Buddhist monastery "shad tchup ling". Buddhist monastery in the Ural mountains Kachkanarsky monastery

Mount Kachkanar located near the city of the same name in Sverdlovsk region, approximately 260 kilometers from Yekaterinburg.

Kachkanar is one of the most high mountains Middle Urals, reaching a height of 887.6 meters above sea level. It is composed of gabbro, peridotite and pyroxenite rocks.

Toponymists believe that the name of the mountain comes from the Turkic words “kachka” - bald and “nar” - camel.

Near the mountain lies the border of two parts of the world - Europe and Asia, as well as two regions - the Sverdlovsk region and Perm region. Near the mountain there were gold and platinum mines.

The first scientific description of Mount Kachkanar was made by a traveler in the Urals in 1770 Academician P.S. Pallas in the book “Travel through different provinces of the Russian Empire” (1786). The Voguls showed Pallas two mines where magnetic iron ore had previously been mined.

In the 1860s, the Kachkanar massif was studied by the famous geologist A.P. Karpinsky, who later headed the Academy of Sciences.

In 1957, construction began at the foot of the mountain Kachkanarsky mining and processing plant, soon one of the youngest cities in the Sverdlovsk region grew up here - city ​​of Kachkanar.

Currently, the development of titanomagnetite ores of Mount Kachkanar continues, existing huge quarries are being expanded, and new ones are being planned.

Mount Kachkanar has two peaks - northern and southern. They are called the "Northern Horn" and the "Noon Horn" respectively. Each of them is beautiful in its own way, each offering a magnificent view (the city of Kachkanar is visible only from the southern peak).

There are many rock outcrops at the top of the mountain weird shape. Many of them have their own names. The most famous remnant is camel rock.

In 1995, on the top of Mount Kachkanar, Buddhist monastery "Shad Tchup Ling"(translated from Tibetan - Place of practice and implementation). Its founder is Mikhail Sannikov. The monastery has long become the main attraction of Kachkanar. Many tourists come to visit the only Buddhist monastery in the Urals; the inhabitants of the monastery do not refuse anyone. There are two stupas built in the monastery, which are considered shrines.

However, very soon the monastery, built over many years by the hands of several enthusiasts, may be wiped off the face of the earth. EVRAZ, which owns the Kachkanarsky Vanadium Mining and Processing Plant, demands the demolition of “unauthorized buildings.” Enterprises and authorities at all levels are on the side.

So, instead of a monastery on this picturesque place another quarry should be formed by 2015... At the same time, while destroying the only local attractions (the mountain and the monastery), the authorities of Kachkanar are talking about grandiose plans for the development of tourism.

In general, have time to visit Mount Kachkanar and the only Buddhist monastery in the Urals before it’s too late!..

How to get to Mount Kachkanar

1. Exit to the foot of Mount Kachkanar

From the administrative square of Kachkanar (see photo), onto Krylova Street (north) towards the bus station (200 m).

Kachkanar city administration building

Further along Krylova to the fork of the Western Quarry - the village of Valerianovsk. We are heading towards the Western Quarry. We pass the peninsula with the dispensary" Cape Verde" (on the left) and we go out to the dam. On the right Railway, on the left is a bay with a tower rising from the water. We pass the dam and see a parking lot on the left. At this point, we consider the first stage to be completed.

2. We go to the southern peak

The southern peak of Mount Kachkanar (yes, the mountain has two high points, and the highest, northern one, is not visible from the city), although it is not the highest point, it is worth visiting. The path there is not as well-trodden by tourists as to the northern peak. The view of the city of Kachkanar is only possible from the southern heights. The summit rocks are compactly located. The path is about 6 kilometers with a constant uphill climb. The slope is small, so it can be overcome in one transition.

If you have a car, you will have to leave it on the site. On the left we find a path running along the shore and move along it. You need to walk to the old ski slope (600 m). You can walk along the shore, but it’s better to go uphill, so that later you’ll have to crawl up the clearing less often. The climb is steep. Having climbed to the very top, we follow the road to the left.

