Seda Monastery or Larong Wuming Buddhist Academy

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The world's largest active Tibetan Buddhist Academy/ School is not in Tibet but cradled in the remote and steep alpine valley in Seda County, Ganzi Tibetan Prefecture, Sichuan Province, and about 780km away from Chengdu. The academy is called Larong Wuming Buddhist Academy which belongs to Nyingma sect of Tibetan Buddhism, with an elevation at around 3700 meters. In the spiritual practice valley, there are ten thousands of Lamas (for the local male Buddhists) and Juemus (for the local female Buddhists) living in thousands of red houses.

Larong Wuming Buddhist Academy

The History of Wuming Buddhist Academy

Just as prophesied by the Holy Buddha Shakyamuni and motivated by the metits of all the being, the Precious One, Jin Mei Pengcuo, also named Wish-fulfilling Jewel, established the largest Buddhist Academy in Larong, Seda of Sichuan Province, called Larong Wuming Buddhist Academy/ School. Jinmei Pengcuo is known by followers as a "living buddha" and believed to be the reincarnation of a holy figure.

In 1980, the Buddhism teaching sist was established at the first time. Initially, there were only 32 followers. It was hard in the all aspects of the conditions.

In 1985, Seda government approved the establishment of the Buddhism teaching sist.

In 1987, Panchan Committee nominates the site as "Seda Larongsi Wuming Buddhist Academy", and epistolize the Seda government for support and help.

In 1997, Seda Larongsi Wuming Buddhist Academy got its official name. After thirty years of development, it grows up to become the biggest Buddhist academy in the world.

Today, thousands of Tibetan lamas and juemus waring blood-red robes learn the Buddhism and pray for all beings in the world.

Night Scene of Larong Wuming Buddhist Academy

The Surprises of Wuming Buddhist Academy

One is that the academy is open virtually to anyone, even at the time of Buddhism teaching, while entry is limited at most of monastery that exist in areas populated by Tibetans. The other one is that more than half of Buddhists who come here to study are women. The female followers are called as "Juemu" and the male is "Jueshi" or "Lama". Another one that the Buddhism is taught separately in Mandarin and Tibetan language. Among the over 10,000 students here, roughly 1,000 are taught in Mandarin because they are from motherland, Taiwan, Hong Kong and other countries like Singapore and Malaysia, while the majority from Tibetan areas are taught in Tibetan.

Larong Wuming Buddhist Academy

The Classics of Wuming Buddhist Academy

The purpose of the Buddhism teaching is to develop and expand the long-history Tibetan Buddhism culture, and enhance the cultural quality of the local Tibetans, and strengthen the unity of various nationalities and cultural exchanges.

In the Academy, there are thousands of statue of Buddha, like 2 natural crystal Jingang Saduo statues, 1,000 ceramic Jingang Saduo statues, 1,000 Maipeng Rinpoche statues and Wugouguang Zunzhe statues. There are several tens sets of Buddhist scriptures, such as Dazangjin in Tibetan and Mandarin, Lundianji in Tibetan, and more than 500 works of tens of famous Tibetan Eminent Monks.

At the center of the Academy, there are two massive golden-roofed halls: a nunnery (女金室) and a main monastery (大金室), which are surrounded by terraces of subsidiary chapels and crimson-colored living quarters. As further west with other famous monasteries, tourists are welcome to observe morning teaching and scriptures debating around 5pm in the main monastery.

Depending on the Tibetan Calendar, the Academy will host four large Buddhism activities: Chiming Dharma Assembly at the first month, Jingang Saduo Dharma Assembly in April, Puxian Yungong Dharma Assembly and Jile Dharma Assembly.

Jueshi or Lama are studying in the Wuming Buddhist Academy

Nyingma Sect of Tibetan Buddhism

Commonly, Ningmapa sect is called the red sect in Tantric Buddhism of Tibetan Buddhism, which was established by Guru master, Padmascambhava. The other three sects are white sect Gaju, hua sect Saga and yellow sect Gelu respectively. In AD 749, Padamascambhava was invited to Tibet by the King of Tibet, Trison Detsan. During his holy life's time, he established Samye Monastery and other monasteries to expound the teaching of Tantric Buddhism and other sect of Buddhism.

The major teaching of Ningmapa sect is the pure natural view of Dzogchen. By practicing Daogchen, one can realize the enlightenment in his life. From then on, countless knowledge holders and sages appeared there are as many as the stars in the sky. Till today, there are still many yogis who get the enlightenment only in their life or realize rainbow body when they died. However, due to the historical reasons, the great Ningmapa sect has been introduced into Kangzang areas in Sichuan from Tibet. And the main temples are distributed in Seda, Baiyu, Getuo and Zuoqin.