Sacred Zabsel Gonpa
Zabsel Gonpa and its Eight Great Charnel Grounds (creamation ground) at Gasa
Zabsel Gonpa was founded in the fourteenth century ( seventh Rabjung ) by Drukchen Jamyang Lodro Senge, the eight of the nine Drukpa lineage holders with the name "Senge. " The image inside the Gonpa is the statue of Buddha Shakyamuni, the Fourth Guide (rnam 'dren bzhi pa) , and the main guardians are the five Long-life sisters ( tshe ring mched Inga ).
In research paper written by Sangye Dorji, the former Tshenyi Lopen (master of philosophical debate ) , it is related that Phajo Drugom Zhigpo visited the place after Guru Rinpoche visited and blessed the place around 958 CE. Guru Rinpoche visited the place because it possessed all the characteristics of a sacred place and moreover the landscape was similar to the eight Great Charnel Grounds ( dur khord Chen po brgyad) of India.
There is a footprint of Lama Jamyang Lodro Senge on top a cliff behind the temple. The small abode on the right side of the temple is the place where Jamyang Lodro Senge was born. If you walk about fifteen minutes to the right of this place,there is a water source blessed by the lama.
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When Jamyang Kuenga Senge, the holder of Ralung in Tibet visited the country of medicinal herbs and cypress trees in sixth Rabjung, faithful patrons requested him to established his line of descendants (to get married ). When the patrons requested him repeatedly, he married Sonam Gyen of Gon village the daughter of Lama Pelden Sengye who was born from the family lineage of Drubthob Terkhungpa and Wangchuk, the son of Phajo Drugom Zhigpo. Jamyang Lodro Senge was born to Jamyang Kuenga Senge and Sonam Gyen inside a small cave near Zabsel Temple.
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When Jamyang Lodro Senge grew up ,he went to occupy the throne of his father at Ralung. He came back to the medicinal valley in the fourteenth century, built a temple at the place his birth and established a large meditation retreat center there.
If you walk downhill from Zabsel Gonpa, there is a cremation ground under there is a mandala of Buddha Akshobhya, the unshakeable one and where the Guardian of the cremation ground dwells. In the past ,it was only permitted to cremated the dead from Gasa on this ground but nowadays the deceased from other place maybe cremated there too.
The meditation caves
On a hilltop, to the right side of the cremation ground, there are remains of Shongchen Gonpa a religious seat of Lama Barawa and his meditation cave. Then there is another meditation cave on a hilltop in between Zabsel Gonpa and Shingta Gonpa where Mahasiddha Tana Rechen also known as Kunzang Rechen Tana, meditated and achieved signs of attainment.
Route to Zabsel Gonpa
It takes about an hour and twenty minutes to reach Zabsel Gonpa from Gasa Dzong . One can reach Nangsel Gonpa and Dochula from there.
--Druk Ge Ney FB
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