Sera Monastery

Perhaps due to the previous day's schedule, the last day in Lhasa was a bit painful. So I only chose to go to Sera Monastery, which is famous for its debates. Fortunately, I could take the train to leave Tibet in the afternoon. The intense walking on the plateau in the past few days was really a bit too much for me. The first thing I did when I got on the train was to find the oxygen outlet and take a deep breath.



Compared to the Potala Palace and Norbulingka, Sera Monastery does not require free tickets. As soon as I entered the gate, a lama reminded me that I had to go to the ticket office to buy tickets. Rather than saying that Sera Monastery is a temple, it feels more like a town. Walking slowly and being in a daze quietly is the best thing to do here. There are many people queuing, probably for the afternoon debate, but the rock paintings here are also quite unique, all the way to the mountain behind the temple. After leaving Sera Monastery, I took a bus to Lhasa Railway Station and ended this short trip to Tibet.

As one of the three major temples in Lhasa, Sera Monastery may not be as grand and colorful as Drepung Monastery, but the debate activities here are definitely very unique. Debate is a discussion of Buddhist knowledge, and it can also be said to be a way of learning for lamas. The monks of Sera Monastery have a debate every day at 3 pm. This is a challenging debate and the biggest attraction of traveling to Sera Monastery.

Black stones covered with moss, five-colored scriptures, old trees with twisted branches, falling snow like cotton wool, chirping magpies, and Zen wisdom emerging.

There are many Buddha statues and six-character mantras carved on the mountain, some on high cliffs in the distance and some on the side of the road nearby. These Buddha statues give the stones a magical color.

The Tibetans knelt down and chanted the six-syllable mantra silently, while knocking on the huge stone next to the wall three times with small stones in their hands, praying to the Buddha for good luck.

After entering the temple from the mountain gate, there is a central axis. Zhacang and Kangcan are located on both sides of this main axis. You can visit them in the order of left first and right later. Photography is prohibited in each hall. Most halls close at 3 pm, so it is not advisable to come too late. The Gelugpa monastery, which is prominent and large in scale, looks like a village. Each building has a different name according to its function. There are many people who come to worship in Sera Monastery. Tibetan compatriots are dressed in colorful festival costumes, and the whole family goes out together.

In the monastery, we felt the kindness of Tibetans several times: when they saw Han children, they always took out fruits and food from their bags to give to their daughters. To the west of the central axis of Sera Monastery, there are two large Kang villages. You can pay attention to whether there is a white Dharma tower on the top of the building. If there is, it means that Ganden Tripa has been here. Ganden Tripa is the highest authority scholar of the Gelug sect and is in charge of all temples of the sect.

The main hall of Sera Monastery is the Tsokchen Hall. The store is hung with exquisite embroidered thangkas. On the first floor, Maitreya Buddha, the Great Compassionate Dharma King, Tsongkhapa and his disciples, Atisha, etc. are enshrined. On the second floor, there is a thousand-armed Avalokitesvara statue that "flew" from India. It is the treasure of the hall. The monks will use a wooden stick to support the heart of the Avalokitesvara statue, and the other end touches the forehead of the worshiper, which means good wishes! We are also very honored to receive the perception from the Bodhisattva this time. Another treasure of Sera Monastery, the Vajra Phur, is collected in the hall and is only exhibited during the pilgrimage activity on December 27 of the Tibetan calendar. In the side hall on the far right of the main hall, pay close attention to a statue of Manjusri with his head tilted. It is said that he is listening to the debate outside the window.

The monks gathered in a large courtyard of the temple and began to debate. Most of the time, two people formed a group, one asked questions and the other answered. Although I couldn't understand their language, I could feel that their words were very fierce. They even used various gestures to enhance the intensity of the debate. They either clapped their hands to urge the other party to answer questions as soon as possible, or pulled the Buddhist beads to use the power of Buddha to defeat the other party. My experience of watching the debate is that if you look at it from a macro perspective, you will only feel the noise and chaos of hundreds of people, so it is best to stare at one pair, pay attention to their expressions and movements, and the way they communicate. After careful observation, switch to the next pair. You will find that even if they are monks, people we can't contact in the secular world, and devout Buddhists, they are actually ordinary people with full personalities. Each group of people will give you a different feeling. Some are solemn and steady, some are sharp and sharp, and some are lively and cute... The one below is the cutest and cutest little monk I found. Later, I stared at him for about half an hour, hahaha.

In the northern suburbs of Lhasa, it costs about 40 yuan from the city. The scenic area is open to Tibetans for free, and the ticket price for other tourists is 50 yuan.

