Pemayangtse Monastery, Sikkim, India

Nyingma Tradition, 17th century, about 108 monks.

The Pemayangtse ("Perfect Sublime Lotus") Monastery is a Buddhist monastery, near Pelling in the northeastern Sikkim, 110 km west of Gangtok.

The monastery follows the Nyingma Order of Tibetan Buddhism and controls all other monasteries of that Order in Sikkim. The monks of this monastery are normally chosen from the Bhutias of Sikkim.¹

The Pemayangtse Monastery is part of the Buddhist religious pilgrimage circuit starting with the first monastery at Yuksom known as the Dubdi Monastery, followed by Norbugang Chorten, Tashiding Monastery, the Rabdentse ruins, the Sanga Choeling Monastery, and the Khecheopalri Lake.

Pemayangtse Monastery. Photo: Arijitology

Location

The monastery is located at an elevation of 2085m, at the beginning of the popular Dzongri trek route (Yuksom-Dzongri-Goecha La is a trek of 46 km, which was started prior to 1960 and which is the most popular trek in Sikkim), in the Khangchendzonga National Park.

It is 7 kilometers away from Gyalshing on the main Pelling road and 44 km away from Pelling.

From Upper Pelling on the Geyzing-Pelling road near a stupa, a bypass track of 1.3 km leads to the monastery; Pelling is the nearest town to the monastery. The view of Mount Khanchendzonga is commanding impressive views from this monastery.

History

Pemayangtse Monastery was planned, designed, and founded by Lama Lhatsun Chempo in 1647. It is one of the oldest and premier monasteries of Sikkim, also the most famous in Sikkim.

Originally started as a small Lhakhang, it was subsequently enlarged during the reign of the third Chogyal Chakdor Namgyal and Khenchen Rolpai Dorjee in the year 1705 and consecrated by the third Lhatsun Chenpo Dzogchen Jigme Pawo in the year 1710 C.E.

Chador Namgyal, a very religious person, had taken several initiatives to the spread of Buddhist religion in Sikkim. He had decreed that the second of every three sons of Bhutia family shall be ordained a monk of the Pemayangtse Monastery.

During his reign, the Guru Lhakhang Tashiding (1715) was built. He not only patronized Buddhist religious places but also introduced the religious dances to highlight the martial and native traditions of Sikkim.

The monastery was built for "pure monks" (ta-tshang) meaning "monks of pure lineage", celibate and without any physical abnormality. This practice is still retained. Only the monks of Pemayangtse Monastery are entitled to the title "ta-tshang".

Features

Built as a three storied structure, the monastery depicts paintings on its walls and statues of saints, Rinpoches and of Padmasambhava and his two consorts in the main prayer hall.

Padmasambahva's eight incarnations in fierce form are also seen here. The painting has scenes of rainbows, with a "whole panoply of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas". This structure was constructed by Dungzin Rimpoche over a period of 5 years.

"Sangdogpalri " the Guru Rinpoche's Heavenly abode, which is a beautiful wooden masterpiece, is the main attraction of this Monastery. His Holiness Dudjom Rinpoche, the Supreme Head of the Nyingmapa Sect, in 1972, imparted the consecration of this restored masterpiece.

The monastery, which overlooks the Rabdantse ruins, has well-manicured gardens within its compound where the residential accommodation for the monks is also located.

Over the centuries the monastery has withstood earthquakes and other calamities and has been damaged time and again. A series of refurbishments and preservation efforts were undertaken to strengthen the structure.

A small lhakhang near the entrance contains a statue of Dorje Phagmo (Vajra Varahi) which was presented to Chogyal Gyurmed Namgyal by Terton Terdag Lingpa of Tibet as a gift.

This statue is very sacred due to its association with the great Lama who was a master of Nyingma School of Tibetan Buddhism and whose student Jigme Pawo established the monastery at present site.

Pemayangtse Monastery has more than 100 monks at present and is a parent Monastery of all the monasteries following the Mindroling lineage of Nyingma tradition.

Pemayangtse mural. Photo: Vinay

Festivals

The Guru Drakmar Chham dance festival performed by the lamas of the monastery is held every year on the 28th and 29th day of the 12th lunar month of the Tibetan calendar, corresponding to February of the Gregorian calendar.

The lamas dress up as Mahākāla and Guru Drag-dmar (Sanskrit Vajrakila) in colorful costumes for the dance performance. Pilgrims from all parts of Sikkim visit the monastery to witness this festival.

On this festive occasion, which marks the conclusion of Losar, on the last day of the festival, a very large and impressive embroidered scroll is displayed. Fireworks display is also a part of the concluding function, symbolizing driving away of evil spirits.

Travel and Visiting

The best time to visit Pemayangtse Monastery is from March to June. Taxi services are available from Gangtok for about four hours of travel. There is a small (20IRS) entry fee.

Sources

• http://www.sikkimeccl.gov.in/History/Monasteries/West/PemaYangtse.aspx
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pemayangtse_Monastery

Footnotes

1. The Bhutia, "inhabitants of Sikkim" are a community of Sikkimese people of Tibetan ancestry, who speak Drenjongke or Sikkimese, a Tibetic language fairly mutually intelligible with standard Tibetan. In 2001, the Bhutia numbered around 60,300.