Fulbright Documentary Series at Columbia University and Library of Tibetan Works & Archives
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Losar Tashi Delek! Happy Lunar New Year to all who celebrate!
I’m pleased to announce that five of my documentaries are now part of the Columbia University Tibetan Studies Library, one of the most extensive collections of Tibetan texts and archival material in the U.S.A. The documentaries are also in the Library of Tibetan Works & Archives, and may be viewed through their Multimedia Library.
The documentaries are:
Tabo Monastery Tsug Lhakhang (Main Assembly Hall) See the interior of this rare, Buddhist temple located in Spiti region of Western Himalayas, India. Famed Tabo Monastery is known as the oldest continually functioning Tibetan Buddhist monastery, the art of which the Dalai Lama said “delightfully expresses the vigor of the transmission of Buddhism from India to Tibet and the dynamic mingling of cultures.” Established in 996 C.E. by the Buddhist king of Guge in Western Tibet, Yeshe O’d, and the The Great Translator Rinchen Zangpo, it flourished in a golden epoch of Indo-Tibetan collaboration in spreading Buddhist culture.
Lamayuru Monastery Senge Lhakhang (Lion Temple) (00:03:24) Rare, medieval temple located in Ladakh region of Western Himalayas, India. Founded by The Great Translator Rinchen Zangpo and King Yeshe O’d of Guge, Western Tibet, circa late 11th century.
Mangyu Monastery Nangbarnangzad (0:03:03) Rare, medieval temple located in Ladakh region of Western Himalayas, India. Founded by The Great Translator Rinchen Zangpo and King Yeshe O’d of Guge, Western Tibet, circa late 11th century.
Lhalung Monastery Serkhang (Golden Hall)(00:01:45) Rare, medieval temple located in Spiti region of Western Himalayas, India. Founded by The Great Translator Rinchen Zangpo and King Yeshe O’d of Guge, Western Tibet, circa late 10th century.
Yamantaka (00:56:38) A candid view of an esoteric and complex Tibetan Buddhist highest yoga tantra held at Namgyal Monastery in Dharamsala, India. Monks create an elaborate sand mandala, ritual cakes and other sacred arts, offer prayers, chant, play ritual instruments, and meditate over the course of ten days. As one viewer said, “Beautiful, bizarre, and fascinating!”
Incidentally, many viewers have asked me about what is happening at around 42:14 in the Yamantaka video, where a young Caucasian man is in the Main Temple talking loudly and animatedly to a gathering of monks.This was a debate exam in session for students of the Institute of Buddhist Dialectics (which adjoins Namgyal Monastery), characterized by dramatic and distinctive hand clapping, body motions, and rhetoric. It was an event unrelated to Yamantaka, but which coincided with it. Tibetan Buddhists have a long and famed tradition of continuing the ancient Indian Buddhist practice of philosophical debate.
All documentaries filmed during Fulbright research on Indo-Tibetan mandalas of the 10th-12th century. With thanks and gratitude to Office of His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama, Namgyal Monastery, and Nechung Monastery for their support in my quest to document these temples and Yamantaka ritual. Made possible in part by the support of Fulbright-Nehru Research Program, Council for the International Exchange of Scholars, and United States-India Education Foundation.
New Video Documentaries: Interior Views of Indo-Tibetan Temples at Tabo, Lamayuru, Lhalung and Mangyu Monasteries
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Tabo Monastery Tsug Lhakhang, Spiti, India
At long last, I have completed four short video documentaries of the interiors of Indo-Tibetan monasteries that flourished during the 10th to 12th centuries. I feel so very honored to have had the opportunity to visit, research, and document these incredible temples.
The temples are:
Tabo Monastery’s Tsug Lhakhang, the Main Assembly Hall, renowned as the oldest continually functioning Tibetan Buddhist monastery, the art of which the Dalai Lama said “delightfully expresses the vigor of the transmission of Buddhism from India to Tibet and the dynamic mingling of cultures.” Established in 996 C.E. in ancient Western Tibet, now Spiti, India
Lamayuru Monastery’s Senge Lhakhang, or Lion Temple, established in the 11th century on a plateau in what is now Ladakh, India. Ca. 11th century, the oldest temple at Yamayuru Monastery. Contains well-preserved and rare Indo-Tibetan clay sculptures of Vairocana, Dhyani (Supreme) Buddhas, and Vajradhatu mandalas, including Gonkhang with protector deities, Ladakh, India
Lhalung Monastery’s Serkhang, the Golden Hall, founded in the early 11th century and located in present-day Spiti, India.
All four sites are among the rare Indo-Tibetan temples still found today with extant, fairly well-preserved, poly-chromed clay sculptures which depict the Five Supreme or Dhyani Buddhas, along with their associated 32 deities. These sculptures form a distinctive sacred art of this period.
After viewing these videos, which show the visual expression of Buddhism, I hope you will find inspiration to learn more about the philosophy and practice of Buddhism.
The wealth of empirical knowledge gathered through millenia by Buddhist meditation practitioners not only benefits those seeking spiritual development, but also those looking for less stress and more happiness. Who wouldn’t want that?
I believe this tradition offers a tremendously positive impact on contemporary society.
Look further, and see for yourself how psychology, health, and medical fields have made advances in treatments based on meditation. For example, neuroscientists in their research on the human brain have garnered great insights in studies on meditation and its effects on cognition and emotional regulation. A pioneer on this Dr. Richard Davidson of The Center for Healthy Minds. One result is the development of Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) pioneered by Dr. John Kabat-Zinn which has been applied with great success as a non-pharmaceutical approach to coping with pain and emotional challenges.
Less stress, more happiness. Again, who wouldn’t want that?
I wish you all the best in your curiosity, and your journey towards learning about mind and well-being, hallmarks of Buddhist practice.
