Monasteries in Sikkim

The mystical land of Sikkim, also referred to as Beyul Demajong is one of the most sacred lands in the Himalayas. Buddhism was introduced to Sikkim by three Tibetan monks who arrived during the mid 17th century and established monasteries consequently.

Advent of Buddhism: Lhatsun Namkha Jigme, Ngadag Sempa Chenpo and Kathok Kuntu Zangpo who came from Tibet to this sacred land to fulfil the prophecy that was made by Guru Padmasambhava in the 8th century A.D.
They opened the door of this Hidden Land by entering from three directions - North, South and West and met at a place called Norbugang or present day Yuksam. The prophecy prophesied that  “Four Noble Brothers would meet in this holy land and thereby establish a Kingdom where Buddha Dharma would flourish in this Hidden Land at the time of degenerate age.”

There was still one person named ‘Phuntshog’ who was yet to arrive from the place called ‘Gang’ East (or East Hill) to make up the four Yogi Brothers. Subsequently, they sent a search party towards  East Demojong to find out the destined person and traced him to present day Gangtok. The search team conveyed the message, following which he agreed to proceed towards the new destination along with his entourage.
After his arrival at Yuksam the three Lamas welcomed and consecrated him as the patron King or Chhogyal of Demojong in the year of the Water-Horse, which corresponds to 1642 A.D.
He was able to subdue the smaller Chieftains of the adjoining areas and formed a system of monarchy by appointing 12 Ministers and 12 District Commissioners. Thereafter, under the patronage of Chhogyal, the three Lamas started founding Buddhist Teaching Centers in the nearby hills. Later, their lineage Holders carried further the heritages to other parts of Demojong. [1]

Different Sects of Buddhism in Sikkim:

Sikkim has several sects of Buddhism like the Nyingma, Kagyu, Gelug and Sakya which all fall within the mystical branch of Buddhism that is the Vajrayana school of thought.

While Vajrayana has its roots in ancient Indian tantra, it has its stronghold in the Himalayas, particularly in Tibet from where it spread to other regions like Nepal, Mongolia, Bhutan, India, China and Japan. The mystical essence of tantra can be traced back to ancient esoteric traditions that predate the origins of Buddhism. 
This branch of Buddhism is commonly referred to as Tibetan Buddhism due to its predominance in the region. Through the use of ritual initiations, visualisation techniques, exercises, and mantras, Vajrayana equips practitioners with the tools to liberate themselves from the confines of self and ascend to their innate Buddha nature.

Nyingmapa School of Monasteries:

The Nyingmapa order has the longest established history of transmitting all the four major traditions of Tibetan Buddhism. This is reflected in the name Nyingma, which means “Old Order”. The other three main Tibetan Buddhism schools are Sakya, Kagyu, and Gelug.

According to the Nyingma-tradition, Guru Padmasambhava and his main disciples hid hundreds of scriptures, ritual objects and relics in secret places to protect Buddhism during the time of decline, under King Langdarma, and for when the dharma would need revitalising in the future.
The main Nyingmapa monasteries in Sikkim are :

Pemayangtse Monastery, Pelling, West Sikkim -

Designed and founded by Lama Lhatsun Chempo in 1647, PemaYangtse monastery is one of the oldest and premier monasteries of Sikkim. It is located at Pelling in West Sikkim. It follows the Nyingma Order of Tibetan Buddhism and controls all other monasteries of that Order in Sikkim. 
The monastery was built for pure monks or ta-tshang meaning "monks of pure lineage", celibate and without any physical abnormality who are from the Bhutia community of Sikkim. Only the monks of Pemayangtse Monastery are entitled to the title of "ta-tshang". The head lama of this monastery had the unique privilege of anointing the Chogyals of the erstwhile monarchy of Sikkim with holy water.
Pemayangtse means "Perfect Sublime Lotus", and is said to represent one of the four plexus of the human body.
Chogyal Chador, had taken several initiatives to spread Buddhism in Sikkim. He had decreed that the second of every three sons of a Bhutia family shall be ordained a monk of the Pemayangtse Monastery.
He patronised Buddhist religious places but also introduced the mystery plays and Chaams (religious dances) to highlight the martial and native traditions of Sikkim.

