Drigung Monastery

Drigung Monastery

Drigung Monastery
Drigung Monastery
Location within Tibet
Coordinates:
Monastery information
Location Lhasa Prefecture, Tibet, China
Founded by Drigung Kyobpa Jigten-gonpo-rinchenpel
Founded 1179
Date renovated 1980
Type Tibetan Buddhist
Sect Kagyu
Lineage Drigung Kagyu

Drigung Monastery is a notable monastery in the Lhasa Prefecture, Tibet, known for performing sky burials.

The monastery (actually Drigungtil Ogmin Jangchubling Monastery (Wylie: ‘Bri-gung mthil ‘Og-min byang-chub gling); also Drikung Thil Monastery)) is named after its location in a valley about 150 km east from Lhasa, in Drigung district, and is the mother monastery of the Drigung Kagyu (Drikung Kargyu) tradition.

It was founded in 1179 by the founder of that tradition, Drigung Kyobpa Jigten-gonpo-rinchenpel (Wylie: ‘Bri-gung sKyob-pa ‘Jig-rten dgon-po rin-chen dpal, also called Kyobpa Rinpoche, 1143-1217). The tradition emphasizes on its founders tantric meditation and Phowa practices.

After destructions by the Communists, after 1959, reconstruction works began in 1980. Drigung Kagyu traditions are nowadays also kept at the Jangchubling Drikung Kargyu Institute at Dehra Dun, Uttar Pradesh, India, founded in 1985.

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