Pristine Mangyu
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Sept. 23, 2013
View of Mangyu Village, Ladakh, India. To get there, one drives through narrow valley gorges. The village remains hidden until you drive practically right up to it.
Like Lamayuru Monastery’s Indo-Tibetan Senge Lhakhang, Mangyu Monastery’s Vairocana temple is also a small intimate place. Classic, pre-13th century, early period architecture, the site is nestled in and integrated with a village as opposed to fortified and atop on a hill from the community.
Beginning of Mangyu Village, Ladakh, India
I believe that up till fairly recently, let’s say last twenty years, there was no motorable road up to Mangyu Village, which means it was largely isolated and unknown by travelers. We parked a little below the village and walked up to the monastery, passing by small grocery stores that had countertop service for a simple meal of packaged and flavored maggi noodles (what we call ramen noodles in the U.S.) I was starving and grateful to be served one! When traveling around these more remote parts, one never knows where and what the next meal may be. This village had no restaurants or dhabas, nor did I see guesthouses. This is lovely because it indicates that tourism hasn’t bloomed here. Mangyu is pristine for this reason.
Panorama of Mangyu Monastery with Chenrezig Lhakhang on left, Nambarnangze (Vairocana temple) on right, together flanked by Chamba Lhakhangs of Maitreya and Jambeyang sculptures, Ladakh. Workers are making repairs under the auspices of INTACH, the Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage.
Tourism is a challenge to local and modest communities here in the Himalayas. While it brings income, it also brings ecological stress. And ecological stress is no small thing to cope with when the land is semi-arid and mountainous, the people mostly poor, the government ill-equipped to provide adequate infrastructure. The need for food and water sources, sewage, sanitation, and modern transportation to serve tourists often ravage the natural beauty here.
Especially if it brings non-biodegradable garbage like plastic. It’s very upsetting to see packaging or other plastic objects thrown over the side of a Himalayan mountain or floating through the streams, stuck in rocks. Indeed, the Himalayan areas I’ve traveled to have dumps located on the mountain side. You can often see them along the road while driving on the highways. It will be a sudden burst of packaging color en masse among the earthy rocks and otherwise scenic beauty. It’s either this or shopkeepers and townsfolk simply burn the garbage. Yes, they burn it, open-air, in front of their shops or homes, frequently plastic and all.
Plastic bottles and those plastic carton drink containers, potato chip and candy wrappers are the most noticeable litter in the streets. I sadly think, these things will never degrade into anything that can be absorbed properly here. Nor anywhere on Earth for that matter, but since we are here on the topic of the Himalayas, my point is that tourism causes environmental strain and damage. I always ask for boiled water at hotels to cut down on the plastic, and carry a thermos with me. Of course, on some occasions, I can’t avoid it and will guiltily buy water in a plastic bottle.
But my visit to Mangyu Monastery was not one of these occasions, I’m happy to report!
Entrance to Nambarnangze (Vairocana temple), ca. 11th century Indo-Tibetan early monastic architecture, Mangyu Monastery, Ladakh. Photo: Kishore Thukral
In the 11th century Indo-Tibetan tradition of The Great Translator Rinchen Zangpo, this altar in Nambarnangze once again features Vairocana in the center, surrounded by the Dhyani Buddhas, offering goddesses, animals, and ornate scrollwork, topped by a garuda. See floor plan here.
Experience the interior of this rare, medieval Vairocana temple by seeing a walk-through video here.
View of Nambarnangze interior, with Indo-Tibetan clay sculptures and wall paintings. The altar is now unfortunately encased by glass making it difficult to see the fine craftsmanship of Kashmiri artists, ca. early 11th century, LadakhIndo-Tibetan clay sculptures of Vairocana and Dhyani Buddhas of altar, Nambarnangze, Mangyu Monastery, Ladakh. Now unfortunately encased by glass, making it difficult to see the fine craftsmanship of Kashmiri artists, ca. early 11th century, Photo: Kishore Thukral
For further info on Vajradhatu Mandala structure upon which early monasteries of this period were based, see this post on Lamayuru Monastery’s Senge Lhakhang and this one on the celebrated Tabo Monastery’s Tsug Lhakhang.
Detail of Vairocana Buddha sculpture, ca. 11th century, altar of Nambarnangze, Mangyu Monastery, LadakhDetail of ornate scrollwork, animals and offering goddesses, rare 11th century Indo-Tibeta clay sculptures, altar of Nambarnangze, Mangyu Monastery, Ladakh, IndiaDetail of Vairocana Buddha, with ornate scrollwork, animals and offering goddesses, rare 11th century Indo-Tibetan clay sculptures, altar of Nambarnangze, Mangyu Monastery, LadakhDetail of Amoghasiddha, a Dhyani (Supreme) Buddha, rare 11th century Indo-Tibetan clay sculpture, altar of Nambarnangze, Mangyu Monastery, Ladakh. Photo: Kishore Thukral
The small Vairocana temple is symmetrically painted on its left and right side walls with one large central Vajradhatu mandala each, flanked by smaller mandalas of related divinities or protectors. On the right side wall, the paintings look like well-conserved oe well-preserved original Indo-Tibetan.
Interior of Nambarnangze, Mangyu Monastery, with ca. 11th century Indo-Tibetan sculptures and wall paintings, Ladakh. Visible on right is Vajradhatu Mandala.Detail from Vajradhatu mandala, Indo-Tibetan ca. 11th century right side wall painting, Nambarnangze (Vairocana temple) of Mangyu Monastery, Ladakh, IndiaDetail from Vajradhatu mandala, Indo-Tibetan ca. 11th century right side wall painting, Nambarnangze (Vairocana temple) of Mangyu Monastery, Ladakh, IndiaInterior view of Nambarnangze, right side wall adjoining entrance wall, Mangyu Monastery, with ca. 11th century Indo-Tibetan wall paintings, Ladakh
On this entrance wall, however, most everything has been repainted. Peter van Ham in his book Heavenly Himalayas: The Murals of Mangyu and other Discoveries in Ladakh, published recently in 2010, gives a very different description of the state of the protector deity painting above the door.