After entering the scenic area, some temples are still under renovation, and large trucks are driving in and out, which is very dangerous. The major halls and Zhacang inside are very exquisite, especially the murals and Buddha statues hundreds of years ago, which are priceless treasures. It is recommended that everyone travel in a civilized manner and protect cultural relics.

I also went there for the debate. Sera Monastery is a little far from the city, and the road in the monastery is also paved with stones, which has not been built yet. It is said that there is a big Buddha in the monastery. It was the fifteenth day of the lunar month, and many Tibetans lined up. There were too many people, so we did not go to see it. I went to see the debate because of its reputation. Perhaps I had too much expectation, but I was a little disappointed. The debate was in a large courtyard. At about three o'clock, the gate of the courtyard opened, and the monks came to the courtyard one after another, and debated in pairs, using the form of one question and one answer. Why was it a little disappointing? First of all, we couldn't understand it. No matter how wonderful the two people spoke, you didn't know what to say. Secondly, the excitement of the debate was not as good as what was said on the Internet. It was just a simple narration and discussion. The debate in Sera Monastery obviously had some performance feeling. So I left Sera Monastery after watching it for a while. If Sera Monastery did not have the debate every afternoon, I think there would be very few people going to this temple. The debate was commented on by the Internet as being wonderful, but in fact, you only know it is so-so after experiencing it.

The full name of Sera Monastery is Sera Mahayana Monastery. Many Tibetans circumambulate the mountain here. I have seen many travel notes that say there are a lot of dogs, but I have corrected this fact. There are really too many dogs. If you come to Sera Monastery, you must watch the debate. Although you can't understand it, the atmosphere is still there. The debate starts after 2 pm. You need to buy a ticket for 50 yuan to enter the main hall of Sera Monastery. If you only circumambulate the mountain, you don't need to buy a ticket. Remember this.

The buildings in Sera Monastery may seem disorganized, but they are dense but not crowded, and diverse but not chaotic. They are built according to local conditions, with the main body standing out, reflecting the unique style of the Gelugpa monasteries. It is truly a religious city.

If you look closely, you can see that each bay window design in the temple is very distinctive. I particularly like the color matching and the beauty of the details.

Sera Monastery is quite large, with a main hall, three zacangs and 29 kangs. The three most famous treasures in the monastery are: the Buddhist scripture "Sakyamuni's Dojo Record" woven by Master Tsongkhapa himself, the pen holder used by Tsongkhapa and a large thangka. The debate field in the monastery is the place where the Gelugpa monastery of Tibetan Buddhism uses debate courses.

Sera Monastery is one of the three largest monasteries in Lhasa and one of the six largest monasteries of the Gelugpa sect. It is located at the foot of Sera Uzi Mountain in the northern suburbs of Lhasa. The building complex is large and magnificent. There are many precious cultural relics such as scriptures, thangkas, and Buddha statues in the monastery. There are two famous scenes in Sera Monastery: one is the debate. The lamas in the monastery start the debate at 3 o'clock every afternoon. It is a must for all monks in Sera Monastery. Tourists can visit it. The other is to line up to worship Hayagriva.

One of the three major monasteries in Lhasa, it is very close to the city of Lhasa. When you come to Sera Monastery, you must go to the debate field to watch the debate, which is particularly exciting and unique. In winter, the blue sky and the leafless branches emit a glittering silver light. The "Horse-Headed Vajra King" enshrined in Jizhacang is the most popular place in Sera Monastery. There are also ferocious masks and guns used to resist foreign enemies on the top of the hall. It is said that worshipping here can drive away evil and keep safe.

I walked to the Sera Monastery near the hotel for a visit. The ticket cost 50 yuan. Sera Monastery, Drepung Monastery and Ganden Monastery are collectively known as the three major monasteries in Lhasa. It is the last of the three monasteries to be built. It has the most famous scripture debate ceremony in Tibetan areas.

Sera Monastery, one of the six main monasteries of the Gelug sect, is known as one of the three major monasteries in Lhasa together with Drepung Monastery and Ganden Monastery. This temple is very famous among tourists because of the scripture debate that starts on time at 3 pm every day.

Sera Monastery was built by Tsongkhapa, the founder of the Gelug Sect, and one of his eight disciples, Jiangqin Chogyal, in the 17th year of the Yongle reign of the Ming Dynasty (1419 AD). "Sera" means wild rose in Tibetan. It is said that at that time, wild roses were blooming all over the mountains, and Sera Monastery got its name from this. Sera Monastery was built in the 9th year of the Xuande reign of the Ming Dynasty (1434 AD). Jiangqin Chogyal was later summoned to Beijing and was conferred the title of the Great Compassionate Dharma King. After returning to Tibet, he treasured the scriptures and statues bestowed by the emperor in the monastery, which still exist today.