View from the old ski slope

After 100 meters we go out onto the road and go right, after 100 meters we turn left. We walk along the forest road without turning anywhere. At first unimportant, the road gradually widens and becomes better. After about 3.5 kilometers, you must not miss the path to the top. The road at this point goes to the right, and the path goes straight. The beginning of the path (N 58g 44m 58s; B 59g 24m 52s) is usually marked with ribbons on the trees. We go onto the path and after about 15-20 minutes we come out to the rock massifs. It’s better to remember or mark the exit of the path so that when you go back you don’t get lost in the surrounding area.

The rocks of the southern peak used to have slabs with names. Now all that remains of the slabs are holes in the stone.

Views from the southern summit

3. Let's go to mountain lake

Before the northern peak, on the mountain there is lake. Apparently they took samples of ore and dug a pit, which was subsequently filled with water. You can stop near the lake for a rest or overnight. There is a barbecue and a gazebo.

Lake on the site of a former mine

There is a road to the lake itself, but you can drive by car only with passes, since the road passes through the territory of the Kachkanarsky Mining and Processing Plant.

From the site (see point 1) we move further along the road. After about 2 kilometers there will be a security post at the Kachkanarsky GOK. If you are driving, feel free to leave the car in front of the post. Then we go on foot. We reach the buildings and follow the road to the left. After 300 meters, on the left, there will be a checkpoint ski slope(see photo), but we go straight with a slight deviation to the right.

Passage to the ski slope

Almost immediately there will be a wide road to the right, but we don’t need to go there, we go straight up the mountain with a slight slope. After turning left the road will go around Western Quarry. There will be many paths to the right. You can follow them to the edge of the pit and watch the quarry at work.

Western Quarry

I’ll say right away that the Western Quarry has Observation deck which will be on our way. Now we have reached the turn of the road to the left (about 1 kilometer away), we go there. But, if you go straight a little, on the right there will be an observation deck of the Western Quarry at the highest point.

Observation deck of the Western Quarry

But let's get back on the road. The distance from the observation deck to the lake is approximately 4 kilometers.

Road

A little before reaching the lake, the path to the Buddhist monastery begins.

The beginning of the path to the Buddhist monastery

4. We go from the mountain lake to the Camel rock and to the top of Mount Kachkanar

To climb the mountain, you need to go around the lake (preferably on the left), follow the path to a clearing and start climbing. After about 700-800 meters, rock outcrops will begin and a platform with a gazebo will appear. From the site you need to turn onto the left path. Let me make a reservation right away that if you go to the right, the path will lead straight to the Buddhist monastery. But we are going to the Camel, and I’ll tell you about the monastery further. Passing through rocky rubble Camel rock appears in all its glory.

Camel Rock

After looking at the panorama and climbing the rock, we go further to the top, which is already visible from the Camel.

View from "Camel"

The path to the top begins immediately behind the Camel. After walking for 10-15 minutes we approach the top of Mount Kachkanar from which a panorama opens to the north. The most high point marked by a concrete structure with a pipe. Directly below the mountain is the village of Kosya, a little further from Pokap, in the northeast you can see the buildings of the monastery.

The top of Mount Kachkanar

View from the top of the villages of Kosya and Pokap

View of the monastery buildings from the top of Mount Kachkanar

Gagarin's Rock

5. We go from the mountain lake to the Shad Tchup Ling monastery

As I already mentioned, you can also get to the Shad Tchup Ling Monastery via the road leading to the top. But you need to understand that the monastery is not just a landmark and just coming to stare there is not welcome. If you want to be given attention and given a tour, and also treated to local tea, then it is better to plan such an event. It is not customary to come to the monastery empty-handed. Food is welcome: sugar, tea, cookies, cereals, etc. Also, near the beginning of the path to the monastery there are building materials, and if you take bricks, boards, or whatever else is there, it will be good.

So, the beginning of the path to the Shad Tchup Ling monastery is not far from the lake on the way from Kachkanar. There is no way you can miss this place. You can see piles of building materials, old cars, a sign reminding “Friend. When you go to the monastery, take some bricks, don’t allow empty runs,” as well as a sign for tourists indicating that it is not at all necessary to go through the monastery to the Camel.

After about a kilometer, a large clearing with a cable crossing will appear, along which construction materials are dragged into the monastery.

Glade with cable crossing

“Message board” of the monastery

The monastery has two stupas, living quarters, a bathhouse, a guest house, and a farmstead. Constant construction is underway.