The entrance wall of Nambarnangze, Mangyu Monastery, Ladakh. Wall paintings here are mostly repainted over ca.11th century originals.
He writes, “The entrance…is protected by a wrathful blue deity, painted above the door. Only the right half of the painting has been preserved, the rest has been washed away by water leakage through the roof…As two peculiarities the protector is adorned with beautiful shawls displaying typical Ladakhi tie-dye patterns and in his right hand he holds a knife with an interesting blade of Indo-Iranian shape, the tip of which is equipped with a vajra-like structure.”
Repainted Mahakala above entrance door of Vairocana Temple, Mangyu Monastery, Ladakh.
The discrepancy between van Ham’s description and the above photo shows that this Mahakala was certainly repainted in the last few years. As we can see, absent are the shawls with Ladakhi patterns. This evidence, along with mismatched colors and less refined execution, leaves me shocked and deeply saddened over the handling of Mangyu Monastery preservation.
While the colors in this repainted mandala on the left of this entrance wall are more in keeping with extant original murals, the execution looks nothing at all like the sophisticated, skillful, and expressive handling of Indo-Tibetan artists.
Interior view of Nambarnangze, Mangyu Monastery, with Indo-Tibetan wall paintings, LadakhDetail of repainted mandala on left side of entrance wall, Nambarnangze, Mangyu Monastery, LadakhDetail of repainted mandala on left side of entrance wall, Mangyu Monastery, Ladakh. Stylistically different, this was probably repainted in recent years.Detail of repainted mandala, Nambarnangze, Mangyu Monastery, Ladakh. Stylistically different and lacking in refinement, this is strong evidence of repainting over original Indo-Tibetan art.
The same is true for the left side wall. What van Ham describes of the 11.5 foot diameter mandala that dominates this wall does not match what currently exists. This must also be a recently repainted mandala.
View of Vajradhatu mandala on left side wall, adjacent to a variety of wall paintings that post-date the Indo-Tibetan period, another example of repainting that threatens the survival and art-historical importance of the originalsView of Vajradhatu mandala, also repainted, Nambarnangze, Mangyu Monastery, Ladakh. Photo: Kishore Thukral
When this is what an example of original quality and style looks like (click on second image on the bottom) the quality and style of this repainted example pales in comparison.
Detail of repainted Vajradhatu mandala, Nambarnangze, Mangyu Monastery, Ladakh. Once again, stylistic and quality differences indicate repainting over Indo-Tibetan originals.
This small Buddha mandala is on the left of the altar wall. It contains some original and repainted areas.
Buddha mandala, Nambarnangze, Mangyu Monastery, Ladakh. Stylistic and quality differences indicate repainting over Indo-Tibetan originals. Photo: Kishore Thukral
Here is a side-by-side view of what appears to be an original Indo-Tibetan Buddha in center next to a contemporary repainted one.
Detail of Buddha mandala, Nambarnangze, Mangyu Monastery, Ladakh. The central Buddha looks original, but at lower left, stylistic and quality differences indicate repainting over Indo-Tibetan originals.
The historian David Snellgrove wrote in Indo-Tibetan Buddhism: Indian Buddhists and their Tibetan Successors, “The absence of all Buddhist wall-painting in India apart from the Ajanta Caves represents an enormous loss for the history of Indian art. Some deductions can be made from fragmentary remains in Central Asia and especially from the earliest surviving Tibetan murals from about A.D. 1000 onward, and from miniature paintings on Pala manuscripts of about that date.”
While Mangyu may still be pristine from a tourist/environmental point of view, it is less so from an art-historical one. Like I fear for Tabo, Alchi, and other remaining monasteries that have Indo-Tibetan significance, these beautiful, rare wall paintings are disappearing not only through age and exposure to natural elements, but also through the unexpected hands of man. The resultant replacement paintings, lacking in comparable quality, style, etc., are functionally erasing historical records. The originals are thus disappearing over time due to lack of proper conservation and restoration.
In the book The Forgotten Gods of Tibet: Early Buddhist Art in the Western Himalayas, published in 1997, authors Peter van Ham and Aglaja Stirn wrote about Tabo Monastery‘s Tsug Lhakhang: “Unfortunately many of the paintings, especially in the lower register, are badly damaged. In fact the northern wall has a large area where nothing except for the grey wall can be made out. Some of these gaps were painted over in recent times–enhancing the impression of the high artistic merit of the old paintings since these newer additions only show a mediocre level of execution.”
Perhaps this may be an example (see image below). Notice how the figure to the left of the central Buddha is stylistically so different from the one on the right. As a trained fine arts painter as well as decorative painter, I must agree with authors van Ham and Stirn.
Stylistic inconsistency in repainted figure on left, Tabo Monastery Tsug Lhakhang
This below example of stylistic continuity is what the above example should look like.
Stylistic consistency in these three figures, Tabo Monastery Tsug Lhakhang
Here is a view of a comparable original painting on the left and the one in question on the right. Stiff and simplistic in appearance, the repainted one bears little resemblance to the refined and delightfully detailed original.
An example of original painting on left and repainted version on right, Tabo Monastery Tsug Lhakhang
Here, above the doorway, is another example of repainting in the chevron border and the two figures underneath.
Repainted areas in Tabo Monastery Tsug Lhakhang
Presented above are only a couple of examples. In person onsite at Tabo’s Tsug Lhakhang, one finds upon scrutiny numerous incidences of such inpainting and overpainting. I fear that if this kind of “restoration” continues, over time, the temple’s extraordinary original murals will be obliterated rather than preserved. That would be an immeasurable loss for India, art history, and world posterity.
