Golden Visions of Densatil
A TIBETAN BUDDHIST MONASTERY
Edited by
Olaf Czaja and Adriana Proser
Asia Society Museum
CONTENTS
Director’s Preface
9
Melissa Chiu
Curator’s Acknowledgments
11
Olaf Czaja
Note to the Reader
13
Funders of the Exhibition
14
Lenders to the Exhibition
15
Golden Visions of Densatil: A Tibetan Buddhist Monastery
17
Olaf Czaja
Descriptions of Densatil: Excerpts from the Journals
of Sarat Chandra Das and Giuseppe Tucci
57
Adriana Proser
From Journey to Lhasa and Central Tibet
59
Sarat Chandra Das
From To Lhasa and Beyond
60
Giuseppe Tucci
Works in the Exhibition
65
Olaf Czaja and Adriana Proser
The Tashi gomang Stupas: Beginnings under Jigten Gonpo
Tier of Protectors of the Teachings
76
Tier of Offering Goddesses
112
Tiers of Tantric Meditational Deities
126
Pillars, Columns, and Embellishments
146
Lineage Tier and the Uppermost Stupa
162
Art Historical Influence and Meaning
175
Maps of Tibet
The Densatil Monastery Timeline of Selected Events
Glossary
Select Bibliography
Index
Opposite: Detail of cat. no. 10
Photography Credits
66
182
184
187
196
202
207
Golden Visions of Densatil
A Tibetan Buddhist Monastery
Olaf Czaja
The Establishment of Densatil
Everyone who has seen the Potala Palace in Lhasa as a pilgrim or
a traveler will never forget its architectural majesty and its countless
rooms with finely executed wall paintings, graceful statues, and
imposing tombs for the late Dalai Lamas. You can justly regard it as
a cultural treasure for all humanity, but there were more places in old
Tibet, situated off the beaten track, which housed artistic treasures
that probably would have caused the same astonishment and a similar
entrancement in the viewer as the Potala and its gems still do. One
of these places was the monastery of Densatil. Sadly, a present-day
visitor would find nothing of its former glory, as it was destroyed
during China’s Cultural Revolution. There are, however, photographs
from a 1948 Italian expedition that allow a glimpse of the original
beauty found at this site (figs. 1 and 2).
Opposite: Detail of cat. no. 47
Following pages:
Fig. 1. A tashi gomang stupa at the Densatil Monastery: (top-bottom) the Tier of Buddhas,
the Tier of Offering Goddesses, and the Tier of Protectors of the Teachings, with the guardians
of the four directions in the foreground. Photograph by Pietro Francesco Mele, 1948.
© Ethnographic Museum of the University of Zurich, VMZ 402.00.0513
Fig. 2. A tashi gomang stupa at the Densatil Monastery showing the stupa for the late abbot
on top of the tashi gomang structure; it is wrapped in cloth and surrounded by statues of
Indian and Tibetan teachers. Photograph by Pietro Francesco Mele, 1948. © Ethnographic
Museum of the University of Zurich, VMZ 402.00.0501
17
The Densatil Monastery was situated in a remote area off the major trade routes,
because it evolved from a former hermitage. A long, arduous path winds up to where the
Monastery once stood, in a rocky area with fir and juniper bushes (fig. 3). Once there, one
has a magnificent view of the mighty Tsangpo River in the south, flowing through this central
part of Tibet, before it reaches India and Bangladesh as the Brahmaputra River (fig. 4).
The beginnings of the Densatil Monastery are linked to the charismatic monk
Phagmo Drupa Dorje Gyalpo (1110–1170), originally from eastern Tibet, who traveled in his
Fig. 3. Looking north at the
ruins of the Densatil Monastery
in 1997 before the reconstruction work that began in the
following years. The dilapidated
main buildings, main hall, and
assembly hall can be seen.
Fig. 4. View from the Densatil
Monastery, 1997. The Mangkhar
Ridge can be seen in the foreground to the left. The Tsangpo
River is in the background,
south of the Monastery.
All these personalities laid the foundation for the later Kagyu schools of Tibetan Buddhism.
After Gampopa died, Dorje Gyalpo stayed in Tsalgang for five years, where he, together
with many monks who had followed him, strictly observed the Vinaya rules. He also taught
a mixture of Kadam teachings and the Mahamudra system, a special teaching of the
Kagyu school; but soon he found it increasingly inappropriate to live near a village, and
felt compelled to retreat into solitude.
One day, without telling anyone, Dorje Gyalpo left Tsalgang and set off to the west.
youth to central Tibet to pursue his religious studies with various teachers. He came from
On his journey, he came to Phagmodru, which means “Sow Crossing.” He found the
a very poor family. His parents died when he was just seven years old, leaving him in the
landscape very charming and a good place to meditate. He decided to stay, supported
care of an uncle. When he was eighteen, he decided to leave eastern Tibet and wandered
by the local ruler of this area, and henceforth he also became known as Phagmo Drupa,
through many central regions of the country. After his full ordination at the age of twenty-
“The One of Phagmodru.” This appellation was also assigned to the followers of the
four, he studied under many teachers from different Buddhist religious schools. Besides
religious school he founded and its associated noble house.1 Many of Dorje Gyalpo’s
some Kadam teachers and the famous Sakya master Sachen Kunga Nyingpo (1092–1158),
former students followed him to Phagmodru. Initially, he lived in caves, such as the Tatsa
it was Gampopa Sonam Rinchen (1070–1153) in particular who had a lasting influence on
Cave (figs. 5 and 6). A yogi meditating in this area later presented his own thatched hut
his spiritual development. Gampopa was an important disciple of Milarepa (1040–1123),
to Dorje Gyalpo. The thatched hut became an important symbol for the Phagmo Drupa
the famous yogi and poet. He in turn was a student of Marpa Chokyi Lodro (1002/1012–1097).
school; when Taglung Tangpa Tashi Pel, who later founded the Taglung school within the
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CZAJA
GOLDEN VISIONS OF DENSATIL
23
Fig. 7. A statue of Phagmo
Drupa Dorje Gyalpo, seated on
an elaborate lotus throne
Phagmo Drupa (1110–1170),
ca. late 12th to early 13th
century. Gilt bronze, inlaid with
gold, silver, copper, turquoise,
lapis, and coral; 13.5 x 12 x
8.5 cm. The Cleveland Museum
of Art, Purchase from the J. H.
Wade Fund 1993.160.a-.b
Fig. 5. The Tatsa Cave temple
on the path to the Densatil
Monastery, 2010. Phagmo
Drupa Dorje Gyalpo lived
and meditated in the Tatsa
Cave when he first came
to Phagmodru.
Fig. 6. Shrine at the Tatsa
Cave temple with some statues
and paintings, 2010.
Kagyu school, came to study under Dorje Gyalpo, he was instructed to build a hut for
himself with willow branches.2 The new monastic congregation grew quickly because
Phagmo Drupa Dorje Gyalpo was an impressive personality and an outstanding teacher.
