Sera Monastery Adventure Tours
Sera Monastery is one of the ‘great three’ Gelukpa university monasteries of Tibet, located 1.25 miles (2.01 km) north of Lhasa. The other two are Ganden Monastery and Drepung Monastery. The origin of the name ‘Sera’ is attributed to a fact that the site where the monastery was built was surrounded by wild roses (se ra in Tibetan language) in bloom. The original Sera Monastery is located in Lhasa, Tibet, about 5 kilometers (3.1 mi) north of the Jokang and is responsible for some 19 hermitages, including four nunneries, which are all located in the foothills north of Lhasa. The Sera Monastery, as a complex of structures with the Great Assembly Hall and three colleges, was founded in 1419 by Jamchen Chojey of Sakya Yeshe of Zel Gungtang (1355–1435), a disciple of Tsongkhapa.
During the 1959 revolt in Lhasa, Sera monastery suffered severe damage, with its colleges destroyed and hundreds of monks killed. After the Dalai Lama took asylum in India, many of the monks of the Sera Monastery who survived the attack moved to Bylakuppe in Mysore, India. After initial tribulations, they established a parallel Sera Monastery with Sera Me and Sera Je colleges and a Great Assembly Hall on similar lines to the original monastery, with help from the Government of India. There are now 3,000 or more monks living in Sera, India and this community has also spread its missionary activities to several countries by establishing Dharma centers, propagating knowledge of Buddhism.
The Sera Monastery in Tibet and its counterpart in Mysore, India are the best locations to witness the “Monk Debates” on the teachings of Buddha and the philosophy of Buddhism. Sera Monastery developed over the centuries as a renowned place of scholarly learning, training hundreds of scholars, many of whom have attained fame in the Buddhist nations.
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Tibetan Treasures
Satisfy your curiosity about Tibet on this 11-day journey that will fill your spiritual well and leave you wanting more. With visits to Tibetan cities, countrysides, villages, and mountains, plus palaces, monasteries, and handicraft centers, this trip is a cultural, scenic, and engaging feast for the senses.
From $4370 Per Person
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Festive Journey through Tibet
Satisfy your curiosity about Tibet on this festive 12-day journey that will fill your spiritual well and leave you wanting more. Schedule your dates around the festivities of summer's Damar festival, visit palaces and monasteries, and enjoy wonderful cultural interaction. Cross city, village, countryside, and mountain terrain on a scenic and engaging feast for the senses.
From $5115 Per Person
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