Könchogsum Lhakhang

Coordinates: 27°35′07.8″N 90°44′21.25″E / 27.585500°N 90.7392361°E

Könchogsum Lhakhang
Könchogsum Lhakhang
Location within Bhutan
Coordinates: 27°35′07″N 90°44′21″E / 27.58528°N 90.73917°E
Monastery information
Location Bumthang
Founded 8th century
Type Tibetan Buddhist

Könchogsum Lhakhang, also known as Tsilung, is a Buddhist monastery in central Bhutan.

History

The temple was founded, according to the saint Pema Lingpa as far back as the 8th century and in 1039, Bonpo Dragtshel, a tertön, discovered texts which had been buried by Padmasambhava in this location.[1] According to legend, the king of the water deities was said to have risen out of the lake beneath the temple and offered Dragtshel a stone pillar and scroll.[1] This concept of a lake beneath the monastery is also reiterated in another legend in which Pema Lingpa is said to have discovered the subterranean lake and concealed the entrance to it with a stone, which stands today in the courtyard of the monastery.[2]

In February 2010 Könchogsum Lhakhang was severely damaged by fire[3] and has since been rebuilt.[4] The new temple and monastery was consecrated in November 2014.

Architecture

The temple contains a statue of Vairocana in its main sanctuary and statues of Padmasambhava, Avalokiteśvara, and paintings of Pema Lingpa and Longchenpa.[2]

Further reading

Notes

  1. 1.0 1.1 Pommaret (2006). p.228
  2. 2.0 2.1 Pommaret (2006). p.229
  3. "Bumthang - Kenchosum lhakhang". RA Online. Retrieved 2014-11-17.

Bibliography