Sera Monastery

Sera, around 5km north of central Lhasa, is along with Drepung one of Lhasa's two great Gelugpa monasteries. Sera is famous for its "Buddhism Scriptures Debating": monks can be seen preparing for monastic exam by staging mock debates in the ritual way. Some sit cross-legged under the trees, while others run from group to group giving vigorous hand-claps to end a statement or make a point. Master and dignitaries sit on the raised tiers when a real exam takes place.

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