Kunkhen Jangchup Bhumpa or Jangchup Woeser, one of the seven great disciples of Lama Tsongkhapa, founded Sera Mey Monastery in the Iron Ox Year of Tibetan calendar, corresponding to the year 1421. Sera monastery is located to the north of Lhasa, at the majestic feat of a mountain that looks like the Auspicious White Umbrella standing out tall among the range of mountains that look like a sleeping elephant. The monastery was founded as a center of learning and practicing the extensive and profound teachings of Buddha Shakyamuni. Sera Mey monastery had produced thousands of learnt scholars and experienced practitioners since it’s inception.

In 1959, when Tibet was forcefully occupied by China, thousands of Tibetans managed to escape to India.  Our monks who managed to escape and survive formed the monastery along with other monasteries at Buxall, an old British prison complex in the state of Assam.  They stayed there for ten years and finally in 1969, on 13^th of Dec, moved and settled at Bylakuppe of Mysore in South India.

From then onwards, the monastery began to receive new monk students and started expanding and finally grew to this present monastic institute. The monastery had to construct its main prayer hall three times, each time when the former was too small in size. Due to the compassionate blessing of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, it now has a library, a school for younger ones, a hospital and a computer center. Aside from imparting traditional and modern education to the monk students, the monastery is also engaged in social services.

Each year, it produces graduates of different levels who either continue to stay and serve in the monastery or go on to serve in different parts of the world. The aim of this monastic institute is to impart and preserve the rich tradition of Buddha Dharma. We hope that a day will come when all Tibetans will be able to gather together back in Tibet and live in peace and harmony.

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