Amazing Himachal: Gyuto Tantric Monastery

Gyuto Tantric Monastery

The Gyuto Monastery is one of the most famous monasteries in Tibet and specializes in the study of Tantric meditation, Tantric ritual arts and Buddhist philosophy. The main disciple of the first Dalai Lama, Jetsun Kunga Dondrub (or Dhondup) , founded Gyuto Monastery in 1474 in eastern Tibet.

Jetsun Kunga Dondrub (1419-1486) had founded Gyuto Monastery.

The Gyuto monks practice the major Tantric texts such as Guhyasamaja, Chakrasamvara and Yamantaka and have passed these lineages on to the younger generation of monks for over 500 years without disruption. The Gyuto monks are known for their tradition of overtone singing , also described as "chordal chanting". As a result of the communist Chinese invasion in 1959 the Monastery was reestablished in India. To accommodate the growth of the monastery to over 500 monks it is located in Sidhbari, a suburb of Dharamsala, Himachal Pradesh.

His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama picture in Gyuto Tantric Monastery

In 1989 when His Holiness the Dalai Lama was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize, with the financial donation from the Bentenshu in Japan, a stone pillar was installed at Sidhbari (Dharamshala), as a tribute to His Holiness the Dalai Lama for his undaunted effort toward global peace and harmony. It has been inaugurated by His Holiness on 13th November 1996. (3rd of the 10th month of the 2123 Fire-Mouse year of the Tibetan Lunar Calendar.)

His Holiness the 17th Gyalwang Karmapa picture in Gyuto Tantric Monastery

The monastery is the temporary residence of His Holiness the 17th Gyalwang Karmapa, Ogyen Trinley Dorje, is the head of the 900 year old Karma Kagyu Lineage and guide to millions of Buddhists around the world.

Marpa the Translator

Marpa (1012-1097) Great Tibetan yogi and translator, the disciple of Norapa and teacher of Milarepa, responsible for transmitting the teachings of Naropa to Tibet and for founding the Kagya Order of Tibetan Buddhism.

Amitabha

Amitabha. Buddha of Infinite Light, fourth of the five Buddha families, the embodiment of compassion, the Panchen Lama of Tibet are believed to be reincarnations of Amitabha Buddha.

Akshothya Vajra

Akshothya Vajra An image of Buddha brought to Tibet during the reign of Songtsen Gampo( the 33rd Tibetan king and is traditionally credited with the introduction of Buddhism to Tibet) by his Nepalis wife, Bhrikuti.

Tsong Khapa

Tsong khapa (1357–1419), usually taken to mean "the Man from Onion Valley", born in Qinghai , was a famous teacher of Tibetan Buddhism whose activities led to the formation of the Gelug school of Tibetan Buddhism.

Tantric Deity

Heruka

Heruka the Cakrasamvara Tantra. Male tantric deity, peaceful or wrathful, that appears with a consort.

Bhairave---(Vajra Bhairava)

Vajrabhairava the Yamantaka Tantra. Is a wrathful form of Manjushri and function as a tantric deity.

Guhyasamaja

Guhyasamaja, the Guhyasamaja Tantra. Secret Assembly, a tantric deity of highest yoga tantra. Guhyasamaja is regarded as the embodiment of the father tantra often called " king of tantrus", this system of tantra was brought to Tibet by Marpa, great translator.