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The main Monastery of Palpung Sherabling is built upon two and half acres of land 100 ft in front of the Sherab Ling Institute. It has 126 monks quarters, three shrine halls, six shrine rooms, and all of the traditional and modern monastic features. The building was designed by the Kenting Tai Situpa, and is built of modern materials but finished in traditional Tibetan architectural fashion. The concept of the design follows the ancient science of geomancy.
The main shrine halls overlook a large sandstone courtyard surrounded by monks quarters. The courtyard will host bi-annual Lama-dances; the protector dances are held at the Kalachakra Calendar New Year, and Guru Rinpoche dances in the early autumn.
5th Floor
A golden-yellow roof 42ft x 68ft stands 12ft high crowning the three major shrine halls. The apartment for His Holiness the Dalai Lama and apartment for His Holiness Gyalwa Karmapa.
4th Floor
There is a mandala shrine hall housing wooden three-dimensional mandalas of the 14 tantras of Marpa, the main practices of the Palpung Sherabling community. And around the walls are murals of the lineage Lamas of the eight great schools of Tibetan Buddhism, the Kamtsang Kagyu lineage, and the 84 Mahasiddas. At an octagonal shrine-room enshrined with Kagyur (Tri Pritaka). The Jamgon Kongtruls apartment and quarters for senior incarnate lamas are also be on this level.
Around the courtyard, there are special performance rooms of Dolma Lhakhang (Tara), Tseringma shrine, Mahakala retreat shrine, Vajrakilaya shrine and Dorje Drolo shrine.
3rd Floor
The Red Vajra Crown Ceremony shrine-hall, a ten-thousand Buddha hall containing 10,000 gold-leafed Buddha statues 9" tall, a set of the 108 volumes of the Buddha's teachings & the 225 volumes of commentaries. Eight 6ft standing statues of Bodhisattvas and a 7ft Buddha Shakyamuni with his retinue will look down from the balcony into the main shrine hall. Five apartments for incarnate lamas, offices, two classrooms and a dining room.
2nd Floor
The main shrine hall with 20 columns, a 42ft Maitreya Buddha statue. Office of the private secretary to the 12th Kenting Tai Situpa, office of Sangha, A library of Tibetan texts, guest waiting room, a lounge, monk's conference room, 49 rooms for monks and 29 rooms for lamas.
There is open ground beside the building. It a playing ground of young lamas at their leisure. Sometimes camps are built here when a large ceremony was held.
1st Floor
27 rooms for monks, kitchens, dining rooms, reception, waiting room, visitor rooms, schoolroom, multimedia room, auditorium, museum, Lama-dance training hall, exhibition cum conference hall, a covered courtyard and the Lama-dance courtyard. A cafe and public amenities stands just outside the complex.
Basement
Storage rooms, showers and bathroom facilities for the monks.
Details of Floors TOP
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