Mebar Tsho (Burning Lake) is a sacred pool along the Tang Chhu river in the Tang Valley of Bumthang district, central Bhutan. It is the site where the great treasure revealer (terton) Pema Lingpa discovered hidden religious treasures (terma) in 1475, diving into the water with a lit butter lamp that remained burning when he emerged — an event that gave the lake its name.
Mebar Tsho (Dzongkha: མེ་འབར་མཚོ, "Burning Lake") is one of the most sacred sites in Bhutan, located along the Tang Chhu river in the Tang Valley of Bumthang district, central Bhutan. Despite its name, Mebar Tsho is not a lake in the conventional sense but rather a deep pool in the river, surrounded by sheer rock walls draped with ferns and prayer flags. The site derives its name and its profound spiritual significance from an event in 1475 when the great treasure revealer (terton) Pema Lingpa dove into its waters holding a lit butter lamp and emerged with sacred religious treasures (terma), the lamp still burning — a miraculous demonstration that established his authenticity as a revealer of the hidden teachings of Guru Rinpoche (Padmasambhava).[1]
Mebar Tsho is classified as a ney — a place of spiritual power where, as the Bhutanese historian Dr Karma Phuntsho explains, "natural and spiritual energies and vibes flow from the landscape, making them conducive environments for spiritual experience." The pool's dark, still waters, framed by vertical cliffs and ancient vegetation, create an atmosphere of otherworldly seclusion that has drawn pilgrims and meditators for over five centuries.[2]
The site is maintained by the nuns of the nearby Pema Tekchok Choling Nunnery, Bhutan's first shedra (Buddhist university) for women, which was founded in 2000 by Gangteng Tulku Rinpoche, the ninth reincarnation of Pema Lingpa. Mebar Tsho is a popular pilgrimage destination for Bhutanese and a highlight of the Tang Valley for visitors to Bumthang.[2]
The Legend of Pema Lingpa
Pema Lingpa (1450-1521) is one of the five great tertones (treasure revealers) in the Nyingma tradition of Tibetan Buddhism and among the most revered figures in Bhutanese religious history. According to tradition, Guru Rinpoche concealed sacred texts, ritual objects, and religious images throughout the Himalayan landscape in the 8th century, to be discovered at the appropriate time by predestined tertones. Pema Lingpa, born in the Tang Valley of Bumthang, was identified as one such predestined revealer.[1]
The story of the Burning Lake begins with a dream. Pema Lingpa received a visionary instruction directing him to a specific spot in the Tang Chhu river where treasures lay concealed beneath the water. He went to the pool and dove in, emerging with a sacred scroll and a small statue. However, local people were sceptical of his claims. The crucial test of his authenticity came when he was challenged by the local governor (penlop), Pema Lingpa's detractors demanding that he prove he was not a fraud.[2]
In response, Pema Lingpa lit a butter lamp and, holding it aloft, dove into the deep pool before a crowd of onlookers. He declared: "If I am a genuine revealer of hidden treasures, may I emerge with the treasure and the lamp still burning. If I am a fraud, may I perish in these waters." He plunged beneath the surface and was submerged for some time. When he emerged, he held a treasure chest in one hand and the butter lamp in the other — its flame still burning. The spectators were awestruck, and from that moment the pool became known as Mebar Tsho, the Burning Lake.[1]
The Terma Treasures
The treasures (terma) discovered by Pema Lingpa at Mebar Tsho and other sites across Bumthang include sacred texts, ritual implements, and religious images. From the Burning Lake itself, he is said to have recovered a self-speaking Guru statue (a statue believed to possess the capacity for speech), a scroll inscribed with sacred scripture, and a ritual skull (kapala). Over the course of his life, Pema Lingpa discovered a total of 108 terma from thirty-four different sites, making him one of the most prolific treasure revealers in the Buddhist tradition.[2]
The terma tradition serves a crucial function in Nyingma Buddhism: the hidden teachings are understood as fresh transmissions from Guru Rinpoche himself, revitalising the dharma for each new generation. Pema Lingpa's revelations had a transformative effect on religious life in Bumthang and across Bhutan, and his liturgical compositions and dance traditions remain central to Buddhist practice in the country today.
The Site Today
Mebar Tsho is reached by a short walk from the road in the Tang Valley, approximately ten kilometres from the town of Jakar, the administrative centre of Bumthang district. A footpath descends from the road through forest to the river gorge, where the pool lies at the base of overhanging rock walls. The site is marked by hundreds of prayer flags, butter lamp offerings, and small votive structures placed by pilgrims. The dark, still water of the pool contrasts with the rushing current of the Tang Chhu above and below it, creating a natural sanctuary that feels physically set apart from the surrounding landscape.[3]
Pilgrims visit Mebar Tsho to perform prayers, light butter lamps, and circumambulate the pool. It is believed that spiritually advanced visitors may perceive visions in the water — of temples, sacred texts, or religious figures — while others see only the dark surface. The site holds particular significance during the annual Pema Lingpa festival and on auspicious days of the Buddhist calendar.[4]
The nearby Pema Tekchok Choling Nunnery, which oversees the maintenance of the site, was established in 2000 as Bhutan's first Buddhist university for women. Founded by Gangteng Tulku Rinpoche — who is himself the ninth reincarnation of Pema Lingpa — the nunnery provides a direct institutional link between the legacy of the great terton and contemporary Buddhist practice. The nuns serve as custodians of the sacred site, ensuring its upkeep and welcoming visitors.[2]
Significance in Bhutanese Culture
Mebar Tsho's importance extends beyond its role as a pilgrimage site. Pema Lingpa's legacy is deeply woven into the fabric of Bhutanese national identity. The royal family of Bhutan traces its spiritual lineage to Pema Lingpa: the Wangchuck dynasty regards him as an ancestor, and the Gangteng Tulku, as his recognised reincarnation, holds a position of special reverence in the kingdom. The sacred dances (cham) choreographed by Pema Lingpa are performed at tshechus and religious festivals throughout Bhutan, and his terma texts form a significant portion of the liturgical canon used in Bhutanese monasteries.[1]
For visitors to the Tang Valley, Mebar Tsho is often paired with a visit to Ogyen Choling, the historic manor house further up the valley, and Tamzhing Monastery, which Pema Lingpa himself founded in 1501. Together, these sites make the Tang Valley one of the most culturally rich areas in all of Bhutan.
References
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