Lhasa (2)

Sera was founded in 1419 by Sakya Yeshe, a disciple of Tsongkhapa also known by the honorific title Jamchen Chöje. In its heyday, Sera hosted five colleges of instruction, but at the time of the Chinese invasion in 1959 there were just three: Sera Me specialised in the fundamental precepts of Buddhism; Sera Je in the instruction of itinerant monks from outside central Tibet; and Sera Ngagpa in Tantric studies.
Sera survived the ravages of the Cultural Revolution with light damage, although many of the lesser colleges were destroyed.

In Tibetan monasteries, debates are an everyday part of life, and an important part of learning. Monks debate almost every day, normally in the late afternoon and evening, and the debates can sometimes last for several hours each. The groups of monks normally pray for a few hours before the debate, to heighten their awareness and sharpen the mind for the philosophical debates.Read more