Buga Temple

　　Buga Temple is located in Xiadong Village, Daxiong Township, about 169 kilometers from the county. It is said that the person who built the temple — came from elsewhere, not a local. At the time, Karma Sherab Woeser came to his hometown’s region with the purpose of paying homage to the sacred mountain Mount Kailash. After circumambulating the holy mountain, on his way back home, he passed through Xiadong and noticed a mountain named Liangbuidong, which translates to “elephant face” in Chinese. He discovered that there were many meditation caves on the mountain, and that this place was an excellent spot for spiritual practice and attaining enlightenment. With this realization, he resolved to meditate here. After years of practice at the site, his sect also aligned with the local religious tradition. The local community and the tribal leader of the Benba clan, Gaba, held great reverence for this highly respected teacher. Later, Gaba, the head of the Benba clan, repeatedly asked Karma Sherab Woeser to build a monastery there to promote Buddhism. Initially, he did not agree. Eventually, Gaba went to Tsurphu Monastery in Lhasa to seek approval for the construction of a new temple. After receiving approval, materials needed for the new temple were purchased, and he agreed to Gaba's request. A suitable location was then chosen. During the site selection, they noticed that “Buga Mountain looked like a - sitting cross-legged and chanting scriptures.” “Bu” means extremely high mountain peak, and “ga” means white. The temple was thus named Buga Temple, and it was decided to build it in the heart of Buga Mountain. In 1920, Karma Sherab Woeser, together with the manpower and resources organized by Gaba, the leader of the nine Benba clans, constructed Buga Temple. Later, Karma Zhuzhu Yongdü Punsangpo became the first abbot of Buga. By 1997, the abbot of Buga further expanded the temple by adding a second floor (made of reinforced concrete), making it grand and majestic in appearance. Buga Temple includes: the Assembly Hall Karma Sherab Lhakhang, the Tara Chapel, the - Chapel, the Mani Lhakhang, the Abbot’s Quarters, and the - Chapel.