House of Shambhala
The courtyard of the House of Shambhala with a beautiful statue of Green Tara.
In Tibetan lore, Shambhala is a magical, beautiful and mythical kingdom, although many Buddhists believe that it really exists because it is described within the Kalachakra Tantra as elucidated by His Holiness the great Panchen Rinpoche in the book he composed called Shambhala Lam Yig. In it, His Holiness the Panchen Rinpoche describes clearly how to enter this mystical land. In reality, Shambhala is a kingdom akin to a Buddhist Pure Land but one that exists on our physical earthly realm. One can arrive at Shambhala through three methods: by birth, by physically finding the place or by astral travelling. The place is extremely peaceful, and food and sustenance grow effortlessly. Although people do die, they have incredibly long lives, living for hundreds of years with no disease.
The first king of Shambhala travelled out of the kingdom and met with the historical Buddha Shakyamuni. From Shakyamuni, he received the full initiation and teachings of the Kalachakra Tantra. He then took this tantra back to the Kingdom of Shambhala, meditated and gained high attainments. He passed it to the next king and so on until today, when it continues to flourish during the reign of the 21st king. As a result of the kings of Shambhala practising this efficacious tantra, many of their subjects also practised, producing powerful Kalachakra meditators and yogis amongst their citizenry. In the land of Shambhala, there are many levels of beings, some of ordinary or farmer’s class, some of the educated class, and some of the more royal or noble class. Whatever it may be, they all live very harmoniously in an environment where crime is unheard of. James Hilton wrote a very interesting fictional Western account on the mythical Shambhala and the movie Lost Horizon was made from his writings, with the original being released in 1937 and the remake released in 1973. Many high yogis and meditators of India, Tibet, Mongolia and Nepal who are advanced in meditation have astrally or psychically travelled to Shambhala. On their return, they recounted with great precision its location, size, appearance and instructions on how to get there.
One of the greatest holders of this tantra is the line of holy Panchen reincarnations. The Panchen Rinpoches are considered direct emanations of the kings of Shambhala, and it is a custom in Tibet that the Panchen Lama will give public initiations of this particular tantra as it is highly-mastered practice within his own monastery Tashi Lhunpo located in Shigatse, Tibet.
The mythical Kingdom of Shambhala that the hotel is named after. Click to enlarge.
The Panchen Lama incarnations and the Tashi Lhunpo monks are experts in this tantra, and it is said that by relying on the Panchen Lama’s texts, one can achieve arrival in Shambhala. In Tibet, the line of His Holiness the Panchen Rinpoche incarnations are not viewed as ordinary but are considered to be highly-realised beings whose incarnations can be traced all the way back to the historical Buddha Shakyamuni. It is said that the Panchen Rinpoches also have countless incarnations and emanations in various world systems to benefit sentient beings. Earth is only one of the places within samsara, whereas samsara holds three planes – form, formless and desire – and within each of those planes, there are trillions of world systems and many types of sentient beings. The Kalachakra Tantra has not only pervaded our world system but many others.
I thought I would take the opportunity to introduce all of you to the Kalachakra Tantra and Shambhala, but this post is actually about a beautiful hotel that is in Lhasa, Tibet that I thought I would share with you. It was the architecture that captured my eye, which I found to be very striking and an attractive mix of traditional and modern. I do not know anything about the hotel more than what is available online. Whilst the Kingdom of Shambhala itself is shrouded in mystery, with access limited to only the qualified, the House of Shambhala is a hotel that has its doors open to all who visit Lhasa. Today, it is one of the most beautifully-designed small hotels in the region, owned by Shambhala Serei as part of a chain of six Tibetan boutique hotels scattered around China. Five of Shambala Serei’s hotels are located in the Tibetan Autonomous Region (TAR) while the sixth is in Beijing. Situated amidst the maze of alleyways off the eastern side of Barkhor Street in Lhasa, it is a real hidden gem. The charming hotel is housed in a historic Tibetan building and offers the neighbourhood’s earthly charm in perfect fusion with a sleek and modern concept that makes it truly unique.
The hotel includes 13 uniquely decorated rooms oozing culture and elegance. The rooms are furnished with genuine and traditional Tibetan wood and slate furniture painted with figures from Tibetan mythology. Each room is also brightened with vibrant splashes of reds, blues and the yellows of tiger skin rugs. The locally-sewn pillows display images and motifs central to Tibetan culture, and the duvet covers are embedded with semi-precious stones, sea coral and magical amulets said to ward off evil spirits while guests are sleeping. An added allure is that these soft furnishings are handmade by disadvantaged Tibetans.
For those who have not acclimatised to Tibet’s high altitude, oxygen canisters are available for purchase in the hotel. Foreign travellers are recommended to purchase a canister if they want a room on the top floor or to visit the rooftop terrace, which more than makes up for some of the rooms’ small size.
