Damxung is a county of Lhasa City , lying to the north of its main center of Chengguan , in the Tibet Autonomous Region , China. Its administrative seat is Damquka . The terrain is rugged, including the western Nyenchen Tanglha Mountains , with their highest peak rising to 7,111 metres (23,330 ft). As of 2013 the population was 40,000, with most of the people engaged in animal husbandry.
137-471: Damxung means "select pasture" in the Tibetan language. The Damxung steppe was gifted by the 5th Dalai Lama to Güshi Khan during the latter's reign. A number of Mongol cavalry soldiers settled down in the area, who became known as Mongol Eight Banners of Dam. After Güshi Khan's death in 1679, the area was possessed by Ngakpa Tratsang of Sera Monastery . From 1715 to 1912, the former Mongol Eight Banners land
274-492: A "wrathful worldly spirit", the propitiation of which "contradicts the precepts of taking refuge". In reply, Phabongka (who is better remembered for his teachings on the graded stages of the path and reputation of conferring Kalachakra empowerments to large crowds of laypeople regardless of his having enthusiastically propitiated Shugden) acknowledged his "error". In the same letter, Phabongka said "...I have propitiated Shugden until now because my old mother told me that Shugden
411-694: A barren slope below a mountain, but the meeting room has electric light and heating. The temple operates a tea house and a grocery store. The monks have built a two-story dormitory. Yangpachen Monastery is a Tibetan Buddhist monastery in Yangbajain , historically the seat of the Shamarpas of Karma Kagyu . It is the main monastery of the Red Hat school of the Karma Kagyu sect. It was built in 1490, and through extensive repairs and additions grew into
548-638: A brand new school per se, it was Tsongkhapa's disciples who took up the project of formally constructing a new school of Buddhism. Furthermore, van Schaik writes that "much of the credit for defining and defending the new school must go to Tsongkhapa’s student Khedrup." Tsongkhapa's three principal disciples were Khedrup Gelek Palsang , Gyaltsap Darma Rinchen and Dülzin Drakpa Gyaltsen. Other important students of Tsongkhapa were Tokden Jampel Gyatso; Jamyang Chöjé and Jamchen Chöjé (the founders of Drepung and Sera monasteries, respectively); and Gendün Drup
685-580: A comprehensive view of Buddhist philosophy and practice that integrates sutra and tantra, analytical reasoning, and yogic meditation." " Ganden " is the Tibetan rendition of the Sanskrit name " Tushita ", the Pure land associated with Maitreya Buddha . At first, Tsongkhapa 's school was called "Ganden Choluk" meaning "the Spiritual Lineage of Ganden". By taking the first syllable of 'Ganden' and
822-479: A county hospital, with a total of 40 beds and 161 medical personnel. Natural grasslands cover 693,171 hectares (1,712,860 acres), of which 68% is considered excellent. Almost all the people are engaged in rearing livestock, including yaks , sheep , goats and horses . In 1999 the herds other than horses included 224,600 sheep (42.55%), 179,600 yak (34.02%), 116,900 goats (22.14%). The Qinghai-Tibet Highway ( China National Highway 109 ) runs from east to west across
959-740: A crucial rôle in extending the influence of the Gelug school within Amdo . The 5th Dalai Lama tutored Galdan Boshugtu Khan who later became leader of the Dzungar Khanate and granted him the titles of Hongtaiji and Boshoghtu (or Boshughtu) Khan. The Dalai Lama also sanctioned Galdan Boshugtu Khan's invasion of the last remaining remnants of the Chagatai Khanate in the Dzungar conquest of Altishahr after Afaq Khoja requested help from
1096-436: A gradual, step by step path out of this state through diligent training, ethical action and contemplation. According to Powers "the path is envisioned as proceeding in hierarchically arranged stages, and trainees are expected to complete each level before moving on to the next one." The Lamrim teachings are commonly organized based on three main graduated scopes of motivation: The highest scope of Lamrim culminates in
1233-494: A home in which the disturbed spirit of Drakpa Gyaltsen – an iconoclastic tulku and rival scholar who had died under mysterious circumstances at a time of considerable political turmoil – might finally settle. Reportedly, though, the evil spirit's harmful activities only intensified, manifesting (in part) as atmospheric disturbances including hailstorms, but also causing both people and cattle to fall prey to disease. The deaths of some monks were attributed to
1370-561: A major architectural complex that contained a large collection of cultural relics. The Red Hat school of Karma Kagyu died out in 1791. The monastery was destroyed during the Cultural Revolution , but later was rebuilt. The Eight Towers of Northern Tibet (藏北八塔) in Wumatang (Uma) townland are said to be the guardians of the grasslands of northern Tibet. One story of their origin is that eight generals of King Gesar , who unified
1507-631: A military strategy in the Dalai Lama's name, though apparently with neither Lobsang Gyatso's prior knowledge nor consent. Güshi Khan (who was head of the Khoshut tribe ) conquered Kham in 1640 bringing the Sakyas and the lords of Kham and Amdo under their control. His victory over Karma Tenkyong , the prince of Tsang in Shigatse , in 1642, completed the military conquest of the country and
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#17327808376851644-674: A modern western university education and became published academics , such as Gelek Rinpoche , Geshe Thupten Jinpa , Geshe Gyeltsen , and Sonam Thakchoe . Some western students of diaspora Gelug lamas (some of which spent time as monastics) have also become scholars of Buddhism as well as translators and teachers, including Alexander Berzin , B. Alan Wallace , Robert Thurman , Robina Courtin , Jeffrey Hopkins , Donald S. Lopez Jr. , José Cabezón, Guy Martin Newland , Nicholas Vreeland , Barry Kerzin , Glenn H. Mullin , and Gareth Sparham . An American Gelug bhiksuni , Thubten Chodron ,
1781-592: A particular type of "very powerful, perfidious spirit") in the area of Dol Chumig Karmo had "...been harming the teaching of the Buddha and sentient beings in general and in particular" since at least the fire-bird year of 1657 (CE). The version of events which the 5th Dalai Lama relates is substantially corroborated by the account laid out in 1749 (CE) by Gelug historian Sumpa Khenpo ( Tibetan : སུམ་པ་མཁན་པོ་ཡེ་ཤེས་དཔལ་འབྱོར་ , Wylie : sum-pa mKhan-po ye-shes dpal-‘byor 1702–1788 CE). At any rate: confronted with
1918-531: A protector deity named Dorje Shugden who was said to punish Gelugs who entered into practices from other Buddhist schools. 13th Dalai Lama (who himself practiced Nyingma Dzogchen and the deity Vajrakilaya ) opposed this sectarianism. After the Annexation of Tibet by the People's Republic of China and thousands of Tibetan monasteries were destroyed or damaged (mainly during the 1959 Tibetan uprising and
2055-619: A protector of the Sakya school to which he's tied through prior incarnations. Due largely to the determined cunning of his first regent Sonam Chöphel and the military support of his Mongolian disciple Güsri Khan, in 1642 the 25-year-old 5th Dalai Lama Lobsang Gyatso inherited military and political control of a nation that had been torn by over a century of power struggles and civil war characterized by factionalism and sectarian allegiances. The general form of government he instituted would remain largely in place until Tibet's military occupation by
