Sera Monastery

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Sera Monastery is the second biggest Gelugpa learning centre in central Tibet. It was founded in 1419 by Chamchen Choeje Shakya Yeshe at the base of the hill just north to Lhasa.

Originally Tsongkhapa stayed in retreat in a hermitage above Sera called Sera Choeding and he gave instruction to his student Chamchen Choeje to built Sera monastery.

In the monastery, there are three main colleges; Sera Je college, Sera Me College and Ngakpa College.

Traditionally the number of monks in Sera is supposed to be 5,500. But at the time there used to be up to 10,000 monks coming from every corner of Tibet. In terms of studies and learning, it similar to that of Drepung and Ganden Monastery. They study the same Buddhist subjects in a systematic way.

Apart from the usual statues of buddhas, Bodhisattvas and Dharma Protectors, the main relic of the monastery is a unique meditational deity call Hayagriva (horse-headed deity) and a ritual Kilaya dagger. This statue and relic are considered to be holy and people come specially to receive their blessing.

Lhasa resident believes this diety can cure mental disease and clear obstacle so they will bring their small children to protective blessing. At the statue, monks will put a small black carbon from butter lamp on the children’s face for the blessing. Many times monks would also put it on international travellers too.

Sera monastery also has a debate courtyard. Here monks debate of specific points of Buddhist philosophy or Logic. This is an important learning method in many Tibetan Buddhist monasteries, and the courtyard at Sera is open for tourist to view the lesson in action.

Traveller guide to the Sera Monastery

When visiting the monastery, many travellers have been express their feeling as similar to that of walking in a greek village. I think that is mainly because of the white paint of all the building in the monastery.

This is monastery is the best preserve monastery in Lhasa, withstanding the changes in the wheel of time.

There is some spring water surrounding the monastery, which we collect for its blessing.

You can hike right up to the Sera Utse or Sera Choeding. This beautiful trail takes you to the Sera Choeding and all the way around the hill to the Beautifully valley of Dodhe. The trial could take about six hours, depending on your speed.