He must have been of sturdy build and worn a thick beard, as is indicated by some artistic
representations (fig. 7; see cat. no. 3). Phagmo Drupa Dorje Gyalpo refused every luxury
and had only a few personal possessions. He gave all gifts and offerings that he received
to the assembly of monks. During the waning moon, he retired to meditate; during the
waxing moon, he remained in meditation in the morning hours and gave public lessons to
the monks in the afternoon. Jigten Gonpo, who later established the Drigung Kagyu
school, also took part in these lessons.
When Phagmo Drupa Dorje Gyalpo passed away on the 25th day of the seventh
Tibetan month in 1170, the future of the monastic congregation was completely uncertain.
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GOLDEN VISIONS OF DENSATIL
25
Fig. 8. The northern part of
the circumambulation path
around the main hall, 2010. Part
of the rock formation to the left
was removed in order to make
space for the main hall.
The monks performed the funeral ceremonies for their deceased teacher and cremated
him. According to the old customs, his tongue, untouched by the flames, was cut into two
parts. One part remained in Densatil; the other was sent back to his home region in eastern
Tibet. His heart was removed and placed in a newly built stupa. This stupa, called a tashi
wobar stupa, or stupa of “Radiating Light of Auspiciousness,” most likely had the shape of
a Kadam stupa (see cat. no. 45). The construction of tashi wobar stupas was not limited
to Densatil, but built before and during the same period at other monasteries as well.
Tashi Pel was responsible for the construction, supervising the work, and paying the
workers and artists. Jigten Gonpo sent a pupil to Nepal to request the manufacture of a gilt
parasol. Upon the pupil’s return, Jigten Gonpo put it on top of the tashi wobar stupa.
The next few years at Densatil passed with the construction of new huts and the
repair of old ones. It appears that at this time discussions continued among the students
about the future of Densatil. Finally, in 1198, a large meeting was held in Densatil to resolve
this question definitively. After some initial disagreements—especially between Tashi Pel
and Jigten Gonpo—over the question of where exactly the main hall of the future monastery was to be built, it was agreed that it should be built around the thatched hut of the
late Phagmo Drupa Dorje Gyalpo. Tashi Pel assumed full financing of the construction
and promised to give each laborer a pound of salt for every pound of stone dust they cut
from the rocks. Indeed, it seems that a part of the rocky slope where the thatched hut was
located was ablated and leveled to make space for the construction of the main hall (figs.
8 and 9). Construction began immediately. Each student of Phagmo Drupa Dorje Gyalpo,
together with his entourage, was responsible for a portion of the building. Jigten Gonpo,
for example, was responsible for the eastern wall, while Tashi Pel was responsible for the
northern. Legend has it that the fingers of Jigten Gonpo left a clearly visible imprint on one
of the stones of the wall he built. Today you can still see imprints left on the stone.
Comparing the recorded details of who was responsible for each wall of the Densatil
Monastery’s main hall, it is clear that the geographic home region of each pupil corresponded
with the geographic orientation of the wall on which they worked (fig. 10). While the establishment of the Monastery was the creation of a spiritual center for the various students
of Phagmo Drupa Dorje Gyalpo, the main hall was conceived as a mandala. Thus, the
Five Buddhas—Akshobhya, Ratnasambhava, Amoghasiddhi, Amitabha, and Vairochana—
were associated with the main hall’s four walls and center respectively. After the structure
was completed, major religious objects were arranged inside according to the four cardinal directions. Other smaller buildings were most likely erected beside the main hall and
over the centuries some were enlarged and renovated while others were newly established (fig. 11). Throughout the history of the Monastery, the basic form of the main hall
was probably preserved, at least in part because the building was situated on the slope of
a rocky mountain, limiting the extent to which later architectural changes could be made.
The timber for the Monastery mainly came from the area around Densatil. Only the
logs for the main hall’s pillars were brought from a region to the south of the Tsangpo
River, which was known for its rich forests. Typically, pillars and the wooden ceiling
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GOLDEN VISIONS OF DENSATIL
27
20 miles
50 miles
Taglung
Drigung
Lhasa
Densatil
Shigatse
Tropu
Yazang
Fig. 10. Map of central Tibet,
showing the monasteries
involved in the construction
of the Densatil Monastery, and
the major cities in the region
Around this time, the monk Jigten Gonpo traveled from Drigung to the Dakpo region
where Gampopa had his monastery. When Jigten Gonpo meditated there, he had a
marvelous vision. He saw the snow-capped peak of the Pure Crystal Mountain in Tsari
with the Tantric deity Chakrasamvara standing in a heavenly palace and surrounded by a
retinue of 2,800 deities, arranged like a tashi gomang stupa (see cat. no. 2). The Pure
Key
Crystal Mountain in Tsari, often simply called Tsari, is an important sacred mountain
City
located in today’s Tibetan-Indian border region. Together with Mount Kailash in western
Monastery
Tibet and the Lachi Mountain near the border of Tibet and Nepal, it is one of the holiest
Location of
Densatil Monastery
sites for pilgrims and meditators, especially of the Kagyu school. In Tibetan Buddhist
tradition, there are specially designed stupas representing the eight major events in the
life of Buddha. A tashi gomang stupa is a special type of stupa that commemorates the
first time Buddha expounded his teachings after he had attained enlightenment, an event
that took place in Varanasi. The name “tashi gomang” may be translated as “Many Doors
structure would have been constructed inside the building’s frame. But in the case of the
Densatil Monastery it was feared that the installation of the main hall’s pillars and ceiling
might cause damage to the thatched hut of Phagmo Drupa Dorje Gyalpo. Besides the
tashi wobar stupa, the thatched hut was considered the holiest structure belonging to
Fig. 9. The main buildings and
temples of the Densatil Monastery seen from the north, 2010
of Auspiciousness.” The middle section of a tashi gomang stupa comprises several levels
showing a number of niche-doors at each level and in every direction. This design is
particularly suitable to house a large number of deities.
When Jigten Gonpo returned from his journey, he invited artists from Nepal, led by
the new monastery (figs. 12–14). The carpenters were instructed to build the pillars and
Manibhadra, to join him in Drigung, where they helped realize the highly complex artwork
ceiling outside the main hall. Many complicated arrangements accompanied by religious
he had envisioned, hitherto unknown in Tibet. The tashi gomang structure was completed
rituals to ensure success were therefore deemed necessary, but ultimately those con-
around 1208. At the instigation of Jigten Gonpo, the tashi wobar stupa containing the
structing the hall completed the pillar-and-beam construction without damaging the
remains of Phagmo Drupa Dorje Gyalpo was brought from Densatil to Drigung and placed
thatched hut. The final consecration of the completed building was carried out by Tashi
on top of the newly erected tashi gomang structure, thereby completing the tashi gomang
Pel, who also made a substantial gift to the monastic community of Densatil.