2192-696: A religious principle". The 5th Dalai Lama's official visit, as an independent head of state, to Beijing in 1653 should be understood in the context of the prior relationship which existed between China and Tibet. Earlier invitations to visit the Manchu court in Beijing had been turned down by both 3rd Dalai Lama Sonam Gyatso and 4th Dalai Lama Yonten Gyatso. Analyzing the Ming emperors' repeated invitations of Tibetan lamas from various schools, contemporary Buddhist scholar Alexander Berzin says that "requests by
2329-614: A renaissance of Mongolian culture in the seventeenth century, with having created the Soyombo script and with widely promoting Buddhism among the Mongols. Zanabazar also oversaw the construction of numerous major Gelug monasteries in Mongolia, such as Shankh Monastery , Tövkhön Monastery and Erdene Zuu Monastery . The rule of the 5th Dalai Lama also oversaw the repression of the schools of Tibetan Buddhism who were political enemies of
2466-577: A result, Sönam Gyatso was designated as the 3rd Dalai Lama . "Dalai" is a translation into Mongolian of the Tibetan name "Gyatso" (ocean). Gendün Drup and Gendun Gyatso were posthumously recognized as the 1st and 2nd Dalai Lamas respectively. Sönam Gyatso was very active in proselytizing among the Mongols , and the Gelug tradition was to become the main religion of the Mongols in the ensuing centuries. Sönam Gyatso traveled to Mongolia , and supported
2603-469: A series of verses on tenets , and a huge commentary to this root text (around 530 folios), called Great Exposition on Tenets . According to Daniel Cozort, Jamyang's works "are the most comprehensive of the tenets texts" (in Tibetan Buddhism). His reincarnation, Gönchok Jikmé Ongpo (1728–1791), is also known for his shorter tenets text called Precious Garland of Tenets as well as other works on
2740-411: A strict adherence to vinaya (monastic discipline). He combined this with extensive and unique writings on madhyamaka , Buddhist epistemology , and Buddhist practice. Tsongkhapa's numerous works on philosophy and tantric practice were widely influential and they marked a turning point in the history of Tibetan Buddhist philosophy. Tsongkhapa and his disciples founded Ganden monastery in 1409, which
2877-824: A systematic synthesis of Buddhist doctrine which provides a comprehensive vision of the Buddhist path, based on classical Indian Mahayana and Vajrayana. The main Mahayana teachings are found in various texts such as Tsongkhapa's the Great Exposition of the Graded Path ( Lam rim chen mo ), the Middling Graded Path (Lam rim ‘bring ba), and the Small Graded Path ( Lam rim chung ngu ) . Other related works include The Three Principles of
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#17327808376853014-466: Is "a synthesis of the epistemology and logic of Dharmakirti with the metaphysics of Nagarjuna ." The correct view of emptiness is initially established through study and reasoning in order to ascertain if phenomena are the way they appear. Gelug texts contain many explanations to help one obtain a conceptual understanding of emptiness and to practice insight meditation ( vipasyana ). Gelug meditation includes an analytical kind of insight practice which
3151-407: Is "arguably the widest-ranging account of religious philosophies ever written in pre-modern Tibet." This work of comparative philosophy and comparative religion discusses all schools of Tibetan Buddhism, Chinese Buddhism and Chinese religions as well as Indian , Mongolian and Khotanese religious systems. The 19th century saw the great figure of Shabkar Tsokdruk Rangdrol (1781–1851) who
3288-431: Is a central leader of the modern Tibetan diaspora and continues to advocate for Tibetan autonomy and human rights as well as continuing to teach Tibetan Buddhism throughout the world. The Dalai Lama has met with numerous political and religious leaders, as well as scientists and philosophers and promotes nonviolence , interfaith dialogue , and the dialogue between Buddhism and science . The Dalai Lama has become one of
3425-523: Is at an elevation of 4,718 metres (15,479 ft) in the southeastern corner of the lake. It is situated on the Tashi Dor promontory. It is more a chapel than a monastery, with two small buildings holding images of local deities. 5th Dalai Lama The 5th Dalai Lama, Ngawang Lobsang Gyatso ( Tibetan : ངག་དབང་བློ་བཟང་རྒྱ་མཚོ་ , Wylie : Ngag-dbang blo-bzang rgya-mtsho ; Tibetan pronunciation: [ŋɑ̀wɑ̀ŋ lɔ́psɑ̀ŋ cɑ̀t͡só] ; 1617–1682)
3562-609: Is credited with having discovered the incarnation. While the Karma, Drugpa and Jonangpa Kagyu orders, (beside the Gelug group from Drepung monastery ) had all independently sought to claim Künga Migyur as a reincarnation of one or another of their own lamas who'd also died in 1616, young Künga Migyur's parents reportedly resisted their demands. Lobsang Gyatso was the name which Künga Migyur received from Lobsang Chökyi Gyaltsen upon taking novice monastic ordination from him at Drepung . In 1638 when he took full ordination, also in
3699-568: Is currently the largest proven geothermal field of its nature in China. There is a gypsum mine with reserves of 100 million tons in Uma township. Other mineral resources include aluminum, tin, lead, zinc and copper. Kangmar Monastery (康玛寺) is in Chonggar Village, Gungtang Township, Damxung County, 16 kilometres (10 mi) from the county seat. The monastery belonged to the Gelug sect, and
3836-505: Is divided into two towns and six townships. The seat of government is in Dangquka . As of 2013 the population was 40,000, up from 35,000 in 1997. In 2000 Damxung had a total population of 39,169, of which 19,429 were male and 18,740 were female. Almost all were ethnic Tibetans. The rural population was 36,607 and the urban population 2,562. As of 2009 there were 37 primary and secondary school buildings. There were seven hospitals, including
3973-607: Is the Book of Kadam also known as the Kadam Emanation Scripture which includes teachings from Kadam masters like Atisha and Dromton . As the name indicates, this is a gradual path model in which the practitioner accomplishes varying stages of contemplation and training based on classical Indian Mahayana Buddhism. The presentation of the Buddhist path begins with beings on the lowest level (those who have wrong view and are filled with afflictions ) and provides
4110-527: Is the deity of my maternal lineage", thereby acknowledging Shugden practice's provincial and even familial (as well as Sakya ) origins. The current 14th Dalai Lama , for his part, continues to maintain it was the Fifth's intent to appease the interfering spirit of the Gyalpo class from Dol Chumig Karmo – hence his insistence on using the name "Dolgyal" to disambiguate a practice he disrecommends from one of
4247-592: Is the founder and abbess of Sravasti Abbey , the only Tibetan Buddhist training monastery for Western bhiksunis (fully ordained female monastics) and bhikkus (fully ordained male monastics) in the United States. After the brutal repression of Buddhism during the Maoist period, three Gelug scholars became important figures in the revival of Tibetan studies in the People's Republic of China . These were known as
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4384-529: The Potrang Karpo – the White Palace ;– in 1649. The initial phase of construction continued until 1694, some twelve years after the 5th Dalai Lama's death, which was kept secret from the general public for that length of time. The Potrang Marpo – or Red Palace – was added between 1690 and 1694. The Fifth Dalai Lama formally institutionalized
4521-574: The Cultural Revolution of 1966–1976), and many Gelug monks, including the 14th Dalai Lama fled the country to India as part of the Tibetan diaspora . The three major Gelug monastic colleges (Sera, Drepung and Ganden) were recreated in India. The Dalai Lama's current seat is Namgyal Monastery at Dharamshala , this monastery also maintains a branch monastery in Ithaca, New York . The 14th Dalai Lama
