Yarlung Sheldrak

Awakened Quality

at a glance

Yarlung Sheldrak, the Crystal Cave of Yarlung, is the life-upholding cave at the Tradruk temple––Tibet’s first temple, much celebrated, and built by Dharma King Songtsen Gampo. The Mahaguru blessed this unique sacred site through his practice of Chemchok Heruka, the wrathful aspect of Buddha Samatabhadra, so that the place itself became identical to his awakened qualities.

the story

Chemchok Heruka is the wrathful manifestation of Samantabhadra and the main deity in the mandala of the fifty-eight wrathful deities, which, together with the forty-two peaceful deities, form the mandala of the Hundred Peaceful and Wrathful Deities. Chemchok Heruka is also the central deity in the Mahayoga mandala of the Kagyé and in the mandala of the Anuyoga root tantra the Gongpa Düpé Do.

Guru Rinpoche originally received teachings on Chemchok Heruka from the renowned pandita Vimalamitra. Seeking to establish in Tibet a sacred site associated with Chemchok Heruka, the Mahaguru chose the Yarlung Sheldrak caves. There, through his own one-pointed practice, he not only introduced the practice tradition but also blessed the site as being identical to his awakened qualities. During the Kagyé empowerments at Samyé Chimpu, the Mahaguru entrusted the Chemchok Heruka teachings in particular to Dharma King Trisong Detsen and Nyak Jñanakumara. Since the Dharma King could not leave his responsibilities at Samyé monastery and go into retreat in a remote mountain cave, he retreated instead into Samyé Monastery itself, where he practiced and accomplished Chemchok Heruka. Nyak Jñanakumara, however, was not bound by royal duties, and was thus instructed to retreat to Yarlung Sheldrak, so that he too could reap the siddhis of Chemchok Heruka.

The Mahaguru further entrusted Nyak Jñanakumara with the task of translating sacred tantras on Chemchok Heruka at the Crystal Cave of Sheldrak itself, and, once completed, the original translation was concealed within the Pema Tsekpa cave, safeguarding its profound wisdom.

Upon the Mahaguru’s advice, Khandro Yeshé Tsogyal and many others went into retreat at Yarlung Sheldrak, and thirty in particular reached great accomplishment, becoming collectively known as “the thirty tantrikas of Sheldrak.”

Words from the Masters

Changdak Tashi Topgyal’s Prayer to the King and Twenty-Five Disciples

How to get there

The starting point is in Kato village on the outskirts of Tsetang, home of the Tsechu Bumpa stupa. The stupa is said to either house the armor of Songsten Gampo, or a crystal Buddha statue offered to King Trisong Detsen by Lotsawa Chokrolui Gyelsten. The stupa is also said to exude tsechu (water of life) each full moon, thusly named.

A bumpy dirt road will take you to the temple and nunnery just below Yarlung Sheldrak. From there it is a short steep ascent, around 30 minutes to an hour, up a well maintained railed pathway leading to the upper temple and the Crystal cave or Samdrup cave.

While at the main site

The Yarlung Valley is considered to be the cradle of Tibetan civilization and, according to legend, it is where a monkey and a rock ogre together begot the Tibetan people, and where the first kings descended from heaven on a sky cord, landing on the summit of Mount Yarlha Shanpo. Before resettlement in Lhasa, it was here in the 7th century that Tibet civilization found its unified location.

As you journey up the mountain to the site, you will come to the Lumo Dürtro burial ground. This is a female naga site with a Hayagriva stupa. Farther up, there is another stupa and a sky burial site. Still ascending, you will arrive at Sheldrak Monastery, founded by the tertön Sangye Lingpa. A rock staircase leads to a rock bridge suspended over a terchu (a spring revealed as a treasure). At the top of the mountain is a two-storey building housing the cave, a shrine and a small living space. The cave itself is small, with enough space to fit around eight people. The original ‘talking’ statue of Guru Rinpoche, made and blessed by Vairocana himself, is now kept in Tradruk Monastery in the Yarlung Valley, approximately 7 km south of Tsetang.

Sheldrak Drubpuk:

Shaldrak Drubpuk faces east and was Guru Rinpoche first meditation cave in Tibet from where the indigenous forces and demons were made to take an oath of allegiance to Buddhism. It is one of the most revered pilgrimage destinations on the Tibetan plateau and symbolizes the Buddha attributes of Guru Rinpoche. Originally there was a "speaking" image of Guru Rinpoche, but this has now been moved to Traduk Monastery. The altar now has new images of Guru Rinpoche with his two main consorts and the rock west wall has images of Avalokiteshvara, the 25 disciples of Guru Rinpoche, Boudhanath Stupa near Kathmandu and a crescent moon. 

Tsogyel Sangpuk:

Tsogyel Sangpuk faces northeast and is the secret meditation cave of Yeshe Tsogyal. Its location is indicated by a prayer flag to the south of the cave. After the departure of Guru Rinpoche, Yeshe Tsogyal stayed here for thirteen months and concealed five treasures.

Pema Shelpuk:

In the west-facing Pema Shelphuk that Orgyen Lingpa revealed the Pema Kathang, the most famous biography of Guru Rinpoche.

Beyond the main site

Mount Sotang Kangbori:

Sotang Kangbori is to the east of the town of Zêtang, rising 800 meters above the town with its spurs protecting it from the elements and forming a defensible position at the mouth of the valley. It is one of the four sacred mountains of Central Tibet, and the abode of Yarlha Shampo, a powerful mountain god. It is also famous for its cave at 4,060 meters near the summit. This is where, according to legend, Avalokiteśvara incarnated as a red monkey and impregnated a sinmo, or white ogress, conceiving six sons who were the ancestors of the original six clans of Tibet. In the cave may be seen a naturally-occurring image of a monkey and paintings of simian figures. It is said that within the mountain is a beyul or 'hidden land'.