stupa.4 One can imagine that there was considerable resistance to this action on the part
3
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GOLDEN VISIONS OF DENSATIL
29
Fig. 11
Fig. 12
Main buildings of the Densatil Monastery
Floor plan of the main hall of the Densatil Monastery
(Layout after Tudeng Langga 1992, numbers and captions added)
3
N
2
4
7
1
7
9
6
N
8
5
3
1
4
6
10
13
13
13
1
Main hall
2
Northeastern corner chapel
3
Path for circumambulation
8
9
2
11
5
12
stupa
Building containing earthen stupas for Phagmo Drupa Dorje Gyalpo (1110–1170) and
Dragpa Tsondru (1203–1267)
1
Western main gate
2
Western side gate
An earthen stupa for Dragpa Gyaltsen (1293–1360) or Dragpa Rinchen (1250–1310)
3
Central area
tashi gomang stupa
4
May have been a guardian temple
10 Assembly hall
4
Stupas and statues
5
May have been a guardian temple
11 May have been monks’ quarters and administrative buildings
5
Platform with the thatched hut of Phagmo Drupa Dorje Gyalpo
6
Square for prayer
12 Temple on top of the Mangkhar Ridge
6
Chapel of the Teachers
7
Teaching Throne temple
13 Buildings of unknown function
7
Northeastern corner chapel
30
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thatched hut
GOLDEN VISIONS OF DENSATIL
31
Fig. 13
Reconstruction of the arrangement of stupas and statues in front of the
eastern wall in the main hall of the Densatil Monastery (not to scale)
Above: Reconstructed view in situ (statue bases left out)
Below: Arrangement according to Tibetan sources
Stupas
1
Stupa for Phagmo Drupa Dorje Gyalpo
2
Stupa for Jigten Gonpo
3
Stupa for Dragpa Jungne
4
Stupa for Dragpa Yeshe
5
Stupa for Dragpa Rinchen
Statues
6
Vajradhara
7
Tilopa
8
Naropa
9
Marpa Chokyi Lodro
2
4
3
1
5
Center of all Tiers
10 Milarepa
11 Shakyamuni
9
7
14
12
6
8
10
13
15
1st Tier
12 Gampopa Sonam Rinchen
13 Phagmo Drupa Dorje Gyalpo
11
2nd Tier
14 Dragpa Jungne
15 Jigten Gonpo
17
16
18
20
19
21
3rd Tier
16 An unidentified venerable lord
17 Venerable lord’s pupil
4th Tier
18 Venerable lord’s pupil
19 Phagmo Drupa Dorje Gyalpo
20 Zhang Sumtogpa
21 Jigten Gonpo
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GOLDEN VISIONS OF DENSATIL
33
✔
Fig. 14. View of the five
stupas along the eastern wall
of the main hall of the Densatil
Monastery, 1948. Left to right:
the stupa for Dragpa Yeshe
(not visible, view blocked by
the tashi gomang stupa on
the left), the stupa for Jigten
Gonpo (between the tashi
gomang stupa and a pillar),
the tashi wobar stupa for
Phagmo Drupa Dorje Gyalpo
(behind the pillar), the stupa
for Dragpa Jungne (partially
visible to the right of the pillar),
and the stupa for Dragpa
Rinchen (to the right of the
pillar). Statues were placed
in front of the stupas.
Photograph by Pietro
Francesco Mele.
The Rise and Fall of the Phagmo Drupa
The early, close links between the Drigung and Densatil monasteries contributed to the
development of their shared tradition. In 1208, Dragpa Jungne was appointed as abbot
of the Densatil Monastery. Dragpa Jungne came from eastern Tibet and belonged to the
clan of the Lang Lhazig, as did Phagmo Drupa Dorje Gyalpo, the charismatic founder of
Densatil. It is fair to say that Dragpa Jungne was not an important religious figure, but
he was a very gifted administrator and politician. Densatil became increasingly independent during his abbotship. Gradually, he and members of his family achieved an autonomy
for Densatil that was also strengthened by the mid-thirteenth-century invasion of Tibet
by the Mongols and the numerous changes and reforms in political life that resulted.
A new administrative system was introduced in Tibet by the Mongols. The Phagmo Drupa
became one such administrative unit known as a myriarchy and was headed by a myriarch,
the administrative and political leader. However, Dragpa Jungne also formed alliances and
relationships with important Drigung patrons, for example the Khasa kingdom, located in
what today is Nepal, and the Tangut kingdom in what today is Qinghai province in China.
The Densatil Monastery still maintained close ties to the Drigung Monastery, but it was
becoming a monastery of equal rank.
Densatil’s tendency toward independence was reinforced under the leadership of
Dragpa Jungne’s younger half-brother, Dragpa Tsondru, who succeeded him as abbot at
Densatil. Dorje Pel, also a member of the Lang Lhazig clan, ran the worldly affairs of the
newly established myriarchy for the Phagmo Drupa noble house.6 Among the fortresses he
of other students of Phagmo Drupa Dorje Gyalpo. They accused Jigten Gonpo of intend-
established the most important was Neudongtse, which had undergone continuous expan-
ing to destroy the monastery of their beloved teacher. Eventually, Jigten Gonpo had to
sion and became the political and administrative center of the Phagmo Drupa. The Sakya
give in to this pressure and returned the tashi wobar stupa to the Densatil Monastery. The
were the hegemonic power in Tibet at the time due to their close ties to China’s Yuan
tashi gomang structure remained in Drigung. As a substitute, a new stupa was built and
dynasty. Political tensions increased between the Drigung and the Sakya and finally led to
became the top of the tashi gomang stupa at Drigung. In both the Drigung and Densatil
an open military conflict. The Phagmo Drupa, even though historically a close ally of the
monasteries, the iconographic program created by Jigten Gonpo laid the foundation for
Drigung, refrained from taking sides. In the end this led to a complete break with the Drigung.
the tradition of erecting tashi gomang stupas that were adorned by thousands of deities
rendered as statues and in relief to commemorate deceased abbots.
The first tashi gomang stupa was probably destroyed in 1290 when the Drigung
Following the break between the Phagmo Drupa and Drigung at the end of the
thirteenth century, there were continuous disputes between the two. They even engaged in
bloody conflict when Jangchub Gyaltsen (1302–1364), the new Phagmo Drupa myriarch,
Monastery was set on fire by the Sakya during a war between the two. We are relatively
entered the political arena in central Tibet.7 Step by step he extended the sphere of influ-
well informed about the appearance of this first tashi gomang stupa owing to Sherab
ence of the Phagmo Drupa through diplomacy and politics, but also in open breach of
Jungne, a student of Jigten Gonpo, who wrote a complete description of the structure,
the law and through brutal warfare.8 He expanded the Densatil Monastery and founded
including its subsequent consecration, a record that is still extant. For a long time, this
Tsetang Monastery, which was located near the Neudongtse fortress. It was one of the
source had been overlooked by academic research and has been studied only in recent
most important monastic centers in the fourteenth century and many famous religious
years. These records provide an outline of the full iconographic program of such tashi
dignitaries spent several years studying there in their youth. His political opponents, led by
gomang stupas, and for the first time we can interpret the historic photographs of Densatil
the Sakya and their allies, were just as ruthless in their choice of means for fighting the
taken by the photographer Pietro Francesco Mele who accompanied the scholar Giuseppe
Phagmo Drupa. Several times it looked as if the Phagmo Drupa would lose and that the
Tucci to the Monastery in 1948 (figs. 15 and 16). These records also make it possible to
noble house would disappear completely. At the end of the conflict, however, the Phagmo
identify surviving pieces of tashi gomang stupas preserved in museums and private collec-
Drupa had prevailed in Tibet and replaced the Sakya as a hegemonic power. With the
tions around the world.
