Drak Yangdzong (སྒྲགས་ཡང་རྫོང་ sgrags yang rdzong) – sacred caves sight located in Dranang county south of Lhasa. This pilgrimage sight is associated with Guru Rinpoche, whose Buddha-body is represented by these caves. Drak Yangdzong is also an important place for treasure revelation, with both Padmasambhava and Yeshe Tsogyel both concealing treasures there.
There are 8 sacred places in Tibet and Bhutan blessed by Guru Rinpoche himself for the practice of Eight Herukas. The Eight Herukas of the Nyingma mahayoga tradition are said to have been received by Padmasambhava from the Eight Vidyadharas or Eight Great Acharyas. Drak Yangdzong is considered to be one of them. Here Guru Rinpoche hid the sacred teachings on the Vajrakilaya Tantra.
The first cave, Shinje Drup-ne Zho, 100 sq m in the area, with walls 15 m high ad 10 m wide. Here the main images are of Padmasambhava in the form of Nangsi Zilnon flanked by Yeshi Tsogyal and Mandarava.
The second cave, Shinje Rolpei Drub-ne, is reached by a ladder and a dark narrow tunnel, where one needs to hold a rope to get inside. Here located the main sight of Guru Sangwa Drupuk, where Guru Rinpoche passed three years in retreat.
The third cave, Jago Ranjung Drupuk, also known by the name of Nego Sarpa has amazing limestone formations inside, which believed to be the part of a hidden land ‘Beyul’.