4658-475: The Dalai Lamas ' personal monastery (already known as Namgyal by that time). Thus invoking all of Tibet 's dharma protectors – including Nechung – the 5th Dalai Lama charged them to "not support, protect, or give ... shelter" to Drakpa Gyaltsen in a formal promulgation which the current 14th Dalai Lama characterizes as "quite strongly worded". Recalling the events of that time later,
4795-542: The First Dalai Lama ." Several major monastic centers were founded in Tsang, including Tashi Lhünpo , Segyü, Gyümé and Gyütö college. By the end of the fifteenth century, the collected works of Tsongkhapa had been set on woodblock prints . His works would later be collected together with the works of Gyaltsap and Khedrup (who wrote numerous commentaries on Indian classics and on the works of Tsongkhapa) to become
4932-555: The Gelug order as an "elevation" by Lobsang Gyatso of the dangerously volatile Dolgyal (by now, quite thoroughly conflated with the original Sakya protector named Shugden) to the status of Dharmapala – in other words: a particularly forceful emanation of a blissfully awakened Buddha 's enlightened activity and therefore basically an enlightened being, himself. The 13th Dalai Lama therefore sought to clarify his view about Dorje Shugden's status in his letter to Pabongkhapa Déchen Nyingpo , in which he identified Dorje Shugden as
5069-533: The Gelug school reportedly joined Mongol forces in coercing monks of certain Kagyu and Bön institutions to embrace specifically Gelug doctrines. Modern Tibetans still differentiate between Bön and Buddhism in common parlance, calling members of the Nyingma , Sakya , Kagyu and Gelug schools nangpa (meaning "insider"), while referring to practitioners of Bön as bönpo . The Jonangpa order belongs to
5206-519: The Jonang and Gelug schools' respective zhentong and rangtong views on voidness. After moving to Amdo the school's distinct transmission lineages of both zhentong philosophy and Dro Kalachakra completion stage practices could be preserved and survived intact to this day. In late 2001, the current 14th Dalai Lama reportedly composed an "Aspiration Prayer for the Flourishing of
5343-654: The Kadam tradition of Atisha (c. 11th century). The school of New Kadam, or New Kadampa is an offshoot of the Gelug-tradition. Furthermore, it is also called the Ganden school, after the first monastery established by Tsongkhapa. The Ganden Tripa ("Ganden Throne Holder") is the official head of the school, though its most influential political figure is the Dalai Lama ("Ocean Teacher"). Allying themselves with
5480-694: The Kagyupa group of schools, the 7th one to emerge. According to Snellgrove and Richardson , it was a difference in philosophy that caused a bitter schism to arise with the Gelugpa, however Samten Karmay maintains that the 5th Dalai Lama's negative attitude towards the Jonangpa was determined by political rather than philosophical or religious considerations. He records elsewhere that the Fifth Dalai Lama's personal biographer and Sanskrit teacher
5617-498: The Lhasa Mönlam , the capital city's New Year Festival, which had originally been created by the reformer Je Tsongkhapa in 1409 (CE). It was under Gyatso's rule that the "rule of religion" was finally firmly established "even to the layman, to the nomad, or to the farmer in his fields". This was not the supremacy of the Gelug school over Bön , or over the other Buddhist schools, but "the dedication of an entire nation to
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5754-587: The Mongol Khans , the Gelug school emerged as the dominant Buddhist school in Tibet and Mongolia since the end of the 16th century (religiously and politically). Another alternative name for this tradition is the Yellow Hat school or sect. Doctrinally, the Gelug school promotes a unique form of prasangika Madhyamaka based on the works of Tsongkhapa. According to John Powers, Tsongkhapa's work "contains
5891-402: The People's Republic of China in the 1950s. Nevertheless, Lobsang Gyatso's rule over Tibet included various incidents which, 350 years later, certain keen observers – namely, the heirs of those Kagyupa followers whose patrons lost power during unification or during the quelling of their subsequent rebellions – still consider to have been the abuse of government power. In 1648, Tibetans loyal to
6028-523: The Qing dynasty simultaneously, and had positive relations with other neighboring countries. He began the custom of meeting early European explorers . The 5th Dalai Lama built the Potala Palace, and also wrote 24 volumes' worth of scholarly and religious works on a wide range of subjects. To understand the context within which the Dalai Lama institution came to hold temporal power in Tibet during
6165-563: The Sakya , Jonang , and Kagyu schools, while maintaining somewhat tense but cordial relations with his Gelug neighbours at Tashilhunpo . Then Altan Khan , King of the Tumed Mongols, invited Drepung Monastery's abbot Sonam Gyatso to Mongolia. In 1577–78 Sonam Gyatso accepted, went there and converted him and his subjects to Buddhism, receiving the Mongolian name "Dalai" in the process by which action his lineage became known as
6302-519: The Vajrayana methods to aid in the speedy attainment of Buddhahood. Higher motivations are said to build on, but not to subvert the foundation of the earlier ones. In his The Three Principles of the Path , Tsongkhapa outlines the three main elements of the path to awakening as follows: According to Tsongkhapa, these three elements contain the essence of all Buddhist teachings and practices and are
6439-461: The "Dalai Lamas" and he became the 3rd Dalai Lama . His two predecessors became known as the 1st and 2nd Dalai Lamas posthumously. The Samdruptse government saw this development as a politico-religious alliance between the Gelugpa and a foreign power. When Sonam Gyatso died, the Gelugpa recognised a Mongolian prince as his incarnation and so a Mongolian 4th Dalai Lama , Yonten Gyatso (1589–1617),
6576-470: The 17th and 18th centuries, Gelug figures continued to produce new scholastic works. The development of the "tenets" ( Tib . grub mtha' , Skt . siddhanta ) genre (a form of doxography ) became a particularly important element of Gelug education and scholarship. Perhaps the most influential Gelug doxographer was the great scholar Jamyang Shéba (1648– 1721), who wrote Roar of the Five-Faced [Lion],
6713-651: The 5th Dalai Lama acknowledged as king of the Dzungar Upper Mongols in Kokonor . The Fifth Dalai Lama began construction of the Potala Palace in 1645 after one of his spiritual advisors, Konchog Chophel (d. 1646), pointed out that the site would be an ideal seat of government, situated as it is between Drepung and Sera monasteries, and overlooking Songtsen Gampo 's old capital city of Lhasa. The 5th Dalai Lama and his government moved into
6850-417: The 5th Dalai Lama immediately commenced the tradition of searching for his next incarnation. He composed a special prayer asking his master "to return" and directed the monks of Tibet's great monasteries to recite it. He also reserved the traditional title of Panchen (short for Pandita chen po "Great Scholar") – which had previously been a courtesy title for all exceptionally learned lamas – exclusively for
6987-433: The 5th Dalai Lama wrote that "...indirectly these creatures..." – Tibetan : འབྱུང་པོ་ , Wylie : ‘byung-po means, roughly, "creature" or "evil spirit" – "...were delivered to the peaceful state of being, released from having to experience the intolerable suffering of bad states of rebirth due to their increasingly negative actions." But the unification of Tibet having occurred at least in part on account of scapegoating
