Segyu Monastery

Segyu Monastery, which was established in the middle of the 15^th Century, is recognised as the pioneer of the Gaden lineage’s great Tantric monasteries. According to historical records, the Tantric teachings of Lama Tsongkhapa (the founder of the Gelug school of Tibetan Buddhism) including Guhyasamaja, Heruka and Yamantaka were actually developed in Segyu Monastery in Tibet.

Jetsun Sherab Senge

The founder of Segyu Monastery, Jetsun Sherab Senge, was a great Tantric scholar with perfect unstained moral conduct. He was also one of Lama Tsongkhapa’s eight closest disciples. It was Jetsun Sherab Senge who stepped forward when many hesitated to shoulder the herculean task of preserving and promoting Lama Tsongkhapa’s Tantric teachings.

It is said that when Lama Tsongkhapa was near the end of his life, he twice asked a mass gathering of his spiritual sons who among them would be able to ensure the continuity of his Tantric teachings but none of his disciples were able to respond with confidence save for Jetsun Sherab Senge.

After Lama Tsongkhapa posed his question a second time, Jetsun Sherab Senge stood up, made three prostrations to Lama Tsongkhapa and agreed to undertake such task in accordance with Lama Tsongkhapa’s wishes.

Regular pujas are held in Segyu Monastery’s old prayer hall

Thus, Jetsun Sherab Senge was blessed as well as empowered by Lama Tsongkapa as the holder of the unsurpassed Secret Tantra and was further presented with gifts of a skull cup filled with inner offerings, a holy golden statue of Guhyasamaja, the Four-in-One Commentary of Guhyasamaja, two Tantric commentaries, texts on the Generation and the Completion Stages, a treasure-discovered mask of Dharmaraja, ritual dance costumes, and a club.

H.E. Daknak Rinpoche visited Segyu Monastery

Following Lama Tsongkapa’s advice to institute the study and teaching of Tantra in the Tsang province of Tibet, Jetsun Sherab Senge and his spiritual son, Dulnagpa Palden Zangpo, left for Tsang. There, Jetsun Sherab Senge worked tirelessly to fulfil his undertaking to his Guru which culminated in the manifestation of the Tantric monastery known as the Upper Tantric College or Segyu, which served to establish the foundation for Vajrayana practices such as Guhyasamaja, Heruka, and Yamantaka in accordance with Lama Tsongkapa’s tradition.

The original Segyu Monastery was destroyed during the events of 1959. Only 40 monks from the original Segyu Monastery successfully fled Tibet to India. The road to the re-establishment of the current Segyu Monastery in Kathmandu, Nepal was paved by some sponsors in 1986 who came forward to offer a small piece of land near the famous Boudhanath Stupa in Nepal, on which a simple prayer hall and shelter was constructed.

Some of the monks of Segyu Monastery

Two visits in 1979 by His Holiness Kyabje Trijang Dorje Chang to Kalimpong, during which he reminded the Segyu monks of the importance of ordaining new monks and preserving the special tradition of Segyu Monastery were instrumental in encouraging the Segyu monks, who were plagued with great hardship and financial difficulties at that time, to remain focused on rebuilding the destroyed monastery buildings.

In February 2016, Segyu Monastery’s new prayer hall was inaugurated with an opening ceremony featuring a Trusol Rabney consecration puja led by its abbot Khen Rinpoche Jampa Tsundu, Vajrayogini self-initiation and traditional performances.

Today, Segyu Monastery continues to preserve the traditional rituals that were once practised in Segyu Monastery, Tibet including a variety of higher Tantric retreats such as Yamantaka and Guhyasamaja, and a special Dorje Shugden kangso (fulfilment ritual).

During Segyu Monastery’s new prayer hall opening ceremony

Making offerings of body, speech and mind to the abbot Khen Rinpoche Jampa Tsundu