Experience the interior of Tabo Monastery’s Tsug Lhakhang by watching this video walk-through here.
Tabo Monastery is under the protection of the Archeological Survey of India, but it is unclear to me who is doing the painting.
The book Architectural Heritage: Ladakh by The Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage, published in 2003, says it is often the monastics who do not realize the need for proper conservation, being more concerned with the religious content of the murals and not the art historical significance.
“In the great temples, the execution of wall paintings is carried out by monks and scholars whose canonical knowledge is profound…Most wall paintings are done on perishable mud plaster, and as these begin to disintegrate, these are either removed to draw fresh paintings or retraced and retouched to maintain their vibrancy and freshness. This way it is sometimes painful to witness a ruthless operation in which centuries old paintings are lost along with the structure by eager lamas to construct new structure and, consequently, draw another set of wall paintings…As soon as the walls begin to crack, or paintings fade, they are at once repainted.”
While it appears that at times the goals of Tabo Monastery and Archeological Survey of India may be at cross-purposes with one another, there seems to be great effort for mutual respect. After all, Tabo is a functioning Tibetan Buddhist religious site. At the same time, it is a rare Indo-Tibetan historical site under ASI’s charge. The question is, how are these two establishments proceeding forward?
Repainting, however, is only one of the man-made challenges to the preservation of Indo-Tibetan murals. There are also issues involving structural changes to historical buildings (see this earlier post regarding repairs to the roof of Tabo’s Great Assembly Hall), vandalism, and the effects of tourism, to name some others. Then there are the natural challenges such as wet conditions caused by snow or rainfall, and movement caused by earthquakes.
Partial repair and rudimentary inpainting in the Thousand Buddhas inner wall of Tabo Monastery Tsug Lhakhang inner sanctum, Spiti, India
I heard that it’s possible ASI may have applied for UNESCO World Heritage status for Tabo Monastery. In terms of conservation and preservation, this would be wonderful if it were to come about! I understand that the Ajanta Caves in Southern India, which contain stunning, well-preserved, ancient Buddhist paintings as old as 2nd century B.C.E., is a World Heritage site.
Tabo Monastery Tsug Lhakhang, with meditation caves in the cliffs beyond, Spiti, India
Six-o’clock morning puja for the recently deceased beloved abbot at Tabo Monastery was quite beautiful. I wasn’t fully awake for it, and drifted through listening to each monk use his voice artfully to express himself through prayer. Very nice. I found out later from a lama that while they all learn the basic rhythm, it is up to each individual monk to say the prayer as he wishes. In other words, they all chant the same prayer, but some go out and come in on certain parts, using their voices to inflect sound, create variety, meld, or syncopate, etc.
Afterwards I was able to do some documenting at Tabo today! Limited time, however, permitted only doing the interior of the Tsug Lhakhang, the Great Assembly Hall. I was thrilled because it was the most significant temple in terms of its Vajradhatu mandala arrangement and my research project.
Experience the interior of Tabo Monastery’s Tsug Lhakhang or Main Assembly Hall by watching this video walk-through.
Entering the Great Assembly Hall from its antechamber, Tabo Monastery
Wow, what a place! Dark and dramatic, with rays of light coming in through small ceiling windows, shining brilliantly on the main altar and then fading out towards the periphery of the assembly hall. I was stunned by the large number of statues and paintings to feast my eyes on! In a space that envelopes you in semi-darkness, it took some time to realize that just about every inch of wall and ceiling had been richly decorated.
With over a thousand years of continuous use as a meditation hall, I soaked in the sense of countless generations of monks who have spent their days here in peaceful meditation. I tried to fathom the devotion that Tabo’s Tsug Lhakhang has seen and sheltered. The overall impression is that of quiet yet teeming spiritual beauty.
Founded in 996 C.E. by the Guge (Western Tibet) king Yeshe O’d, the temple and statues are viewed clockwise in a Buddhist kora or circumambulation.
According to scholars, Kashmiri artists were responsible for the refined style of the statues and paintings. At the time, Buddhism had flourished in Kashmir and the region’s art was aesthetically sophisticated in expression and detail. Most of the art was executed circa 1042 C.E. during the renovation of the interior by Jangchub O’d, Yeshe O’d’s grand nephew.
The main altar features a gilded Vairocana. What a sight this tantric deity is with its larger-than-life four bodies, seated back to back, its serene faces looking out in the four cardinal directions. Distinctly Indian features include Indo-style trousers, painted red palms, procession carriage structure, and naga/garuda mount at top.
There are 32 multi-colored, graceful clay sculptures of Vairocana’s associated deities that line the assembly hall walls in Vajradhatu mandala order. Each is seated on a lotus pedestal, and cantilevers out of an attached sculpted halo background. Situated above eye-level, the figures look kindly and seem to lean towards you. Surrounding these deities on the wall are elaborate, colorful fresco paintings—scenes of Prince Sudhana’s pilgrimage and Buddha’s life on the lower frieze area; buddhas, bodhisattvas, other tantric deities and Bon goddesses in the upper area.
Clay statues of tantric deities in Vajradhatu mandala arrangement, Tabo Monastery
Sudhana’s pilgrimage on lower frieze, Tabo Monastery Tsug Lhakhang. Much of it is too deteriorated to see clearly.
Guardian deity at far left, painted buddhas and bodhisattvas on upper areas of Tabo Monastery Tsug Lhakhang
Vairocana statue, main altar, Tabo Monastery Tsug Lhakhang, Spiti, India Distinctly Indian features include Indo-style trousers, painted red palms, procession carriage structure, and naga/garuda mount at top.