Highlights of Sera Monastery: the unique Vajra Festival, the Buddha-drying ceremony on the day of Shoton Festival, the rock paintings on the back mountain, the exquisite murals and treasures in the main hall, and the grand-scale debate.

Sera Monastery, the full name of which is "Sera Mahayana Monastery", is one of the six main monasteries of the Gelug Sect of Tibetan Buddhism. Together with Drepung Monastery and Ganden Monastery, it is known as the three major monasteries in Lhasa. It is the last one built among the three major monasteries.



There are two theories about the origin of the name of Sera Monastery: one is that a heavy hailstorm fell when the monastery was laid, and hail is pronounced "Sera" in Tibetan, so the monastery was named "Sera Monastery" after it was built, which means "Hail Temple"; the other is that the monastery was built in a place where wild roses bloomed, so it was named "Sera Monastery", and wild roses are also pronounced "Sera" in Tibetan. The full name of the monastery is "Sera Mahayana Monastery".



Sutra debate is a discussion of Buddhist knowledge, and it can also be said to be a way for lamas to learn. The monks of Sera Monastery have a sutra debate every day. This is a challenging debate, and debaters often use various gestures to enhance the strength of the debate. They may clap their hands to urge the other party to answer questions as soon as possible, or pull the Buddhist beads to show that they are using the power of Buddha to defeat the other party.



Tickets: 50

Transportation: Bus No. 6, 16, 24

Opening hours: 9:00-16:00

Debate time: Starts at 15:00, no debate on Sunday

Sera Monastery, Drepung Monastery and Ganden Monastery are collectively known as the three major monasteries in Lhasa. The entire Sera Monastery is very large, and it is more like an independent small town than a monastery. There are also tens of thousands of Vajra Buddha statues preserved in the Sera Monastery, some of which are made locally and a few are brought from the mainland or India. Sera Monastery is famous for the most famous scripture debate ceremony in the Tibetan area, which is held at 3 pm every day in the northernmost debate field in the monastery.



Location: No. 1 Sela Road, Chengguan District, Lhasa, Tibet Autonomous Region (Sela Wuzi Mountain)

Reference time: 1~3 hours

Tickets: 50 yuan

Opening hours: 09:00-16:00 (Monday to Sunday, January 1st to December 31st)



The biggest attraction of Sera Monastery is the "scripture debate". Unlike other monasteries that hold scripture debates irregularly, Sera Monastery starts at 3 pm every day. Therefore, it attracts many tourists. In Tibetan Buddhism, "Zacang" means "scripture hall" or "scripture study hall", which is actually the academy where monks study Buddhist scriptures. There are three Zacangs in Sera Monastery, and there are also three scripture debate venues.



About the origin:

The Buddhist PK form of debate originated from ancient India. According to legend, in 792 AD, Trisong Detsen invited Padmasambhava, Shantarakshita and other eminent monks from India to Tibet to spread the Dharma. At that time, there were also many Han monks in Tibet, led by Mahayana monks. Based on the principle of "one mountain cannot accommodate two tigers", the two factions set up a debate arena (just like street dance, street basketball, BBOX, etc. now, they all have to be OK). As a result, the Han monks were defeated by the Indian monks. The reason for the defeat was not because Han Buddhism was worse than Indian Buddhism, but because the focus of the two practices was different. Han monks practiced Zen, emphasizing sudden enlightenment and understanding. This method of focusing on spirituality and emotional thinking could not compete with Indian Buddhism, which is good at logical thinking. This fight was known as the "Lhasa Debate" in history, and it pioneered the Tibetan Buddhist debate.



For detailed information about the Sera Monastery debate, please read my travel notes!

Many people check in at Sera Monastery to watch a debate.

But when you get here, you'll find that

In addition to debates, this is a place where it is easy to produce films.

Typical Tibetan architecture.

There aren't many tourists.

You can spend 3 hours here.

If you happen to dress up as a Tibetan girl,

Then congratulations, this will be your photography paradise.

Sera Monastery in Lhasa is famous for its afternoon debates.



Debate refers to a course of study that uses the logical reasoning method of the logic system of the Buddhist school to debate Buddhist doctrines. It is called "Cunni Zuoba" in Tibetan, which means "dharma appearance". It is a necessary way for Tibetan Buddhist lamas to study the classics of the exoteric school. It is usually held in an open space in the temple or under the shade of trees.