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#17327808376857124-469: The 5th Dalai Lama, Lobsang Gyatso, completed all his formal monastic training as a Gelugpa , proving to be an exceptional scholar, he also studied Nyingmapa doctrines, and took Nyingma tantric empowerments. The great Geluk scholar Sumpa Khenpo acknowledged that Lobsang Gyatso took a special interest in Nyingma tantric doctrines. In fact, the Fifth Dalai Lama states in his autobiography that rather than
7261-517: The Chinese characters that were on the seal given by the emperor, a new seal was carved for stamping documents that dealt with territorial issues. The first imprint of the seal was offered with prayers to the image of Lokeshvara ...". The event is described in Samten Karmay 's account as follows: Gelug The Gelug ( / ɡ ə ˈ l uː ɡ / , also Geluk ; lit. 'virtuous') is
7398-549: The Conquerors and its auto-commentary Lamp re-illuminating Mahamudra ). The Fifth Dalai Lama is also known for having recognized Zanabazar (1635–1723) as the first official Jebtsundamba Khutuktu , the spiritual leader ( Bogd Gegeen ) of the Mongolian Gelug tradition. Zanabazar was a great Mongolian polymath who excelled in painting, sculpture, poetry, scholarship and languages. He is credited with having launched
7535-583: The Dalai Lama in 1645. This is the beginning of the Panchen Lama tulku line, who traditionally rules Shigatse and the Tsang region from his base at Tashilhunpo Monastery . The institutions of the Dalai Lama and Panchen Lama each participate in the process of recognizing each other's reincarnations. Lobsang Chökyi Gyaltsen was a prolific scholar and a great yogi who is particularly known for his writings on Gelug Mahamudra (mainly his root text Highway of
7672-539: The Dalai Lama over the power struggle between the Afaqi and Ishaqi Khojas . In 1679, the 5th Dalai Lama overruled the advice of his Prime Minister and launched an expedition resulting in the Tibet–Ladakh–Mughal War that did not conclude until two years after his death with the 1684 Treaty of Tingmosgang . In a move distinctly evocative of Songtsen Gampo , Lobsang Gyatso once again proclaimed Lhasa to be
7809-574: The Dalai Lamas held political control over central Tibet. The core leadership of this government was also referred to as the Ganden Phodrang . According to Thupten Jinpa, the 5th Dalai Lama's rule "would bring Tibet into a semblance of political unity for the first time since the collapse of the Tibetan empire some seven hundred years earlier." The Fifth Dalai Lama was a prolific author and scholar. According to Jinpa "the Fifth Dalai Lama
7946-639: The Drugpa Kagyu and his mother had connections with the Jonangpa Kagyu through her family at Nakartse Dzong. Thus, after his birth on the 22nd day of the 9th month of the Fire-snake year (late 1617), Taranatha , the most remarkable scholar and exponent of the Jonang school (a.k.a. Tagten Tulku, a.k.a. Kunga Nyingpo), named the child 'Kün-ga Migyur Tobgyal Wanggi Gyalpo'. His family called him 'Künga Migyur'. The child's father, Dudul Rabten,
8083-472: The Fifth Dalai Lama did not accept it. He wrote that after he left Beijing on his way back to Tibet, "the emperor made his men bring a golden seal for me" but "The Tibetan version of the inscription of the seal was translated by a Mongolian translator but was not a good translation." Furthermore, when he arrived back in Tibet, he discarded the emperor's famous golden seal and made a new one for important Tibetan state usage, writing in his autobiography: "Leaving out
8220-480: The Gelug school and had supported the Tsang dynasty. After the war, many Kagyu and Jonang monasteries were forcefully converted to Gelug monasteries. The writings of the Jonang school as well any literature from the Sakya masters who had attacked Tsongkhapa were also banned and their woodblock prints were locked away. The Dalai Lama's attitude towards Nyingma was different, and he supported the collection and preservation of Nyingma texts, as well as personally patronizing
8357-539: The Gelug school emerged as the dominant one, with the military help of the Mongol Güshri Khan who invaded Tibet in 1642 in order to defeat the king of Tsang . According to Tibetan historian Samten Karmay , Sonam Chophel (1595–1657), treasurer of the Ganden Palace, was the prime architect of the Gelug's rise to political power. Later he received the title Desi [Wylie: sde-sris ], meaning "Regent", which he would earn through his efforts to establish Gelugpa power. The 5th Dalai Lama , Ngawang Lobsang Gyatso (1617–1682),
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#17327808376858494-520: The Jonang Teachings" entitled in Tibetan : ཇོ་ནང་པའི་བསྟན་རྒྱས་སྨོན་ལམ་ , Wylie : Jo-nang pa'i bStan rGyas sMon-lam (which might be called quite strongly worded). The 5th Dalai Lama Ngawang Lobsang Gyatso established a centralized dual system of government under the Gyalwa Rinpoche ( i.e. , the institution of the Dalai Lama ) which was divided equally between laymen and monks (both Gelugpa and Nyingmapa ). This form of government, with few changes, survived up to modern times. He also revitalized
8631-478: The Mindroling monastery and their leaders Terdag Lingpa and Lochen Dharmashri. The Sixth Dalai Lama (1683–1706) was an unconventional figure who liked to live as a layperson, refused monastic vows, drank alcohol, slept with women and write love poems and erotic poems . His verses are an important part of Tibetan poetry. His successor, the 7th Dalai Lama , was also a noted poet, but he wrote mainly on Buddhist and spiritual themes. The 7th Dalai Lama Kelzang Gyatso
8768-447: The Ming emperors for Tibetan lamas to visit China and the freedom the lamas exercised in responding to these requests, characterize the Sino Tibetan relationship at this time as one of mutual independence." Fifth Dalai Lama Lobsang Gyatso established diplomatic relations with the second emperor of the Qing dynasty , accepting the Shunzhi Emperor 's 1649 invitation. The Shunzhi Emperor invited him to Beijing instead of Mongolia, following
8905-415: The Panchen Lama and his successors (and, for those who consider him the 4th Panchen, for his three predecessors as well). He had also predicted that Gyaltsen would continue to be reincarnated in future as the 'Panchen Lama'. The two had a teacher/disciple relationship going back to the 1st Dalai Lama Gendun Drup and his teacher Khedrup Je , considered by some in retrospect as the 1st Panchen Lama . From
9042-420: The Panchen Lama or any other Geluk masters, the great Nyingma lama Zur Choying Rangdrol ‘the omniscient’ (kun mkhyen zur chos dbyings rang grol, 1604–1657) was his 'root guru', 'spiritual master' and his 'root master'. Fifth Dalai Lama Ngawang Lobsang Gyatso's rule over central Tibet may be characterized, in very broad terms, Although the Fifth Dalai Lama would ultimately come to be known for unifying Tibet, it
9179-511: The Path, The Foundation of All Good Qualities. There are also various other expositions of the Lamrim by other figures such as the 3rd Dalai Lama 's Essence of Refined Gold and Panchen Losang Chökyi Gyaltsen 's Easy Path ( de lam ). These Lamrim works are based on the teachings of the Indian master Atiśa (c. 11th century) in A Lamp for the Path to Awakening as well on the works of Shantideva and other Indian Madhyamaka authors. According to Gelug scholastics, Tsongkhapa's presentation of
9316-455: The Rinpung and establishing the Tsang hegemony in 1565 by declaring himself King of Tsang . Tseten Dorje established his residence at Samdruptse castle, also called Shigatse , near the Gelug monastery of Tashilhunpo , and together with his nine sons, eventually extended the reach of his power over both of Tibet's central provinces of Ü and Tsang. The secular government of King Tseten Dorje and his descendants enjoyed general support from
