DREPUNG MONASTERY
Drepung lies five miles (8kms) west of Lhasa on a main road, then two miles(3kms) north on a steep, unpaved road. Its name means Rice Heap, after its jumble of white buildings piled up against Mt. Gambo use it was the biggest and richest monastery in Tibet. Its Lamas who helped to train each young Dalai Lama, could guess how a new god king would rule-as a leader or as a tool of the regent.

It was founded in 1614 by a disciple of Tsonga Kappa, with a noble family as patron's fifth Dalai Lama enlarged it and ruled there while the Potala was being built. At its height Drepung had over 10,000 monks. It governed 700 sub-sidearm monasteries and owned vast estates.

Of the 6000 monks who lived here in 1959, half including all the high Lamas, fled with the Dalai Lama. The rest went home, took up trades and married. A handful of elderly monks stayed on the monastery, laboring on a 20 hectare (50acre) farm that Chinese let them keep. Today about 400 monks and novices live there, turning a profit from their orchards, which produce the best apples in Lhasa.

The Monastery was divided in to four tantric colleges which at the highest level specialized in different branches of knowledge. Each had its own chanting hall, dormitories, kitchen and offices. The entire monastic community assembled only for special ceremonies and festivals.