The Great Kyegu Monastery was first blessed by the great Dharma King Choegyal Phagpa (one of the five foremost founders of Sakya) in 1265, the year Choegyal Phagpa visited Kyegu town.
Gyagarwa Sherab Gyaltsen (1436-1494) the 19th Throneholder of Sakya Hierarchy visited the Monastery, blessed it and named the Monastery "Dhondup Ling".
Later Khenchen Paldhen Choekyong (1702-1769), the 34th Abbot of Ngor School (a sub-sect of the Sakya Order) happened to visit Kyegu Monastery and turned the wheel of Dharma there. Most of the grand halls of the Monastery were completely constructed at that time, namely Samdrup Gyatso (the main shrine hall), Maitreya Hall, the Immortal Hall, the Lecturing Courtyard etc.
The Monastery had a population of approx 2000 monks before the Communist Chinese invasion four decades ago. The Monastery had its own college/learning institution (called 'Shedra' in Tibetan) where the studies of Buddhist philosophy were imparted to hundreds of monks/students.
Kyegu Monastery, Tibet. Courtesy = Google Earth
Among the many who practised Buddhadharma and became learned scholars and great practitioners were: Lama Thinley Choephel, Lama Ngaga, Lama Riho, Tsejam and many others who were educated in the perfection and articulation of both rituals and tantric practices.
Thus Ga Kyegu Monastery became famous for its accurate preservation of Buddha's teaching. Historically, it was and still is considered the leading Monastery of the Sakya Tradition in Ga (Gapa), the area in Kham Province in Eastern Tibet.
The Monastery has now been partially rebuilt in Tibet and presently houses approximately 600 monks. The Shedra, Learning Institution, is now one of the biggest and most acclaimed colleges in Eastern Tibet where monk students study higher Buddhist philosophy.
