Jasa Samtenling Monastery

Lama Kunsang Jampel’s son Pema Sang’ngag Tenzin, and his son Dinchen Ratna Tsewang, saw a holy vision of a magnificent place of solitude encircled by a halo of a rainbow. This ideal place for the practice of meditation was meaningfully named Jasa (Rainbow land) Samtenling (Valley of meditation) Gradually Ratna Tsewang’s elder son Ratna Bhatta, younger son Kyabdak Karma Dhondhen, and grandson Gyurme Dorjee occupied the seat one after another and propagated the ancient School of Tibetan Buddhism.  At present Lama Nyima Sangpo, the fifth and last seat-holder is continuing the work of his predecessors.

The cathedral has a ground floor and first floor with another small room at the top of the building.  The length of this building is 42 feet and the width is 33 feet.  In the front of this building, there is three-storeyed monks’ hostel.  In the middle there is an open space for the performance of ritual dance on auspicious occasions.

The ground floor is a hall which houses a larger-than-life statue of the Great Abbot Shantarakshita, Acarya Padmasambhava and Dharma King Trisong Detsen.  On the surrounding wall there is the mural of Konchok Chidhue, Shetro Nyedon Nyingpo, Jater Namkhai Gyalpo and the Avalokitesvara Mandela.  There is the maral of Mahning, Za and Dhamchen - the guardian deity of Nyingma. There is Kagyur, the title of the great collection of the religious Buddhist writings called Yum which were divided into the detailed (gye) the middling (dring) and the abridged (dhue) compilation.   Near the door there is the mural of the four celestial guardian Kings and the Wheel of Life.

The first floor of the Cathedral houses the statue of Lord Buddha flanked by Shariputra and Mogulputra; Guru Nangsi Silnon; Manju Shree and Amitabha.  There is also the statue of Dinchen Ratna Tsewang and Ratna Bhatta; the mummy of Yabdhak Karma Dhondhen, the statue of Dinchen Gyurme Dorjee and the three holy letters OM -AH-HUM which were born out of the bone of Dinchen Ratna Tsewang.  In this floor there are the scriptures and the printing blocks of Sharter, Uter and  Jangter.  There is the holy book Rinchen Terzoe, the costumes of Black Hat Dance, and the ritual Dance of the Eight Manifestations of Guru Rinpoche, and other innumerable religious objects both old and new.  This monastery has about 35 branches.  In this main monastery, on the 10th of every Tibetan month and on auspicious days a holy fast is observed.  On the 9th and 10th of the Ninth Tibetan month the ritual Dance of the 8 Manifestations of Guru Rinpoche is performed, and on 11th, a Life long Initiation is granted to the public.    

The First Seat –Holder: Dinchen Ratna Tsewang.

He was born to Pema Sang’ngang Tenzin of Khumbu Shorong and was recognised as the incarnation of His Holiness 2nd Do’marva Migyur Dorjee.  At an early age he achieved perfection in learning, contemplation, and meditation of the Nyingma sect.  At the age of 40 in Tibet he sought Dakar Chokyi Wangchuk as his root guru and received initiation, reading transmission, and explanation of texts.  He revealed signs of an accomplished being.  After returning to Khumbu from Tibet he founded the monastery of Jasa and dispelled the darkness of decadence that enveloped Shorong.  When he left for his heavenly abode, the three letters Om-Ah-Hum radiated from one of his bones, and this can be seen even today.

The Second Seat Holder: Dinchen Ratna Bhatta.

Dinchen Ratna Bhatta received excellent education at a tender age due to the kindness of his father.  Later he established friendship with Tibetan master Dordak Rigzin Pema Thinley.  Together they visited the scholar and accomplished Lama Tenzin Dakpa and became skilled in learning, contemplation and meditation.  He was faultless in his knowledge and had primacy in his spiritual power among his contemporaries in Khumbu Shorong.  He also propagated the lineage of Karma and Terma of Nyingmapa.  He demonstrated proofs of attainment of perfection such as making knots of a spear.  Such symbol of blessedness can be seen even today.  Towards the end of his life, when His Holiness the 13th Dalai Lama, Thupten Gyatso was in Darjeeling, he offered longevity prayer for one month according to the instructions of the 13th Dalai Lama.  His disciples too showed proofs of attainment of perfection as accomplished beings.  After working for the well being of Buddha Dharma and all the sentient beings he passed away.

The Third Seat-Holder: Kyabdhak Karma Dhonden:

At an early age under the guidance of his elder brother, he quickly mastered both reading and writing.  He also performed service and worship in Milarepa’s meditation cave and achieved significant signs of accomplishment.  After the expiry of his elder brother he held the seat and renovated the monastery.  At the request of previous seat holder’s disciples and sponsors, he conferred initiation and reading transmission and finally passed into Parinirvana.

The Fourth seat-Holder: Dinchen Gyurme Dorjee:

Dinchen Gyurme Dorjee received his formal religious education from his father, Karma Dhondhen and other gurus such as Jang Dhe Phook Khabgon Rinpoche, Zatul Ngawang Tenzin Norbu and became an accomplished scholar and practitioner.  Later he sought the late Dudjom Rinpoche, then the supreme head of the Nyingma sect as his root guru.  He succeeded his father as the next seat holder.  He conducted massive propitiation of Gods in the main monastery, as well as, in all branch monasteries, and thus succeeded in the propagation of Buddha Dharma.  He passed away with marvelous signs of an extra-ordinary being.

The Fifth Seat-Holder: Lama Nyima Sangpo:

At an early age Lama Nyima Sangpo received education from his father and the Great Abbot Dak’ yer Rinpoche and achieved accomplishment in learning and contemplation.  He sought Kyabje Trulshik Rinpoche as his Root Guru and received the entire initiation and reading transmission of Kama (Buddha’s original teaching), and Terma (Hidden Treasure.) He constructed additional monks’ rooms in Jasa Monastery and introduced the performance of the ritual dances of Guru Tsengey (The eight manifestations of Guru Rinpoche.)

In the Wood Hog year on an auspicious day, an abbot was invited from Dharthang Chodhey Choelhop Khen and a Study College was established on Choekhor by Kyabje Trulshik Rinpoche.  At present Rigsey Lama Nyima Sangpo is the Chairman of the Nepal Buddhist Association.  With single-minded devotion he is rendering service to Buddha Dharma in general, and the Nyingmapa sect in particular.

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