Sera is one of the three great monasteries near Lhasa, the two other being Drepung and Ganden. Therefore, sera Monastery is one of the top Tibet travel spots when travelling to Tibet.
The monastery was build in 1419 by a leading disciple of Tsongkhapa, Jamchen Choeje Shakya Yashi (1352-1435).
The monastery serves like its two sister monasteries, as a centre of learning and monastic training to which monks from all corners of Tibet would come to spend as long as fifteen to twenty years methodically studying and debating the meaning of the Buddhist scriptures.
Thus, it existed as a small monastic township housing over five thousand fully ordained monks, novices, workers, and other functionaries for centuries.
Sera Monastery is situated just below a small hermitage where Tsongkhapa had spent several years in retreat, meditating on and writing commentaries to the Buddhist scriptures.
Sera Monastery is one of the significant Buddhist University. The whole complex comprises the Great Assembly Hall, three different colleges and thirty residential units.Â
All the colleges are studying the exact text and same rituals. Still, because of the difference in speaking dialect, they are divided into three different colleges according to the region where they came from.
Moreover, the debate section of Sera Monastery is quite popular with both tourist and pilgrims.
All the travel agent plan the Sera monastery visit in the afternoon because, at 3:00 pm, the philosophical debate start and will last till 5:00 pm. The debate section is the most popular and exciting part of the visit.
This debating is maybe the most exciting part of your Tibet tour. You can take pictures or videos of the monks while debating but only using your mobile phone. The section is held every day except Sunday, so don’t plan your visit on Sunday.Â
Â
Â
It’s convenient to take lunch at Tibet Food King Restaurant before visiting the Sera monastery. The restaurant is in the parking lot of the monastery.
There are some groups who wish to do a day hike in Tibet, and the hike to Sera Utse Day tour is, without doubt, the best options.Â