disappearance of the Yuan dynasty and the establishment of the new Ming dynasty in
5
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GOLDEN VISIONS OF DENSATIL
35
Fig. 15
1
2
The eastern side of the
tashi gomang stupa that stood
to the left of the five stupas
along the eastern wall of the
main hall at Densatil, 1948
3
1
parasol
2
curtain
3
stupa
4
statues of the uppermost tier
4
The Tiers of Tantric Meditational Deities
5
Ratnasambhava
6
Vairochana
7
Dveshavajra
8
Amitabha
9
Amoghasiddhi
(Guhyasamaja mandala)
10 Ratnasambhava
11 Akshobhya
12 Vairochana
13 Amitabha
14 Amoghasiddhi
(Vajradhatu mandala)
The Tier of Buddhas
5
6
15 Akshobhya
7
16 Akshobhya
8
17 Shakyamuni
9
18 Akshobhya
19 Akshobhya
10
11
12
13
15
16
17
14
18
19
Fig. 16
15
The southeastern side of a tashi gomang stupa
at Densatil, 1948
16
17
The Tier of Buddhas
The Tier of Protectors of the Teachings
15 Akshobhya
25 Dhumavati Shri Devi
16 Akshobhya
26 Rahu
17 Shakyamuni
27 Nagaraja Shankhapala
18 Akshobhya
28 Nagaraja Ananta
19 Akshobhya
29 Vaishravana
30 Kakanama Mahakala
The Tier of Offering Goddesses
31 Pranasadhana Shri Devi
20 offering goddesses
32 Prithivi
18
20
21
22
19
23
24
21 offering goddesses
22 Parnashavari, Marichi, and Janguli
Four Guardians of the Directions
23 offering goddesses
A Virupaksha
24 offering goddesses
B Dhritarashtra
C Partially obscured, probably Virudhaka
D Partially obscured, probably Vaishravana
B
A
C
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
D
China, the rule of the Phagmo Drupa was briefly consolidated before disputes broke out
among the various factions of the noble house. Finally, it escalated to an open revolt in
1434 and factions waged war against each other. This year marked the end of the Phagmo
Drupa’s rule and, moreover, coincided with the end of tashi gomang stupa construction;
no more were built at the Densatil Monastery after this time.
Fig. 17. The Phagmo Drupa
ruler Ngawang Tashi Dragpa
(1488–1563/64). Central
Tibet. 16th century. Gilt
copper. H. 611⁄16 in. (17 cm).
Private collection.
The beneficiaries of this political development were the members of the noble house
of Rinpung. They were appointed by the Phagmo Drupa as governors for the fortress
Rinpung that had been founded by Jangchub Gyaltsen. Phagmo Drupa’s loss of power
did not come immediately, but was a gradual yet inexorable process that was increasingly
determined by the Rinpung. Open resistance was eliminated by military retaliation.
Rinpung replaced Neudongtse as the political center. The Densatil Monastery could only
escape the grip of the Rinpung by having its ownership transferred to the Shamar Kagyu
school. From this time on, with one brief exception, the abbots of Densatil were not
members of Phagmo Drupa, but of Shamar. The Phagmo Drupa had lost their political
and religious influence.
The last great Phagmo Drupa ruler who tried to restore their former power was
Ngawang Tashi Dragpa (1488–1563/64) (fig. 17). He was only partially successful. The old
weaknesses between the different branches of the noble house resurfaced and resulted in
conflict. The complicated political situation in central Tibet, where several noble houses,
many of them originating from governor’s families, vied with each other, caused additional
difficulties for the Phagmo Drupa. In 1554, Ngawang Tashi Dragpa was forced to abdicate
and go into exile, but soon after, assisted by military allies, regained his throne. Only
about a year after he died, a large uprising against the Rinpung took place in the province
of Tsang. The uprising was successful and a new noble house, the Tsang desi (rulers),
established itself and gained supremacy. The Phagmo Drupa remained spectators in this
conflict and could not actively influence it. During the emerging major conflict in the seventeenth century between the Karma Kagyu and Gelug schools, each supported by their
noble allies, the Phagmo Drupa tried as much as possible to stay out of the conflict. When
the fortress of Shigatse, the stronghold of the rulers of Tsang, fell in 1642, the Gelug were
the new hegemonic power in Tibet. The Phagmo Drupa could not intervene actively, but
had to remain passive. The Gelug were only interested in the ceremonial heritage of this
former ruling house, such as dances and ceremonies of courtly culture, in order to legitimize their own newly achieved rule. After they were successfully established, the Gelug
exploited disputes within the Phagmo Drupa school to dispossess them; the Neudongtse
estate and the Tsetang Monastery were transferred to Gelug followers. The Phagmo
The Iconography and Construction of a Tashi gomang Stupa
Drupa had become “beggars,” the regent of the fifth Dalai Lama wrote triumphantly. The
That the noble house and the religious school of Phagmo Drupa did not exist beyond the
only reason the Densatil Monastery escaped the devastating fate of the Phagmo Drupa
end of the seventeenth century is also apparent in the limited number of works of art that
was because it was in the possession of Shamar Kagyu and politically insignificant, there-
have been preserved and can be attributed to the Phagmo Drupa with certainty. Besides
fore able to avoid conversion to a Gelug monastery. Extraordinarily, despite the struggles
some illustrated manuscripts, block prints, and a few inscribed statues of Phagmo Drupa
roughly outlined in this essay, the Densatil Monastery was never attacked, ransacked, or
personalities, including that of Ngawang Tashi Dragpa, there are two fascinating paintings
even damaged until the mid-twentieth century.
on display in this exhibition (see cat. nos. 3 and 4). One of them, a thangka executed in
40
CZAJA
GOLDEN VISIONS OF DENSATIL
41
Fig. 18
Front elevation of a tashi gomang stupa
the eighteenth century, depicts a fierce protector worshipped by members of the Phagmo
Drupa school. The other scroll painting commissioned in the first half of the fifteenth
century chronicles the abbatial succession at Densatil with the famous Phagmo Drupa
Dorje Gyalpo occupying the center and surrounded by his successors to the left and right.
A greater number of pieces associated with the Phagmo Drupa are statues and fragments
that could have come from a tashi gomang stupa.
