Drepung Monastery

With a long history of 600 years and special status, Drepung Monastery is one of Three Greatest Monasteries in Lhasa and remains the premier place among the three. Seen from far, you will find a group of grand white buildings occupying a large area just like a huge heap of rice. That’s reason why this monastery is called Drepung which means “collecting rice” in Tibetan language. Drepung Monastery is embraced on three sides by mountains. On its south side is a sloping fields covered by scrub brushes. The constructions in the Drepung Monastery are built in a gradually descending position.

History of Drepung Monastery

In 1409, Gelugpa Sect of Tibetan Buddhism came in to being with Tsongkhapa’s elaboration. Because of the fast growing number of believers and followers, Jamyang Choge Tashi Palde (one of Tsongkhapa’s disciples), namely the second Dalai Lama founded Drepung Monastery in 1416. In 1464, a lot of chapels and temple were built for followers to impart Buddhist wisdom. The second Dalai Lama also lived in and handled with official works here. In 1578, the khan of Mongolia conferred Sonam Gyatso as Dalai. In 1642, the fifth Dalai Lama established government and moved to Potala Palace. However, Drepung Monastery preserved and kept its far-reaching influence on Gelugpa.
Why Visit Drepung Monastery
Largest Scale in Tibet. Drepung Monastery is the largest monastery in Tibet, covering an area of 20,000 square meters. It was once the largest monastery in the world with 10,000 monks. There are numerous statues, murals, Buddhist classics collected in Drepung Monastery, so you can feast your eyes on these treasures.
Highest Status in Gelugpa. Drepung Monastery occupies the highest position among Tibetan monasteries in that the second to fifth Dalai Lamas studied Buddhism here and began to take charge of religion as well as politics since the second Dalai Lama built Drepung Monastery and the successive Dalai Lamas studied Buddhism here and began to take charge of religion as well as politics, Drepung Monastery played an important role and became the mother monastery of Dalai Lama.

Buddhist Education Base.
There are four Drasangs in Drepung Monastery and many monks have their academic study here. The four Drasangs vary depending on the learning content the lamas learn and different areas they come from. Loseling College, Gomang College and Deyang College are Exotoric Buddhist Colleges while Ngagpa College is Esoteric Buddhist College. Only the learners do finish the Exotoric Buddhism they can start their study of Esoteric Buddhism. As a great place to impart the Buddhism, Drepung Monastery was called Nalanda of Tibet, a reference to great Buddhist monastic university of India.