M.V. Malakhov wrote about Kachkanar in the 19th century:

“I climbed Kachkanar from the east, from where access is considered less convenient than from the west. Having passed Mount Elovaya, which is the eastern spur of Kachkanar and covered with fragments of rocks very similar to Kachkanar in its general character and content of magnetic iron ore, we began to climb Kachkanar The entire rise is covered with boulders; the bulk of them consists of grains of augite with veins of magnetic iron ore. We observed its first significant occurrence on the large terrace of the Isovsky slope of the mountain in typical coarse-grained augite rock. The co-occurrence of iron and this rock here is apparently not accidental. , which is confirmed by further observations. Along the entire ascent to the northern peak from this occurrence, magnetic iron ore was encountered at every step, but only in small veins, as well as on the northernmost peak. Heading from here along the slope of the Kachkanar peak, one has to descend into the basin that separates it. both peaks. Further, the signs of magnetic iron ore disappear and sharply appear again in the vast placer of magnetic iron ore located at the base of Kachkanar."

A trip to Kachkanar can be combined with a visit to Mount Kolpaki.

Monastery on Mount Kachkanar

Welcome to Mount Kachkanar!

© Alexander PETROV (route description, photo),
Kachkanar, 2011
© Pavel Raspopov (place description)
website

Looking through the guidebook to the Urals, I mentally planned my trips around the region, marking on the map the most interesting places and routes. One of these places is Mount Kachkanar, located in the North of the Sverdlovsk region and is one of highest peaks Middle Urals.The Buddhist monastery of Shad Tchup Ling is located on the mountain. He is the only one Buddhist datsan in the Urals. After googling on the Internet, I found out that the monastery has its own group in contact http://vk.com/shad_tchup_ling. I called the monastery to arrange my visit. Received the approval of the Chief Lama Dokshit, me were allowed to visit the monastery and stay overnight. MOn the phone he asked to bring some products and told in detail how to get to them.

Having packed my hiking backpack, early in the morning I went to Shad Tchup Ling.

The route of my trip began from the city of Verkhny Tagil, by car I drove to the city of Kachkanar. Citywas founded to ensure the development of the Kachkanar group of fields. From the moment the decision on construction was made to this day, the city has been inextricably linked with the mining and processing plant. Construction of the mining and processing plant and the city began in 1957 and was declared a Komsomol shock construction project.



From the city of Kachkanar I headed to the entrance of the Western Quarry, this is the end point of movement by car, then I had to climb the mountain on foot.


After about 2 km of climbing uphill, I came to observation deck Western quarry. Its development has begun back in the 30s and 40s. All mined ore from the quarry is transported tomining and processing plant (GOK) "Kachkanarsky", located nearby, mThe processing capacity of which is 33 million tons of iron ore per year.The Kachkanarsky GOK is the largest mining and processing plant in Russia.






There are traces of sleds on the trail: in the monastery there are dogs on which novices carry food and various loads up the mountain.





There is a sign on the path. Meaning: if you go straight, you will come to the “camel” rock, if you go right, you will come to the monastery. From this sign to the monastery there is a 1 km walk.











Now about how the monastery appeared on Mount Kachkanar.
Lama Dokshit (means protector) is a former military man, I’ll tell you about him a little later. His teacher, Darma Dodi Zhalsaraev, lived in Buryatia. One day the teacher dreamed of a beautiful monastery on a mountain called Kachkanar. In the morning he called Lama Dokshit and told about his dream. They began to look for a mountain with that name and discovered it 5,500 kilometers from Buryatia in the very center of the Urals. There Lama Dokshit began building a monastery in 1995. WITHConstruction of the monastery according to the construction plan is designed for 300 years.



Construction is being carried out according to the ancient Tibetan and Mongolian canons of monastic architecture, which allows preserving the ecosystem of the area and harmoniously fitting the complex of buildings into the picturesque landscape of Mount Kachkanar.The main function of the monastery is to organize and ensure the Buddhist practical process: conducting rituals, services, traditional festive events, individual and collective practices.

This year the monastery installed solar panels, thanks to which internal lighting appeared in all buildings, the ability to charge phones and laptops.




Now there are four novices living in the monastery, not counting the Lama, who undergo practices, do housework and fulfill various vows. Some have been living for 12 years, others came a month ago.

