Namgyal Institute of Tibetology (NIT) is a Tibet museum in Gangtok, Sikkim,
India, named after the 11th Chogyal of Sikkim, Sir Tashi Namgyal.
The institute employs researchers and one of its new research programs is a
project which seeks to document the social history of Sikkim's approximated 60
monasteries and record this on a computer. Another project seeks to digitize
and document old and rare photographs of Sikkim for knowledge distribution.
Khempo Dhazar served as head of the Sheda, a Nyingma college attached to the
Institute, for six years.
The foundation stone of the museum was laid by the 14th Dalai Lama on 10
February 1957. On October 1, 1958, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, the then Prime
Minister of India, inaugurated the Sikkim Research Institute of Tibetology.
Sir Tashi Namgyal, the then Maharaja of Sikkim, changed its name into the
"Namgyal Research Institute of Tibetology".
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Poster advertising the Namgyal Institute of Tibetology.
The Namgyal Institute of Tibetology is located 2.2 km south of Gangtok.
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The Do-drul Chorten is located about 500 meters above the Namgyal
Institute of Tibetology.
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Namgyal Institute of Tibetology.
The main building of the Institute is an imposing monument and a
splendid example of Sikkimese architecture.
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The Namgyal Institute holds a museum, two libraries and a research
centre.
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Padmasambhava statue.
Padmasambhava ("Born from a Lotus"), also known as Guru Rinpoche
(Precious Guru) was a tantric Buddhist Vajra master from medieval India
who taught Vajrayana in Tibet (circa 8th – 9th centuries).
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Padmasambhava later came to be viewed as a central figure in the
transmission of Buddhism to Tibet. Starting from around the 12th
century, hagiographies expanded the profile and activities of
Padmasambhava, now seen as taming all the Tibetan spirits and gods,
and concealing various secret texts (terma) for future
tertons.
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In modern Tibetan Buddhism, Padmasambhava is considered to be a Buddha
that was foretold by Buddha Shakyamuni.
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The contemporary Nyingma school considers Padmasambhava to be a
founding figure. The Nyingma school also traditionally holds that its
Dzogchen lineage has its origins in Garab Dorje through a direct
transmission to Padmasambhava.
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In Tibetan Buddhism, the teachings of Padmasambava are said to include
an oral lineage (kama), and a lineage of the hidden treasure
texts (termas). Tibetan Buddhism holds that Padmasambhava's
termas are discovered by fortunate beings and
tertons (treasure finders) when conditions are ripe for their
reception. Padmasambhava is said to appear to tertons in
visionary encounters, and his form is visualized during guru yoga
practice, particularly in the Nyingma school.
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See more at
Padmasambhava - Wikipedia.
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Virudhaka (left) and Dhritarastra (right).
The Four Heavenly Kings are four Buddhist gods or devas, each of whom is
believed to watch over one cardinal direction of the world.
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Virudhaka is the guardian of the southern direction. He lives
on the southern part of Mount Sumeru. In iconographic form, he is clad
in armor while brandishing a sword.
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Dhrtarastra is the guardian of the eastern direction. He lives
on the eastern part of Mount Sumeru. Dhrtarastra is considered to be a
god of music. In iconography, he holds a lute (pipa) in his
hands, indicating his desire to use music to convert sentient beings
to Buddhism.
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See more at
Virūḍhaka - Wikipedia
and
Dhṛtarāṣṭra - Wikipedia.
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Vaisravana (left) and Virupaksa (right).
The Four Heavenly Kings are said to currently live in the Four Great
Kings Heaven (Caturmaharajika) on the lower slopes of Mount
Sumeru, which is the lowest of the six worlds of the devas of the
Kamadhatu. They are the protectors of the world and fighters of evil,
each able to command a legion of supernatural creatures to protect the
Dharma.
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Vaisravana is the guardian of the northern direction, and his
home is in the northern quadrant of the topmost tier of the lower half
of Mount Sumeru. He is often portrayed with a yellow face. He carries
an umbrella or parasol (chatra) as a symbol of his sovereignty. He is
also sometimes displayed with a mongoose, often shown ejecting jewels
from its mouth. The mongoose is the enemy of the snake, a symbol of
greed or hatred; the ejection of jewels represents generosity.
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Virupaksa is the guardian of the western direction. He lives on
the western part of Mount Sumeru. He possesses the divine eye, which
allows him to see great distances as well as the karma of sentient
beings. He is commonly depicted as having red skin and clad in armor.
He is often depicted as gripping a red naga or a red lasso in his
hands, which he uses to snare people into the Buddhist faith.
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See more at
Vaiśravaṇa - Wikipedia
and
Virūpākṣa - Wikipedia.
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See also
Source
Location