Yarlha Shampo Gangi Rawa:

Yarlha Shampo Gangi Rawa is one of the eight principle retreat places of Guru Rinpoche. See separate site description.

Tradruk Temple:

Tradruk Temple, ‘The Hawk and Dragon Temple’ was built by Songsten Gampo as one of many Tadül—structures built with the purpose of binding a giant ogress dwelling in Tibet. Traduk Temple is said to sit on the left shoulder of the giant. It is that once a giant dragon lived in a lake at the site where the temple was to be built. Songsten Gampo called upon a giant hawk to defeat the dragon and drink the entire lake, clearing the way for the temple to be constructed. 

Rechung Puk: 

Rechung Puk is located at the bifurcation of the Yarlung and Chongye valleys, west of Tradruk Temple overlooking the valley below. This was the meditation cave of Milarepa’s disciple Rechungpa Dorje Drak (1083-1161). Later, Tsangnyön Heruka wrote the Life of Milarepa and the Hundred Thousand Songs of Milarepa in 1488.

Lhabab Ri:

Lhabab Ri (Lha bab ri) - 'The Hill of Divine Descent' is the highest of three hilltops at the southern end of the Pema Tsekpa range, below the Sheldrak Caves. It is where the first king Nyatri Tsenpo is said to have descended from the heavens on a "sky-cord" (which the Bonpos believed connected heaven and earth) and, being unable to understand the local speech, was carried down the hill on the shoulders of Tibetans who realised his divine provenance and why he had come. Buddhist legends claim he was descended from a Licchavi state in modern Bihar and claim he was descended from the Buddha.

Tsechu Bumpa Stupa:

Tsechu Bumpa Stupa (Tse chu 'bum pa) is just south of the turn off to Sheldrak. It is one of the three sacred stupas of Yarlung and its circumambulation usually marks the beginning or end of pilgrimage to Sheldrak. It is said to have at its centre a rock crystal image of the Buddha brought from India and given by the translator Chokrolui Gyeltsen to King Trisong Detsen. Another legend says it contains the armour of King Songtsen Gampo. The site contains a large number of mani stones.

Gongtang Bumpa Stupa:

Gongtang Bumpa Stupa (dGon thang 'bum pa), one of the three main stupas of the Yarlung Valley, is situated at the centre of the entrance to the fertile Chongye Valley, protecting the Yarlung Valley from the approach of demons or hostile forces. It is said to have been built on the advice of the famous translator Vairocana, one of Padmasambhava's foremost students and holder of the Dzogchen lineage to settle a boundary dispute. It was about 6–8 metres high. A new temple to the west has images of Hayagriva_(Buddhism) with Padmasambhava and Lhodrak Longka Geling on either side.

Riwo Choling Monastery:

South of Tradruk Temple and east of Tsharu village are immense ruins of what was once a Gelugpa monastery founded in the 15th century by Panchen Lama I, Khedrup Gelek Pelzang (1385–1438), Tsongkhapa's foremost disciple. The monks from here used to act as caretakers of the Yumbu Lagang Palace.

Bairo Puk: 29°8'59"N 91°44'44"E

South of the Gongtang Bumpa Stūpa commissioned by Vairocana in the western Chongye yalley  is Bairo Puk, one of the meditation caves of Vairocana. It is three meters deep facing a dry waterfall with only the copper base of its original Vairocana statue, however there is a handprint of his in the cave.

Önphu Taktsang:

Close by in the Gyama Valley to the east is Önphu Taktsang. See separate site description.

Podrang Village:

Podrang Village (Chogyel Potang; Chos rgyal pho brang), about 5 km south of Yumbu Lagang, is said to be the oldest village in Tibet.

Takchen Bumpa Stupa:

Takchen Bumpa Stupa (rTag spyan bum pa), is the first of the three major stupas of Yarlung. It is named after Sadaparudita (Tib. Taktu Ngu), a bodhisattva mentioned in the Prajnaparamita literature. It is on a pass on the old route to Eyul to the east. The chorten is of a very ancient design, with a dome-shaped bumpa (vase) and steps leading up to a window near the top of the dome. A lamp is left burning in the window. The structure was badly damaged during the Cultural Revolution but is now fully restored.

Takchen Bumoche:

Next to the Takchen Bumpa Stupa is Takchen Bumoche, a small Drukpa Kargyu monastery attributed to Geshe Korchen (12th century) from the Kadampa period. 

Chode O:

Chode O has an Assembly Hall with three storeys. It was founded by the 5th Dalai Lama (1617–1682) and expanded by the 7th Dalai Lama (1708–1757). On the middle floor is the main image of Śākyamuni with his main disciples, Sixteen Elders and Eight Medicine Buddhas.

Chode Gong:

Chode Gong is older than Chode O, being founded in the 11th century by Ra Lotsawa. The Temple is of four storeys and contains an Assembly Hall and an inner sanctum containing a shrine dedicated to Tsongkhapa and his students, the 8th Dalai Lama, the Buddhas of the Three Times and the Eight Bodhisattvas.

Yabzang Monastery:

Yabzang Monastery, presently mainly in ruins, was founded by Gyurme Long in 1206 was the seat of the small Yabzang Kagyu school tracing its descent through his teacher Geden Yeshe Chenye who was a disciple of Phakmodrupa.

Next stop on The Journey: → Senge Dzong