The debate at Sera Monastery started at 3pm and lasted until 5pm.



When the time was almost up, the lamas came one after another to the shade of the trees in front of the main hall, ready to start today's debate.



During the debate, lamas would assist with hand movements and other body movements to enhance the tone and momentum.



Although, I didn't understand a word they said.

But I watched the whole thing...



The Buddhist system is very large, and many of its contents are worth our understanding. We don’t have to believe in it absolutely, but at least we have to understand and respect it, and feel its cultural essence.

Sera Monastery is called "Sera Mahayana Monastery" in full. It is one of the six main monasteries of the Gelug Sect of Tibetan Buddhism. Together with Drepung Monastery and Ganden Monastery, it is known as the three major monasteries in Lhasa. It is the last one built among the three major monasteries. Sera Monastery is a national key cultural relic protection unit. It is located at the foot of Sera Uzi Mountain, 3 kilometers north of Lhasa. Surrounded by willow forests, it has been a place for eminent monks and living Buddhas to preach since ancient times. The Sutra Debate in Sera Monastery is a must-see.

The daily afternoon debates are the main purpose for many people to go here. Although you may not understand them, you can feel the atmosphere. After watching them, going to the surrounding Buddhist temples to worship Buddha is also a good choice.

I have seen Buddhist scripture debates at Labrang Monastery in Gannan. I was impressed by the unique way of learning, but taking photos was prohibited.

The debates at Sera Monastery in Lhasa are also very famous. My friend told me that you can take photos there, so I naturally yearned for it and included it in our itinerary.

The debates at Sera Monastery are held from 3 to 5 p.m. We arrived at the monastery early and visited the Tsokchen Hall when the sun was blazing. 2 p.m. in Lhasa is almost noon in Shanghai. The scorching sun shines directly on the earth. I can't help but worry about how we can bear the debate outdoors. When we arrived at the debate yard, we saw that the poplars and willows in the yard shaded us from the sun. The breeze between the leaves had strong penetrating power and gently brushed our faces. It was so cool. Under the guidance of the management staff, we sat on the ground at the edge of the yard. The monks of the Zhacang slowly entered the yard, and the debaters sat on the ground. The debate began.

Observing these monks who were debating (I couldn't understand what they were saying, so I could only observe), they were a little dull at first, their clapping was weak, their movements were slow, and their voices were weak. But after a few minutes, they were like different people, entering a somewhat excited state. The questioner raised his right hand high and slammed his left palm vigorously, while asking a series of questions. The answerer immediately spoke eloquently and fluently, which in turn stimulated the enthusiasm of the questioner, and the next question followed. The questioner's pride when the answerer couldn't answer the question, the questioner's frustration after the answerer successfully answered the questioner's question, the answerer's calm response, the questioner's aggressiveness, all kinds of expressions were vivid and lively, and it was hard to describe.

The so-called taking photos is only allowed with mobile phones, and using cameras will still be prohibited!

I didn't go to Drepung Monastery. In comparison, Sera Monastery seems to be easier to reach. I didn't see the debate, but the Buddha statues painted on the back mountain are magnificent. What's more surprising is that you can see the distant view of the Potala Palace from the back mountain, which is very spectacular.

Sera Monastery, Drepung Monastery and Ganden Monastery are collectively known as the Three Major Monasteries in Lhasa. They were built in the 17th year of the Yongle reign of the Ming Dynasty (1419).

Sera Monastery, Ganden Monastery and Drepung Monastery are collectively known as the "Three Major Monasteries of Lhasa". Although I did not encounter any sutra debates, I did encounter a Buddhist ceremony that is only held during the Spring Festival.

The Buddhist debate at Sera Monastery is worth watching, very interesting

It can be said that it is quite average. It is not as good as the Ta'er Temple in Qinghai, or even as good as the Wudang Temple in Baotou. The cost performance of 50 yuan is very low

You can take panoramic photos of Lhasa on the mountain behind Sera Monastery.

Sera Monastery is the last of the three major monasteries in Lhasa to be built. Sera Monastery is a national key cultural relic protection site, located at the foot of Sera Uzi Mountain, 3 kilometers north of Lhasa. It has been a place where eminent monks and living Buddhas have preached since ancient times. Most of the foreign tourists who come here are for the debate activities here, and the debate in Sera Monastery is very famous.