9453-453: The Sakya scholar Rendawa (1349–1412), the Drikung Thil scholar Chenga Chokyi Gyalpo, the Kadam mystic Lama Umapa, the Jonang master Bodong Chokley Namgyal and the Dzogchen master Drupchen Lekyi Dorje. A great admirer of the Kadam school, Tsongkhapa merged the Kadam teachings of lojong (mind training) and lamrim (stages of the path) with the Vajrayana teachings of the Sakya, Kaygu and Jonang schools. He also emphasized monasticism and
9590-405: The Tibetan Buddhist canon. The 20th century saw several influential figures emerge from Gelug institutions, including Gendün Chöphel (1903–1951) and Pabongkha Déchen Nyingpo (1878–1941). During the reign of the 13th Dalai Lama, the so-called " Dorje Shugden controversy " began, spearheaded by the sectarian tendencies of Pabongkha. This division within the Gelug order was based on the worship of
9727-462: The Tibetan state oracle of Nechung . Lobsang Gyatso established Nechung Monastery as the seat of Tibet 's state oracle by instituting Gyalpo Pehar as the protector of Tibet's newly consolidated Ganden Phodrang government. Nechung – which, translated literally, means "small place" – was a shrine dedicated to Pehar , located about ten minutes east on foot from Drepung monastery near Tibet's newly declared capital city of Lhasa . The rôle of
9864-452: The Tibetan state through developing a modern tax system, military, police and administration. These changes brought about some conflict from the elite Gelug institutions who were used to running their own finances, the most shocking of which was when the 9th Panchen Lama fled for China after losing a power struggle with the Dalai lama. The 13th Dalai Lama also launched a new modern printing of
10001-572: The Tsangpa and fighting against the Ganden Phodrang. In 1650 the Jonangpa printing presses were officially sealed and teaching of their zhentong philosophical views was forbidden within central Tibet, indicating that the basis of the schism was more philosophical in nature. Then in 1658 the main Jonang monastery Takten Damchö Ling in Lhatse – which had been the monastic seat of
10138-420: The advice of his Han advisors over the suggestion by his Manchu advisors. The 5th Dalai Lama set out from Lhasa in 1652 accompanied by 3,000 men. The journey to Beijing took nine months. Lobsang Gyatso and his entourage spent two months in the yellow palace which had been especially constructed by the emperor in order to house him. The Shunzhi Emperor, who was only 14 years old (13 by Western reckoning) at
10275-489: The bodhisattva path. Other key Gelug scholars of this period include Changkya Rölpé Dorjé (1717–1786), who wrote Presentation of Tenets , and Ngawang Belden (b. 1797), who wrote a major commentary on Jamyang’s Great Exposition . Changkya Rölpé Dorjé is also known for his knowledge of languages and translation work and for being the main teacher in the Qing court of the Qianlong Emperor . Changkya oversaw
10412-536: The capital of Tibet. Assembling his government there, he "appointed governors to the districts, chose ministers for his government, and promulgated a set of laws". The young Dalai Lama also transformed his regent into a prime minister – or, as the Tibetans call him, the Desi . Administrative authority was vested in the person of the Desi , while military power remained the special domain of Güshi Khan , whom
10549-483: The common goal of all scriptures, treatises and tantras. Furthermore, according to Tsongkhapa, these are not just introductory or partial elements, but essential foundations for all Buddhist practices, sutric (i.e. non-tantric Mahayana) or tantric. In Gelug, the achievement of the perfection of wisdom ( prajñaparamita ) requires a proper understanding of the view of emptiness . In the Lamrim chenmo, Tsongkhapa rejects
10686-529: The county. Damxung railway station links the county to the city of Lhasa to the south. There is a large geothermal field at Yangbajain . This is harnessed by generating units that deliver 25,180 kW, or 100 million kilowatt hours annually, to the city of Lhasa to the south. The transmission line follows the Duilong River south through Doilungdêqên District . Yangbajain Geothermal Field
10823-520: The death of Tsongkhapa in 1419 (who at the time was already famous and had attracted numerous disciples) the Gelug (a.k.a. Ganden) order grew extremely quickly through the efforts of Tsongkhapa's disciples who founded numerous new monasteries and spread the doctrine throughout Tibet. The Gelug school developed a reputation for strict adherence to monastic discipline ( vinaya ) and rigorous scholarship as well as for tantric practice. According to Sam van Schaik, while Tsongkhapa himself did not work to establish
10960-435: The death of both people and cattle combined with harsh, unpredictable weather in an atmosphere of political intrigue and diplomatic insecurity, Gyatso undertook a specific course of action which might be considered somewhat unconventional, even for a religiously affiliated head of state. At the end of the earth-bird year of 1669 (CE), a special crypt was constructed, and offerings placed within it in hopes that it might serve as
11097-445: The departed spirit of a controversial but popular rival lama was not to be without eventual historic consequence. The growth of the 19th-century nonsectarian Rime movement served in part to expose and exacerbate political tensions within the Gelug hierarchy as it had come to organize itself in the centuries following the 5th Dalai Lama's death. Some of his acts were subsequently misconstrued by certain conservative factions within
11234-415: The east." John Powers also notes that during the following centuries the Gelug school "continued to produce an impressive number of eminent scholars and tantric adepts." By the end of the fifteenth century, Tsongkhapa had come to be seen as a second Buddha among in the Gelug tradition, and various hagiographies were written by his disciples (like Khedrup Je and Tokden Jampel Gyatso). These texts developed
11371-620: The elderly Panchen Lama at Tashilhunpo to receive lineage transmissions which he still lacked and at this point he requested the Panchen to accept Tashilhunpo Monastery , built by the 1st Dalai Lama , as his multi-lifetime seat for future incarnations. Since then, every incarnation of the Panchen Lama has been the master of Tashilhunpo Monastery and it is there that they have all received their education and their mummified bodies were enshrined. When Panchen Gyaltsen died in 1662 at 93,
11508-473: The establishment of monasteries and the translation of Buddhist texts to Mongolian . He also worked against certain shamanistic practices such as animal sacrifice and blood sacrifices. This turn of events provided the Gelug school with powerful patrons who were to propel them to political pre-eminence in Tibet. The Gelug-Mongol alliance was further strengthened as after Sonam Gyatso's death, his incarnation
11645-657: The establishment of the Khoshut Khanate . By this feat the Phagmodrupa dynasty , which was associated with a variant of the Kagyu school, was technically replaced; in fact it had been powerless for many years. By subsequently formally recognizing the Fifth Dalai Lama's authority in 1642, Güshi Khan effectively made Gyatso the temporal ruler of all Tibet. Güshi Khan maintained friendly and respectful relations with Lobsang Gyatso, but died in 1655, leaving ten sons. Eight of them (along with their tribes) settled in
