Vol. I, No. 4] The Monasteries of Trbet. . 113 
scriptures. After converting the Lamas of Peking tothe reformed 
Yellow-cap Church he returned to Tibet. On the way he paid his 
reverence to Tsong-khapa making rich presents to him. Subse- 
quently, he founded the monastery of Sera Theg-chen-ling, which 
now contains 5,500 monks and exercises much influence in the 
secular and religious administration of the country. 
He established a university in it with four Tva-tshang or col- 
leges. Of these Gya-7'va-tshang belonged to the upper division 
of Sera and the remaining three, 7.e., Thoisam, Norpuiling, Chyipa 
Khamany Tva-tshang, and Nag-pa Tna-tshang belonged to Sera Méh, 
(smad) 7.e., lower division of Sera. In the middle of the eighteenth 
Century two of the colleges were established. It still continues to 
be a favourite resort of learned men of Tibet and Mongolia. The 
monks of Sera belong to respectable families of Tibet proper, 
Amdo, Kham, Nyagrong, Mongolia and Western China. 
There are in the Dukhang (grand hall of congregation) the 
images of— 
1. Buddha vanquishing Mara the evil one and a host of 
demons. 
2. The sixteen Sthavira (Neh-tan Chu-rtg!) brought from 
China. 
3. Several life-lke images constructed by the famous artist 
Nehu Chang-wa, 
In the Gonkhang (the temple assigned to the Tuntrik deities 
there are— 
1. The image of the six-armed Bhairava, constructed by Leg- 
gyan of Shwau. 
2. Gon-po Choigyal with four arms. 
- 3. The goddess Paldam Lhama (Kali) on horseback, her legs 
being tied by a chain, probably as a punishment for 
her wicked conduct. 
In the front wall there are painted representations of the in- 
vasion of U by the Tsang army and their defeat by the Tartars 
in 1643, the scenes of war, and the images of fearful spirits, such 
as Gon-po De-mar, the genius (Chyarog-dong-chan, he with a raven’s 
head), etc. On the western wall are painted the likenesses of the 
successive high priests of Sera, etc. 
In the western corner of the upper congregation hall (Duk- 
hang Gong-ma), are the images of Amitabha Buddha, the eleven- 
headed Avalokitegvara and the four-armed Gon-po, Maitreya made 
of silver, the Bodhisattva (Cakya) as a citizen, andthe eight 
spiritual sons of Buddha and also the Kah-gyur and Tangyur 
collections, all written in gold and silver. 
In the temple of Chyam-chen Shal-reh Lhakhang, the image 
of Atica with a Uhintamani wishing-gem in his hand is conspicuous. 
» BRATARA ASS | 
