in my heart that it is a miracle that such a closed area as Issachar became the ruling center of such a large territory as Tibet.