The first tashi gomang stupa was commissioned by Jigten Gonpo in Drigung in the
first decade of the thirteenth century. The first tashi gomang stupa built in Densatil was
for the abbot Dragpa Tsondru, who died in 1267. In the following centuries, only seven
I
more tashi gomang stupas were built in Densatil: one in the thirteenth century, three in the
fourteenth century, and three in the fifteenth century. Such an expensive and complex
A
work of art was not erected for each of the abbots who died between the thirteenth and
fifteenth century. The remains of some abbots were inserted into stupas without a tashi
II
gomang structure. These stupas were placed next to the tashi wobar stupa of Phagmo
Drupa Dorje Gyalpo on the eastern wall of the main hall (figs. 13 and 14). As there were
only a total of eight tashi gomang stupas built for Densatil, only eight stylistic groups of
Tier 1
tashi gomang fragments from Densatil can exist. Pieces from later than the fifteenth century cannot have come from Densatil. It is possible, however, that post-fifteenth-century
Tier 2
tashi gomang stupas could have come from the Drigung Monastery, which continued the
tradition of building tashi gomang stupas. For example, Kunga Rinchen (1475–1527), the
Tier 3
fifteenth abbot and throne holder of Drigung, built a tashi gomang stupa in the years 1521–
1525; and the twenty-second throne holder, Konchog Rinchen (1590/91–1654), erected
Tier 4
one after the year 1651.
The architectural design and the iconographic program created by Jigten Gonpo
III
Tier 5
B
became standard for all other stupas of this kind built in Drigung and Densatil. Some new
deities were introduced and the number of deities increased for later stupas, but the basic
outline remained the same. Certainly, the strong similarity of these stupas indicates that
those who commissioned them wished to emphasize that the throne holders in both monasteries were in all respects the true and worthy successors of the celebrated Phagmo Drupa
Tier 6
Dorje Gyalpo. The basic structure of a tashi gomang stupa can be described as follows
(figs. 18 and 19). A base, called the adamantine ground, provided a foundation for the
lowest tier—the Tier of Protectors of the Teachings—and the giant lotus flower that bloomed
over the heads of the protectors. The double row of lotus petals served as a distinctive
boundary that separated the lower, more worldly deities from the upper esoteric ones.
Guardians of the dharma crowded around the rising lotus flower and were each encircled
by a large vegetal scroll. They were carefully arranged with respect to the four directions.
Pairs of Nagarajas were placed in the four intermediate directions, while pairs consisting
of a Mahakala and a Shri Devi were located in the four cardinal directions. Additional
dharmapalas were placed between those pairs. Together these represented an impressive
circle of powerful guardians to protect the Buddhist teachings and their followers. A
magnificent lotus flower rose up from the bottommost tier, or the “pool,” to accommodate
42
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Front elevation of a tashi gomang stupa (A and B), the six tiers of a
tashi gomang structure, and the three main elements of consecration
(I, II, and III) (not to scale). The tashi gomang structure (B) had a
height of approximately 118 in. (300 cm). The stupa on top ( A) had
a height of approximately 47–78 in. (120–200 cm).
GOLDEN VISIONS OF DENSATIL
43
Fig. 19
Cross section of the construction of a tashi gomang stupa (not to scale)
Fig. 20. A gilt bronze Tibetan
altar fragment of the Tier of
Buddhas. 14th–15th century.
14 x 32¼ in. (35.5 x 82 cm).
Private collection.
A
C
F
B
D
E
a structure of different tiers. The tiers were recessed and stepped, accentuating the
central axis. They were adorned on all four sides with numerous free-standing deities and
panels with deities represented in relief. The deities depicted were arranged according
to their sanctity: the higher they were placed on the structure, the higher their religious
status. The Tier of Offering Goddesses had a central panel occupied by three female
deities flanked on both sides by two groups of four dancing offering goddesses each.
A
The next tier was known as the Tier of Buddhas, who were the main deities found on this
level. Similar to the tier below, the central panel was reserved for the most important
B
deities. A specific buddha together with his entourage of bodhisattvas were depicted on
this tier, in each of the four directions. Each specific buddha was accompanied by other
C
buddha figures placed in front of panels to its left and right. Many small buddha figures
of alternating size executed in relief adorned the panels (fig. 20).
D
The two tiers above the Tier of Buddhas brought together various Tantric teaching
cycles. In most cases, one specific teaching cycle was represented by one panel, but
E
there were also some highly esoteric mandalas that spread across all five panels, such as
F
the Vajradhatu mandala and the Guhyasamaja mandala on the eastern face of the stupa.
Towards the top, the tiers were completed by a wreath of lotus petals. This formed the
outer edge of the topmost platform on which the stupa with the remains of the late abbot
was placed. This stupa was surrounded by a number of statues of Indian and Tibetan
teachers placed in all directions. Statues of Vajravarahi were mounted at the edges of the
platform to appear as if they were hovering in the sky. Furthermore, pillars and columns
were placed at the corners of each panel on every tier, supporting the tashi gomang stupa
44
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A Inner structure
architecturally. Trefoil embellishments with heavenly beings carrying offerings were used
B Architectural structure
as decorative elements. A precious fabric covered with buddha images served as a back
C Panel
curtain. Finally, a huge parasol, which was adorned with the representation of a mandala
D Pillar
in half relief, was mounted above the whole tashi gomang stupa. Four guardians of the
E Statue at the corner
directions stood outside the tashi gomang stupas and were, as one can see in historical
F Column
photographs, arranged as a group on the eastern side of the structure (figs. 1 and 21).
GOLDEN VISIONS OF DENSATIL
45
remnants of a tenon can be found on a fastening slat on the back side of a standing figure
of Parnashavari in the collection of Marie José Rossotto d’Harcourt. This would consequently result in an aperture located in the upper part of the lower third of the back panel.
Moreover, one finds a mortise as the technical solution used for a free-standing statue like
the statue of Manjushri (see cat. no. 32). Perhaps the panel was cast with a tenon or it
had an aperture, and both panel and statue were connected by a joint or slat. These are
just some possibilities.
In addition, Tibetan inscriptions sometimes identify the deity associated with a particular panel or refer to a specific Tibetan letter. For example, one finds the Tibetan name
of Avalokiteshvara incised on the above-mentioned panel of this deity. The panel that
once belonged to a tier with a representation of the Vajradhatu mandala bears an inscription giving the designation “Vajradhatu” together with “east right first,” indicating the exact
mounting location (see cat. no. 29). It is obvious that artists and laborers wanted to
ensure a correct and systematic installation of the free-standing figures and panels with
this kind of information. Moreover, some panels, statues, and decorative elements have
incised Tibetan letters, a method often employed in the Tibetan world to number things
consecutively. The location of where these letters were incised varies; sometimes the
The exact process of how a tashi gomang stupa was built is unfortunately unknown.
There are no sources with detailed information on this process. Zhonnu Pel (1392–1481)
reports in his historical work, The Blue Annals, that it was first designed as a wooden
model which was later crafted with precious materials. He lived for a time in Densatil and
one can assume that he was familiar with its stupas. Indeed, the surviving fragments
suggest such a kind of construction. Some of them show holes that most likely were made
by nails that originally fixed the metal pieces to the wooden structure from behind. This
can be seen, for instance, on the large gilt fragment of a Tier of Buddhas (fig. 20) or the
Fig. 21. A tashi gomang stupa
at Densatil, 1948, showing the
Tier of Buddhas and the Tier of
Offering Goddesses behind the
guardians of the four directions:
Dhritarashtra, Virudhaka,
Virupaksha, and Vaishravana.
