Samye Monastery, the first monastery in Tibet

According to the 'Samye Monastery Chronicles,' in 762 AD, Trisong Detsen personally laid the foundation for the monastery, which took twelve years to complete, finally finishing in 775 AD. Legend has it that during the initial construction, Trisong Detsen was eager to see what the completed monastery would look like. Guru Padmasambhava then conjured an illusion of the monastery in his palm, and upon seeing it, Trisong Detsen exclaimed 'Samye,' which in Tibetan means 'unexpected' or 'inconceivable.' Later, this exclamation was used as the name of the monastery, hence the name Samye Monastery. After its completion, Trisong Detsen held a grand consecration ceremony, presided over by Master Shantarakshita and Guru Padmasambhava. Additionally, Trisong Detsen invited monks from the Tang Dynasty, India, and Khotan to reside in the monastery to teach and translate scriptures, and he declared that the entire Tubo kingdom should follow Buddhism. Therefore, Samye Monastery is the first formal monastery in Tibetan history to possess the three treasures of Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha, and it holds a prestigious position in the Tibetan Buddhist community.