Here you can experience the daily life of Tibetans and gain some understanding of why they make pilgrimages and worship Buddha.

When I went there, it was under renovation in January 2019, so there was no debate. However, the temple hill overlooks the whole city of Lhasa, with a good view. There is a snack bar on the street in front of Sera Monastery, serving cold noodles, vermicelli and milk tea, which are delicious and affordable, not the price of a tourist attraction.

There are several famous temples in Tibet City, including Sera Monastery. If I remember correctly, this should be the place for debates. Debate is a very distinctive way of mutual communication and learning in Tibetan Buddhism. Through mutual discussion and debate on different viewpoints of the analysis of events, different debates are held. Now, debate has become a form of performance, where people debate with each other, slap each other in the face, and thus engage in debates and arguments.

The debate was quite interesting and many foreigners came to visit. There were also many dogs in the temple.

The ticket is 50 yuan. There are few tourists, mostly Tibetans who come to pray.

The debates at Sera Monastery are very famous. They start at 3pm every day and last until 6pm (except Sundays). The debates get so exciting that it seems like an argument. Although I can't understand what they are talking about, it's okay to just feel the atmosphere.

After 5 o'clock, the ticket checkers at the gate will leave. Tourists who come at this time should consciously pay some money for incense.

I went there at 2pm, saw a mountain, and didn't want to go up...

The debate starts at 3pm every day. The rules of the temple are very interesting. Visitors can take photos with their mobile phones, but cameras are not allowed. There are staff on site to supervise.

Sera Monastery is not as popular as those temples in the city. Although it is not small in size, it does not have many believers, mainly lamas who are studying. There are many stones with Buddha statues painted on them on the mountain behind the main hall. The colors are gorgeous and very eye-catching.

The Sera Monastery under the afternoon sun could not stop the enthusiasm of the debaters, nor the piety of the pilgrims.

The famous sky burial site is just behind the mountain, and it is really hard to see if it is not open...

You can take a bus directly to Sera Monastery. The ticket is not expensive. The main feature is the debate. Although I can't understand it, it should be very exciting to see their movements and expressions, so it's good to know Tibetan.

We listened to the monks' debate. Although it seemed like they were arguing very intensely, we found it a bit boring because we couldn't speak the same language. The Potala Palace can be seen from afar at Sera Monastery.

Due to the wrong time, I was unable to see the famous debate, but the architecture inside is indeed unique.

Nowadays, Sera Monastery is most famous for watching the debates, and there is a special debate field in the monastery. Of course, we can't understand the content of the debates, but we can feel the scene and the situation.

Watching the debate at Sera Monastery, although I couldn't understand what they were saying, I was still moved by their rich body language and voices. The debate at Sera Monastery starts at 3 pm every day. We hurried over and had to buy tickets to enter. The debate venue of Sera Monastery is located at the north end of the passage leading to the main gate. It is a very quiet courtyard. In the courtyard, the ancient trees are shady, and the sunlight from the plateau shines through the gaps between the leaves, shining on the monks' crimson robes and their red faces.

Since it was the 15th day of the lunar calendar, there were many Tibetans in Sera Monastery who came to pray. We didn't know the situation and followed the queue, thinking it was a queue to watch the debate. Later, we found out that it was a queue to participate in the blessing activity. We joined by mistake and queued for about an hour and a half. We went into the temple and bought a few Hada to offer to the Buddha. During the period, a young man in front of us, after learning that we were tourists, told us a lot of details, reasons, and precautions of the blessing activity. Friends who want to go here can go to Baidu to look up the relevant information of Hayagriva, the treasure of the temple, and the local brother introduced it to us.

After the blessing activities in the temple, we watched the debate. Before watching the debate, we listened to the chanting for about half an hour. Then the formal debate began, which lasted about ten minutes.

The debate field is an open space covered with pebbles in the woods. The pebbles are laid to prevent the ground from getting wet after rain.

One thing to note here is that you can use your mobile phone to take pictures, but you cannot use a camera.

The process of scripture debate is basically one question and one answer. There are two or more people in a group. The questioner stands up, claps his hands vigorously, and then asks the question, and the person sitting down answers it.

It is very convenient to take the bus from Barkhor Street to Sera Monastery. I went there early and got lost in the temple.

