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Tsozong

Tsozong Gongba Monastery (also Tsodzong or Tsomum, 1400 BC; meaning 'castle in a lake') is a small sacred chapel of the Nyingma (Red) tradition of Tibetan Buddhism (monks wear red hats- see the other two Red Hat Sects).



In Sight
Tsozong Gongba Monastery has four buildings situated around a small yard (two of the main building are shown below).

Symbolism


Nyin-gma-pa Sect (also Nyingma (lit. 'Old Ones') is believed to be founded by the indian (Tantric ) monk Padmasambhava himself (also called Guru Rimpoche ). Guru Rimpoché is being regarded not merely as a manifestation of Avalokiteshvara (or Avalokiteśvara) but as spiritual equal of Shakyamuni Buddha. By around 1040 Guru Rimpoché triumphed throughout Tibet and nearby territories, thanks to the monk Atisa (Atisha; 982-1054) and his deciple Milarepa (1040-1143). Nyingma Sect is believed to be the oldest branch of Tibetan Buddhism having a history of more then 700 years. The construction of the Tsozong Gongba Monastery was chaired by the Nyin-gma-pa monk Sungye Lingpa and is now home of few nuns.

The three statues (Chenresig, Guru Rimpoché and Sakya Thukpa, see above) were actualy shot and burned by the People's Liberation Army (PLA) during the Cultural Revolution, before being restored by the local lama Dudjom Rimpoche and his son Chuni Rimpoche (now resident of at Lamaling Monastery near Bayi town, see the map on your left). A small 'kora' (ritual circumambulation circuit, see also Kora (pilgrimage)) around the monastery passes several hard-to-discern holy sites, including a Sky burial site, a 'body-print' of Gesar.

Directions


Tsozong Gongba Monastery is located on the Tashi (in Chinese Zha-Xi/Tsa-Xi, 島心湖) Island in the middle of the Basum Tso Lake (aslo Baksum Tso, Draksum-tso) - Eastern Tibet’s largest freshwater lake. Because of the water's stunning jade green effect its meaning in Tibetan - "Phasongtso" is "green water" (Cuogao). The color is due to Songluo (lit. pine-vine). Basum Tso Lake lies about 50km east of Kongpo Gyamda County. The lake surface is on average about 3,538 meters above sea level and covers an area of 25.9 square kilometers, with a length of 12km and a few hundreds to a few thousands meters in width. The deepest part is about 60 (198 feet) meters deep.

Vedic outlook
Vedic (Rigveda) sacrifices originated with a cosmic self-sacrifice of Purusha for the creation, maintenance and redemption of the entire universe. Purusha was called Yupa Dhvaja ('Stake-flagged') because the instrument of his cosmic sacrifice was a sacred cross or post ('Axis Mundi Yupa Stake' - simply Yupa), to which Purusha was fixed in the primal 'Purusha Sukta Hymn'. Thus the developed Vedic sacrificial system, sacrificial victims were fixed to Yupa, in memory of Purusha's cosmic sacrifice. Dhvaja in the Brahmanic cults, takes on the appearance of a high column (dhvaja-stambha) erected in front of temples.

Rama's twist
In the epic book Ramayana the messenger, warrior and servant of Rama was Hanuman who had extraordinary skill in warfare and terror of Rakshasas. In a conflict with Ravana he accidentally set the island fortress Lanka on fire. In order to cool himself down, Hanuman jumped into the sea. A drop of his perspiration fell into the mouth of a great fish which gave birth to a mighty hero named Makara Dhvaja (also or Makar-Dhwaja; Magar Dhwaja; Makardhwaja). Makara Dhvaja is considered the son of Hanuman.
 * Dhvaja banner was a military standard of ancient Indian warfare.

Buddha's realm


Makara Dhvaja has become latter an emblem of the Vedic god of love and desire - Kamadeva. As the 'tempter' (Skt. mara), or 'deluder' (Skt. Maya (illusion)), Kamadeva was the Hindu counterpart of the Mara, the 'evil one', who attempted to obstruct the Buddha from attaining enlightenment. In early Buddhism the concept of Mara as a demonic obstructor to spiritual progress was presented as group of four 'maras' or 'evil influences'. As a symbol of the Buddha's victory over the four maras, the early Buddhists adopted Kamadeva's emblem of Makara Dhvaja (also makaradhvaja), and four of those banners were erected in the cardinal directions surrounding the enlightenment stupa of the Tathagata or Buddha.

Tibetan architecture
Within the Tibetan tradition a list of eleven different forms of the victory banner is given to represent eleven specific methods for overcoming defilements. Many variations of the dhvaja's design can be seen on the roofs of Tibetan monasteries to symbolyze the Buddha's victory over four maras. In its most traditional form the victory banner is fashioned as a cylindrical ensign mounted upon long wooden axel-pole. The top of the banner takes the form of a small white parasol, which is surrounded by a cenntral wish granting gem. This domed parasol is rimmed by an ornate golden crest-bar with makara-trailed ends, from which hangs a billowing yellow or white silk scarf (see top right). As a hand held ensign the victory banner is an attribute of many deities, particularly those associated with wealth and power, such as Vaiśravaṇa, the Great Guardian King of the north. As roof-mounted ensign the victory banners are cylinders usually made of beaten copper (technique similar to Toreutics) and are traditionally placed on the four corners of monastery and temple roofs. Those roof ornaments usually take the form of a small circular parasol surmounted by the wish-fulfilling gem, with four or eight makara heads at the parasol edge, supporting little silver bells (see the Jokhang Dhvaja on the left). A smaller victory banner fashioned on a beaten copper frame, hung with black silk, and surmounted by a flaming trident is also commonly displayed on the roofs (see the Dhvaja on the roof of the Potala Palace below). .

The Cypress' people


In the movie - When Ruoma Was Seventeen, the protagonist: 17-year-old Ruoma, is a Hani (Xjani) minority from the Yunnan province, the south-east neighbor of Tibet. The life of Ruoma was depicted to gravitate around the amusement of the tourists visiting Yunnan. At the King Cypress park, there are many girls like Ruoma. They sell Tibetan memorabilia. One of them is Bai Ma (see the picture on your left). Bai Ma's purity and beauty like the beautiful mountains and rivers that nurtured her (see the King Cypress valley on the top left), seems to have similar fate. Bai Ma's fate is bound to the visitors of King Cypress.


 * From the dawn of time, China's history is a story of an immense land with several diverse or unclassified nationalities numbering some 1,072,642 people. In 1949, an earnest effort to investigate and categorize minorities began. In the 1953 census, 41 minority nationalities were specified. In the 1964 census, there were 183 nationalities registered, among which the government recognized only 54. Of the remaining 129 nationalities, 74 were considered to be part of the officially recognized 54, while 23 were classified as "other nationalities" and the remaining 32 were classified as "indeterminate" . A 55th ethnic group was added in 1979.