Rooms can get quite cold at night so guests staying during any season apart from the summer are advised to ask for a portable heater to warm them up. Each room is fitted with a TV and electric kettle for the guests’ convenience, and slippers and a hairdryer can be found in the ensuite private bathrooms. Free WiFi is also available in public areas.
The hotel reception desk is open 24-hours and can assist guests with luggage and extra storage space as well as provide a concierge service to direct guests to historical sites, places of worship and interest, and tourist attractions. They can even arrange a shuttle to and from the airport which is just over an hour’s drive away. The on-site restaurant serves delicious food with a varied menu, while the rooftop restaurant serves more local delicacies and boasts spectacular views of the grand Potala Palace, the traditional residence of the Dalai Lamas.
Inside the House of Shambhala
Or view the video on the server at:
https://video.tsemtulku.com/videos/HouseOfShambhala.mp4
Address
No. 7 Jiri Erxiang
Lhasa , Tibet- 850000, Tibet
Phone: (+86) 891 632 6533
Fax: (+86) 891 632 6695
List of amenities and services
- Air-conditioning
- Business Centre
- Chinese Restaurant
- Alarm clocks
- Colour Television
- Coffee/Tea maker
- Telephone
- Hairdryer
- Electronic door lock
- Bath and shower
- Broadband Internet access
- Laundry service
- Room service
- Wake up call
- 24 hour reception
Information for visitors
- Guests are required to show valid government-issued identification such as a passport upon check-in.
- For those who are not Chinese citizens, a valid permit to visit Tibet is also required upon check-in. Applications for this can be made at the nearest Tibetan Lhasa Tourism Bureau or through a trusted travel agent.
For more information, please contact the hotel directly.
Nearby attractions
- Jokhang Cathedral – walking distance
- Potala Palace – 2 km
- Norbulingka – 4.3 km
Nearby transportation
- Lhasa Railway Station – 26 minute drive
- Lhasa Gonggar Airport – 1 hour and 10 minutes’ drive
House of Shambhala is situated close to the Potala Palace,
the historical residence of the Dalai Lamas. Pictured here is the sacred Jokhang Cathedral housing the famous Jowo Rinpoche Shakyamuni Buddha statue. Nearby, just a 15-minute walkable distance away, is a 400-year old chapel dedicated to Dorje Shugden built by the 5th Dalai Lama. It was built on the spot where Dorje Shugden’s remains as a lama where cremated.
For more interesting information:
- Wonderful Lhasa
- Historic First Kalachakra Initiation by the 11th Panchen Lama
- The Jonang Lineage
- Happy family for Kalacakra
- Odiyan Retreat Center-Beautiful!
- The Mysterious Vault B Door at Padmanabhaswamy Temple
- The Underground City of Cappadocia
- The Imperial Tomb of Emperor Kangxi
- Buried Buddhist Shrine Unites Man and Nature in Harmony
- Ganden Sumtseling Monastery the beautiful
- New Nalanda University in China!
- Build Your Own Growroom
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The House of Shambhala is a Tibetan-style hotel located in a quiet alley of the famous Barkhor in the centre of Lhasa, Tibet. This hotel is a restored home of a high ranking Tibetan Lama has its doors open to locals and tourists visiting Lhasa. This typical Tibetan courtyard hotel provide guests with the utmost comfort while surrounded by Tibetan history and tradition. That’s wonderful for anyone as the Potala Palace and Jokhang Temple are within easy reach. Looking at those beautiful pictures tells all as one could see there are traditional style of natural wood rooms. With the specifications like high quality furnishings, neatly decorations, and so forth in it features. It has to offer a personal touch to everyone staying there as it hold historical or cultural significance of the place, the unique experience for them. Perfect atmospheric oasis in Lhasa.
Thank you Rinpoche for this sharing and explaining about mythical Kingdom of Shambala.
All enlightened beings are worthy of homage and worship. They are the best beings to take refuge in and we should offer them our prayers as we can put our full confidence in them. Of all the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, I personally find that Manjushri is extremely important. This is because what keeps us in samsara (cyclic rebirth) is our total ignorance and misunderstanding of the reality of existence. What is necessary to penetrate this deep ignorance that keeps us bound in a perpetual state of reincarnation is wisdom. We need many types of wisdom which can be acquired by relying on Manjushri as our yidam (meditational deity). By focusing on his meditation, practice, mantra and path we can gain wisdom in order to have the tool to penetrate the reality of existence. Therefore, Manjushri is an extremely important Buddha for us to focus on and take refuge in.