Photograph by Pietro
Francesco Mele.
letters are found on the front of the pieces, sometimes on the back.
An example of this system can be found on one of the architectural embellishments
presented in the exhibition. It bears the letter “cha” on the back (see cat. no. 41), the
sixth letter of the Tibetan alphabet. Some pillar figures have a letter on the front of the
capital, for example the letter “kha,” the second letter of the alphabet, or the letter “pa,”
the thirteenth Tibetan letter (see cat. nos. 36 and 37). They were used to determine where
exactly a pillar figure should have been placed on a tier (fig. 22). This would have meant
that the pillar figure with the letter “kha” was installed on a tier on the eastern side of
panel of Avalokiteshvara (see cat. no. 33). The need to secure all pieces to the structure
the tashi gomang stupa in the second position from the left, whereas the pillar figure
did not just concern panels, but free-standing statues as well. One of the reasons for this
bearing the letter “pa” was placed on the southern side of a tier, occupying the first posi-
was probably that such a towering, complex, and delicate construction required a firm
tion from the left. Panels too can have assembly directions in the form of a Tibetan letter,
fitting. Moreover, earthquakes were not unknown on the Tibetan plateau. The securing of
as in the case of the panels of offerings goddesses (fig. 23). The order of Tibetan letters
free-standing statues was achieved in different ways. One option was to attach a statue to
follows the reading direction of Tibetan script—left to right—and continues counterclock-
the construction by means of a mortise and tenon joint. Some panels still have a rectangu-
wise around each tier. It is likely that the panels were lined up first on the ground in the
lar hole positioned in central axis corresponding to the main statue in front. The position
correct sequence so that letters could be assigned accordingly before they were attached
of this aperture varies; it can be placed in the upper, the middle, or the lower third. The
to the tashi gomang stupa. During the subsequent assemblage, one could mount each
proper position of the aperture probably depended on the type of statue in front. In each
panel in its designated position more efficiently.
case it allowed the statue to be attached more firmly by means of a tenon or other similarly functioning device. Remnants of mortise-and-tenon joinery can be found on some
The Consecration of a Tashi gomang Stupa
statues, which clearly indicates that they were originally connected to a structure such as
After a tashi gomang stupa was erected, an elaborate consecration was performed. Today
a tashi gomang stupa, because Tibetan statues placed on an altar in a home or a monas-
when we are able to appreciate the surviving statues and fragments aesthetically only, this
tery do not possess these details. A lotus or lotus throne was a suitable part of a statue for
fundamental matter can be easily overlooked. However, the consecration was of utmost
such a constructional element, as well as the back side of the deity itself, as exemplified
significance, and equally as important as the sculptural organization of the tashi gomang
by a statue of Sarvavid Vairochana in the Capital Museum, Beijing. Furthermore, the
stupa itself. In fact, the interior of the structure, consisting of religious items inserted
46
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GOLDEN VISIONS OF DENSATIL
47
Fig. 22
Fig. 23
Distribution of Tibetan letters on pillar figures for each tier.
The example below is the Tier of Offering Godesses.
Distribution of Tibetan letters on panels for each tier.
The example below is the Tier of Offering Goddesses
na da
tha
ka
kha
ga
nga
1
2
3
4
ca
cha
ja
nya
5
6
7
8
ta
tha
da
na
9
10
11
12
pa
pha
ba
ma
13
14
15
16
east
ka
kha
ga
nga
ca
1
2
3
4
5
cha
ja
nya
ta
tha
6
7
8
9
10
da
na
pa
pha
ba
11
12
13
14
15
ma
tsa
tsha
dza
va
16
17
18
19
20
north
pha
ja
N
ba
cha
ma
ca
west
south
ba pha
nya
north
west
ta
pa
east
south
pa
na da
ma
tha
tsa
ta
tsha
nya
dza
ja
cha
va
ka
48
CZAJA
kha
ga nga
N
ka kha
ga
nga ca
GOLDEN VISIONS OF DENSATIL
49
during the consecration ceremony, reveals essential aspects of the underlying religious
including the white bones of Gampopa, black hair and white teeth from Phagmo Drupa
values for the monastic community and helps us to understand the meaning the tashi
Dorje Gyalpo, and certain religious texts with protective charms and spells. Then the
gomang stupas held for those who commissioned them.
divine palace was filled to the brim with the powder of precious substances like gold,
The consecration of the tashi gomang stupa for Phagmo Drupa Dorje Gyalpo com-
silver, and beryl; fragrant materials like various types of sandalwood; medicinal ingredi-
prised three main elements. The first was the upper part of the stupa that was placed on
ents like camphor and saffron; and, finally, auspicious items such as the wood, leaves, and
top of the tashi gomang structure. It consisted of the tapered, stylized parasols and the
fruit from the Bodhi tree. In a similar manner the parasols of the stupa were made sacred
stupa’s finial, which depicted the sun and moon over a lotus bud. The second part was
by inserting various holy objects into them, which included personal items and bodily
the lower part of the stupa placed on top of the tashi gomang structure, including the
relics of the Kagyu masters Marpa, Milarepa, Gampopa, Phagmo Drupa Dorje Gyalpo,
dome and its domed base with a double lotus frieze. The last, third part was the tashi
and Jigten Gonpo.9
gomang structure itself (fig. 18). For the latter, a complex construction was built: a huge
The arrangement of holy objects during the consecration also may be interpreted as
sandalwood pillar richly adorned with silk ribbons served as a central axis. It was inserted
a political statement. The details above demonstrate the significance of the consecration
and fixed into a vajra cross that decorated the foundation made of sandalwood. Similar to
of a tashi gomang stupa for the religious and political identities of those who had con-
the outer structure, numerous pillars and beams also made of sandalwood and decorated
structed it. Furthermore, it also throws light on the technological complexity and religious
with various textiles and cloths were set up to form an intricate wooden construction.
relevance of the construction of tashi gomang stupas. Undoubtedly, it was a significant
A model that resembled a divine palace, square shaped and made of precious materials,
event for the monastic community and its related laity. Usually, the cost of erecting the
stood in this interior structure. The design, with its many short edges, corresponded to the
stupa was distributed among several parties and taken from the income of selected house-
outer design of the tashi gomang structure. Built to resemble a seven-storied palace, it
holds. Besides funding, another important decision was to determine where the stupa
contained three layers of religious items. The first layer comprised footprints of Phagmo
should be built. The builders had to take into account particular aspects of geomancy, a
Drupa Dorje Gyalpo commissioned in gold, a holy relic that Jigten Gonpo highly vener-
complicated and sometimes time-consuming process. Those involved had to refrain at all
ated. Wrapped in fine garments and cloths, this item formed the base for a lavishly
costs from quarrels and fights during preparation and construction, as it was believed
decorated Avalokiteshvara statue that was consecrated one hundred and eight times by
that conflict could cause spiritual obstacles to the successful completion of the funeral
Phagmo Drupa Dorje Gyalpo himself. According to Sherab Jungne in his description of
ceremony for the late abbot. Moreover, disharmony could also damage the spiritual power
the consecration, it was believed that the statue possessed magical powers, including
and potential of the newly built tashi gomang stupa, a structure that was meant to ensure
the ability to cure any disease. In the four directions around this statue, a multitude of
prosperity and happiness for the whole community of monks and laypeople in the future.