Tashiding Monastery, Tashiding, West Sikkim -

Legend has it that Tashiding Hill in west Sikkim is the navel point of the holy places in Sikkim.
It is said that Guru Padmasambhava had made his miraculous visit to this hill in the 8th century A.D and recognized it as the heart of the holy places in Sikkim. Like Pemayangtse, it is a parent monastery of the monasteries following the Jhang-Ter lineage of the Nyingmapa Sect in Sikkim. The most important festival of this monastery is ‘Bhumchhu’, a sacred holy water ceremony, which is held annually and attracts a large number of pilgrims and devotees from Bhutan and other adjoining areas.
Lama Ngadag Sempa Chhenpo introduced the Bhumchhu ceremony in the 17th century with a gift of a precious vase that he had brought from Tibet. 
The most holy Chhoedten or Stupa in Sikkim is also at Tashiding. It is so sacred that the mere act of beholding it would cleanse all your sins according to its name. Its full title is the Thong-Warang-Drol and bears the meaning “Saviour by mere sight”.
It contains the precious relic of the Mythical Buddha “Wod-Srung” antecedent to Buddha Shakya Muni. Because of this reputation, this stupa is a sacred object for pilgrims.

Enchey Monastery, Gangtok, East Sikkim -

Enchey monastery is the oldest monastery in Gangtok  and is approximately 200 years old. It was established by Lama Druptob Karpo who was a renowned exponent of tantric knowledge with flying powers. It was initially a small gompa that was established by him, after he flew from Maenam Hill. It’s sacredness is attributed to the belief that Khangchendzonga and Yabdean – the protecting deities – reside in this monastery.  According to a legend, Guru Padmasambhava had subdued the spirits of the Khangchendzonga, Yabdean and Mahākāla here. 
The literal meaning of Enchey Monastery is "Solitary Monastery". The current structure of Enchey Monastery was established in 1909. Today it is home to around 90 monks belonging to the Nyingma sect.  
The religious significance of Enchey Monastery is deeply ingrained in every household in Gangtok. It is also believed that these powerful deities always fulfil the wishes of the devotees.

Kagyu School of Monasteries:

The Kagyu or Kagyud school translates to "Oral Lineage" or "Whispered Transmission."  It is one of the four main schools or chos-lugs of Tibetan Buddhism. The Kagyu order originated in Tibet in the 11th century and traces its origins to Indian tantric adepts known as the siddhas.
The Kagyu school has several lineages, including the Drukpa lineage, the Tsalpa Kagyu and Karma Kagyu.
It has a strong following in Tibet, the Himalayan regions of India, South East Asia, Malaysia and also the West. It is the most influential of the Tibetan buddhist lineages outside of Tibet.
It emphasises intensive meditation practice, devotion, transmission from master to disciple especially the Six Doctrines of Naropa (Na ro chos drug) and the doctrine of mahāmudrā or "The Great Seal". The foremost among the Kagyu monasteries in Sikkim are :

Rumtek Monastery, East Sikkim -

Originally called the Dharma Chakra Centre, the Rumtek monastery is the seat of the Kagyu order of Tibetan Buddhism in Sikkim. The monastery was founded by Wangchuk Dorje, the 9th Karmapa Lama in the 16th century with the patronage of the king, the fourth Chogyal Gyurmed Namgyal.

Rumtek was established as the chosen site because it possessed all of the auspicious attributes needed for the seat of activity of a Karmapa - seven streams flowing towards it, seven hills facing it, a mountain behind, snow ranges in front, and a river below, spiralling downhill like the form of a conch-shell.
Precious relics, texts and statues that the 16th Karmapa’s party had managed to save from Tibet, including the entire 108-volume canon of the Buddha’s teachings, were installed, and the 16th Karmapa himself took up residence in 1966.
It is the main seat-in-exile of Thaye Dorje, His Holiness the 17th Gyalwa Karmapa. The monastery is currently the largest in Sikkim and is home to the community of monks that practise the Karma Kagyu order.

Phodong Monastery, Kabi, North Sikkim -

The Karma Thubten Tashi Chokhorling or Phodong Monastery is located on the Gangtok-North Sikkim Highway, about 35 km from Gangtok town, at an altitude of 4,500 ft. It is one amongst the six most important Buddhist monasteries in Sikkim especially among the Kagyu sect.
The monastery was built in the early 18th century by Chogyal Gyurmed Namgyal. It is known for its ancient murals and paintings, and is home to about 260 monks. 
The old structure was destroyed in an earthquake and had to be dismantled after which a new monastery was rebuilt in 1977. It is believed to be the first monastery related to the Kagyupa order in Sikkim before the 16th Karmapa established himself in Rumtek in 1690 after he fled Tibet. The monastery also houses a large statue of the 9th Karmapa.

The monastery came into international limelight through the writings of the famous French explorer Alexander David Neel who spent a few years learning Buddhism in the beginning of 1912 under the guidance of the third Lachen Gomchen whom she accepted as her Root Teacher.
She practised meditation in a cave near the vicinity of this gonpa and was patronised by Chogyal Sidkyong Tulku who also gifted her a Buddha Statue which was returned to this Gonpa after her death in 1969.

