In the afternoon at Sera Monastery, I witnessed an intense debate in Lhasa

Monks' robes fluttered, claps thundered, and this debate opened my eyes wide. On the fourth day in Lhasa, having adapted to the altitude, I decided to visit Sera Monastery. Local friends repeatedly reminded me, "You must go in the afternoon; the debating session starting at three o'clock is the essence of Sera Monastery." Sera Monastery is located at the foot of Sera Wuzhi Mountain in the northern suburbs of Lhasa. Regarding the origin of the monastery's name, locals told me two beautiful stories: one says that when the monastery was built, there was a heavy hailstorm, and "hail" in Tibetan is exactly "Sera"; the other, more romantic, says that wild roses once grew here, and the Tibetan word for "wild rose" is also pronounced "Sera." I prefer to believe the latter, imagining the hillside blooming with wild roses back then. Sera Monastery is one of the six main monasteries of the Gelug school of Tibetan Buddhism and is the latest built among the three major monasteries in Lhasa. The entrance fee is 50 yuan. I arrived at 2:30 PM, and there were already many visitors inside. At exactly three o'clock, the debate officially began. The debate area is in a courtyard to the north. I followed the crowd inside and was instantly shocked by the scene—dozens of monks in red robes scattered under the shade of trees, grouped in threes or fives. The standing monks passionately asked questions with exaggerated gestures; the seated monks responded calmly. Although I couldn't understand Tibetan, the clash of wisdom struck my heart directly. Before asking a question, the standing monk would shout "Di," raise his right hand high, and forcefully clap it against his left hand, producing a crisp sound. Later, I learned these actions have deep meanings: the raised right hand symbolizes Manjushri's wisdom, and the clapping palms represent a warning of impermanence. Besides the debate, the architecture of Sera Monastery is also impressive. Built along the mountain, the layered white buildings look spectacular under the blue sky. I especially visited the Hayagriva Hall, which houses a special Vajra statue said to have been unearthed by Master Tsongkhapa after hearing a horse neigh while walking. Many devotees lined up here to pray, and I joined them in worship. The Tsokchen Hall is the largest building in the monastery, supported by 108 large pillars, and is said to have once accommodated over 8,000 monks. Inside is a statue of the monastery's founder, Shakya Yeshi, who wears a hat personally bestowed by the Yongle Emperor of the Ming Dynasty. If you plan to visit Sera Monastery, here are some practical tips: - Arrive before 3 PM and head straight to the debate area to get a good spot - Stay quiet during the debate, do not use flash photography, and respect the monks' practice - Wear comfortable shoes as there is a lot of walking inside the monastery - Use sun protection; the sunlight in Lhasa is very strong - There is no debate on Sundays, so avoid that day The afternoon at Sera Monastery left a deep impression on me. The sincere pursuit of knowledge and the vibrant practice completely overturned my traditional understanding of Buddhist practice. If I have the chance to come to Lhasa again, I will definitely return to Sera Monastery one afternoon, sit under the shade in the debate courtyard, and feel that unique wisdom and passion.