Sera Monastery is located in a Feng Shui treasure land. Since ancient times, it has been a place where eminent monks preached. Lama debate is a religious activity that has been passed down in the monastery to this day. We arrived at the debate site after three o'clock, and there were already many tourists in the debate site at this time. We stumbled to the front. Although I don't speak the language and don't understand the content of the debate, I, like many tourists around me, came to Sera Monastery to experience the debate activity that has been passed down from day to day and has a history of 600 years, and to integrate myself into the environment of short chanting, long chanting, low chanting and high singing. I like the atmosphere here, and I like to watch these believers and lamas debate for the sacred faith in their hearts in the debate site with towering ancient trees and gravel. Fortunately, what we met today was a lama's postgraduate exam simulation. Although I couldn't understand it, I still stayed in the debate site to watch for a while. At this time, butter rice was being distributed to the lamas. The lamas would distribute the remaining butter rice to the tourists on the scene, so I reached out and took some. Although it was only a small portion, it tasted hard to swallow.

Chupi Sera Monastery

Although there is a lack of oxygen in the plateau, I can still clearly remember the appearance of those debaters, @Sera Monastery.

A head tower is like an enlightenment, a slap is like a dream in the garden, and the red clothes fluttering seem to be dancing Seve. For most tourists, this is a performance art, but I am not most tourists. I can understand their conversation through heart to heart, and the deepest mysteries come from the most ordinary life.

"Brother, look there's a jerk over there taking pictures of us with a SLR." "Ah~ Five Rings~ You have one more ring than Four Rings, ah~ Jerk~ You have less than Sicong."

"Brother, there's a beauty next to that deathly-looking guy." Pa~pa, "You're not truly happy, your smile is just a protective color you wear."

"Shi~Senior brother, that dead-looking guy is kissing that beautiful girl." Snap~Snap~Snap, "The past has become a cloud of smoke, disappearing in front of each other's eyes."

"Brother, is this what love feels like, sweet? Just like the feeling I had when I saw that monk yesterday." Pa~pa~pa~pa, "What are you talking about?"

"Brother, bhikkhu, oh no, kuppi... kuppi salad dressing."

The debates at Sera Monastery are very famous. The debate garden is located at the north end of the passage leading to the main gate. The debates usually start at 15:00 and can be watched at will. The debates are held every Monday to Friday afternoon and are open to visitors. Much more formal than the usual debates are the regularly held debates, where senior monks discuss and even debate about the Dharma. The daily debates are an auxiliary method for the lamas to comprehend the mysteries and improve their cultivation.

Sera Monastery is undergoing major renovations. The monastery is undergoing major civil engineering work. Mud tankers are coming in and out, raising dust. Excavators are digging foundations. Carpenters are carving various wooden items. Painters are painting on the walls. The entire Sera Monastery is like a large construction site. The experience of visiting is not good.

What attracted me was the architecture of the temple, with its red eaves and white walls, sharp color contrast and a strong sense of design.

We followed the crowd and queued up to enter the inner hall for a visit. There were many foreign tourists. Lhasa is also very international. The aisle leading to the hall is very narrow. Two people can walk side by side in the front, but everyone walks in a row in the back. There are statues of Bodhisattvas on the left and right, which look particularly solemn. It is impolite to take pictures of Bodhisattvas, so there are no photos. Then came the loud chanting and shouting of monks. Every tourist passing by would be blessed. The monk suddenly scratched my nose, and then motioned for me to touch my head on something. Although I don’t know what this is called, I understand that it means almost the same as kowtowing, to seek the protection of Bodhisattva.

I went to Sera Monastery to watch the debate. I couldn't understand what I heard, so I could only watch; I couldn't understand what I saw, so I could only watch the excitement. The monks were either serious or relaxed, some were thinking or smiling, some were eloquent or refuted sharply, it was a lively scene. I thought, if all colleges had such a strong academic atmosphere, there wouldn't be so many people wasting their time.

It is very big, and the Buddha statues inside are also very beautiful. We watched the Buddhist scriptures at the foot of the mountain. They are renovating many places. But I was surprised to see the debate. I couldn't understand it at all... I could only know that they were arguing fiercely through their body language.

Sera Monastery holds a debate every afternoon at 3:00 p.m. Believers and tourists can attend. The monks stand up and clap their hands, or sit in groups, and debate fiercely. Although we didn't understand, we can still feel the monks' hard study and understanding of Buddhism by being there.

It is mainly a place for watching sutra debates. It is located in the north of Lhasa city and can be visited around 3 pm.

There are many temples in Lhasa, but Sera is the one that feels closest to the sky. It has the most classic sutra debates and is a super lively activity that is worth a visit.

