A brief History of Chudoe Choedor Norling Monastery

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A Brief History of Chudoe Choekor Norling Monastery

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Tibet is a land of snow,
surrounded by lofty mountains,
where cool and crystal clear river flows.
Blessed by Avalokitesvara,
the inhabitants are inherently compassionate
and broadminded, - Biography of Drogon Chogyal Phagpa (1235-1280)

The glorious Tibetan nation encompassed the three kors in Ngari, the four rus in Utsang and the six gangs in Dokham. Of the four rus, one called rulag includes Latod Dompa Sakya in the region of Tsang as recorded by man hy distinguished luminaries like Padmasambava and Atisa. At the distance of one-day journey to the west from Lhasa, the religious and political center of Tibet where many successive incarnations of the Three Protectors Manjusri, Avalokitesvara and Vijrapani ruled, lines Chudoe Choekor Norling Monastery at the confluence of two rivers of Lhagod Gangchu and Lho Shongchu. It was established by Ngorchen Kunga Sangpo, the Protector of Degenerate Times, and had more than 500 monks during its better days. The biography of Ngorchen Kunga Sangpo, “Ocean of Wise Sayings” states on page 22 that the illu8strious teacher gave initiations and established monastic communities and monasteries in Chudoe, Tingkheb, Riwogang, and Trophu Tharpaling. On page 34, it is written that the Ngor master founded a huge community of 500 monks in Chudoe Monastery.

On page 470, volume 16, section Ma of Panchen Sakya Chogden’s collected work title “Golden Nectar of Wise Sayings”, it says, “Master Ngorpa at the age of forty eight in the year of Female Earth Bird established the Ngor Evam Monastery. The monasteries like Thupten Namgyal in Mustang. Chode Gyaljed Tsal in Puran, and Chudoe Choekor Norling were built by him and so these monasteries also became faithful followers of Ngor Tradition of Sakya Religious Order.

“An Index of Tibetan Scholars” remarks that Ngorchen Kunga Sangpo was born in 1382, in the Tibetan year of Male Water Dog of the Sixth Rabjung Tibetan Year Cycle to father Drupa Yonten and mother Sonam Palden as Sakya. He died in 1456 in the Tibetan year of Male Fire Rat of the Eight Rabjung Tibetan Year Cycle. Choje Yeshe Gyaltsen taught him to read and write from the age of six. At the age of nine, he received his upasaka and novice monk’s vows from Yeshe Gyaltsen. Gradually he received the vows of fully ordained monk, bodhicitta and esoteric vows from the same teacher. He thoroughly mastered both the sutra and tantra scriptures and particularly became proficient in the rites and ritual practices of Sakya Tradition. At the age of twenty five, he left for Shang Choekor Gang and studied under translator Kyabchog and later with Buddhasri in Shechen Monastery. Then he left for Sasang Lama Shonu Lodoe for long. At the age of twenty nine, he assumed the abbatialship of Sasang Monastery for nineteen years at the wishes of Sasang Lama. At the age of forty nine, he undertook retreat at the hermitages of Nasa Phug, Samling and Eri. Later he established a temple at Evam Herimitage, and commissioned a gold image of Buddha and a Kanjur written in gold. He also established a monastic school and founded the Ngor Evam Choden Monastery. In retrospect, he devoted his whole life for the welfare of other sentient beings. Some of his more famous disciples are Shithogpa Kunga Wangchuk of Sakya Lineage, Dagchenpa Chumig Lodoe Wangchuk, Ngro Khenpo Konchok Gyaltsen, Shonnu Gyaltsen and Wangchuk Draksang among many others. His works include “In Praise of Vijrayogini”, “Ocean of Received Teachings”, “Letters that will benefit disciples” etc that are include in the four volume titled Evam Kabum that can still be seen today.

Although Chudoe Chokhor Norling Monastery had many sacred and old images of worship inculding a three-storey high statue of Huddha and a statute of Maitreya, they all disappeared during the Chinese invasion and the Cultural Revolution that followed. Monasteries across Tibet were destroyed and the scriptures found within them burnt and thrown into river. All traces of Tibetan religion and culture was trageted to be completely wiped out.

To restore the destroyed monastery and the religious traditon it followed, a new nonastery is to be build near Dharamsala made by sincere believers will go towards fulfilling the above project and will not be wasted on anything else.

Chudoe Choekor Norling Monastery Trust 7th Janunary 2003