Getting to Samye was effortless, and there were no permit checks. The pilgrim bus crossed a huge bridge, then the road turned to dirt. We drove along the edge of an arid, brown valley until we reached the monastery, situated on the flat, sandy valley floor, next to a sad little Tibetan village.

Samye Monastery

Samye is Tibet’s first monastery, built in the 18th century, at a time when Bon was still the primary religion. Tibet’s first seven monks were ordained here, and a great debate between the Indian and Chinese interpretations of Buddhism took place here. The scholarly Indian approach triumphed over the contemplative Zen approach of the Chinese.

The layout of Samye is unique in Tibet, based on Odantapuri temple of Bihar, India. It’s a mandala representing the Buddhist universe, with Mount Meru (like the Greek Mount Olympus) in the middle, and surrounding temples representing oceans and continents.

Unfortunately, Samye isn’t looking very good today. It fared badly during the Cultural Revolution, and most of the buildings were destroyed. There has been extensive rebuilding, some done in ugly concrete, but it is still unfinished. Piles of building materials litter the unkempt, garbage-strewn grounds, and trucks and cement mixers sit idle.

A Samye stupa

The central utse, representing Mount Meru, is spectacular, though, with its golden roof. The assembly hall inside is just as stunning, packed with thankas and statues, many of which are obviously new, replacing the priceless relics smashed during the Cultural Revolution. Adding to the atmosphere were monks performing their lunchtime chanting ceremony, and the evening ceremony involving a cacophony of horns, cymbals, and drums. In a courtyard the young monks noisily debated. They paired up, with one monk sitting and one standing and clapping loudly.

I walked up the hill where Guru Rinpoche vanquished the demons of Tibet, symbolizing the triumph of Buddhism over Bon. There’s a small hermitage there now, and nice views of the arid valley. But there’s not a lot to do at a monastery. I outlined my plan for the next couple of days, which should get me out of Tibet before my visa expires.