Introductory History

Details: Category: History; Published: 01 May 2016; Hits: 5396

The history of Sera Jey Monastery dates back to early 15th Century AD. Founded by Venerable Jetsun Kunkhen Lodroe Rinchen Senge, during the early History of Buddhism in Tibet and at the time of the great Lama Tsong Khapa (1357 - 1419) the founder of the Gelug Order, a highly learned & noble saint and master of the Scriptures on Buddhism with a gift of supreme power of visualization and knowledge.

Following in the footsteps of this Divine Master Lama Tsong Khapa, a devoted and noble disciple, Kunkhyen Lodroe Rinchen Senge, possessing profound knowledge, a master at the Drepung Monastery, who fatedly left to join Sera Monastery where Sera Jey Monastery was formed. History and legend has borne the records of the magnificent accounts that led to the birth of Sera Monastery and the subsequent establishment of Sera Jey Monastery. It was when Lama Tsong Khapa, the master and founder of Gelug Order, during one of his deep prayer and meditation on Manjushri (Jampel Yang) behold the vision in which he clearly saw the entire text of Prajnyapara-mitta's 20 slokas on Shunyata spread over the sky. The unique moment spelled upon him total insight in the complete knowledge of Tsawasehrab (Fundamentals of Madhyamikka or Shunyata) Text. Simultaneously, he beheld the vision of a rain like "AA" characters descending from the sky. This was an auspicious symbol to his prophesies on the birth of a great source of learning on Buddh-ism. Which after twelve years, Jamchen Choje Shakya Yeshe acting upon the supreme wishes of his Master, began establishing the proper Seat of learning where knowledge of complete teachings and practices of Mahayana Tradition are imparted and pursued.

Nedong King Dagpa Gyaltsen gave financial support for the construction of a Monastery and laid down the foundation in the year1419. All the subsequent development including installing sacred Images and other objects of worships were completed according to the supreme wishes of great Lama Tsongkhapa. It was soon known as ' the Seat of Theckchen ling (Mahayana Tradition)'. It is said that name 'SERA' came to be attached with this great Monastery from its location being surrounded by raspberry shrubs called 'Sewa' in Tibetan, that formed like a ' Rawa' in Tibetan meaning 'Fence'. In the following years very soon the fame of this great Monastery as a great seat of learning Gelug tradition spread all across Tibet and elsewhere in Buddhist influenced neighbouring countries.

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Current Core Offices

Ganden Tri Pa

Lhundup Tsundue
Jedrung Thupten Kunga

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104th Ganden Tripa

Lobsang Tenzin
Lobsang Tenzin

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Former Abbots

61st Khensur Ngawang Gyatso
64th Khensur Lhundup Thapkhe
65th Khensur Lobsang Wangchuk
66th Khensur Lobsang Dhonyoe
67th Khensur Dhondup Topgyal
Khensur In Tibet Lobsang Sherab
68th Khensur Ngawang Legden
69th Khensur Lobsang Thupten
70th Khensur Lobsang Tsering
His Eminence Geshe Lobsang Tsering, the 70th abbot of Sera Jey Monastery, was born in Tibet in 1923. He was ordained at the age of five and started his Buddhist philosophical studies at twelve. At the age of seventeen, he joined Sera Jey Monastery and underwent rigorous philosophical studies. He served as a philosophy teacher at his native monastery for three years. In 1959 he was imprisoned by Chinese authorities for seven years and had to undergo extreme hardship. In 1969, he fled Tibet under immense hardship, to India for exile. At Sera Jey Monastery in South India, he earned the first position in his Geshe Lharampa Examination in 1978. In 1986, he was enthroned the 70th abbot of Sera Jey Monastery and made several developments in both spiritual and administrative fields. He devoted his entire life to teaching the Buddhist philosophy to scores of aspiring students.
71st Khensur Jampa Theckchok
His Eminence Jampa Thekchok, the 71st abbot of Sera jey Monastery was born in Phenpo, Tibet in 1930. He was ordained at the age of eight and began his study of major Buddhist texts around the age of ten. His eminence arrived in exile in 1959 and continued his studies in major Buddhist texts. He taught Buddhist studies at Central University of Tibetan Studies, Sarnath, for seven years and travelled aboard to give teachings. In 1993, he was enthroned as the abbot of Sera Jey Monastery and he served the monastery in great length in both spiritual and administrative fields.
72nd Khensur Lobsang Dhonyoe
His Eminence Jetsun Lobsang Donyo, the 72nd abbot of Sera Jey monastery, was born in 1925. At the age of nine, he joined Lhatse monastery, gained basic Tibetan education and memorized all traditional monastic scriptures and studied basic Buddhist epistemology. At the age of nineteen, he joined Sera Jey Monastic University and studied all major Buddhist texts.

In 1961, he left Tibet to take exile in India and continued his study at Buxar in north India. He has served as proof-reader at monastery’s printing office. In 1967, he studied at Central University for Tibetan studies, Sarnath and received the Acharya degree.
In 1999, he was enthroned the 72nd abbot of Sera Jey Monastery and made great contribution to both spiritual and temporal affairs.
73rd Khensur Lobsang Palden
His eminence Jetsun Lobsang Palden, the 73rd abbot of Sera Jey Monastic University, was born in 1936. At the age of twelve, he joined Dhargye Monastic School and memorized all traditional monastic scriptures as well as studied basic Buddhist epistemology and other texts.

At the age of seventeen, he joined Sera Jey Monastery and studied all major Buddhist texts. In 1959, he fled to India and continued his studies at Buxar in north India. In 1965, he studied at Central University for Tibetan studies, Varanasi, and received the Acharya degree.
In 2005, he was enthroned as the 73rd abbot of Sera Jey Monastic University and made great contribution to both spiritual and administrative fields. Moreover, he devoted most of his time to give teachings and oral transmissions on Buddhist scriptural resources to scores of pupil monks.
74th Khensur Lobsang Delek
His Eminence Jetsun Lobsang Delek, the 74th abbot of Sera Jey Monastery, was born in 1939 at Karze district in Tibet. At the age of seven, he joined Karze Monastery and started memorizing traditional monastic scriptures. His given name is Lobsang Delek and received ordained name as Ngawang Soepa while he was newly ordained at age of seventeen. In 1959, he fled to India and continued his Buddhist philosophical studies at Buxar in north India. In 1968, he received the full-ordained vows from His Holiness the Dalai Lama. In 1982, he was honored with first position of Lharam Geshe degree. Moreover, in 2005, he was enthroned as the abbot of Gudme Tantric Monastery, and he became the 75th Sera Jey Abbot on 6 May 2012. Generally, he devotes his precious regular time in giving teaching and conferring different initiations and oral transmissions.
75th Khensur Gedun Choephel
His Eminence Jetsun Gedun Choephel, 75th abbot of Sera Jey Monastery, was born in 1941 at at his native Kartze province in Eastern Tibet and was initiated at the age of 8 in his native Kartze monastery. He joined Sera Jey Monastery – Tibet in 1955. In 1969 left Tibet for India and was among the foremost member monks to re-establish the monastery at exile in South India. He has received the highest monastic scholastic award of Lharam Geshe – Doctorate in Buddhist Philosophy, and has dedicated his entire life to teachings at the monastery. He was enthroned the 75th abbot of Sera Jey Monastery on 18th July 2016.