religious manuscripts written by Phagmo Drupa Dorje Gyalpo, Jigten Gonpo, and other
Believers expected concrete help and assistance from the guardians of the faith depicted
venerated teachers were piled. A large number of other relics and statues were placed
on the bottommost tier. The deity Rahu was responsible for rain and the ripening of the
on the first level as well, such as bones with a miraculously manifested image of the deity
harvest, but could also send hail. Vaishravana promised wealth, and the Nagarajas were
Tara; wooden, golden, and silver statues of Tantric deities commissioned in India and
associated with both rain and wealth. In addition to these more worldly hopes and fears,
Tibet; and woven thangkas from China. Powerfully charged ritual objects, such as vajras
the tashi gomang stupa was also important for the inner, spiritual sphere as the entire
and bells formerly in the possession of important religious masters, were added. Then a
stupa was created as a huge, three-dimensional mandala.
collection of Buddha’s words and treatises, beautifully commissioned in gold and wrapped
in fine cloth, was stored to the right side of this interior space, while finely executed
Tashi gomang Stupa as Mandala
Tantras enveloped in delicate textiles were placed to the left. Similarly, the body of the
The outline of a mandala is clearly recognizable from the bird’s-eye view of a tashi
stupa placed on top of the tashi gomang structure, and its parasols and finial were filled
gomang stupa (fig. 24). The circles of vajras and lotuses are evident and one may imagine
with holy objects.
that the circle of light, which usually forms the outer circle of a mandala, is formed by
The upper part of the stupa placed on top of the tashi gomang structure held another
butter lamps encircling the tashi gomang stupa. The divine palace is situated at the center
model that resembled a divine palace, which was built with precious materials and sealed
of these circles, erected on an adamantine cross, called vishvavajra, comprising two
with pure resin from a Sal tree. Inside was a smaller model of a multi-storied divine palace
crossed vajras. The gates of the divine palace are lined up with each cardinal direction
made of copper. The palace was filled with numerous statues, such as a fine statue of
and correspond to the central section of each tier of the tashi gomang stupa, as empha-
Phagmo Drupa Dorje Gyalpo, together with special seats, elegant parasols, fine clothes,
sized by the figural outline. The different tiers or steps seen from above represent stages
and exquisite offerings. The center of the palace was occupied by specially blessed relics
of the path towards enlightenment—successive teachings, which are sculpturally
50
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GOLDEN VISIONS OF DENSATIL
51
Fig. 24
Aerial view of a tashi gomang stupa (not to scale)
represented by images and symbols. The highest level and center of this mandalic layout
was occupied by the stupa of a late abbot. It symbolizes the highest spiritual attainment.
Similarly, the spiritual metaphor within the design of a tashi gomang stupa may also
have been experienced by a believer who stood in front of such a stupa and presented
offerings, or a pilgrim who circumambulated it ritually. He would have been reminded that
he was still trapped in the immense ocean of samsara, the endless cycle of birth and
death, and would continue to be helplessly tossed hither and thither by the waves of sorrow and uncertainty. Only the dharma, the Buddhist teachings, could provide a precious
boat, steered by Buddha, to ferry him across the ocean. Even the powerful guardians of
the faith, such as the Nagarajas and others, are still part of this samsaric world. Although
they can grant wealth and help eliminate negative influences in his life, they cannot offer
enlightenment. Only a true cleansing from the defilements and faults of earthly existence
and complete renunciation of the material world—symbolized by the magnificent pure
lotus flower that rises from the dirty water of the samsaric ocean—can lead to the path of
salvation. Once he has been cleansed from these defilements, he may proceed to the
stages that constitute the path towards enlightenment. The steps on this path are ordered
in a clear structure in accordance with practice and correspond to the hierarchical
arrangement of the four Tantra categories of Kriya, Charya, Yoga, and Anuttarayoga. In
each of these levels of Tantric teaching, the visualization of symbolic offerings is important. Imagined by the practitioner, they manifest as lovely goddesses bringing offerings
such as perfumed water and fragrant incense. Ritual practices like ablution and fasting, as
taught in the Kriya Tantras, are used to ritually purify the body and behavior, and to accumulate merit. This becomes the foundation for further spiritual advancement. Progress is
achieved by combining equal parts external ritual practice with inner cultivation of meditative concentration, which is explained in the Charya Tantras. Meditation requires the union
of method and wisdom to be effective: method can be understood as the activities performed by a practitioner for himself and, more importantly, for others, in an effort to help
them awaken to their own true natures and begin to seek enlightenment. Wisdom is
achieved when the mind embraces emptiness and the lack of inherent existence of all
phenomena. By shifting the emphasis to inner yogic meditation of method and wisdom as
outlined in the Yoga Tantras, an adept strives to realize all aspects of the profound ultimate truth. To proceed on this path towards enlightenment, the Tantric practitioner must
accomplish the generation and completion stages by employing specific and advanced
meditation techniques and practices as expounded in Anuttarayoga Tantras. Finally, a
practitioner can achieve liberation from samsara and attain full enlightenment as symbolized by the stupa on the top of the tashi gomang structure.
When an adherent of Buddhist faith saw a tashi gomang stupa, he therefore had a
sculptural delineation for the path towards enlightenment right before him, a path outlined
by Buddha Shakyamuni on a more fundamental level, when he expounded his insights
about the Four Noble Truths and related teachings in his first sermon in the deer park of
Sarnath not far from Varanasi. At the same time, the adherent commemorates the late
52
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GOLDEN VISIONS OF DENSATIL
53
abbot who has attained enlightenment like Buddha and whose cremated remains are
passed away and a tashi gomang stupa was erected to commemorate him, Tsongkhapa
inside the stupa. The architecture of tashi gomang stupas is highlighted in some early
created a sophisticated poem for his beloved teacher. In his fine composition, written at
thangkas of the Drigung and Taglung schools; the paintings employ important composi-
Densatil, he artfully alludes to the construction of a tashi gomang stupa, by referring, for
tional elements of the tashi gomang stupa and transpose them to painted formats (see cat.
example, to the individual sections of his poem as tiers. After praising the body of his
nos. 46 and 47). At the bottom of these paintings, one can see the crossed double vajra,
teacher as similar to Mount Meru, he extols the tashi gomang stupa whose construction
symbolizing the adamantine ground. A vase is placed in its center from which a huge lotus
he had witnessed:
flower grows, similarly identifiable on the frieze of a Shri Devi statue (see cat. no. 15).
