After 200 years, the Tubo Kingdom experienced increasing internal conflict. Various royal families, monks, lay officials, Buddhist forces, and anti-Buddhist forces were locked in a life-and-death fight. When the anti-Buddhist forces managed to kill Chanbo Zhangya, who had been in charge of monks, and later Tubo King Chiribajun, Darma Wodongtsan, brother of Chiribajun, came to the throne. Darma Wodongtsan began his term by banning Buddhism in Tubo. Even before this, Darma Wodongtsan banned Buddhism in Lhasa. The Jokhang Monastery was closed, statues of Sakyamuni were buried underground, and lamas with the monastery were forced to resume their secular lives and were ordered to either slaughter cows and sheep, or go hunting in the mountains. This Tubo King, historically known as Lang Darma, was in power for five years, until he was killed by Lama Lhalung Begyi Dorje.

Upon Lang Darma's death, his two sons Wesum and Yundain were locked in a fight for power. Wesum was the son of his father's second wife, and Yundain the son of his father's first wife. Yundain controlled Lhasa and Wesum Shannan. They fought for a score of years, touching off a mass revolt and leading to the fall of the Tubo Kingdom. Lhasa, as the capital of the Tubo Kingdom, declined along with Tubo Kingdom. The Potala Palace, which had been damaged by a thunderbolt during the period of Trisong Detsan, was razed to the ground during war.