Samye, located at N29º19.468 / E0091º3.445 at an elevation of 11,717 feet, was the first monastery established in Tibet. It was probably first built in the 770s. Padmasambhava and Shantarakshita, both Indian teachers who King Trisong Detsen had invited to Tibet to propagate Buddhism, were instrumental in its founding. The monastery is modeled on the Odantapuri Temple in Bihar, India. The design of the temple is supposed to represent the Buddhist model of the universe. The main temple represents Mount Sumeru, the mythical mountain at the center of the Universe. The four so-called Ling temples at the corners of the main temple represent the four continents which surround Mount Sumeru. The entire monastery is surrounded by an oval wall topped by small stupas. There are four very large stupas, colored white, red, blue, and green, at the southeast, southwest, northwest, and northeast corners.
Samye is located at the base of the sacred mountain of Hepori, which is actually a small hill looming 560 vertical feet above the monastery. According to legend King Trisong Detsen had his palace on the top of this mountain.
It was here at Samye that the first seven Tibetans were ordained as monks by Shantarakshita, after the Indian teacher had closely examined them to see if they were fit to be monks. They are still known today as the Seven Examined Men.
