Milarepa Meditation Cave, Shigatse
Chinese Name：密勒日巴禅修洞
English Name：Milarepa Meditation Cave
Location: Located in Nyalam County(聂拉木县), Shigatse Prefecture（日喀则市）,Tibet Autonomous Region, China
Admission fee: Free
Opening hours: All day
About Milarepa Meditation Cave
Milarepa’s Cave or Namkading Cave is a cave where the great Tibetan Buddhist philosopher, and Vajrayana Mahasiddha, Milarepa (c. 1052—c. 1135 A.D) spent many years of his life in the eleventh century. There is also a cave associated with Milarepa in Nepal(尼泊尔) on the Annapurna Circuit(安娜普纳大环) approximately 4000 meters just outside Manang(马南) .
History and Development of Milarepa Meditation Cave
The cave itself is kept as a shrine by two monks, guarding a statue of Milarepa enclosed in a glass case. In the cave is an impression in the rock attributed to Milarepa’s sitting meditation posture and a hand print said to have been created when Milarepa helped Rechungpa (1083/4-1161 AD.), his student, use a boulder to prop up the ceiling. There are images of Milarepa, Tsongkhapa, and Shri Devi, a protectress whose mule is said to have left a footprint in the stone when she visited Milarepa in a vision. Restoration work within the cave and the monastery was undertaken by artists and craftsmen from Nepal and was financed in the 1970s by the Chinese government, which has been in military occupation of Tibet since 1950.
Main Attractions- Milarepa Meditation Cave and Phelgyeling Monastery
A path leads down from the roadside through the village and down a hillside where there is a small monastery (gompa) named Nyanang Pelgye Ling Monastery, or Phelgyeling which is built around the cave. The Assembly Hall of the monastery has the statue of Buddha Shakyamuni in center which is 7 feet in height. The monastery used to be a Kagyupa, but, later the monastery was converted to Gelugpa by H.H.5th Dalai Lama, Later Phelgyeling Monastery was affiliated with the Gelugpa.
Milarepa’s cave, which overlooks the entrance to the hidden valley of Lapchi Gang, is entered from the gompa’s vestibule. Pilgrim’s offerings of decorated stones along the path and sweet-smelling herbs and wild flowers growing all around make this a place of great peace and beauty.
Attraction Transportation
You can fly to Lhasa Kongga International Airport(拉萨贡嘎国际机场）and then take the bus to Shigatse（日喀则) or Nyalam County(聂拉木县).
Attraction Travel Tips
1. Traveling Hours: 2~3 hours
2. Traveling Seasons: All year
3. High Altitude Sickness Avoiding: Bring enough water and some thick clothes, eating more fruits and vegetables rich in vitamins and so on.
4.Pay attention to respect the local customers in the monastery.