The debates at Sera Monastery have always been famous in Tibet, and are also the focus of the Sera Monastery tour. The debate ceremony of Sera Monastery is held in the debate field at the northernmost part of the monastery. After entering the gate of the monastery, you can go straight along the widest road for about a kilometer to reach it. You don’t need to buy a separate ticket to enter the debate field. You don’t have to worry about the extremely strong sun in Tibet in the afternoon, because the many towering trees in the debate field block the dazzling and hot sunlight on the plateau, making it a fresh and cool stage for religious activities.

It starts at 3pm every day and lasts until 5pm. There are no debates on Sundays and special holidays, so please note that there are no debates on Sundays and special holidays. When debating, monks often sit on the ground while the other stands opposite. They debate the scriptures with exaggerated movements, which is very interesting. The monk standing asks questions in Tibetan, while the monk sitting on the ground answers in Tibetan. The debate topics cover all aspects of Tibetan Buddhism. Once a question is asked, the monk sitting on the ground must respond without thinking, refute or answer. As the debate deepens, the most distinctive scenes begin to appear. The monk standing faces the opponent, using various gestures and rich body movements, even glaring, waving prayer beads, standing on one foot and clapping vigorously to show their power. When asking questions, they may raise their arms and chop down; or pull the Buddhist beads to show that they can defeat the opponent with the power of faith.

Sera Monastery is well-known for its debates, and indeed, there are more tourists than young lamas who debate. I went there for the thangkas, which are very old and valuable to be seen in some of the main halls of Sera Monastery. Walking inside Sera Monastery, you will see very common Tibetan-style houses, with white walls and blue sky, which are very beautiful.

A must-visit place. Not only the debate, but also the architecture here is very unique. As one of the three major temples, Sera Monastery is also quite famous among Tibetan temples. Tourists will come here to debate every day at 3 pm. I can't understand it even if I go there, but I have to go.

I was particularly impressed by the debate at Sera Monastery. Although I couldn't understand the Tibetan they spoke, I could tell who was in the upper hand by looking at their gestures. I sat there alone and watched intently for an hour.

The temple is very beautiful. There are debates from 3pm to 5pm from Monday to Friday. Young lamas exchange knowledge with each other in the debate field. The discussion is very intense and the scene is very lively. It is worth experiencing.

Sera Monastery, Drepung Monastery and Ganden Monastery are known as the "Three Major Monasteries in Lhasa". It has the famous "Horse-Headed Vajra King" statue and the debate. The debate is the monks' homework. It is held in the debate field of the temple from Monday to Saturday at 3 pm and is free to visit. Although you can't understand the meaning, watching the monks stamp their feet and clap their hands from time to time, their serious appearance also attracts groups of tourists to experience it. (Ticket price for Sera Monastery is 50 yuan/person)

After 4pm, some halls of Sera Monastery will be closed one after another, so you have to go early if you want to visit. There is a coin exchange place at the gate, where you can exchange coins of 10 or 20 yuan. When you visit the Buddha statue, you can add incense money according to your heart. Friends who are not afraid of tiredness can climb to the back mountain of Sera Monastery, where you can take panoramic photos of Lhasa.

I went to Sera Monastery to watch the debate. The debate in Sera Monastery starts at 3 pm every day. There are many people. You can take pictures with your mobile phone, but you are absolutely not allowed to use a camera. It's very strange, isn't it? Anyway, I think it's very strange. This place has been completely commercialized. Some people are invited to perform the debate. Anyway, I don't understand it. I just watch the excitement. Why bother with these things. After the debate, I walked around the temple and looked at the architecture. I don't know why, I particularly like the design of this kind of architecture. I have to take a few more glances wherever I go.

The architecture of Sera Monastery is similar to that of Drepung Monastery, so I didn't spend too much time to appreciate it in detail. The most famous thing here is the debate. However, for tourists, it is just to watch the excitement and feel the atmosphere. The debate was about to start at 3 pm. Before the monks entered the debate field, the debate field was already surrounded by tourists, with all kinds of long guns and short guns ready to go.



Not long after, the monks began to enter. They sat on the ground in groups of two or three, and those with higher attainments answered the arguments raised by the debaters, agreeing or disagreeing. Although I couldn't understand what they were saying, I felt that they were enjoying it, sometimes clapping to cheer, and sometimes thinking silently. The exaggerated movements and expressions looked a little funny, but what they were discussing was the mysteries of understanding the world and the human world.