11782-457: The grasslands of northern Tibet, were killed at this place and the towers were built to commemorate them. Another says that the eight generals of the Mongol army were killed here. This may be more plausible, since the names seem to have Mongol origins. Namtso lake is the second-largest salt lake in China. It has vivid turquoise-blue waters and is set in spectacular scenery. The Tashi Dor Monastery
11919-445: The great Jonangpa exponent Taranatha (1575–1634) – was converted to a Gelug institution and renamed Phuntsok Choling. The Fifth Dalai Lama's Regent or Desi , Sonam Rapten was, in fact, a fanatical Gelugpa supremacist as well as a shrewd and canny political operator with an eye for the main chance. Being 22 years the Dalai Lama's senior he dominated him as he raised him from the age of 5. In his autobiography The Dukula
12056-616: The great myths of the Buddha Tsongkhapa (including stories of his previous births and his various mystical visions) and helped established the new identity of the Gelug school as an authentic lineage (traced back to Manjushri ). Meanwhile, among the other Tibetan schools, Tsongkhapa now came to be considered "a force to be reckoned with, someone whose vision, ideas, and writings had to be understood in relation to their own cherished lineage and tradition." This initial period of growth also saw scholastic debates and exchanges between
12193-487: The idea that all intellectual effort, concepts, and mental activity are obstacles to spiritual understanding. He also rejects certain views of emptiness, particularly the shentong (other emptiness) view, which is seen as a kind of eternalism or essentialism . The proper view of emptiness in the Gelug school is considered to be the prāsangika mādhyamika philosophy of Nagarjuna and Chandrakirti as interpreted by Tsongkhapa . According to Jay Garfield, Tsongkhapa's view
12330-555: The king, returned with her son to her family's home, Narkatse castle, in Yardrog . The infant Künga Migyur's name had been drawn, by lot, from among the names of three children considered likely candidates in a series of divination rituals including a doughball divination which was held in secret (on account of King Dorje's prohibition against seeking the 4th Dalai Lama's reincarnation) at Radeng monastery . The former 4th Dalai Lama 's chief attendant, Sonam Choephel (1595–1658),
12467-469: The lama repeatedly remarks how he had to defer to the Desi, or had to do as he said, and even as an adult he rarely got his way if he disagreed with Sonam Rapten's wishes. That the infamous sectarian policies implemented in the decade after the 1642 civil war were the work of the Desi can be inferred from the decree that the Fifth Dalai Lama issued to him and his administration just as he departed to Beijing in
12604-611: The lifetime of the 5th, it may be helpful to review not just the early life of Lobsang Gyatso but also the world into which he was born, as Künga Migyur. The child who would become the 5th Dalai Lama was born in the Chonggye Valley in Ü , south of the Yarlung Tsangpo River and about two days' journey south-east of Lhasa, to a prominent family of nobles with traditional ties to both Nyingma and Kagyu lineages. The aristocratic Zahor family into which he
12741-472: The main unique canonical collection of the Gelug school which is known as the “Father and Sons Collected Works” ( jé yapsé ungbum ). According to Thupten Jinpa, by the end of the fifteenth century, the "new Ganden tradition had spread through the entire Tibetan cultural area , with monasteries upholding the tradition located in western Tibet , in Tsang , in central and southern Tibet, and in Kham and Amdo in
12878-421: The modern Damxung County. The county has an area of 10,036 square kilometres (3,875 sq mi), with rugged topography. Damxung is long and narrow, measuring 185 kilometres (115 mi) from the northeast to southwest extremes, and at most 65 km across (40 mi). The county is tectonically active and was the epicenter of a 7.5M w earthquake in the north in 1952 and a 6.4 M w earthquake in
13015-411: The new Gelug tradition and the earlier sects like the Sakya school, who wrote critiques of Tsongkhapa's philosophy, such as Rongton Shakya Gyaltsen (1367–1449) (and his work led to a response by Khedrup Je ). This debate over Tsongkhapa's madhyamaka interpretation was then taken up by a trio of Sakya school thinkers: Taktsang Lotsawa, Gorampa , and Shākya Chokden. Their critique would be countered by
13152-414: The newest of the four major schools of Tibetan Buddhism . It was founded by Je Tsongkhapa (1357–1419), a Tibetan philosopher , tantric yogi and lama and further expanded and developed by his disciples (such as Khedrup Je , Gyaltsap Je , Dulzin Drakpa Gyaltsen, and Gendün Drubpa ). The Gelug school is alternatively known as Kadam ( bKa’-gdams gsar-pa ), since it sees itself as a continuation of
13289-399: The northwest of the county. Mount Nyenchen Tanglha is the highest peak in the region, at 7,111 metres (23,330 ft). The Nyainqêntanglha mountains define the watershed between northern and southern Tibet. A valley with elevation of about 4,200 metres (13,800 ft) runs parallel to the mountains to their southeast, sloping from northwest to southeast. 30% of the county's total area is in
13426-400: The prairie of this valley. Damxung is cold and dry in the winter, cool and wet in summer, with very variable weather. The average annual temperature is 1.3 °C (34.3 °F), with only 62 frost-free days. The land is frozen from the start of November to the following March. Pasture has 90–120 days for growth. Average annual precipitation is 481 millimetres (18.9 in). Damxung County
13563-583: The presence of Lobsang Chökyi Gyaltsen at the Jokhang Temple in Lhasa, Ngawang was added to his name, Ngawang Lobsang Gyatso. At this time his interest in the Nyingmapa teachings began to deepen and his devotion to the Nyingma master Zur Choying Rangdrol became somewhat conspicuous. Lobsang Chökyi Gyaltsen (1570–1662), the Panchen Lama and the first to be accorded this title during his lifetime,
13700-501: The renowned Jonang scholar Jamyang Wangyal Dorje Mondrowa was a master of the Jonang tradition and belonged to a well-known Jonang family from Lato in Tsang with whom the Dalai Lama had good relations. In any case, it was during Lobsang Gyatso's rule after the civil wars and rebellions of 1640-1643 that Jonangpa institutions, teachings and followers were banished and moved out of central Tibet to be re-established in Amdo for allying with
13837-505: The reversal of specified sectarian policies being implemented, evidently without his approval, by the Desi's government: "Around this time, the adepts of the Sakya, Kagyu and Nyingma schools were not allowed to wear hats in their own way, and it was intended that their religious affinities would gradually be converted to the Gelug. Many of our major and minor figures had given their approval for this and even made pleas (for this policy). If this
13974-424: The ritual cycles of Nechung Monastery , where it continues to be practiced, up to the present day. Nechung 's role in warding off one interfering spirit in particular is quite extensively detailed in the 5th Dalai Lama's autobiography. Some contemporary scholars and the current 14th Dalai Lama would appear to agree: Lobsang Gyatso specifically states that a gyalpo ( Tibetan : རྒྱལ་པོ་ , Wylie : rgyal-po :
14111-795: The same time that his infant son had been recognized, in secret, by lamas of the Gelug order as the reincarnation of the 4th Dalai Lama , while Tashilhunpo 's abbot Lobsang Chökyi Gyaltsen used diplomacy to persuade King Karma Phuntsok Namgyal to lift the ban he'd put in place on seeking out the 5th Dalai Lama. Dudul Rabten escaped his captors and tried to reach eastern Tibet, but was rearrested. Dudul Rabten died in captivity in 1626 at Samdruptse – Karma Phuntsok Namgyal's castle also known as Shigatse – and thus, he never lived to see his son again. The young 5th Dalai Lama's family were ordered by Karma Phuntsok Namgyal to live at court in Samdruptse , but his mother, Kunga Lhanzi , fearing retribution from
