Structure of Gompas Most gompas have an impressive structure with many different
types of rooms and halls. The main structural components of a
gompa are: |
 | The Road to Alchi Near Alchi Monastery, Ladakh Credit: Luke Powell |
Living quarters There are living quarters or apartments for
the kushoks and the lamas. The kushoks' living quarters are
well furnished.
Worship halls A gompa can have many worship halls. The main
worship hall contains the images of Lord Buddha and various
luminaries of the Buddhist hierarchy. There may be pictures of
important events in the life of Lord Buddha and salient
features of the Tibetan Mahayanist cult.
Library Each gompa usually has a library with books
consisting of loose leaves measuring about 1 ft by 4 inches
held between wooden boards and wrapped with pieces of silk.
Entrance Three pictures or carvings can usually be seen at
the entrance of every gompa. These are of the pig, representing
delusion; the vulture, representing greed and the serpent,
representing hatred.
They form an unbreakable ring or chain with the mouth of each
holding the tail of the next. This symbolizes the chain of
cause and effect manifest between these three moral
observations.
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