NAROPA, Dzongkhul (Cave of)

Herbert Daniel Gebauer - 06/01/2018

A cave or rock shelter (note 1), which is tucked beneath dipping gneisses or phyllites, contains the erected buildings (note 2) and wall paintings of Dzongkhul, a remote Tibetan Buddhist hermitage and small monastery of the southern branch of the Drukpa Kargyupa school. The 11th century Tantrik Tibetan Buddhist saint Naropa (pupil of Tilopa, teacher of Marpa) discovered the cave by throwing his phurba (note 3), which till today is stuck in the cave wall where it released a small source of water. The cave monastery (note 4) is situated in the valley of the Argatse Tokpo (HIRSCHBERG 1977, 1980, 1987: 208) or Bardur (AMS sheet NI43-12 Martselang, U502 series, 1963 edition) on the way from Kishtwar (note 5) via the pass (5342 m asl) Umasi La / Bardur La (note 6) to the right (south-west) bank of Doda River, which joins (confluence near N33°31': E076°56') the Zanskar (Zaskar, Zangskar) River between the villages of Ating (20 houses, school, near N33°36': E076°44') and Phe (N33°38$*: E076°43'). Nearby is –>Dzong Kongma, another sacred hermitage cave in which the yogi Nawang Tsering (Nauwang Tsering, Ngag dBang Tsering) meditated.A cave or rock shelter (note 1), which is tucked beneath dipping gneisses or phyllites, contains the erected buildings (note 2) and wall paintings of Dzongkhul, a remote Tibetan Buddhist hermitage and small monastery of the southern branch of the Drukpa Kargyupa school. The 11th century Tantrik Tibetan Buddhist saint Naropa (pupil of Tilopa, teacher of Marpa) discovered the cave by throwing his phurba (note 3), which till today is stuck in the cave wall where it released a small source of water. The cave monastery (note 4) is situated in the valley of the Argatse Tokpo (HIRSCHBERG 1977, 1980, 1987: 208) or Bardur (AMS sheet NI43-12 Martselang, U502 series, 1963 edition) on the way from Kishtwar (note 5) via the pass (5342 m asl) Umasi La / Bardur La (note 6) to the right (south-west) bank of Doda River, which joins (confluence near N33°31': E076°56') the Zanskar (Zaskar, Zangskar) River between the villages of Ating (20 houses, school, near N33°36': E076°44') and Phe (N33°38$*: E076°43'). Nearby is –>Dzong Kongma, another sacred hermitage cave in which the yogi Nawang Tsering (Nauwang Tsering, Ngag dBang Tsering) meditated.