View of gilded Vairocana statue from inner sanctum, Tabo Monastery Tsug Lhakhang, Spiti, India
Detail of gold Vairocana, Tabo Monastery Great Assembly Hall altar, Spiti, India
Tabo’s Main Assembly Hall, and in fact, the whole monastic complex was originally built according to a mandala concept as set forth by the Sarva-tathāgata-tattva-samgraha Tantra, practically a literal translation of it which distinguished this monastery. To the practitioner, therefore, Tabo’s interior and exterior order symbolized his sacred inner and outer realities. (More on this topic in previous post But Wait, A Bit About Mandalas.)
“The main temple, Tsug Lhakhang, was at the center of the whole complex. The center of the temple was also the center of the compound along the east-west axis, having its major statue, Saravid Vairocana, placed in the central spot [now moved to the altar] not only of its surrounding 32 statues but also of the whole complex….Later additions have diluted the concept, but temples from Tabo’s heyday, together with stupas or chorten, form a simple but clearly visible mandala in the architectural layout-plan.” (The Forgotten Gods of Tibet: Early Buddhist Art in the Western Himalayas by Peter van Ham and Aglaja Stirn. See also this book for excellent descriptions and further details on Tabo’s iconography)
Vajradhatu mandala arrangement of Vairocana and 32 associated deities, Tabo Monastery, Spiti, India.
Above is the floor plan of the Main Assembly Hall showing the Vajradhatu mandala arrangement of the Five Buddha Families: Vairocana, Amitabha, Amoghasiddhi, Akshobya, and Ratnasambhava, with their associated deities. These represent aspects of Buddha-nature that guide a practitioner to attain enlightenment according to the lower yoga tantras. Tibetan Buddhists today generally practice highest yoga tantra or Annutarayoga.
Side view of Vairocana statue, main altar, Tabo Monastery, Spiti, India. The statue is built in the tradition of an Indian procession carriage, used for carrying the god around the temple or outside for blessing.
For photography and viewing, I came prepared with flashlights. Thank goodness they were fully charged, and that our current guesthouse has power! We would not have been able to see most of these dark interiors without them.
Vajrahasa statue, part of the Gem family of Ratnasambhava, Tabo Monastery
What a challenge it’s been to ensure my equipment is all charged and ready to go. Sadly, I am told by locals that Spiti in general lacks electricity because the Indian government is remiss in providing good infrastructure to all its citizens, and particularly to those communities that are remote, less populated, and lack political clout. As you can imagine this makes Spiti’s growing tourism especially difficult when hotel and restaurant owners, cyber cafes, etc., must routinely apologize to their clientele for not being able to meet their needs due to lack of power. I got creative with calculating how long my cell phone, laptop and camera equipment would last before finding the next feasible charging place.
Vajrakarma statue, part of the Action family of Amoghasiddhi Tabo Monastery Tsug Lhakhang
Vajrayaksa statue, part of the Action family of Amogasiddhi Tabo Monastery Tsug Lhakhang
Akshobya statue, Vajra family Tabo Monastery Tsug Lhakhang
Behind the main altar is a small inner sanctum or cella that contains a 13th century statue of Amitabha in an elevated niche, flanked by two crowned statues of bodhisattvas, Padmapani on the left and Mahashtamaprapta on the right. Above him are figures identified as Apsaras or minor gods in the act of homage, and painted on his left and right are female attendants.
Amitabha statue, inner sanctum, Tabo Monastery Tsug Lhakhang Stylistically different from the statues in the main hall, it looks like a later addition or replacement.
Padmapani statue, inner sanctum, Tabo Monastery Tsug Lhakhang. Visible on the left are some of the Thousand Buddhas that are painted on the circumambulatory inner walls.
A narrow corridor for circumambulation surrounds Amitabha. Its inner walls are richly painted from floor to ceiling with Thousand Buddhas, manifestations of the enlightened one in splendid iteration of the five colors, different robes, lotus pedestals, and haloes.
Buddhas in a Thousand Buddha depiction on inner sanctum circumambulatory walls, Tabo Monastery
On the outer walls are magnificent bodhisattvas and Supreme Buddhas (Tathagatas). These are my favorites! I really appreciate the mastery of these paintings in the inner sanctum. The below bodhisattva is an example of one of sixteen that symbolize aspects of Buddhahood stemming from Vairocana.
Bodhisattva, from outer circumambulatory wall of Tabo Monastery Tsug Lhakhang
The bodhisattva figures literally took my breath away when I saw them revealed by my flashlight! Every brushstroke showed ease, delicacy and variety in execution. The highly inventive and detailed jewelry, as well as the fabric patterns, was a pleasure to discover. In addition, these paintings are well-preserved and dated 1042 C.E. when the temple was renovated. In other words, they appear as they were first created, untouched by other painters or conservators since then. What an incredible indication of the original quality of work that existed!
These inner sanctum figures look different from the ones on the upper register of the Tsug Lhakhang in that they are far more elaborate and refined. Additionally, Indo-Tibetan paintings show a freedom of composition not found in later Tibetan artworks where proportions and poses are more defined by convention.
The Supreme Buddhas were also delightfully painted, exhibiting a similar level of refinement and delicacy but painted at a much larger scale, about life-size.
Supreme Buddha dressed in unusual pleated robe, painted on outer wall of circumambulatory, Tabo Monastery Tsug Lhakhang inner sanctum
I particularly like the sense of ease yet energy that this below Buddha expresses. His face and gaze are sublime, his hands in graceful repose. But his unusual robe depicts rhythm and movement in the undulating sleeves and neckline detail. Coupled with the artist’s use of primary colors and radiating spirals in the halo, the overall effect of this painting is vibrant immediacy.
