Chapter 4 - Tsethang Monastery

[Full title: Tsethang [Monastery] (rtses thang pa’i skabs. Chandra 960; Chengdu 1260; Roerich 1082).]

This great monastery of dpal rtses thang^[1] was founded in the year Iron Female Hare (lcags mo yos 1351 A.D.) by ta'1 si tu byang chub royal mtshan famed in all quarters. A ruined octagonal upper structure (dbu rtse) erected in the time of klu mes stood there. Having begun work in the autumn, (byang chub rgyal mtshan) built the court-yard facing this upper structure. To the West of it, inside the court-yard, he built a temple with its door facing East. The octagonal structure having fallen in ruin, he thought that it might have a bad effect on the prognostication of the omens of the locality (sa dpyad), and therefore removed it towards the western mountains. He also built about forty large houses to accommodate monks, as well as a high wall.

After this, in the year Water Male Dragon (chu pho 'brug 1352 A.D.) he invited there numerous priests from various monasteries in order to give a start to the study of the Doctrine. He endowed (the monastery) with property for the upkeep of preachers. He also established the distribution of food, tea and soup to the common monks.

He appointed to the abbot’s chair jam pa'i dbyans Śākyargyal mtshan, aged 13, who was able to recite by heart four of the famous series of five volumes^[2] . For four years he maintained a class (of students). At the age of 26, the retired to the Palace (rtse).

Then rgyal sras grags pa rin chen, who was born in the year Earth Female Ox (sa mo glang 1349 A.D.), aged 17, came to the abbot’s chair in the year Wood Female Serpent (shing ma sbrul 1365 A.D). He passed away at the age of 19 in the year Fire Female Sheep (me mo lug 1367 A.D.).

After him the ācārya 'jam sngon pa acted as teacher (bla chos gsung ba) in the year Earth Male Ape (sa pho spre'u 1368 A.D.). At the end of this year, rin po she bsod nams grags pa, born in the year Earth Female Hog (sa mo phag 1359 A.D.), aged 10, came to the chair. He occupied the chair till the year Iron Ape (lcags spre 1380 A.D.), and held a religious assembly in lha sa.

In the year Iron Female Hen (lcags mo bya 1381 A.D.) he retired to the Palace (rtse). He was replaced by grags pa rgyal mtshan, born in the year Wood Male Tiger (shing pho stag 1374 A.D.), aged 8, who came to the chair in the year Iron Female Hen (lcags mo bya 1381 A.D.), and preached the Pramāṇavārtika. At the age of 12, before the end, of the year Wood Female Ox (shing mo glang 1385 A.D.), he retired to the Palace (rtse). In this Wood Female Ox (shing mo glang 1385 A.D.) he retired to the Palace (rtse).

In this Wood Ox year (shing glang 1385 A.D.) one named drung byang chub rdo rje, born in the year Fire Female Serpent (me mo sbrul 1377 A.D.), came to the chair, aged 9. He occupied the chair for 44 years till his death in the year Earth Male Ape (so pho spre'u 1428 A.D.). During that time he made the monastery prosperous and wealthy. From the winter retreat of this year, 'jam dbyangs grags pa 'byung gras pa, born in the year Wood Male Horse (shing pho rta 1414 A.D.), aged 15, acted as abbot. In the sixth month of the year Wood Male Mouse (chu pho byi ba 1432 A.D.) he retired to the Palace (rtse).

Then during 12 years there was no abbot, but he supervised the monastery from the Palace^[3] , He built a great image (lha chen), a great vihāra and prepared a bka' 'gyur written in gold, and placed it inside (the vihāra). He did not allow women and wine within the precincts of the monastery, as well as cared well for the teachers and student-monks. After that, beginning with the Wood Male Mouse (shing pho byi ba 1444 A.D.), drung kun dga' legs pa'i 'byung gnas was appointed civil official (nan so) of rtses thang. In the year Fire Male Tiger (me pho stag 1446 A.D.) he ('jam dbyangs grags pa 'byung gnas) preached a new exposition (bshad gsar). In the summer of the year Earth Male Dragon (sa pho 'brug 1448 A.D.) he retired to the Palace. From this Earth-Dragon year the che sa sangs rgyas rgyal mtshan acted as civil official (nan so) for ten years, without occupying the chair, and passed away in the winter of the Fire Female Ox year (me mo glang 1457 A.D.).

After him rdo rje rin chen dbang gi rgyal mtshan occupied the chair in the seventh month of the year Fire Female Hog (me mo phag 1467 A.D.).

This great monastery was a place filled with different monks belonging to different sects, whose preaching and study continued without interruption, as well as a place producing all the wishes of living beings. It was a self refuge for preachers, who wandered about countries. This great monastery was. Founded in the year Iron Female Hare (lcags mo yos 1351 A.D.), 126 years having passed since then till the year Fire Male Ape (me pho spre'u 1476 A.D.).

The Chapter on rtses thang.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

on the gtsang po in lho kha (R).

[2]:

'dul ha, dbu ma, tshad ma, phar phyin, and mdzod (R).

[3]:

lit. "looked at the monastery out of the corner of his eye" (R).