14248-513: The schools should be undertaken and no hat style to be changed; the bad example of the big schools preventing the small ones from recruiting new monks was to be discouraged." In 1674, the 5th Dalai Lama met with 10th Karmapa ( i.e. , the specific tulku , or incarnate lama who heads the Karma Kagyu school) Chöying Dorje (1604–1674) at the Potala . This mutual gesture of "reconciliation"
14385-466: The second of 'Choluk', this was abbreviated to "Galuk" and then modified to the more easily pronounced "Gelug". The Gelug school was also called the "New Kadam", because it saw itself a revival of the Kadam school founded by Atisha . Samding Dorje Phagmo The Gelug school was founded by Je Tsongkhapa , an eclectic Buddhist monk and yogi who traveled Tibet studying under Kadam, Sakya , Drikung Kagyu , Jonang and Nyingma teachers. These include
14522-563: The south in 2008. In November 2010 a moderate quake in Damxung at 5.2 on the Richter scale shook office windows in Lhasa. There were no casualties, but houses were damaged. In the extreme northeast of the county, Namtso lake has an area of 1,920 square kilometres (740 sq mi), of which 45% lies in Damxung county. Namtso is one of the great lakes of the Tibetan plateau. The Nyenchen Tanglha (or Nyainqentanglha) mountains extend along
14659-537: The spirit as well – which was named "Dolgyal" by combining gyalpo with the ghost 's place of residence. It was only later that Dolgyal would come to be identified with Dorje Shugden ( Tibetan : རྡོ་རྗེ་ཤུགས་ལྡན་ , Wylie : rDo-rje Shugs-ldan ) through conflation with a much older Sakya protector of the same name associated with the remote Nepali village of Tsap . Modest but extensive offerings to monks of wheat and tea along with small amounts of gold reportedly resulted in sutra recitations numbering in
14796-499: The stages of the path is traced through Atisha back to Nagarjuna (who received it from Manjushri). Tsongkhapa is also said to have incorporated elements from Asanga's presentation of the path (as taught to him by Maitreya ). The presentation of samatha and vipaśyanā in Tsongkhapa's Lamrim is also based on eighth-century Indian teacher Kamalaśīla 's Bhāvanākrama (Stages of Meditation). Another important text in Gelug
14933-637: The strategically important Koko Nur region of Amdo , where they frequently fought over territory. The 5th Dalai Lama sent several governors to the region between 1656 and 1659 to restore order. Although Güshi Khan 's descendants (who would come to be known as the Upper Mongols ) showed little interest in the administration of Tibet , they did appoint a regent for a while to act on their behalf in Lhasa , and gradually assimilated certain aspects of Tibetan culture into their own. They would also come to play
15070-465: The summer of 1652 to see the Emperor, leaving the Desi behind in Tibet. The issuance of such a decree, at the age of 35, indicates his growing maturity and his firm intention to start imposing his will over that of his Regent concerning such important policies which the Dalai Lama disapproved of. He presents this decree as his instructions to his regent in the form of a testament to be implemented while he
15207-436: The tens of thousands. Combined with the performance of many far more complex tantric rituals, the coordinated efforts reached eleven separate district capitals, and spread through no fewer than seventy monasteries including Dorje Drag , Sera , and Drepung . The entire cycle was concluded with an elaborate fire puja offering in which the "perfidious spirit" was ritually burnt by seven different groups of practitioners, led by
15344-415: The three-headed, six-armed Pehar as protector of Tibet can be traced back to at least the 8th century, when Pehar was oath-bound by Padmasambhava to act as chief among Tibet's protector's, with Dorje Drakden named his chief emissary. The 5th Dalai Lama also composed a generation stage practice and invocation of the protector entitled simply Dra-Yang-Ma (Melodic Chant), which was incorporated into
15481-463: The time of the 5th the two offices were known as Yab Sey Gonpo or "Father/Son Protectors" characterising their spiritual provenance as emanations of Amitābha and Avalokitesvara as well as their interchangeable guru/disciple relationship. This continued, lifetime after lifetime well into the 20th century with whichever was elder becoming the teacher of the younger, giving both monastic ordination and passing on tantric lineage transmissions. Although
15618-707: The time, first met the Dalai Lama in January 1653, honouring him with two grand imperial receptions. Some historians claim that the emperor treated the Dalai Lama as an equal while others dispute this claim. The emperor gave Gyatso a parting gift of an elaborate gold seal reading "Dalai Lama, Overseer of the Buddhist Faith on Earth Under the Great Benevolent Self-subsisting Buddha of the Western Paradise". However
15755-540: The translation of the Tibetan Buddhist canon into Mongolian and Manchu , compiled a collection of the canon in four languages (Chinese, Manchurian, Mongolian and Tibetan) and also supervised the translation of the Śūraṅgama Sūtra into Tibetan. During the 18th century, Thuken Losang Chökyi Nyima (1737–1802), a student of Changkya, took the tenets genre one step further with his Crystal Mirror of Philosophical Systems. According to Roger R. Jackson, this text
15892-450: The works of numerous Gelug scholars, such as Lekpa Chöjor (a.k.a. Jamyang Galo, 1429–1503), the first Panchen Lama Lozang Chökyi Gyaltsen (1507–1662), Jetsun Chökyi Gyaltsen (1469–1544/46), Sera Jetsun Chökyi Gyaltsen, Panchen Delek Nyima and Jamyang Zhepa (1648–1751). In 1577 Sönam Gyatso , who was considered to be the third incarnation of Gendün Drup , formed an alliance with the then most powerful Mongol leader, Altan Khan . As
16029-1185: The world's most admired religious figures. Numerous other Gelug teachers now teach in the West and Gelug centers have become a regular part of Western Buddhism. Perhaps the largest religious organization associated with the Gelug tradition is the Foundation for the Preservation of the Mahayana Tradition , founded in 1975 by Thubten Yeshe and Thubten Zopa Rinpoche . The organization runs numerous meditation centers, several monasteries such as Nalanda monastery in France and as well Maitripa College . Other influential Gelug lamas who have taught western Buddhists include Ngawang Wangyal , Lhundub Sopa (who founded Deer Park Buddhist Center and Monastery ), Geshe Rabten , Choden Rinpoche , Kyabje Yongzin Ling Rinpoche , Geshe Lhakdor , and Dhardo Rinpoche. Some Gelug lamas also went on to receive
16166-452: The “Three Polymaths”, which were Tséten Zhabdrung (1910–1985), Mugé Samten (1914–1993), and Dungkar Lozang Trinlé (1927–1997). The Mongolian Gelug school under by the 9th Jebtsundamba Khutughtu , led the revival of Mongolian Buddhism after the fall of communist rule in Mongolia in 1990 . The Gelug tradition also has a strong traditional presence in modern Russian Republics like Buryatia , Kalmykia and Tuva . Tsongkhapa's works contain
16303-553: Was a highly learned Buddhist scholar and wrote hundreds of titles on various Buddhist topics. During the time of the 7th, Tibet also became a protectorate of the Qing Empire under the Kangxi Emperor (r. 1661–1722). The 8th, 9th, 10th. 11th and 12th Dalai Lamas all died young and were not significant figures. Tibet was ruled by a series of regents during this period and experienced much political instability. During