Supreme Buddha on outer wall, inner sanctum of Tabo Monastery Tsug Lhakhang
Detail of Supreme Buddha on outer wall, inner sanctum of Tabo Monastery Tsug Lhakhang
Tabo Monastery: Himalayan Setting and Meditation Caves
Posted
Sept 6th, Tabo Village, the Spiti adventure continues…
Tabo Village, where Tabo Monastery is nestled in Spiti Valley unlike other Buddhist monasteries that were built as fortress-like compounds on hilltops
Well, here we are in Tabo! The famed Tabo Monastery is known as the oldest continually functioning Tibetan Buddhist monastery, the art of which the Dalai Lama said “delightfully expresses the vigor of the transmission of Buddhism from India to Tibet and the dynamic mingling of cultures.” Established in 996 C.E. by the Buddhist king of Guge in Western Tibet, Yeshe O’d, and the The Great Translator Rinchen Zangpo, it flourished in a golden epoch of Indo-Tibetan collaboration in spreading Buddhist culture.
Tabo Monastery complex behind stone walls in Tabo Village, Spiti Valley, India
Tabo’s existing sacred artwork and architecture have unique historical significance, not only for the aesthetic evidence of such cultural exchange, but also for its rarity. Due to the enormous destruction during the Chinese Cultural Revolution, where over 6000 monasteries and their artworks were destroyed between 1959-61, practically none of the early examples of Buddhist culture have survived in Tibet. Consequently, the monasteries of the Western Himalayan border areas of Spiti, Lahaul, and Ladakh, once part of Tibet, is of great importance for its legacy of early Tibetan Buddhist culture, and in particular, its connection with India.
Street view of entrance to Tabo Choskhor,Spiti, with the museum and library in building on right
Upon entering Tabo Monastery complex, the first building one sees is Tsug Lhakhang, the grand main assembly hall
The Tsug Lhakhang, Tabo Monastery, Spiti
Of the monasteries I’ll visit, Tabo, Alchi, Mangyu, Lamayuru, and Lhalung strike me as being of special importance. These have exceptional murals, unusual in cross-cultural style and depiction, executed in astounding refinement, with ornate clay sculptures that are cantilevered off the walls in Vajradhatu mandala arrangement of sacred space (more on this in the next post!) This type of work is specific to the area and is not found in any other Buddhist temples in the world. These monasteries also date back to that fertile period of Buddhist philosophical exchange and revitalization from India to Tibet beginning in the 10th century during The Great Translator Rinchen Zangpo’s time.
Documenting the extant artwork and architecture of these sites is essential because they are remarkable, and extreme Himalayan winters and potential earthquakes, such as the one that occurred in 1975, continue to threaten their survival. Proper conservation and restoration is critical for art history and posterity. Of immediate concern is the effects of climate change and increased rainfall in the normally more arid Spiti that has damaged Tabo’s murals and architecture. This 2010 article entitled “A Monastery’s Fading Colours,” published in The Indian Express, is about the challenging circumstances facing the monastery’s care under the maintenance of the Archeological Survey of India (ASI). The Times of India recently questioned the national organization’s general efficacy in its article, “92 ASI-protected Monuments Missing.”
Rear view of Tsug Lhakhang with workers currently repairing the mud exterior. Its back walls are as thick as 2.5 meters!
Workers currently repairing the mud exterior of Tabo Monastery, Spiti
I find myself wishing these monasteries were designated UNESCO World Heritage sites, such as the early Buddhist Ajanta Caves are in India, or considered World Monuments. Perhaps this would bring more international attention and expertise to help hasten the appropriate preservation and protection against man-made as well as environmental challenges.
Fortunately, I was able to arrive in Tabo with all my equipment fully charged because the electrical power was mostly on during my previous night in Kaza, Spiti. But unfortunately, I was unable to photograph due to administrative details still to iron out. Perhaps by tomorrow, after the special 6:00 a.m. morning prayers for the recently deceased and venerated abbot of Tabo which will be performed as part the traditional 49 days’ observance. Despite not being able to photograph, the monk in charge of the monastery kindly showed me most of the temples in the complex.
What is so immediately striking is the contrast between the simple exterior architecture of mud brick and the resplendent interiors. Wow, the ornate interiors leave you speechless, what treasures of Indo-Tibetan art, history, and philosophy! Especially the dramatic, dark, moody, pensive main assembly hall (Tsug Lha-khang); the older Dromton Temple (Brom-ston Lha-khang), founded by the main disciple of the great teacher and adept Atisha; Initiation Temple (dKyil-kHor-khang), where monks are initiated; BodhisattvaMaitreya Temple (Byams-Pa Chen-po Lha-khang), with a 20 foot high painted mural of the future Buddha Maitreya; and the Golden Temple (gSer-khang).
View of Tabo Monastery complex showing Dromton Temple on far right and Bodhisattva Maitreya Temple left of it, Spiti, India
Oh, news flash! For incredible floor plans of these temples, including elevations, sections, 3D models, photo montages, and more, see this excellent website of an Austrian research team at Graz University of Technology that has been studying the architectural heritage of the Western Himalayas.
And did I mention caves? Yes, caves on a steep cliff above Tabo Monastery and village where, according to archeological evidence, monks had lived and practiced meditation since the 11th century. Now it is an ASI protected site. Most caves are open spaces showing evidence of ancient occupation–sooty interior walls and carved out niches, etc., as well as perhaps picnic use by modern visitors. But while exploring with my flashlight, I peered into an opening of a small closed door of a dark cave only to find a blanched seated figure looking back at me! Startled and flustered, realizing this was a real person and not a phantom, I muttered a quick, deepest apology, and left in a hurry! Well, I guess today there are still some practitioners who retreat to these caves. Whether this was a tourist trying it out, or a yogi, I have no idea.
