A Brief History of Gomang Monastery
Gomang Monastery was founded by Konchock Jigme Wangpo (the second Jamyang Jepa Rinpoche) in 1790. In 1791, Jamyang Jepa Rinpoche appointed his chief disciple Konchock Tenpai Dhonme as the first abbot and he developed the academic rules and curriculum of the Tantric Institute.
In 1907, the fourth Jamyoung Jepa Kelsang Thuten Wandhick established a Sutric Institution at Gomang monastery for studying the five major philosophical subjects of the Lord Buddhas teachings: Prajinaparamita, Madhyamika, Vinaya, Abhisamyalamkara and Pramana. Since then Gomang Monastery has produced many geshes as well as yogies.
In 1951, Ven. Yeshi Gyatso (the former Labrang Monastery's Kalachakara College abbot) established the Kalachakara Institute. Gomang monastery developed into a great university with Sutric, Kalachakara and Tantric studies. Gomang monastery has been directly under Labrang monastry's care since 1791. Since this time Labrang monastery has sent a representative who was in charge of spritual and politices activities.
In 1958, the villagers from upper middle Ngawa were moved into the monastery's site and the monastery was turned into a vegetable garden until the 1980s. In the 1980s, the policy on religion loosened up and some of the monasteries were allowed to resume their religious activities. This began the period of rebuilding for the monastery.
The Process of Rebuilding the Monastery since the 1980s
In 1981, Gomang Monastery got a permission reopening the monastery and the library hall was only in the monastery at that time. Library hall was also too small and first monks assembled in a big tent. In 1982, Monastery rebuilt the small scriptural hall with 56 pillars. That year, the monks were also allowed to build 60 residences and the following year one hundred more were allowed. Ven. Harwa Jamyoung Lodu Ringpoche and other leaders have taken responsibility for re developing monastic structure, academic rules, and Tantra and Sutric schools' curriculum of studies as well as rebuilding the assembly halls, temples, and the stupas. The schools, hospitals and temple of prayer wheels were gradually rebuilt due to Harwa Ringpoches hard work and the support of his disciples around world and local devotees. Gomang monastery's process of spiritual development has gradually improved over the years and many monks are presently reaching a Buddhist academic stage of learning and practice.and
