Sera Monastery stands on the northern edge of Lhasa, founded in 1419 by one of the disciples of Tsongkhapa, the founder of the Gelug school. Together with Drepung and Ganden it forms the three great Gelug monasteries of the Lhasa region, and at its height it housed several thousand monks across two colleges. The name means wild rose, after a shrub that grew on the hillside.
The debates
The reason Sera is on almost every itinerary is its debating courtyard. In the afternoon, monks sit on cushions in pairs and small groups and take apart a point of Buddhist logic: one asks, the other answers, and the questioner claps his hands loudly at the end of each question to mark the point. The gesture is not aggression - the clap is meant to fix the answer in the mind and to signal that an argument has been made. The debates last around an hour and visitors are welcome to watch from the edge of the courtyard. There are no debates on Sunday.
What else to see
The monastery itself is worth the time: a series of whitewashed halls and courtyards climbing the slope, with painted doorways, heavy black curtains and gilded roofs. Inside there are statues of Tsongkhapa and his disciples, murals in mineral pigment, butter lamps and thangkas, and one chapel famous for a fierce protective deity. The printing of texts was once a major activity here, and the assembly hall is impressively large and low-ceilinged, dark and full of colour.
Practical information
Sera is a short drive from central Lhasa, about four kilometres north, and is reached by taxi or by bus. Admission is charged and is included in most organised tours. The monastery is open all day; the debates usually start in the mid-afternoon and last about an hour. Dress modestly, remove hats indoors, do not photograph inside the halls or during the debates without permission, and be aware that photography permits are sometimes sold separately.
A note on planning
Foreign visitors to Tibet must travel with a licensed guide and a Tibet Travel Permit, arranged through an agency well before departure. Sera is normally combined with Drepung and the Jokhang in a two-day Lhasa introduction, which is the sensible pace for the altitude.