16440-401: Was absent in China, and, perhaps, in case he did not return from the long and perilous journey for any reason. In The Dukula , he explains how, before departing, he handed to Sonam Rapten "for his memory, with explanations, a scroll of the following list concerning what was to be done (in my absence)". He then specifies what (amongst other things) this decree placed a ban on, and he thus ordered
16577-597: Was administered by the Hardongkangcun of the Tantric School of Sera Monastery . As of 2003 it had 62 monks and was the largest monastery in Damxung. It was said to have been built by a monk from Kangma in Garze Prefecture . The meditation room has 1,213 carved stone reliefs of Buddha, mostly about 20 by 30 centimetres (8 by 12 in). They are about three hundred years old. The temple stands on
16714-440: Was also known as a great scholar who wrote various works on topics like Tibetan medicine , astrology, biography and calligraphy. He is the author of the important Tibetan medical text, The Mirror of Beryl, commissioned a set of medical paintings and wrote a biography of the Fifth Dalai Lama. During the rule of the Fifth Dalai Lama that his teacher Lobsang Chökyi Gyaltsen received the title "Panchen Bogd" from Altan Khan and
16851-486: Was an influential Gelug monk, poet and Dzogchen yogi who is particularly known for his non-sectarian study of various Tibetan Buddhist traditions, especially the Gelug and Nyingma traditions. His writings on non-sectarianism prefigure the rise of the Rime movement by about three decades. His autobiography and other works integrate the teachings of the Gelug tradition with that of the Nyingma school. Another Gelug master who
16988-520: Was arrested in 1618 for his involvement in a plot to overthrow Karma Phuntsok Namgyal , leader of the Tsang hegemony . Karma Phuntsok's grandfather Zhingshak Tseten Dorje (also known as Karma Tseten) had originally been appointed Governor of Tsang by the Rinpung Prime Minister Ngawang Namgyel in 1548. Tseten Dorje had rebelled against the heirs of Ngawang Namgyel starting in 1557, eventually overthrowing
17125-400: Was associated with non-sectarian activity was Minyak Kunzang Sonam (1823–1905). He was a Dzogchen practitioner and one of the four great Dharma heirs of the Nyingma master Patrul Rinpoche . During the era of the 13th Dalai Lama (1876–1933) Tibet reclaimed its independence from China and went through some reforms and modernization activities. The 13th focused on centralizing and modernizing
17262-543: Was born had held their seat since the 14th century at Taktsé Castle , south of Lhasa – a legendary stronghold of Tibetan kings in the days of the early empire, before Songtsen Gampo (604–650 CE) had moved his capital from there to Lhasa . The 5th Dalai Lama's father was called Dudul Rabten, the local ruler of the Chonggye valley, also known as Hor Dudül Dorjé; his mother was called Tricham, Kunga Lhadze or Kunga Lhanzi. His father had friendly relations with
17399-521: Was directly administered by the Qing Dynasty Amban . Following the Qing's collapse, the area once again came under possession of Sera Monastery, which established Damxung Dzong under Domê Chikyab ( mdo smad spyi khyab , "Domê Governorate"), predecessor of the modern Chamdo Prefecture . In 1956, the county was transferred to Lhasa City. In 1959, Petsang and Yangbajain merged into Damxung to form
17536-403: Was followed by the founding of Drepung (1416) and Sera (in 1419), which became the "great three" Gelug monasteries (and eventually they would become some of the largest monasteries in the world). According to Sam van Schaik these Gelug centers "came to form a triumvirate of massive Gelug monasteries that would dominate the religious and political life of Central Tibet for centuries." After
17673-459: Was found to be Altan Khan's great-grandson, who became the 4th Dalai Lama . The influence of the Gelug school on Mongolian Buddhism remains strong today. According to Thupten Jinpa "an important legacy of this relationship has been the tradition of young Mongols studying at the great Geluk centers of learning in Amdo and central Tibet." Following violent strife among the sects of Tibetan Buddhism ,
17810-425: Was going to serve the interests of our [Gelugpa] school, it would most likely be good to have a unified school. However, to have a unified school would be beneficial neither to our own school nor to the others. In the long run it would come to: 'Whatever one does, the results of that action will ripen'. Therefore this was a gross policy that needed to be renounced, because there was little purpose in it: no conversion of
17947-448: Was his first regent Sonam Choephel (1595-1657 CE, also known as Sonam Rabten, treasurer of Ganden ) who was, in fact, "the prime architect of the Gelug 's rise to power". The 5th Dalai Lama would eventually assume complete power – including that of appointing his regents. Sonam Choephel , the regent during the 5th Dalai Lama Lobsang Gyatso's youth, requested the aid of Güshi Khan , a powerful Dzungar military leader in carrying out
18084-512: Was installed as the abbot of Drepung. This increased Mongolian involvement with the Gelugpa even further and enabled more Mongolian intervention in Tibetan affairs. As a result, King Tseten Dorje's suspicions about Gelugpa ambitions rose and when in 1616 the 4th Dalai Lama died young, at the age of 28, in an attempt to defeat the process the King prohibited the Gelugpa monks from searching for his incarnation. Dudul Rabten's arrest occurred at roughly
18221-491: Was personally an ecumenist who revered Tibet’s other major Buddhist traditions, especially the Nyingma ." In this he was influenced by his teacher Paljor Lhundrup who was a Gelug monk and master of the Nyingma Great Perfection (Dzogchen) tradition. The "Great Fifth" wrote numerous works and revealed a cycle of Dzogchen teachings. One of his students (and political successor as regent), Desi Sangye Gyatso
18358-556: Was recognized as the 5th Dalai Lama, and he became the first Dalai Lama to hold both Tibet's political and spiritual leadership roles. He is often referred to simply as the Great Fifth , being the key religious and temporal leader of Tibetan Buddhism and Tibet . He is credited with unifying all of Tibet under the Ganden Phodrang , after Gushri Khan 's successful military interventions. As an independent head of state, he established priest and patron relations with both Mongolia and
18495-473: Was reportedly "welcomed by both parties after the many conflicts and misunderstandings between 1612 and 1642". When the 5th Dalai Lama issued the edict to appoint Sangye Gyatso as his Desi in 1679, in the same edict he also recognised the Yungdrung Bön as Tibet's native religion and describes it as being the "holder of secret mantras ". There are some fairly subtle philosophical differences between
18632-402: Was the first in his line to hold full political and spiritual power in Tibet. He established a formal theocratic system of government, opened diplomatic relations with Qing Dynasty China, built the Potala Palace in Lhasa , institutionalized the Tibetan state Nechung Oracle , and spurred a major renaissance in art and book printing. From the period of the 5th Dalai Lama in the 17th century,
18769-425: Was the tutor and a close ally of the 5th Dalai Lama, who, according to Thubten Jigme Norbu and Hugh E. Richardson , declared or pronounced the Panchen to be 'an incarnation of Dhayani Buddha Amitābha ' – although other sources all appear to indicate that he was considered as such from the start. After the 5th Dalai Lama returned from China, on a teaching tour of Tsang he visited his senior tutor and close friend
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