Lama Sanye Tenzin Dokshit in the world is Mikhail Vasilyevich Sannikov, a very kind, open-hearted person with a subtle sense of humor. You can talk to him on any topic, I even got the impression that he knows the answer to any question. Different people of different levels of income and class constantly come to Lama Dokshit. Ordinary tourists come for the sake of curiosity, advanced Buddhists and Yoga Gurus come to practice in the monastery. Many come just to chat, talk about life, and gain experience. He does not impose his opinion on anyone, does not engage in moralizing and promoting religion, as various preachers of various religions do.

I’ll tell you a little about life in the monastery. A duty officer is assigned every day. He wakes up before everyone else, lights the stove, cooks food and clears the table.



There are always kettles with hot tea on the stove. Kettles are insulated with caps to retain heat longer. The white ones have black tea, the rest have green tea. In such frosts, tea helps to warm up; they drink it here all the time and treat all guests. Lama Dokshit jokes that “our water is magical.” Jokes aside, but the water is really very tasty, despite the fact that... there is no hole or spring on the mountain. In summer, the guys collect rainwater, in winter they raise it from a special pit-well.


There is an altar in a separate room. To honor the Body of the Buddha, images (thanka) of a Buddha statue are installed on the altar.



Eight cups for offering gifts; water is poured into them in the morning and poured out in the evening. Some cups are filled with rice and are also used as an offering.


On the left on the altar lie sacred texts - this is the speech of the Buddha, the teaching through which living beings achieve Enlightenment. Therefore, they are considered the most sacred item on the altar.


Various ritual accessories.



In the morning I went for a walk around the surroundings of the monastery, to admire the winter beauty of Mount Kachkanar.



An interesting rock called "Camel", there really is a similarity.





It's time to go back home, I say goodbye to Lama Dokshi and his students. Thank you for your hospitality, for the magical tea and interesting communication.

If you are planning to visit the monastery, do not forget to take gifts with you - building materials, polyurethane foam, any products, etc. It is better to call or contact the monastery in advance to find out about current needs.

I first learned about this place only a year and a half ago. And I immediately got the idea to go up to this Buddhist monastery, located in Russia, in the Urals, at the junction of Europe and Asia.

And so, last weekend, my dream came true - I climbed to the top of Mount Kachkanar.


The place for the construction of a Buddhist monastery was not chosen by chance. This is not an easy place. It has a special energy.

Even the ancient Mansi revered Mount Kachkanar as a special cult place. Ritual ceremonies with sacrifices to pagan gods were held here.

There is a belief that in one of the caves, which was located exactly on the side from which we came, that is, from the village of Kosya, a great ritual took place during Ermak’s campaign in Siberia. The ruler of the Siberian Khanate, Chingizid Kuchum, not wanting to obey, but feeling the strength of the enemy, ordered a great ritual to get the shamans to answer his questions. The shamans agreed in one opinion - resistance to Ermak’s army is useless, one should submit. However, Khan Kuchum still did not care about the shaman’s warning. Ermak's squad defeated the khan's army. Kuchum himself then fled. But this cave-temple has not yet been found; the entrance to the cave was blocked. There is also a belief-warning - there is no need to search for a sanctuary. If it is found and the rubble is dug up, then a catastrophe on a large scale will occur, destructive for thousands of people.

So, we are already close to the top. The height of Kachkanar is 887.6 meters, it is one of the highest peaks of the Middle Urals. At the top of the mountain, nature has created amazing stone outcrops. It is here that the famous mountain-stone “Camel” is located - this huge stone giant seems to be lying down to rest. According to one version, the name of Mount Kachkanar is of Turkic origin. And the word consists of two: “kachka” - bald, “nar” - camel.

The rules of behavior on the territory of the monastery are simple and clear.

The creation of the monastery takes us back to the events of 20 years ago. Lama Sanye Tenzin Dokshit (Mikhail Sannikov) in 1995 Completes his studies at the Buddhist Institute at the Ivolginsky Datsan in Buryatia. After that, he arrives at Mount Kachkanar, where he lays the foundation on May 15, 1995. the first stone of the monastery. Lama Sanye Tenzin Dokshit had never been to these mountains. The path was shown to him by his Teacher Pema Jang (Darma Dodi Jalsarawe, 1904-1997). He told him not only the coordinates of the place for the construction of the future monastery - Mount Kachkanar, but also the name. Shad Tchup Ling translated from Tibetan means “Place of practice and realization.”

