View source for Muru Nyingba Monastery

{{Infobox Tibetan Buddhist monastery
|name = Muru Nyingba Monastery
|image =Barkhor street scene.jpg
|image_size = 250px
|alt = 
|caption = Nearby [[Barkhor]] street scene, 1993
|t=
|w=rMe ru snying pa
|religious_affiliation = [[Tibetan Buddhism]]
|map_type = China Tibet
|coordinates = {{coord|29|39|10|N|91|7|58|E|type:landmark_region:CN|display=inline,title}}
|map_caption = Location within Tibet Autonomous Region
|map_size = 250
|location_country = China
|location= [[Barkhor]], [[Lhasa]], [[Tibet Autonomous Region]], [[China]]
|founded_by =[[Songtsen Gampo]]
|founded = 7th century
|date_renovated = Rebuilt by [[Atisha]] (980-1054 CE)
|sect = 
|lineage=
|dedicated_to =
|head_lama = 
|colleges=
|no._of_monks =
|architecture = 
|festivals=
|footnotes = 
}}
{{Tibetan Buddhism}}
'''Muru Ningba''' or '''Meru Nyingba''' (rMe ru snying pa) (Tibetan: རྨེ་རུ་སྙིང་པ་) is a small [[Buddhist]] monastery located between the larger monasteries of [[Jokhang]] and [[Barkhor]] in the city of [[Lhasa]], Tibet, China. It was the Lhasa seat of the former State Oracle who had his main residence at [[Nechung]] Monastery.<ref>Dowman (1998), p. 40.</ref>

It is located immediately behind and east of the [[Jokhang]] and may be accessed from the north side of the [[Barkhor]].

==History==
It is said that Emperor [[Songtsen Gampo]] built the first building here and it is where the great Tibetan scholar, [[Thonmi Sambhota]], completed his work developing the [[Tibetan alphabet]] in the first half of the 7th century.

The present building, first constructed during the reign of King [[Ralpacan|Ralpachen]] (c. 806-838 CE),<ref>Vitali (1990), p. 19.</ref> is built like an Indian [[vihara]] around a courtyard, with the ''lhakang'' ('temple', literally 'residence of the deity') to the north and monks quarters on the three other sides. At that time, the [[Nyingma]] school was the sole [[Tibetan Buddhist]] school.

The building was destroyed during the persecution of Buddhism under [[Langdarma]] (c. 838 to 841 CE), but it was rebuilt by [[Atisha]] (980-1054 CE). In the 16th century, the monastery was incorporated into the [[Gelug]] school under [[3rd Dalai Lama|Sonam Gyatso]], the 3rd Dalai Lama (1543–1589).<ref name="Dorje 1999, p. 88">Dorje (1999), p. 88.</ref>

It became the Lhasa residence of the [[Nechung Oracle]] in the 17th century, who was possessed by [[Pehar]] in his trances.

==Description==
The ''lhakang'' contains a number of fine murals — the central image being that of [[Guru Rinpoche]] (Padmasambhava), with images of the five [[Nyingma]] [[Yidam]]-Protectors and Tseumar and Tamdrin in glass cases around the walls.

On the western side of the gallery upstairs is the '''Gongkar Chode Branch Temple''', a [[Sakya (Tibetan Buddhist school)|Sakya]] shrine dedicated to an image of Gonpo Pelgon Dramtso or Bramze, the [[Sadhu]]-Protector of the monastery. His image is to the right of the door and used to be flanked by images of the six-armed [[Mahakala]], Panjara and Shridevi.<ref name="Dorje 1999, p. 88"/><ref>Dowman (1998). pp. 48-49.</ref>

The oldest extant structure is the '''Jambhala Lhakhang''' which was originally built under Ralpacan. It is quite small (7.5 x 7.2 metres), with a low ceiling. It is said to have been where Thonmi Sambhota worked on the alphabet and later became attached to Nechung.<ref name="Dorje 1999, p. 88"/>

The Dhukang or Assembly Hall, a very active temple, was built in the 19th century by Nechung Khenpo Sakya Ngape, and renovated in 1986. There are frescoes portraying the protector deity [[Dorje Drakden]], [[Tsongkhapa]], Atisha, [[Padmasambhava]], [[Shantarakshita]], and King [[Trisong Detsen]]. The central image of [[Avalokiteshvara]] is new with a copper Padmasambhava to the right and a sand mandala to the left. Behind is an inner sanctum with more images and upstairs is the '''Tsepame Lhakang''' with 1,000 small images of Amitayas (or [[Amitābha]]) Buddha.<ref>Dorje (1999), pp. 88-89.</ref>

==Footnotes==
{{Reflist}}

==References==
* Dorje, Gyume (1999). ''Footprint Tibet Handbook with Bhutan''. Footprint Handbooks, Bath, England. {{ISBN|0-8442-2190-2}}.
* Dowman, Keith (1998). ''The Power-Places of Central Tibet: The Pilgrim's Guide''. Routledge & Kegan Paul, London and New York. {{ISBN|0-7102-1370-0}}.
* Vitali, Roberto (1990). ''Early Temples of Central Tibet''. Serindia Publications, London. {{ISBN|0-906026-25-3}}.

{{Lhasa Prefecture}}
{{Buddhist monasteries in Tibet}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Buddhist monasteries in Lhasa]]
[[Category:Buildings and structures in Lhasa]]
[[Category:Chengguan District, Lhasa]]
[[Category:Religion in Lhasa]]
[[Category:Nyingma monasteries and temples]]