Explore world’s largest hidden monastic town to get a glimpse of Tibetan monastic life
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| Sichuan's Giant Leshan Buddha |
Few may have heard of it — as it’s not easy to get to — but once it is seen, viewers will understand why it’s so special.
Imagine a valley completely covered with thousands of tiny red cabins, all packed tightly together on the hillsides. These are the homes of Tibetan monks (lama) and nuns (ani) who come here from all over the Tibetan Plateau to study and practice Vajrayana Buddhism.
NALANDA was a renowned Buddhist university or "great monastery" (maha vihara) in ancient and medieval Magadha (modern Bihar), eastern India, widely considered among the greatest centers of learning in the ancient world and often referred to as "the world's first residential university" [9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14], like Timbuktu in Africa and much older than Oxford, but destroyed by Muslim marauders. It was located near the city of Rajagriha (Rajgir), roughly 90 kms (56 miles) southeast of Pataliputra (Patna), operating for almost a thousand years from 427 CE until around 1400 CE [15][16] and playing a vital role in promoting the patronage of arts, culture, and academics. More
The ruins of Nalanda Buddhist University
This video is a look around Larung Gar, the heart of Seda (Sertar or Serthar) — the massive Buddhist academy that has been quietly growing since the 1980s.
SERTAR (Tibetan གསེར་ཐར་རྫོང།, Chinese 色达县) is a county in the northwest of Sichuan province, China, bordering Qinghai province to the north. It is one of the 18 counties under the administration of the Garzê Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, covering 9,340 square kms (3,606 square miles). Sêrtar means "Golden Freedom" [Golden Horse?] in Tibetan. It lies in the southeast of the Tibetan Plateau in the historical region of Kham. The vast majority of the population is Tibetan, followed by Han Chinese. Sêrtar comprises 17 towns and 66 villages and is the home of:%20largest,%20china,%20vajrayana,%20institute.jpg)
From here, we will save the world by magic - *LARUNG GAR - Larung Gar Buddhist Institute, the largest Tibetan Buddhist institute in the world, formally named the Serta Larung Five Sciences Buddhist Academy. The institute was founded by Lama Jigme Phuntsok in 1980, beginning with just a few monks. It now houses tens of thousands of monks and pilgrims from around the world [2], which constitute the vast majority of the Sêrtar population. Most monks spend 6 to 13 years completing their training. The institute, divided into two main segments and spread over just a few square kms, is located in a valley about 15 kms from the town of Sêrtar. A permit is occasionally required for non-Chinese nationals to enter the institute. Sêrtar is remotely located and requires more than half a day's driving if travelling from Chengdu via Maerkang. It is also possible to travel from Xining, the capital of Qinghai. Sêrtar is at an altitude of 4,100 meters (13,500 feet above sea level), so temperatures range between a maximum of 30 °C (86 °F) in summer and a minimum of −30 °C (−22 °F) in winter. More
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It is a place of devotion, discipline, and deep spiritual life, hidden away from the outside world.
Let’s go through the narrow paths between the red homes to see what daily life looks like here and try to get a sense of what it feels like to be in such a peaceful spiritual environment.
We’ll visit the main prayer halls, catch a glimpse of the study sessions, and have a chance to see some of the unique local traditions.
For those interested in Tibetan culture, Himalayan Vajrayana (Tantrayana, Mantrayana, Esoteric Bon-infused) Buddhism, or those who just love discovering places most travelers never get to see, this is it. This is going to be something very special.
Let’s explore Seda.
Questions on requirements for a tour of Tibet, please never hesitate to contact Jamyang Tour:
- Email jamyangtour@gmail.com
- Wechat ID: Jamyang-1234
- Website: tibettravel.org
- Facebook: tibetvista
- Jamyang, Tibet Travel ( Tibet Vista ), May 23, 2025; Amber Larson, CC Liu, Dhr. Seven (eds.), Wisdom Quarterly
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