Tibetan and Himalayan Library - THL

[1] We have some idea of the images that existed in this temple early in its history. Bshes gnyen tshul khrims, Lha sa’i dgon tho rin chen spungs rgyan [A Catalogue of the Monasteries of Lhasa: A Heap of Jewels; hereafter Lhasé GöntoLha sa’i dgon tho] (Bod ljongs mi dmangs dpe skrun khang, 2001), 74-75 , cites Desi Sanggyé GyatsoSde srid sangs rgyas rgya mtsho’s (1653-1705) Bai ḍūrya ser po concerning the religious images found in the main temple at the end of the seventeenth century:

• The Buddha
• The Medicine Buddha (MenlaSman bla)
• Avalokiteśvara
• The Fifth Dalai Lama (Dalai Lama Kutreng NgapaDa lai bla ma sku phreng lnga pa, 1617-1682)

In the Chapel of Deathlessness (Chimé Lhakhang’Chi med lha khang), there were statues of the Nine Deities [related to] Amitāyus (Tsepakmé LhaguTshe dpag med lha dgu). There was also a Tārā Chapel (Drölma LhakhangSgrol ma lha khang).

[2] Bshes gnyen tshul khrims, Lha sa’i dgon tho, 74 , gives Desi Sanggyé GyatsoSde srid sangs rgyas rgya mtsho as the founder, and gives the date of the founding of the monastery as “around 1696.”

[3] According to one source, the Fifth Dalai Lama wanted to appoint Sanggyé GyatsoSangs rgyas rgya mtsho as regent at this time, but realizing that there would be a public outcry because of his very young age, he appointed his uncle, Trinlé GyatsoPhrin las rgya mtsho, instead. This gave Sanggyé GyatsoSangs rgyas rgya mtsho a few years to mature before being officially appointed regent.

[4] See Bshes gnyen tshul khrims, Lha sa’i dgon tho, 75 , where it also mentions that each of the monks sent in this way to ChupzangChu bzang was entitled to 2.5 khelkhal of tsampartsam pa, presumably per year.

[5] Bshes gnyen tshul khrims, Lha sa’i dgon tho, 75 .

[6] The text was compiled, on the basis of his lecture notes, by his student Trijang RinpochéKhri byang rin po che (1901-1981); see Artemus B. Engle, tr. , Liberation in Our Hands (Howell, New Jersey: Mahāyāna Sūtra and Tantra Press\, 1999).

[7] For a list of the various rituals performed on different holy days (before 1959), see Bshes gnyen tshul khrims, Lha sa’i dgon tho, 75 .