Dartsang Kalzang Gompa
Dartsang Kalzang Gompa aka Kalpa Zangpo Gompa, 'Monastery of the Fortunate Eon'[1], is a monastery built by Dudjom Lingpa when he was 55 years old.
Location
It is located in the Li Gorge, in the Upper Do Valley of Golok, Eastern Tibet (now Serta County, Golok, Sichuan PRC), over 3000m above sea level. Around the monastery, the area is a vast and open nomadic pasture land, surrounded by spectacular views of high alpine meadows.
Origins
In 1888, at the age of 54, Dudjom Lingpa moved to the Li Gorge in the Upper Do Valley. Two years later, Dudjom Lingpa built the Dartsang Kalzang Gompa, which was to become his main residence for the rest of his life. In his outer autobiography, Dudjom Lingpa recounts when he founded Kalzang Monastery[2]:
- In the first autumn month [of 1890], I received a summons from Golok, so I went there. In the year I turned fifty-six, I built Kalzang Monastery on the Lidar family.
- […]
- That same year on the eighth day of the first summer month, Dakini Sangwa Yeshe, Secret Wisdom, turned her face to me, saying, “Sublime individual, your disciple Dampa will be born in the dakini country of Orgyen on the twenty-first night of the Rabbit Month. This is certain. At the end of the Rabbit Year, go to Dodé Kalpa Zangpö Tsalgyi [ie Kalzang Monastery]. Stay there and for a while events will unfold virtuously.”
Developments
Later, it became the seat of Tulku Trimé Özer, one of the famous sons and heirs of Dudjom Lingpa. After the departure of Dudjom Lingpa, one of his other son, Khyentse Tulku Dzamling Wangyal, assumed the leadership of Dartsang Kalzang Gompa.
Recent Years
Around the year 2005, a stupa dedicated to Tulku Trimé Özer was under construction around the monastery.