Tsem Rinpoche
(Photograph: this is the beautiful outdoor Manjushri statue who is in a teaching pose. He is floating above a koi fish pond nestled among lush greenery in Kechara Forest Retreat, Malaysia)
每一位觉者都能成为我们朝拜、膜拜的对象。他们是我们至高、至好的皈依，我们应该向他们做祈请，并且对他们生起全然的信念。在众佛菩萨之中，我个人认为文殊菩萨极为重要。这是因为使我们身陷娑婆（轮回）的是我们自身的无明，以及对实相的曲解。智慧是一种必要，它能穿透我们深不见底的无明，那个使我们受困于无止境投生的无明。我们需要多种智慧，而依止文殊菩萨作为我们的本尊，即能使我们成就多种智慧。透过文殊菩萨的观想、修持法门、心咒及修行道路，我们能成就智慧，拥有了知实相的“器具”。故此，专注于文殊菩萨的修持法门、皈依他，对我们而言都极为重要。
詹杜固仁波切
（相片：这尊户外文殊菩萨像呈转法轮姿。他被茂密的草木环绕，安坐在马来西亚克切拉禅修林的鱼池之上。）
What an interesting concept of a place that one can get blessings while one sleeps. The vibrant colours of this place make it very approachable and attracts people to go and stay there. Vibrant colours of this space is another attraction to this place.
Would be so awesome, if this place is a portal to connect us to the pureland of Shambala. It is heartening to know that Shambhala is findable place on Earth.
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Thank you Rinpoche for giving us the valuable description of Shambhala where people there live longer than us, and able to fully focus and spend their time beneficially with Buddhadharma learning and practice without any worldly distraction. Upon further contemplation, I personally believe that it is not impossible for any lay people to form a group of community, stay together in one place, interact with respect and harmony to each other, and practise the Buddhadharma similarly like Shambhala.
Besides, Hotel of Shambhala is very beautifully decorated with rich Tibetan culture and serene environment all together bring everyone closer or become one with Buddhadharma when one is there. Staying in Hotel of Shambhala can allow us to be surrounded by holy objects or images and hence, it would be a better for pilgrims to stay in Hotel of Shambhala so that pilgrims can stay more focus on their spiritual practice.
Thank you with folded hands,
kin hoe
Wow! This hotel looks so lovely, cozy and comfortable. I really liked the roof top that looks out to the mountains in the distance. So nice to just sit there and have a cup of hot drink whilst enjoying the view. The rooms itself looks good but probably won’t spend so much time with all those places of interest to visit.
Thank you Rinpoche for the sharing on mystical Shambala. Makes is all the more a wish to be able to see for myself or even live there. Even if there is a life span for the people there, they live in harmony during their lifetimes and with their practices, I think they must have control of their rebirth too. A paradise imagined for most humans.
Thank you, Rinpoche for this important introduction of the holy land, Shambhala and the Kalachakra Tantra. While we rely on the text of attained masters to get a glimpse of the holy land of Shambhala, it is uplifting to know that such a place exist – where beings live in harmonious with each other and crimes are unheard of. A stark contrast to samsara where sufferings exist in perpetuality. It is no wonder many seek the land of Shambhala. May we have the good fortune to be endowed with more teachings by Rinpoche.
Thank you for sharing the information on this beautiful guest house in Lhasa. The interior decor is just plain amazing and infused with spirituality. It will be awesome to be able to spend a few nights there while going on a pilgrimage to Lhasa.
The location of the guesthouse is quite near to the main pilgrimage places in Lhasa such as Potala Palace and Jokhang cathedral. Thank you for the team to share such information to promote pilgrimage trip to holy sites which is a very good thing to do if we are going to travel. If we are going to travel somewhere else to have a nice vacation, why not we choose holy places so that we can enjoy ourselves on a vacation and go for a pilgrimage at the same time.
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Very beautiful house and architecture. How wonderful it would be if we can have a beautiful house like Shambala as dharma house for puja,and members and guests from long distance to stay overnight. Thank You Rinpoche and blog team for sharing this beautiful house of Shambala.???
Wow …..beautiful House of Shambhala by looking at those pictures. Lovely architecture , having very striking and an attractive of traditional and modern design. I do hope we have the chance to drop by and see this amazing design .
Great knowledge for us to know about the legend of Shambhala which refer to the mythical land and the Panchen Rinpoches are considered direct emanations of the kings of Shambhala. Wow…the Kingdom of Shambhala is know as the most mysterious Land Of Wonders in the Himalayas. Some new knowledge , for me.
Thank you Rinpoche for this sharing.
??? Very classic.
It would be great to duplicate and have it near KFR for people to do the sense of Tibetan or probably for tourist. Making it contemporary with Tibetan interior and get blessed at the same time.
The House is neatly arranged with spiritual sense Rinpoche. They even have Mandalas on the ceiling, a mixture of endless knots and celtic knots on the cushion covers, pictures depiction of different Kingdoms and places, statues, Tibetan Syllables and many more. I think it’s best suited for Dharma Kings, Lineage Holders, High Lamas or the sort of. So ‘High-Class’.
I wonder whether I’ll be comfortable to sleep in there as it’s more like a reminder that Buddha is everywhere and we should give up luxury of sleeping. Instead, I think it’s a great place that encourages spiritual practice. Once we wake up from our slumber land and seeing all these, immediately we are being reminded to practice. As if oneness with the people, environment and the surrounding areas.