Brief Biography of jamchen Choje the Founder of the Sera monastery

The sera monastery is one of the Four dGreatest Buddhist Schools of the Gelukpa Sect, and the studying centre of Tsongkapa's doctrine. Following are brief biography of the founding and development of the monastery, its rules and regulation, and its studies.

The monastery, being stituated at a beautiful landscape, bears many distinguishing features. It is believed that the Buddha Shakyamuni, with his disciples, had been for a summer ritual to the holy lake Manassarova, where the Naga king of the lake had presented him a white conch-shell.

Shakyamuni handed this conch-shell to Maugalyayana, one of his eight disciples, to be hidden underearth at Mt. Gogpari with a prophecy that a day would come when it would be discovered by an eminent monk (Tsongkapa), who would use it for ritual service at a monastery. In his description of the site of Sera, the third incarnatein of Rating Lama had stated;
1. the red rock lying to the west of Tsongkapa's hermitage is said to be an assembly of Gods, which would fulfill any wish of a being when prayed to it.
2. Three big rocks lying to the right of it is said to be the abode of local Goddes Yudon-ma, which would relieve one from suffer.
3. Five cone-shaped rocks lying to the west of it is the manifestation of the five sister dakinis, which would fulfill the wishes of monks.
4. A shoe-shaped rock lying to the south of it is said to be the shoe of the sage Panchen Shakya Shri, which would help Sera to produce many more Bhodisattvas.
5. Two rocks lying to the east of it are said to be celestial palaces; the bigger one would defend monks from disasters, and the smaller one would fulfill one's wish when prayed to it.
6. Another big rock lying nearby it is an abode of protector deities, which would destroy the enemies of the monastery.
7. On top is the Tsongkapa's hermitage where the sage Padmasambhava had spent seven nights in meditation. According to written records it is said that Tsongkapa had done meditation in secrecy for eight days and nights in the hermitage and by magical power he had practised mysticism and developed the memorial verses.
8. To the south of Tsongkapa's hermitage lies a vase-shaped rock in a cave which would help the holy ones live a longer life. During Tsongkapa's stay at Sera, he wrote a book on the Madhyamike Doctrine of the Rude of Wisdom, and studied in details philosophy of the doctrine, and took to many followers.
The founder of the Sera Monastery was one of the Tsongkapa's three well-known disciples Jamchen Choje, born on 1st, Feb. 1354 (Wood-horse year of the 6th Rabchong, "Tibetan calendar") in a well-known noble family in Tsal Gungthang village, east to Lhasa. He was made a monk as soon as he was born, he had good command on studies in his scriptures, and had religious power of ability and became a well-known Lama named Shakya Yeshe, a diciple of Tsongkapa. During the years between 1407-1409 (Fire-pig year to Earth-ox year of the 7th Rabchong), his patron, the Lord of Newu, helped Tsongkapa and his disciples for the summer rituals and meditations, during which he did his teachings on his doctrine.

The Emperor Yongle of the Ming Dynasty, who had faith in Buddhism and who would like to spread the religion to all the living beings of the country, had sent invitation many times to Tsongkapa. Because of some reasons he sent a letter back to the Ming Dynasty asking for a delay (the letter is in his biography).

At that time Tsongkapa had six hundred disciples, under the financial help rendered by his benefactor the Lord of Newu, Among Tsongkapa's disciples Shakya Yeshe Was well-known for his knowledge. When Tsongkapa received a second invitation from the Emperor Yongle of Ming Dynasty, he decided to sent Shakya Yeshe to the China in his stead, who was not considered inferior to him. In 1408 (Earth-mouse year of the 7th Rabchong) Shakya Yeshe started his journy to Ming Dynasty. Through lhoka, Litang in Kham, Xining in Kokonor, Jomokar, kaga xingkun, Taoju, Lanzhou, Xian, Shanxi, Mt. Wutaishan is Shanxi, finally he arrived the capital of Ming Dynasty and met the Emperor Yongle. His arrival was held in a highly ceremony in the hope of spreading the doctrine of Tsongkapa to the Ming Dynasty, mainly the Sutras and Mantras and the Four Tantra Classes. Shakya Yeshe took to a complete performanct of various rituals for three months, which resulted to a wonder full dream for the Emperor of seeing the heavenly enlightened ones in a monastery named the "Garden".

The Emperor fully had faith in Shakya Yeshe and highly praised his wisdom. For his great merit, the Emperor presented him a gold seal, a black hat with golden linings, and the name "Jamchen Choje", meaning "The Great Master". In return of gratitude Shakya Yeshe in the light of the Emperor's longevity! performed religious sermons, built a real "Garden" monastery nearby the emperial garden.

Shakya Yeshe returned to Tibet in 1418. At his arrival to Lhasa he directly went to Ganden monastery where Tsongkapa took his residence, and handed his the gifts of the Emperor to Tsongkapa: A set of silk woven Thangka of the sixteen Arhats, an umbrella made of a tree, a silver Mandala, and many rolls of silk. (all these were in Ganden before.) When seeing off the escorts sent from the Ming dynasty he sent his best regards and his gratitude to the Emperor.

In 1419 (Earth-pig year of the 7th Rabchong) Shakya Yeshe fully finished the construction of the Sera Monastery, with the financial support from the Lord of Newu. He enshrined images of holy figures whose inner relics were believed to be the Sixteen Arhats made of sandalwood in Ngagpa College, and a complete set of the "kagyur" (the Translation of Commandments) and the "Tengyur" (the Translation of Commentaries) written in gold in the Assembly Hall, which were presented to him by the Emperor.

At the death of Tsongkapa in the same year, Shakya Yeshe with uhe other monks held religious service of the great cycles of bliss, fears and mysterious, widely did the worship for outside and inside mystery in his memory.

In 1420 a year after Tsongkapa's death under the patronship of the Lord of Newu, Shakya Yeshe and other monks and scholars held religious service to worship at Raka hill. This was two years after laying the foundation of Sera monastery.
In 1424, (Wood-dragon year of the the d7th Rabchong) Shakya Yeshe again received invitation from Yongle Emperor of the Ming Dynasty. Before he went to China, one of the Tsongkapa's disciples Targye Sangpo was put in charge of Sera. As he arrived near to the emperial palace Yongle Emperor died. But son of Yougle Emperor, Xuande, had received and held a more highly ceremony than his father, and fully believed in the religious and widely held the religious service and worship, and addressed him the title of "Wise and clearing of various matters, holy master of religion, the light of wisdom, the all knowing protector of the country, the best virtuous of spiritual guide, the kindness of king of religion, the excellent wisdom of western country. The wealthy of evange listic teaching Buddha," which in short is" Jamchen Choje", the Great Master.

During his two visits to the Ming Dynasty, as a spiritual master of the Ming Emperor, he spent twenty-one years in teaching Tsongkapa's doctrine there. On the way to his return to Tibet, on 18th of the 10th month, Wood-rabbit year of the 7th Rabchong (1435), at a place named Zomokhar (presnetly Minghe county in Qinghai Province), he remained unmoved in meditation for days, and finally on 24th he passed away at the age of eighty-two. Later, his devoted disciples built a funerary stupa for his remains of ashes, and kept it as the main relic of the newly buily monastery named, Tencho Tharling.