Being a steel man, anything of Drupthop
Thangtong Gyalpo is of great interest. So recently visited the unique sacred
Dungtse Lhakhang.
Dungtse Chorten Lhakhang or the Circular
Stacked Stupa monastery is the only monastery of its kind in the Kingdom. The iron bridge builder Drupthob Thangtong
Gyalpo in a unique style that is the trademark of him built this unusual
monastery in 1433.
He built in accordance with the geomancy of
the Paro valley, thus protecting the land and the people from the otherwise
inauspicious layout of the mountain behind it, which is said to have fostered
illnesses and evil spirits.
The monastery consists of three levels,
symbolically representing the three fields of manifestation of a Buddha i.e.
Dharmakaya (Absolute Manifestation), Sambogakaya (Perfect Enjoyment
Manifestation) and Nirmanakaya (Emanation Manifestation).
There is huge cylindrical wall in the center
of the monastery that goes right to the central tower. In this wall certain
slots has been made and sacred statues placed. You see such sacred statues
(some with glass windows) around this on all the floors. There is no proper
lighting and in total darkness one need to explore. With mobile flashlight the
visit became little satisfying.
The monastery contains many steep wooden
ladders to reach to different levels. In the inner outer wall there are massive
collection of Buddhist paintings and iconography, said to be the best and
comparable to any Tibetan Buddhist monastery.
The ground floor consists of large murals of
which some include beautiful aspects of Five Buddhas of Meditation,
Avalokiteshvara, a breath-taking painting of Guru Padmasambhava’s paradise
Zangtok Palri as well as Thangtong Gyalpo and his lineage holders.
On the second floor are depictions of Mahakala
on the outer wall with hundred peaceful and wrathful deities and Bardo on the
interior wall, the intermediary state between death and rebirth.
The upper floors comprise of wrathful deities
and Buddhist saints and ascetics, of which some are rare and detailed
depictions. They are Guhyasamaja, Vajrabhairava, Cakrasamvara, Hevajra,
Kalacakra, Vajravarahi, Hayagria and Mahamaya.
The Buddhist iconography depicted in the
Chorten is considered a unique repository of the Drukpa Kagyu School.
It is said that during construction men of
great stature and strength known as the “Nya goe” were employed to lift the
massive pillars used in the temple.
Legend says that on the day of the
construction, the founder appeared in the form of five vultures and circled the
temple showering his blessings before taking flight to Tibet.
One can also see the central tower (utse), the
pinnacle of the temple, chained from four directions to the roof of the temple.
It is believed that while the consecration was being performed the central
tower moved, attempting to fly to Tibet. Thus to stop it from its flight the
central tower was chained down.
Behind the monastery on the slope there is
ruined house where Drupthop Thangtong Gyalpo has meditated. Above that there is
a rock resembling demons Head.
People of Paro must visit and offer prayers
from time to time as by having this great Monastery here the harms from Lu and
evils has been eliminated.
Very interesting Monastery. Please visit.