Today, the monastery has gathered under its roof Buddhist practitioners from different cities Russia. The main task set at Shad Tchup Ling is the development of the scientific, yogic and monastic traditions of Buddhism in the Russian cultural space. The organization of training and practice is implemented through specially designed learning programs, conducting rituals, services, traditional events, individual and collective Buddhist practices.

The monks greeted us hospitably in the community. They fed us porridge and gave us hot tea.

Duty in the kitchen and other duties in the monastery according to the schedule. On the day we were there, Arseny was cooking.

Life in the community goes smoothly, according to a schedule.

The monks eat according to the following menu, minor changes are possible.

Someone from our group called this lifestyle and variety of diet quite ascetic. Alexey, who communicated with us perhaps the most, corrected that he did not see anything ascetic here. Nun Satima, who had lived here for almost 12 years, also grinned and continued her knitting, smiling. No, perhaps this way of life does not limit, but rather brings a person closer to freedom and helps to move forward on the path to self-improvement. In general, everyone makes their own choice in this life.

Alexey, who worked as a teacher in the world in English, Buddhism is practiced here. He has been living in the monastery for more than five months and plans to leave the monastery no earlier than July-August. He gave us a fascinating tour.

Alexey told us about the history of the monastery, introduced us to all the buildings, showed the main shrines of the monastery - the Buddhist Stupa of Awakening, the statue of Milarepa, etc.


The only animals currently living in the monastery are dogs. One of the dogs, left behind by a Frenchman who visited the monastery, recently gave birth to cute puppies.

Procurement of firewood (in winter), construction work (in summer) are the main labor activities in the monastery.

Solar panels are a special pride of the monastery residents. When used economically, there is enough energy to charge batteries and even access the Internet.

From the top of Kachkanar you can see the Konzhakovsky stone, Mount Oslyanka, and other peaks of the Urals.

We got to the monastery on a different bath day, according to the schedule. But they looked into the bathhouse.

After the excursion, we returned again to the warm house where the dining room is located.

I was stuck at the bookshelf, surprised by the variety of books. In the monastery library there are books not only about Buddhism, yoga, but also fiction, as well as books on the theory of relativity, an explanatory dictionary of the Russian language, textbooks in English...

I was curious and looked at the logbook. It was then done manually. Apparently, the very first years of construction of the monastery.
Now you can read themselves Logbook of the Buddhist community Shad Tchup Ling, where, according to tradition, the weather and the main activities and events in the life of the community are briefly recorded each day.

Satima's favorite pastime is knitting. It seems to me that all these cute hats and socks are knitted by her hands. But maybe I'm wrong.

Alexey demonstrates the caps.

Visitors to the monastery can buy some warm knitted items as souvenirs. Or choose a mandala made by the hands of monks. They are offered here in all sorts of colors and configurations. The main thing when choosing is to understand that the color, symbols, and mandala design reveal direct and indirect connections with your own Universe. Listen. And the Universe will not deceive you.

Let's talk. We're warming ourselves. Drinking tea.

Alexey talks about the plan for building the monastery. According to the forecast, it is designed for 300 years. Now only 20 years have passed. The scale of construction is amazing. The idea that some rocks will have to be destroyed. Is it really impossible to integrate all buildings into stone cliffs how is it done now? Maybe I didn't understand something...

And here is Lama Sanye Tenzin Dokshit (in the world Mikhail Vasilyevich Sannikov). He was born on November 30, 1961 in the city of Votkinsk, Udmurt Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic, into a family of hereditary military men. Fought in Afghanistan. In 1987, he retired due to disability with the rank of captain; for several months he worked in the morgue of the Leninsky district of Perm as an orderly and as an assistant to a pathologist. He studied externally at the Nizhny Tagil Art School and worked briefly as a cook in the Kama River Fleet. In 1989 Mikhail Sannikov entered the Ivolginsky datsan, where he took monastic vows under the name Tenzin Dokshit. In December 1994 he received lama initiation. And since 1995 he founded a Buddhist monastery on Kachkanar.