Although Sera Monastery is not as grand and colorful as Drepung Monastery, it has the most famous debate ceremony in Tibet. The debate is held in the debate field at the northernmost part of the monastery. There are many people watching the debate, and you can get a good seat if you arrive early. The debate in Sera Monastery is held from 3 to 5 pm every day. There is no debate on Sundays and special holidays. We arrived at Sera Monastery at 15:50, and there was a 1-hour debate and a 1-hour ritual. We asked the local lamas, but the ritual is not held every day. There are more than 10 days a month, and the time is not fixed. We caught up. You have to climb a 200-meter slope to enter the gate of the scenic area, and you will be a little out of breath. In the middle is the main road, and there are temples on the sides. Many halls in Sera Monastery have preserved older murals. In addition, the sky burial platform in Lhasa is on the mountain behind Sera Monastery. It is recommended to go in the morning, and not too late in the afternoon. Like the temple we arrived at 15:50, many halls were closed. There is nothing to see just looking at the appearance of the temple. The most important thing is to look at the inside of the Buddhist temple.

I kowtowed with the Tibetans and bought a 5-yuan khata as an offering. I saw locals bringing their own butter as tribute. Some even kowtowed and stuffed money into the wall. I also stuffed a few holes in it to pray for peace.

It took me almost an hour and a half to queue up to get to the hall. While wandering around inside, I saw monks debating on Buddhist scriptures. It was a lively scene, and the conversation was conducted in pure Tibetan.

There are still quite a lot of people in Sera Monastery, but the majority are locals. After entering the gate, you have to walk for a few more minutes to reach the ticket office.

It was said that you could see many lamas debating together at the debate field. I went in and saw nothing. There is a slope in Sera Monastery, so you have to walk slowly, otherwise you will be out of breath. I looked around and walked, and a local Tibetan grandmother in front of me waved to me. I walked past her and she said a few words, which I didn’t quite understand. Then she added some gestures. The general meaning was probably to let me go into the temple to have a look, the good things are all inside, the Buddha here is very powerful, and the ticket is not bought in vain.

There were a lot of people debating in the afternoon, just feel the atmosphere, we couldn't understand anything

Sera Monastery is called "Sera Mahayana Monastery" in full. It is one of the six main monasteries of the Gelug Sect of Tibetan Buddhism. Together with Drepung Monastery and Ganden Monastery, it is known as the three major monasteries in Lhasa. The debate at Sera Monastery is a major attraction when visiting Lhasa.

As one of the three major temples, Sera Monastery is also quite famous among Tibetan temples. Many tourists come here because it still maintains the tradition of debate starting at 3 pm every day.

In Tibet, most people believe in Buddhism. When children are babies, they are carried by their parents to the temple to receive blessings and to get rid of diseases and disasters. Outside Sera Monastery, I took some photos of parents holding their children, and I was very moved by such scenes.

We rushed to Sera Monastery to watch the debate that started at 3 o'clock. Why watch it? If you don't understand Buddhist scriptures, even the locals can't understand them, let alone us. We just went to watch the excitement and feel the atmosphere. About 100 meters after entering the gate of Sera Monastery, you will first see a long queue on the left. That is the focus of the believers' worship of Sera Monastery: Hayagriva. The believers who worship there line up every day. Skip the long queue and go forward, and you will see the debate field of Sera Monastery. Only mobile phones are allowed to take pictures in the field, not cameras. The back mountain of Sera Monastery is located at a higher position, and you can see the panoramic view of Lhasa from the top of the mountain. The relative height of the mountain is about 500 meters, and it takes about 4 hours to climb the mountain.

The debates at Sera Monastery are worth listening to. The debates are held from 3pm to 5pm from Monday to Saturday. Debating is a process for monks to learn Buddhism, and the format is more like our one-on-one debates. When they get excited, the monks will dance and make exaggerated movements. I was listening intently, and my friend asked me if I could understand. Tibetan + Buddhist scriptures, the barrier of the two languages, if I could still understand, I would really consider whether to stay. I didn't understand, but I could feel their intensity. At about 4:30, the one-on-one debates ended, and all the monks sat in a row and chanted scriptures together. Listening to the scriptures with different pitches, my heart was inexplicably soothed. It was nice to just sit there.

It is the place where the eminent monks and living Buddhas preached. Coming here from Drepung Monastery, I felt that Sera Monastery did not have any tall and magnificent buildings.

The main hall of Sera Monastery is very gorgeous inside, but taking photos is not allowed. The murals outside are very eye-catching and beautiful.

Drive about 20 kilometers from the dirt road behind Sera Monastery to the top of the back mountain. From this position, you can overlook the entire Lhasa. There are about four or five temples on the top of the back mountain. The altitude here is more than 4,500 meters. From here, you can see the full view of the Potala Palace.