Vegetal scrolls encircle the dharmapalas on this level. Two Nagarajas raise a wreath of
Being surrounded by statues which are beautiful in all ways
lotus petals forming the throne of a standing Tantric deity Chakrasamvara with his consort,
on all tiers of the sides filling all directions,
or of a seated monk. Both Chakrasamvara and the monk have attained the rank of full
which are of sparkling luster of a clear brilliance,
enlightenment, symbolized in the image of the monk by a rainbow. They therefore repre-
these tashi wobar and tashi gomang
sent the ultimate truth or reality—the dharmakaya—and are, like the stupa, symbols of the
are, in their breath-taking sight, like Buddha Shakyamuni,
fully enlightened mind. Similar to the top level of tashi gomang stupas where the stupa is
are, in their moving of big waves of blessing, like the ocean,
surrounded by important Indian and Tibetan teachers, the central figures of both thangkas
are, in their natural brilliance, like the lord of mountains Mount Meru,
are surrounded by analogous personalities. It seems that tashi gomang stupas and the
as if the builders were piling up one beauty on another,
painted thangkas noted above share key elements in composition and intended meaning.
like stirring up the bees by a lotus grove and
To a certain extent, this type of painting may be regarded as a two-dimensional represen-
the hares by white light and
tation of a tashi gomang stupa.
the mind by a beautiful appearance,
Moreover, both sculptural and painted forms allow a monk or a layman to make
these grasp the sentient beings’ hearts.10
offerings and to show their devotion, thereby accumulating religious merit. The adherent
could also earn merit by circumambulating a single tashi gomang stupa or all the stupas
It is evident that a tashi gomang stupa was not a mere receptacle for the remains of
housed within the main hall by circling the building on the circumambulatory path outside
a deceased abbot, but possessed multiple political, religious, and artistic aspects. Today,
its walls. The practice of ritual circumambulation is also an important part of Tibetan
at the beginning of the twenty-first century, it seems possible to reveal some of the secrets
pilgrimage when pilgrims circle monasteries or holy mountains such as Mount Tsari or
of the destroyed tashi gomang stupas that once stood in the Densatil and Drigung monas-
Mount Kailash.
teries, and bring the historical photos taken by Mele to life again. For the first time, it is
Every person who gazed at a towering tashi gomang stupa probably had the impres-
possible to identify individual pieces and to determine their original arrangement on a
sion of looking upon a huge golden mountain. In fact, stupas are often compared to the
tashi gomang stupa. This is an important step, but it is only the beginning. Further studies
cosmic Mount Meru and this also applies to a tashi gomang stupa. Tsongkhapa (1357–
have to be conducted to fully understand all the aspects of stupas.
1419), the famous founder of the Gelug school, expressed this observation most eloquently
This pioneering exhibition at Asia Society Museum, which assembles numerous
and poetically. One of his teachers was the Densatil abbot Dragpa Jangchub (1356–1386),
statues and panels representing most of the tiers of a tashi gomang stupa, is a major
whom he visited to study under him (fig. 25). At that time, the Phagmo Drupa were
contribution to our knowledge of Tibetan art in general, and the artistic tradition of tashi
important supporters of the emerging movement of the Gelug. When Dragpa Jangchub
gomang stupas in particular. For the first time since the destruction of the Densatil Monastery, lost treasures that belonged to a world now long gone have been brought together
Fig. 25. Detail of cat. no. 48.
Two biographical scenes from
the thangka of Tsongkhapa.
He was fully ordained in 1381,
an event depicted in the lower
register. Then he proceeded
to Densatil to study under
Dragpa Jangchub, as seen in
the upper register.
54
CZAJA
once more. Even with only fragments to hint at the grandeur of the original tashi gomang
stupas, we are excited to catch a compelling glimpse of the truly innovative and masterly
artistry that once graced Densatil.
GOLDEN VISIONS OF DENSATIL
55
Notes
1. The Phagmo Drupa was both a religious school
and a noble house. Members of this noble house
became monks and abbots of the Densatil Monastery, while others became secular rulers, and
sometimes the abbot and secular ruler were the
same person.
2. This type of hut is also depicted in the lower
register of some early thangkas commissioned by
the Taglung school.
3. Sources speak of two statues of Phagmo
Drupa Dorje Gyalpo, about seven hundred books
commissioned with golden and silver ink on blue
paper, countless volumes of ordinary paper, about
fifty pieces of gold and turquoise, sixty bricks of
tea, three thousand bales of silk brocade, and one
hundred hybrid cattle and horses.
4. At the same time, he gave the order that the
valuable books given by Tashi Pel should be
transferred to Gampopa’s monastery.
5. Czaja 2010, 2013. Luczanits 2010.
6. His greatest achievement was the establishment
of twelve fortified estates protecting Yarlung
valley, the heartland of Phagmo Drupa in central
Tibet, and adjacent regions to strengthen them
economically and politically.
7. It is justified to call him the founder of the
Phagmo Drupa dynasty. Even though he came to
power as myriarch under very adverse circumstances, he soon developed political ambitions
to ensure the supremacy for his noble house in
Tibet. He left a Political Testament to his descendants, describing in detail his decades-long
struggle towards this end.
8. Similar to the above-mentioned Dorje Pel,
he founded fortresses protecting his domain.
9. The inclusion of relics of the Monastery’s
succession is interesting as it clearly corresponds
to the transmission of religious teachings and,
by extension, religious authority. It is evident
that the order of religious items follows a
distinctive hierarchy.
10. Czaja 2010: 268ff.
Descriptions of Densatil
Excerpts from the Journals of
Sarat Chandra Das and Giuseppe Tucci
Adriana Proser
Today, with the help of Tibetan texts that date from as early as the first half of the thirteenth
century, we are able to envision the Densatil Monastery that stood in central Tibet until
the middle of the twentieth century. These writings provide us with both historical and
anecdotal information about the Monastery. We are fortunate that a good deal of detail
about the iconographic program for the first tashi gomang stupa at Drigung, the likely model
for the tashi gomang stupas at Densatil, still exists in the form of inventory charts (Dkar
chag) written by Sherab Jungne (1187–1241). Even the contents of the interior of the Densatil
Monastery are known to us as a result of an overview written by Chokyi Gyatso (1880–
1923/25). Olaf Czaja has relied on these and other historical sources for the research that
informs his enlightening essay in this catalogue. Although there are no extant Tibetan
descriptions of the overall impression the Densatil Monastery and the splendor of its main
hall made on adherents and visitors, happily we do have passages from the journals of two
foreign scholar-explorers who visited Tibet and saw the Monastery before it was destroyed.
The first of these scholar-explorers to visit
Densatil was Sarat Chandra Das (1849–1917). Born
in eastern Bengal, Das studied engineering at the
Presidency College in Calcutta. He began to learn
the Tibetan language during his appointment as headmaster of Bhutia Boarding School in Darjeeling. By
traveling with the school’s Tibetan language teacher,
lama Ugyen-gyatso, he was able to obtain permission
to enter Tibet and ultimately studied there for six
months in 1879. He made a second visit in 1881, also
accompanied by Ugyen-gyatso, and stayed for fourteen months. Das became a prolific Tibetan scholar
Fig. 26. Photograph of
Sarat Chandra Das by
S.C. Sen, year unknown
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CZAJA
following this second journey; his accomplishments
included the translation of numerous texts from
Tibetan to English, writings on Tibet’s pre-Buddhist
DESCRIPTIONS OF DENSATIL
57