Likir Monastery

Coordinates: 34°16′36″N 77°12′54″E / 34.27667°N 77.21500°E / 34.27667; 77.21500
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Likir Monastery
Religion
AffiliationTibetan Buddhism
SectGelug
Location
LocationLikir, Ladakh, India
Likir Monastery is located in Ladakh
Likir Monastery
Location in Ladakh, India
Geographic coordinates34°16′36″N 77°12′54″E / 34.27667°N 77.21500°E / 34.27667; 77.21500
Architecture
FounderDuwang Chosje and Lhachen Gyalpo

Likir Monastery or Likir Gompa (Klud-kyil) is a

Gelugpa sect of Tibetan Buddhism and was established in 1065 by Lama Duwang Chosje, at the command of the fifth king of Ladakh, Lhachen Gyalpo (Lha-chen-rgyal-po).[3] It is off the Leh-Kargil Highway, 50 km west of Leh between Alchi & Basgo, 17 km west of Basgo Monastery & 21 km northeast of Alchi Monastery
.

Although Likir is relatively isolated, it was once on a major trade route from Tingmosgang via Hemis and Likir to Leh.[4]

History

Likir is mentioned in the

Kadampa order of Tibetan Buddhism.[6][7]

When Tibetologist August Hermann Francke visited the monastery in 1909 he was shown a long inscription written in black ink on a wall which outlined the history of the monastery. Francke had it copied and interprets it as follows:

"King Lha-chen-rgyal-po founded the monastery in the 11th century. In the 15th century, Lama Lha-dbang-chos-rje [a famous pupil of

Tsongkhapa converted the lamas to the reformed doctrines of the Ge-lug-pa order, and thus founded the monastery afresh as a Ge-lug-pa establishment. Then it is stated that seven generations after Lha-chen-rgyal-po, King Lha-chen-dngos-grub [c. 1290-1320] arose, and that he introduced the custom of sending all the novices to Lhasa. This statement is found in exactly the same words as we find in the rGyal-rabs"[8]

Eighteen generations later King bDe-legs-rnam-rgyal reigned, but his name has been erased from the inscription because he embraced Islam after the battle of Basgo in 1646–1647. The inscription itself is dated to the reign of King Thse-dbang-rnam-rgyal II (Tsewang Namgyal II, c. 1760–1780), who repaired the monastery after a conflagration.[5][9]

Below the monastery was a large

Songtsän Gampo). I was told by the lamas that it represents a lama of Srong-btsan-sgam-po's times. The figure wears a three-pointed hat of white colour and carries two leopard skins under his arms." The lower part of the chorten is a square room which a lama said was the earliest temple at Likir, and was already there when King Lha-chenrgyal-po built the monastery.[5]

The monastery currently has approximately 120 Buddhist monks and a school with almost thirty students.

Central Institute of Buddhist Studies runs it and teaches in three languages, Hindi, Sanskrit and English.[2][3]

Sign at the front of Likir Gompa

Historical notes on sign outside gompa:

Lu.Khyil (water spirits circled) popularly known as “Likil” Gonpa gives its name to Nagas (water spirits) who once lived there. It is another important Ge.lug.pa monastery in Ladakh. Lachen Gyalpo,  the fifth king of Ladakh is said to have offered to Lama Duwans Chosje, a great master of meditation, the land for building a monastery in 1065. This monastery joined the Gelugpa order in the 15th century. The Du-Khang (Assembly Hall) contains Mar.ime.zat, Shakyamuni, and Maitreya (Buddhas of the past, present and future) an imposing statue of

arahats
) The Gon.Khang houses the statue of Se.Ta.Pa an imposing protective deity of the monastery and Yamantaka. Likir Dos.mo.che, the annual festival of the monastery, is held from the 27th to the 29th of the 12th Tibetan month. By Courtesy of Tourism Dept. Leh

It is the seat of the

pujas.[10]

Layout and interior

  • View of Likir monastery
    View of Likir monastery
  • View of Likir gompa
    View of Likir gompa
  • Hanging prayer flags on the 23 m (75 ft) statue of Maitreya
    Hanging prayer flags on the 23 m (75 ft) statue of Maitreya
  • Side view of Maitreya statue, Likir gompa
    Side view of Maitreya statue, Likir gompa
  • Closeup of Maitreya statue, Likir gompa
    Closeup of Maitreya statue, Likir gompa
  • A Mahakala thangka in Likir
    A Mahakala thangka in Likir

The monastery has two assembly halls, known as dukhangs. The older one is located on the right of the central courtyard, with six rows of seats for the lamas and a throne for the head lama of Likir.

Tsong Khapa, founder of the yellow hat sect.[3][7] The monastery is also a repository of old manuscripts, has a notable thangka collection and old costumes and earthen pots.[2][7] Sitting on the roof is a 23-metre (75 ft) high gilded gold statue of Maitreya (the future Buddha), completed in 1999.[11][7]

Bookcases stand at the statue sides, with volumes of the Sumbum, describing the life and teachings of Tsong Khapa. The left wall has paintings of the 35 confessional Buddhas while the right wall has an image of Sakyamuni with two of his chiefs by his side.[7]

A ladder leads out of the hall, to the

Avalokitesvara.[7] The gonkhang was created in 1983 when the monastery underwent renovation and was completed a year later[12] The walls of the gonkhang display thangkas of the divinities.[7]

Gallery

See also

Footnotes

  1. ^ Francke (1914), p. 88.
  2. ^
    ISBN 81-7387-057-8
    .
  3. ^ a b c d "Likir Gompa". Buddhist-temples.com. Retrieved 6 October 2009.
  4. ^ Francke (1977), p. 91.
  5. ^ a b c Francke (1914), p. 87.
  6. ^ Rizvi (1994), p. 241.
  7. ^ a b c d e f g h "Likir monastery". Buddhist Tourism. Archived from the original on 12 July 2012. Retrieved 6 October 2009.
  8. ^ Francke (1914), pp. 24, 87.
  9. ^ Francke (1977), p. 130.
  10. ^ Rizvi (1996), pp. 242-242.
  11. ^ Banerjee (2010), p. 131.
  12. ^ "Likir Gompa Tibet". Culture Holidays. Retrieved 4 October 2009.

References

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