What is "samye"

The Samye Monastery or Samye Gompa (; Chinese:桑耶寺) is the first Buddhist monastery built in Tibet. It was probably first constructed between 775-9 CE under the patronage of King Trisong Detsen of Tibet who sought to revitalize Buddhism, which had declined since its introduction by King Songtsän Gampo in the 7th century. The monastery is in Dranang, Lhoka Prefecture. It was supposedly modeled on the design of Odantapuri in what is now Bihar, India.

The 18th century Puning Temple of Chengde, Hebei, China was modeled after the Samye Gompa.