Path to numerous caves above Tabo Monastery and village, Spiti, India
One of numerous caves carved into the cliffs above Tabo Monastery, used by monks from the 11th century on, Spiti
View of Tabo Monastery from inside a cave, Spiti
Have a virtual walk-through here of the insides of some of these caves:
View of the inside of the above Tabo cave, Spiti
View of Tabo caves located on a steep cliffside above Tabo Monastery, Spiti
View of Tabo Village from cave sites, Spiti, India
Ok, I hope I have a headache-less night’s sleep tonight. Day four at high altitude and I’m still adjusting, but Tabo is at about 10,000 feet high, 2000 feet lower than Kaza, so it should be better. Need to get up early to make it to 6am puja!
View of Key Monastery from across the Spiti River Valley
A second try today to document the ancient interiors of Key Monastery, whose abbot had in the 11th century been none other than The Great Translator Rinchen Zangpo himself, proved to be a challenge. However, in a nice turn of events, we discovered upon arrival that a special demonstration of sacred dances was in progress. The occasion was the visit of an important official from Shimla.
Entrance to Key Monastery, Spiti
The main interior courtyard was filled with visitors and administrators, with the monastery abbot presiding over the ceremony, as junior and senior monks looked on.
Key Monastery monks demonstrate the Black Hat chamdance, with abbott presiding over the ceremony as young ones watch
Young monks attending a ritual dance demonstration performed by more senior monks
A word about the architecture of Key…Built on a hilltop with a fortress appearance, this reflects typical Western Himalayan monastic architecture after circa 12th century, influenced by the development of invaders.
Key Monastery built atop a hill, characteristic of the later period of post-12th century Buddhist architectural development
Earlier period structures such as late 10th century nearby Tabo Monastery and Alchi Monastery (in Ladakh) are located in the valley on flat open land, integrated with their villages. Invaders were oftentimes rival Buddhist sects supported by the might of the Mongolian military, such as the Sakya sect who headed Key Monastery in the 14th century, and the Gelugpa sect who headed it in the 17th century. The latter came to dominate the majority of monasteries in Spiti.
In fact, most of us don’t associate monastics with marauding, but post-12th century onwards, the region saw inter-sectarian clashes, conquering by bloodshed, innumerable invasions by Chinese and Mongolian forces, shifting power structures, and political unrest throughout the Western Himalayas. Thus, that illustrious period of refined Indo-Tibetan art and architecture under the guidance of Lotsawa Rinchen Zangpo and the collaboration of Kashmiri artists eventually came to an end.
View of Spiti en route to Key Monastery, with a village nestled in its valley
Dhangkar Monastery is seen on the ridge in the upper right. It consists of multi-storeyed buildings perched together, containing five different devotional halls.
September 4th
Our first day out to photograph was at Dhangkhar and Lhalung Monasteries. Both places granted permission because of local and monastic support. I was on my first documenting journey, and how positive an experience it was!
Entering Dhangkar Monastery’s Lha O-pa Gompa.
Dhangkar Monastery clings to its rocky outcrops. Shown here is the level in which the Dukhang and Lhakang Gongma may be accessed.
I’ll let the images speak for themselves, but it bears saying that Dhangkar was an original home of the ruling Spitian kings over a thousand years ago, built on a ridge and rock outcrop as a fortress. It clings to the mountain with its whitewashed buildings and traditional thatched roofs. Some buildings seem to be built one on top of the other.
Dhangkar Monastery narrow passageways
The interiors are navigated by narrow stairs (more like ladders, they’re so steep) and often low-ceilinged passageways. And when you scramble higher and higher, some stairs lead to the rooftops where you climb some more, on gravelly footpaths next to sheer cliff drops, in order to get into other adjacent buildings. Whenever you step outside, you are stunned by the incredible panorama of Spiti Valley in its splendor before you, dotted by the verdant, partitioned farmlands below, and the rigor of the sun casting impressive shadows across the mountain ridges.
View of Spiti Valley from rooftop of Lha O-pa Gompa, Dhangkar Monastery
Inside the Dukhang, which was the former assembly hall for monks before the new one was built a few years ago, sits a life-sized statue of Vajradhara, the “Diamond Being” who sees the ultimate nature of reality. One who does so is said to have wisdom, or right view.
Vajradhara statue, Dhangkar Monastery, Spiti
Kanjur Lhakang, library, Dhangkar Monastery
In the lower level Kanjur Lhakang (library containing Buddhist scriptures) are three wooden figures: Lama Chodrag, Shakyamuni, the historical Buddha, and Maitreya, the future Buddha. On the walls are faded and sooty murals, which one can barely see. It’s easy to understand from these murals alone why in 2006 Dhangkar Monastery was named by World Monuments Fund as one of the 100 most endangered sites in the world.
Kanjur Lhakang library of Buddhist scriptures, Dhangkar Monastery, Spiti, India
In the uppermost building of Lha O-pa Gompa is Lhakang Gongma, which has the most to see in terms of murals. Its central back wall dominates with Shakyamuni, Je Tsongkhapa (the reformer and Gelugpa founder of the 14th century), and Lama Chodrag.
View of murals on the back central wall of Lhakang Gongma, Dhangkar Monastery, Spiti
The adjacent walls depict various manifestations of Buddha. I was struck in general by how varied the paintings are in terms of color, style, and deterioration. It’s clear evidence of selective repainting over the centuries. In the back central wall, for example, Shakyamuni is obviously brighter and more saturated in color than the other two figures. According to Peter van Ham’s book, The Forgotten Gods of Tibet: Early Buddhist Art of the Western Himalayas, only a few of the paintings have been left untouched. The rest stylistically suggest a date of around 17th century.
Buddha murals, Lhakang Gongma, Dhankar Monastery, Spiti
Buddha murals showing evidence of repainting over the centuries, Lhakang Gongma, Dhangkar Monastery
Of note in the murals is the frieze below the main figures, which largely depicts the life of Prince Siddartha, who became the historical Buddha, Shakyamuni. Tabo Monastery has a similar frieze in its Tsug Lhakang, the main assembly hall. Much of it is faded but the below two images are readily identifiable as the life of Siddartha at the palace of Kapilavastu, and the death of Buddha.