We haven't talked much with Tenzin Dokshit. He spoke with a kind smile, briefly and clearly, simply and wisely at the same time. This is probably how Teachers communicate.

It's time for us to go down the mountain.
This trip took place almost a week ago, and the impressions will not be digested soon. Some of our group came with a fair amount of skepticism in advance. He left with it. Someone expected to see a ray of light, something good, real, without gloss and glamor, at the same time. He saw him. I count myself among them. I liked the atmosphere in the monastery, the ease of communication between people, the schedule of their classes, the desire to practice Buddhism, which is why they came here. I myself am far from practicing Buddhism and meditation (I don’t count the couple of books I’ve read), but two years ago the practice of phowa gave me a lot when I was lucky enough to attend the meditations of Lama Ole Nydahl. This is a separate conversation. The purpose of writing this post was not to go into the details of Buddhism. I wanted to describe the Buddhist monastery of Shad-Tchup-Ling in Kachkanar, as I saw it and my impressions, at least on a subconscious level. This attempt may not have been entirely successful. Just to understand for yourself, you have to go there. And not for a couple of hours. You need to live, work, and practice Buddhism in a monastery.

Finally, as we were leaving, we spun the prayer wheels...


It seems to me that I will return to this monastery. And I would like not to be an idle tourist. I don't know when yet, but I'll be back.

Om mani padme hum, om mani padme hum, om mani padme hum...

P.S. A trip to the Buddhist monastery of Shad-Tchup-Ling took place together with a group of guys from Perm, the organizers of the trip were

(Tib. “Place of practice and implementation”) founded on May 15, 1995. This amazing place, in which you understand your atomic involvement in the creation of the Universe. Shad Tchup Ling is the place where the Sun is born!

Today I will tell you about my May Day trip to Mount Kachkanar, to visit the inhabitants of Shad Tchup Ling, and I will touch a little on the topic of creation and the amazing tranquility of people who have changed their everyday life.

My trip to Mount Kachkanar to the Shad Tchup Ling Monastery took place in early spring - May 6, 2016. I started my ascent from the barrier of the Western Quarry, because the passage through Kosya is difficult to pass in the spring. A lot of melting snow.

For those who decide to visit the community, my advice to you is to call them and ask them what to bring. This is not a mandatory action, of course, but as part of hospitality they are always welcome useful gifts from guests. This time I brought them cereals, bread and vegetable oil. The community telephone number is the same: +7 965 529 2708.

The climb to Kachkanar through the Western Quarry is like a long walk; the total distance from the barrier to the monastery is about 8.5 km. The entire climb is on a dirt road, so wear shoes with thick soles, otherwise your feet will hurt very much by the middle of the journey.

Getting to the entrance of the Western Quarry is very simple - you drive into Kachkanar, drive to Krylova Street and follow it straight all the time until you hit the barrier. Here you leave the car and go around the checkpoint through the forest to the left of the checkpoint, because Security will only let you through the barrier if you have a pass. Then the path goes along a dirt road, all turns are to the left. After about 1.5 km there will be a large turn to the left. On it, if you go straight, you can go out to an observation deck from which you can see interesting view to the Western Quarry. If you chose the route correctly and kept turning left, you will come to a tree with ribbons and a sign indicating the route: Camel Mountain - straight, monastery to the right.

The road from the sign to the community itself passes through a very picturesque forest. I was much luckier - my route passed through a spring forest, which revealed its natural artistic potential in all its colors.

The foot of the Buddhist community appears in a fabulous silhouette in the rays of the spring sun, like a fairy tale impregnable castle which you must conquer. Just not with a weapon, but by stopping the internal dialogue.

The ascent along the kurumnik to the monastery is, in my opinion, the most colorful element of the entire route. Stepping carefully from stone to stone, you rise closer and closer. Closer to yourself and your questions.





The entire territory of the monastery is under active construction, the community is always open to help and waiting for volunteers. The demolition of Shad Tchup Ling has temporarily stopped: the Kachkanar Mining and Processing Plant has frozen the development of the deposit until 2028, and the monastery, in turn, will receive landmark status. So I think this one unique monument of a different faith will forever be preserved on the Ural land!

 

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