the presence of hollies and cypresses and notes that the
monastery buildings stand out upon the green base of
the hill. It is necessary to record the fact that Sera
is less wooded than any other part of the Lhasa plain,
as it stands back against a rocky mountain cliff bare
of all vegetation until a small shelf, 800 feet above
the monastery, affords root hold for a plantation of
hardy poplars only. Beside it, on the plain, are a few more
trees of the same species, but the golden roof of Sera
must still be counted its chief external attraction.
The General pitched the camp of the escort about a
mile away from this monastery, and the continual
friendliness shown by the good monks of Sera may be
attributable partly to this fact, but even more perhaps
to the delight with which they saw their hated sister
of De-bung compelled to disgorge many hundreds of
thousands of pounds of flour and grain.
Gaden is chiefly famous because it contains the
tomb of Tsong-kapa himself. The following account
of the monastery is taken from the Survey Reports
of the Government of India by Sandberg
“ It (the tomb of Tsong-kapa) is a lofty mausoleumlike
structure of marble and malachite with a gilded
roof , inside this outer shell is to be seen a beautiful
chorten shrine of cube, pyramid and surmounting cone,
all said to be of solid gold. Within this golden casket,
wrapped in fine cloths, inscribed in gacred Dharani
syllables, are the embalmed remains of the great reformer,
disposed in a sitting attitude. Another notable
object here is a magnificent representation of Champo,
the Buddha to come, seated European fashion on a
throne. Beside him stands a life-size image of Tsong-
kapa in his character of Jan-pal Nin-po, which is
supposed to be his name in the Gaden heavens. A
rock-hewn wall with impress of hands and feet is also
shown as Tsong-kapa’s. A very old statue of Shinje,
the lord of death, is much reverenced here, every
visitor presenting gifts and doing it infinite obeisance.
The floor of the large central chamber appears to be
Entrance to Reting, the “ King’s ” Palace, Lhasa.
covered with brilliant enamelled tiles, whilst another
shrine holds an effigy of Tsong-kapa with images of
his five disciples standing round him. The library
contains manuscript copies of the saint’s work in his
own handwriting.”
The last regent of Tibet was Abbot of Gaden, a fact
which did not save him from, and perhaps even accelerated,
his assassination.