Tibetan Monasteries
- Samye: The first monastery in Tibet built by Trisong. It reflects the Indian influence on Tibetan architecture (Odantapuri in current-day Bihar was used as a model). The central assembly hall is surrounded by a circular wall that encloses four other temples. It is oriented with the four directions—North, south, east, and west—are marked out creating a mandala (sacred circle). It remains in much of its original form.
- Drolma Lhakhang*: Atisa founded this monastery in Nyethang (approx. twelve miles SW of Lhasa), an area were he died. Drolma Lhakhang is the name for Tara, a famous female bodhisattva. This monastery was not destroyed by the Chinese Red Gards because, at the time of the Cultural Revolution, the Government of Bengal requested for it to remain, as this site is sacred to Bengali people since Atisa originated from Bengal. A relic from Naropa is in this site. The exterior has long open-porch, symmetrical windows. The interior has several representations and frescoes of bodhisattva Tara. These representations are depicted in natural pigment white, blue, green, and red.
- Sakya: Dedicated to the Sakya lineage of Tibetan Buddhism, a portion of the monastery is preserved today. This portion is a massive, fortress-like rectangular section that was built in the sixteenth century. There are 12-foot-thick walls enclosing a grand assembly hall and library.
- Jyekundo: This monastery was built for the Sakya lineage too. Its walls were painted with Sakya's colors—blue-gray, red, and white—in vertical stripes.
- Lo Gekar: This monastery is located in a lonely valley in the Mustang Kingdom. It is considered to be a perfect example of early Tibetan temples. Its size is modest, with a central assembly hall encircled by a covered pathway. This pathway allows pilgrims to circumambulate the shrine. The hall holds the altar with holy images of lamas and incarnations of the Buddha's virtues. The hall is only lit by a skylight. The temple also has apartments and a few cells for the lama and his pupils. Surrounding the monastery are niches containing prayer wheels. The exterior reflects harmonious proportions and sloping walls that lead one's eye to the friezes bordering the flat roof.
Read more about this topic: Tibetan Buddhist Architecture