Padmasambhava at Sani Monastery, Zanskar

Photo of a statue of Padmasambhava, Guru Rinpoche, at Sani monastery lake in Zanskar.

This huge statue of Padmasambhava is on an island in a lake by the side of Sani monastery in Zanskar. Although there are differing visions of the arrival of Buddhism into Ladakh/Zanskar Sani lays claim to be the oldest meditation site and monastery. This is partly based on the Kanika chorten found in the courtyard in a style associated with the Kushan era that dates from 2nd to 5th century CE. 

Padmasambhava is set against a backdrop of dark hills in which you can barely make out tiny white painted meditation cave entrances that are still in use. we were told that at festival time 20 people can fit in the cave which is accessed across perilous scree slopes.

In Ladakh and Tibet, Padmasambhava is known as Guru Rinpoche and the temples dedicated to Padmasambhava are labelled Guru Lhakhang. In the museum at Chemre we came across an old statue of Padmasambhava with these verses:

"When you face the bad times of the dark age,
Every day and night, I will come to you,
Riding the rays of the sun".   Guru Padmasambhava

Photo by Silk Road Gallery director Peter Bennion, 2022.

Portrait format. A guide to approx sizes
A3: image size 40x28cm
A2:  image size 57x40cm
70x50cm 

See our book & videos of Tibet