Samye Chimpu
Samye Chimpu is a retreat center located in a mountainside east of Samye Monastery. From the monastery it is four miles as the crow flies to the parking at the base of mountain, at 13,180 feet (N29º22.261 / E091º32.841). From here a trail leads up to the first of the retreat caves at 14,130 feet. By tradition there are said to be 108 retreat caves and shelters here but locals say there are actually 113. It was here the Padmasambhava came in 776 and initiated 24 adepts into the Mahayoga tantras. His consort Yeshe Tsogyel also lived with him here. The main temple of the complex is farther up at 14,470 feet. Although trashed during the Cultural Revolution most of the complex has been restored and there are currently some 300 nuns and 20 to 30 monks in residence here.
Chimphu (Wyl. mchims phu) - the mountain above the monastery of Samyé where there are many retreat caves and huts. Even to this day, there are practitioners in long term retreat there.
At the time of the founding of the monastery of Samyé, at King Trisong Detsen’s request, Padmasambhava opened the mandala of the Vajrayana teachings in the caves of Chimphu to the twenty-five disciples, headed by King Trisong Detsen, Yeshe Tsogyal and Vairotsana. Nine of the twenty-five attained siddhis through practising the sadhanas he transmitted to them.
