Human Saga

Founding of Samye Monastery establishes Buddhism in Tibet

c. 779 CE·Religion & ideology·Tibet (Yarlung valley, southeast of Lhasa)·
c. 779 CEDate
Religion & ideologyCategory
19Empires active
Date
c. 779 CE
Category
Religion & ideology
Region
Tibet (Yarlung valley, southeast of Lhasa)
Era
Post-Classical / Medieval
Significance

Under the patronage of the Tibetan emperor Trisong Detsen, the Indian Buddhist scholar Shantarakshita and the tantric master Padmasambhava founded Samye, the first Buddhist monastery in Tibet, in the Yarlung valley region southeast of Lhasa.

Construction began around 763 CE after Shantarakshita introduced Madhyamaka philosophy and monastic discipline, while Padmasambhava was invited to subdue the local spirits and obstacles said to be impeding the work, and the complex was completed and consecrated by about 779 CE. Laid out as a vast mandala mirroring the Buddhist cosmos with a central temple representing Mount Meru, Samye became the institutional heart of the new religion. There the first seven Tibetan monks were ordained, and Trisong Detsen issued edicts proclaiming Buddhism the state religion, marking its formal establishment in Tibet. The monastery also hosted the celebrated Samye Debate of the 790s, in which Indian gradualist teachings prevailed over Chinese Chan, decisively shaping the future doctrinal direction of Tibetan Buddhism.

See the world map in c. 779 CE →More religion & ideologyThe Post-Classical / Medieval era

One piece of history in your inbox, weekly

New empires, events and features as they land — one good email a week. No spam, unsubscribe anytime.

Empires active in c. 779 CE

Related religion & ideology events

Further reading

The wider story

A Little History of Religion

Richard Holloway

Accessible sweep of humanity's faiths and belief systems from prehistory to the present.

Get it on Amazon →

As an Amazon Associate, Human Saga earns from qualifying purchases.