Shalu Monastery


Shalu Monastery is small monastery 22km south of Shigatse in Tibet. Founded in 1040 by Chetsun Sherab
Jungnay, for centuries it was renowned as a centre of scholarly learning and psychic training and its mural
paintings were considered to be the most ancient and beautiful in Tibet. Shalu was the first of the major
monasteries to be built by noble families of the Tsang Dynasty during Tibet's great revival of Buddhism,
and was an important center of the Sakya tradition.

Shalu Lakhang is the central hall of the monastery with Other buildings of the monastery surrounded it.
On the ground floor, the Tschomchen enshrines Sakyamuni and his disciples. Sakyamuni was one of the
Buddhas. The chapels flanking the Tschomchen house Tanjur and Kanjur, two very important sutras of
Tibetan Buddhism. Chapels in the roof floor are of typical Chinese blue tile design. The chapels enshrine Sakyamuni, Shalu Monastery's own
Buton, and the Arhats. Arhats are those who have attained enlightenment, but whose rank and power is lower than that of a Buddha. Massive,
delicately painted murals cover the walls of the monastery. Most of the murals depict stories from the life of the Buddha. The murals badly need
restoration to preserve and protect them.

Shalu Monastery has four religious treasures. One is a sutra board, which is 700 years old and impossible to be reassembled if it is ever broken
apart. A passage of sutra is printed on the board and is believed to bring good luck. The second treasure is a brass urn. It contains holy water that
can cleanse away the 108 filths of human existence. The urn is usually sealed and covered with red cloth. The water is changed every 12 years.
The third treasure is a stone basin that was once Chetsun Sherab Jungnay's washbasin. The fourth treasure is a stone tablet on which the mantra
"om mani Padme Hum" is written and four dagobas are carved. It was discovered during the original construction of the monastery.

The protection and restoration of Shalu is a project of international importance, and could be undertaken
with funds from one of the major institutions, such as the World Monuments Fund, or the Getty
Conservation Fund. However, given the urgency of the situation, it is possible, in the immediate future
to intervene to simply stop present degradation, by providing funds for weatherproofing, for the building
of an out-house for fire-wood, and by convincing the monks not to undertake any restoration of paintings.