Gelug School of Monasteries in Sikkim:

The Gelug tradition of Tibetan Buddhism was founded by Lama Tsongkhapa in the early 14th century. He was an eclectic Buddhist monk and yogi who travelled across Tibet studying under Kadam, Sakya, Drinking Kagyu, Jonang and Nyingma teachers. 
A great admirer of the Kadam school, Tsongkhapa merged the Kadam teachings of Lojong (mind training) and Lamrim (stages of the path) with the Vajrayana teachings of the Sakya, Kaygu and Jonang schools. He also emphasised monasticism and a strict adherence to Vinaya (monastic discipline).
This tradition strongly emphasised the practice of Lord ShakyaMuni Buddha's teachings of Sutra and Tantra. It is the newest of the four major schools of Tibetan Buddhism.

The Gelug school is alternatively known as Kadam, since it sees itself as a continuation of the Kadam tradition of Atisha. Allying themselves with the Mongol Khans, the Gelug school emerged as the dominant Buddhist school in Tibet and Mongolia at the end of the 16th century. Another alternative name for this tradition is the Yellow Hat sect.

The name was abbreviated to "Galuk" and then modified to the more easily pronounced "Gelug" by taking the first syllable of 'Ganden' and the second of 'Choluk'.  The school was called "Ganden Choluk" meaning "the Spiritual Lineage of Ganden."
 

Major monasteries following this order include :

Sera Monastery, Gangtok, East Sikkim -

The Do Phen ling Gompa, the new Monastery established by Sera Jey Monastery was inaugurated by His Holiness The Dalai Lama on the 26th of May 2005. It is situated on the foothills of the hillock at Chandmari in Gangtok
As per history records, this special hillock where the Gompa is built was gifted by the Chief Buddhist Priest of Sikkim to the community of devotees in Gangtok in the year 1947 exclusively for Puja Offering purposes.  The special place was reserved by the community for prayers & offerings, becoming the main venue for all important festivals and the site for devotees to fly their Lungta (Wind Horse). 
This special hillock received a unique name - Lhasolsa (offering place)from the communities. Ever since, this special place has been devotedly taken care of by the five Joint Tibetan Regional Communities of Gangtok.

Ghoom Monastery is another notable monastery following the Geluk tradition. However it is located close to Darjeeling in West Bengal.

Sakya School of Monasteries:

The Sakya order is one of the four main traditions of the Tibetan Buddhism sect. It is one of the Red Hat Orders along with the Nyingma and Kagyu sects.
The Sakya tradition developed during the second period of translation of Buddhist scripture from Sanskrit into Tibetan in the late 11th century. It is considered the second oldest of the four main Tibetan Buddhist traditions.
The Sakya order follows the teachings of 'Brog-mi, a scholar and traveller who translated the Hevajra Tantra into Tibetan. The order also follows the Lam Dre teachings, which are a system of knowledge for practising the Buddha's sutra and tantric teachings.

The name Sakya or "pale earth" is derived from the unique grey landscape of the Ponpori Hills in southern Tibet near Shigatse, where Sakya Monastery, the first monastery of this tradition, and the seat of the Sakya School was built by Khon Konchog Gyalpo in 1073.
The Sakya order has a divine family lineage called the Sakya Khön lineage.
The leadership of the Sakya School is passed down through a hereditary system between the male members of the Sakya branch of the Khon family.

Sa-Ngor Monastery, Rongyek, East Sikkim -

The Sang-Ngor-Chotshog Centre or Ngor Gumba as it is popularly called, is the only Sakya order Tibetan Buddhist monastery in Sikkim.  It is located in the Upper Tathangchen area about 5 km from Gangtok  and is a monastic institution for Tibetan refugees. 
The monastery was established in 1961 by His Eminence Luding Khen Rinpoche, the head of Ngorpa, a sub-sect of the Sakya order. It was also blessed by H.H. Sakya Trizin Rinpoche, the supreme head of the Sakyapa Sect, and His Holiness the Dalai Lama.
The monastery houses a large statue of Buddha in Shakyamuni form.
The monks at the monastery observe a summer retreat called "Yarney". There's also a retreat centre in a nearby forest where lamas meditate for three years and three months, a period called "Losum Dasum.

Each of these monasteries reflects the rich cultural and spiritual heritage of Sikkim and offers visitors a glimpse into the region's Buddhist traditions.
While each school has its own specific practices, they all share common foundations adhering to the Four Noble Truths, The Eightfold Path, and the belief in the cycle of karma and rebirth. The teachings serve as the foundation for understanding Buddhist ideals.
It is important for tourists to note local practices when visiting these sacred places and to be mindful and respectful.  

Citations - 
1. https://bit.ly/3ZarVm0

Written by Prerna:

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