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.
Hermitage cave complex (chin.: Qingpu Si), a cave monastery with about 50 to 100 monks and nuns. Chimpu was established by king Trisong Detsen in the 8th century. Guru Rinpoche lived here with his consort Yeshe Tsogyal. It was one of his Eight Supreme Sanctuaries.
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.
Samye Chimphu (bsam yas chims phu). The sacred place of Padmasambhava's speech. A mountain retreat situated four hours walk above Samye. During the last twelve centuries numerous great masters have meditated in the caves at this hermitage. EPK
Also:
Drakmar Yamalung (brag dmar g.ya' ma lung), the eighth among the sacred places in Tibet and Bhutan blessed by Guru Padmasambhava for the practice of the Eight Herukas.
These eight places are:
1) Drak Yangdzong (sgrags yang rdzong), the place related to the Heruka of the Body Family, Jampel Shinje, where Nup Sangye Yeshe achieved realization,
2) Samye Chimphu (bsam yas mchims phu), the place related to the Heruka of the Lotus, Speech Family, Tamdrin, where Gyalwa Choyang attained realization;
3) Lodrak Karchu (lho brag mkhar chu), the place related to the Heruka of the Mind Family, Yandak, where Gelong Namkhai Nyingpo revealed realization;
4) [[Yarlung Shardrak (yar lung shel brag), the place related to the Heruka of the Enlightened Qualities Family, Dudtsi Yonten, where Karchen Yeshe Shonnu attained realization;
5) Monkha Senge Dzong (mon kha seng ge rdzong), the place related to the Heruka of the Activities Family, Dorje Phurba, where Khandro Yeshe Tsogyal attained realization;
6) Yarto Shambo Khyangkyi Rawa (yar stod sham po gangs kyi ra ba), the place related to the Mamo Botong, where Drokmi Palkyi Yeshe attained realization;
7) Paro Taktsang (spa gro stag tshang bsam grub ke'u tshang), the place related to Jigten Choto, where Langchen Palgyi Senge attained realization;
8) Samye Yamalung (bsam yas g.ya' ma lung), the place related to the Mopa Trak ngak, where the Great Translator, Vairocana revealed realization.