Life of Prince Siddartha at the palace of Kapilavastu, painted frieze at Lhakang Gongma, Dhangkar Monastery
Death and cremation of Buddha, painted frieze at Lhakang Gongma, Dhangkar Monastery
We were told by locals that Dhangkar is older than the famous Tabo Monastery because, as the ancient home of indigenous kings, it contained a private temple from before the time of The Great Translator Rinchen Zangpo, pre-dating 10th century. Indeed, at the very top of the Dhangkar citadel are the remains of the palace, which you climb up to through a sleepy and steep quaint village that looks like it has maintained its same way of life for millenia.
Later in the day, we went to Lhalung Monastery. I really loved this small temple pictured below.
Lhalung Monastery’s Serkhang or Golden Hall, Spiti
Lhalung Monastery, believed to be founded by The Great Translator Rinchen Zangpo, late 10th century C.E., was quite impressive. You enter through a narrow passageway to get to its Serkhang, which means literally House of Gold, but more often referred to as Golden Hall. Attached to its walls are sculptures of deities and other Buddhist personages. Three-dimensional figures in relief against the interior architecture of Buddhist temples are a distinctive feature of Indo-Tibetan artistry in Spiti and Ladakh areas. Similar ones are found at Tabo, Alchi, and Mangyu Monasteries.
Experience the rare and beautiful interior of Lhalung Monastery’s Serkhang by seeing a walk-through videohere.
Entrance to Lhalung Monastery’s Serkhang or Golden Hall
Once inside, the splendor of the ornately gilded and polychromed clay figures strikes you. The sculptures fill the temple practically from floor to ceiling. There are over 51 figures mounted on the walls or placed in the temple, arranged in mandala formations on each wall. Geshe-la said that these types of cantilevered relief sculptures are specific to the Trans-Himalayan region and are not found in Buddhist temples anywhere else.
On the central wall is Shakyamuni in the middle, flanked by two elaborate groups of five figures, each dominated by a deity–identified as Dharmadhatu Vagishvara, a complex form of Manjushri on the left, and Vajrasattva on the right. These figures are set in architectural alcoves, while the others are contained within lotus motif scrollwork, accented by decorative animals and dancers.
Maitreya, Guru Rinpoche, and Rinchen Zangpo (partly visible on right behind the column) form a trinity in the Serkhang altar of Lhalung Monastery, Spiti
Visible below is the right wall with sculptures arranged in a Prajnaparamita mandala, with Vairocana in the center surrounded by four Dyanibuddhas or Buddha-families: Ratnasambbhava, Akshobhya, Amoghasiddhi, and Amitabha, and their female attendants.
Rinchen Zangpo statue among a pantheon of sculpted deities, Serkhang (Golden Hall), Lhalung Monastery
On the left wall (photo below) is a Vajradhatu mandala arrangement around the three-faced and eight-armed Saravid Vairocana. Around him are the 16 deities in his cycle, including once again the Buddha families of Ratnasambhava, Akshobya, Amitabha, and Amoghasiddhi.
Left wall with Vajradhatu Mandala, Serkhang of Lhalung Monastery, Spiti
So now, that’s a lot of deities in one small temple! Their plethora really conveys not only aesthetic richness but also the complexity of Tibetan Buddhist tantric practice. What do all these deities represent in these mandala arrangements? Put simply, mandalas are visual guides for a practitioner in their meditation. They are aids in the realization of the true nature of mind and reality. As an oral and esoteric tradition, one needs a lineage teacher. Experiential understanding of this leads to liberation from conditioned existence–that is to say, leads to enlightenment or nirvana. Here is a succinct description of what the Five Buddha Families represent.
Geshe-la had said that the temples in these areas really demonstrate only the lower three tantras, not highest yoga tantra, which is mainly what Tibetan Buddhists practice today. The lower three are more concerned with purification, whereas the fourth level is actualizing self and deity, and therefore, enacting profound experience and understanding of emptiness. In The Great Translator Rinchen Zangpo’s time, late 10th century, focusing on the three lower tantras was a way to go back to roots and revitalize/reform tantric practice in Tibet which had grown distorted. This was partly the reason for the enormous interest in the original texts and their teachings, translating them from Sanskrit to Tibetan.
Lastly, the coffered ceilings were painted with delightful and folk-looking decorative motifs. Now I know what scholars mean when they speculate that these must reflect 10th century Kashmiri–influenced textiles.
Coffered ceiling of Serkhang, Lhalung Monastery, decorated with Kashmiri-influenced patterns that scholars believe reflect 10th century textile designs.
I’m currently reading David Snellgrove’s “Indo-Tibetan Buddhism: Indian Buddhists & Their Tibetan Successors.” It concentrates on the tantric period of Buddhist theory and practice, from the 8th to the 13th centuries. This was a fertile time of the transmission of Buddhism from India to Tibet. I’m particularly interested in the prodigious legacy of The Great Translator Rinchen Zangpo (958–1055 C.E.) who translated voluminous original Sanskrit sutras into Tibetan, and therefore helped preserve the doctrines and teachings. These original Sanskrit sources are now largely lost in India.
Photo: Tabo Monastery
Rinchen Zangpo is also credited with building over one hundred monasteries in Western Tibet, many still existing now in modern day Indian Himalayas, including the famous Tabo Monastery in Spiti, Himachal Pradesh.
I really look forward to seeing Tabo’s murals. They are extensive and among the best preserved from Rinchen Zangpo’s time. In addition to the art, its architecture is an excellent example of mandala layout and structure, built in direct relationship to sutra descriptions. Founded in 996 C.E., Tabo is considered to be the oldest continuously functioning Buddhist monastery in India and the Himalayas.
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