Karma Gon Monastery

Karma Gon Monastery, the original monastery of the Karma Kagyu sect of Tibetan Buddhism, was founded in the 12th century by Düsum Khyenpa, the 1st Karmapa Lama in eastern Tibet at the age of 76. Karma Gon (karma dgon, also Karma Dansa, karma gdan sa; Chinese, Gama Si), is located on the eastern bank of the Dzachu River in Chamdo, eastern Tibet. Karma Dansa was the cradle of the karma kagyupas. When established the Karmapa had gathered 1000 monks around him here. Karma Gon was named as Karma Dansa as an administrative unit and the Chinese Ming Court enlarged the monastery’s jurisdiction by adding the Mekong’s middle and upper reaches. It was then also called Gama Dansa Si in Chinese. The Karma Kagyu lineage also known as 'Diamond Way Buddhism' established first in Karma Gon has now spread to western countries where 500 centers of this school of Mahayana have been established.

Other sources, claim it was founded in 1184 by Chödzin Gemphel(chos ‘dzin dge ‘phel), the late 1st Karmapa Düsum Khyenpa (dus gsum mkhyen pa).