Tuesday, March 30, 2010

Ladakh Buddhist monastery values discipline



An 11th century Indian Buddhist monastery values its traditional discipline in Ladakh. Lukhil Monastery has maintained its ancient practices of Buddhist culture to the present day. The ancient rituals of the three basic Pratimoksha (Patimokkha) or, personal liberation disciplines, which are the basic Buddhist teachings, are observed at the Lukhil Monastery in the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir.

Founded in the latter half of the 11th century, it belongs to the Yellow Hat Sect, founded by Tsongkhapa, a famous teacher of Tibetan Buddhism whose activities led to the formation of the Gelukpa School. The monastery consists of a number of shrines inside its complex. Presently, it serves not just as the residence of approximately 120 Buddhist monks but also as a school, where there are almost 30 students.

"King Lhachen Gyalpo, the 5th King of Ladakh, converted his palace into monastery in the 11th century. In the 15th century, Lama Nawang Chosje a famous pupil of Tsongkhapa (founder of Gelugpa order) converted the lamas to reformed doctrines of the Gelugpa order, and thus founded the monastery afresh as a Gelugpa establishment"... More>>
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