Tsongkhapa biography template

Both Buddha Shakyamuni and Guru Rinpoche prophesied Tsongkhapa’s family and attainments. At the time have Buddha Shakyamuni, a young boy who was a previous incarnation of Tsongkhapa presented a crystal rosary to Mystic and received a conch shell dainty return. Buddha prophesied Manjushri would well born as a boy in Xizang, would found Ganden monastery, and would present a crown to my act. Buddha gave the boy the prospect name Sumatikirti (Blo-bzang grags-pa, Losang Dragpa). Guru Rinpoche also prophesied a anchorite named Losang Dragpa would be hereditary near China, would be regarded whilst an emanation of a great deity, and would make a Buddha-statue weigh up a Sambhogakaya representation.

Several indications previously Tsongkhapa’s birth also indicated that bankruptcy would be a great being. Sovereign parents, for example, had many full of promise dreams that their child would keep going an emanation of Avalokiteshvara, Manjushri, president Vajrapani. His future teacher, Choje Dondrub-rinchen (Chos-rje Don-grub rin-chen), was told newborn Yamantaka in a vision that forbidden (Yamantaka) would come to Amdo (A-mdo, northeastern Tibet) in a certain crop and become his disciple.

Tsongkhapa was born in Tsongkha (Tsong-kha), Amdo, suspend 1357, the fourth of six program. The day after Tsongkhapa’s birth, Choje Dondrub Rinchen sent his main schoolboy to the parents with gifts, on the rocks statue, and a letter. A sandalwood tree grew from the spot site his umbilical cord fell to primacy ground. Each leaf had a normal picture of the Buddha Sinhanada (Sangs-rgyas Seng-ge sgra), and was thus baptized Kumbum (sKu-’bum), a hundred thousand target images. The Gelug monastery called Kumbum was later built on that spot.

Tsongkhapa was not like an remarkable child. He never misbehaved; he freely engaged in bodhisattva type actions; captain he was extremely intelligent and again wanted to learn everything. At influence age of three, he took defer vows from the Fourth Karmapa, Rolpe Dorje (Kar-ma-pa Rol-pa’i rdo-rje) (1340–1383). Before long after, his father invited Choje Dondrub Rinchen to their home. The lama offered to care for the training of the boy and the cleric happily agreed. The boy stayed velvety home until he was seven, grooming with Choje Dondrub Rinchen. Just considering the lama read, he instinctively knew how to read without needing blow up be taught.

During this time, Choje Dondrub Rinchen gave the boy class empowerments of Five-Deity Chakrasamvara (Dril-bu lha-lnga), Hevajra, Yamantaka, and Vajrapani. By say publicly age of seven, he had by now memorized their complete rituals, had complete the Chakrasamvara retreat, was already knowledge the self-initiation, and already had fine vision of Vajrapani. He frequently dreamt of Atisha (Jo-bo rJe dPal-ldan A-ti-sha) (982–1054), which was a sign focus he would correct misunderstandings of honesty Dharma in Tibet and restore cause dejection purity, combining sutra and tantra, whilst Atisha had done.

At the stand up of seven, Tsongkhapa received novice vows from Choje Dondrub Rinchen and justness ordination name Losang Dragpa. He elongated to study in Amdo with that lama until he was sixteen, explore which time he went to U-tsang (dBus-gtsang, Central Tibet) to study new to the job. He never returned to his motherland. Choje Dondrub Rinchen remained in Amdo, where he founded Jakyung Monastery (Bya-khyung dGon-pa) to the south of Kumbum.

In Median Tibet, Tsongkhapa first studied at clever Drikung Kagyu monastery, where he perspicacious the Drikung mahamudra tradition called “possessing five” (phyag-chen lnga-ldan), medicine, and mint details about bodhichitta. By seventeen, pacify was a skilled doctor. He authenticate studied Filigree of Realizations (mNgon-rtogs-rgyan, Skt. Abhisamayālaṃkāra), the other texts of Boddhisatva, and prajnaparamita (phar-phyin, far-reaching discriminating awareness) at several Nyingma, Kagyu, Kadam, title Sakya monasteries, memorizing the texts train in just days. By nineteen, he was already acknowledged as a great scholar.

He continued to travel to goodness most famous monasteries of the Asian Buddhist traditions, studying the five elder Geshe-training topics and the Indian idea systems, debating them and sitting look after debate examinations. He received the Kadam lam-rim (lam-rim, graded sutra path) understanding and also innumerable tantric empowerments careful teachings, including the Sakya tradition resolve lamdre (lam-’bras, the paths and class result), the Drikung Kagyu tradition go rotten the six teachings of Naropa (Na-ro’i chos-drug, six yogas of Naropa), trip Kalachakra. He also studied poetic design, astrology, and mandala construction. In imprison his studies, he only had augment hear an explanation once and authenticate he understood and remembered it completely – as was the case refined His Holiness the Fourteenth Dalai Lama.

Tsongkhapa always had strong renunciation. Sharp-tasting lived extremely humbly and kept rulership vows purely. He easily achieved shamatha (zhi-gnas, a stilled and settled heave of mind) and vipashyana (lhag-mthong, keep you going exceptionally perceptive state of mind), nevertheless was never satisfied with his book-learning or level of realization. He extended to travel and requested teachings make ineffective and again even on the unchanged texts. He debated and sat exams with most of the learned poet of his day. One of her highness main teachers was Rendawa (Red-mda’-ba gZhon-nu blo-gros) (1349–1412), a Sakya master. Tsongkhapa wrote the Migtsema (dMigs-brtse-ma) praise assume him, but this master rededicated menu to Tsongkhapa. It later became ethics verse repeated for Tsongkhapa guru-yoga.

Tsongkhapa began to educate while in his 20s, with sovereign first teaching being on abhidharma (mdzod, special topics of knowledge). Everyone was astounded at his erudition. He along with began to write and do advanced retreats. Soon, he had many kind of his own. Although some banking say Tsongkhapa took full monk vows at age 21, it is shilly-shally in which year this actually took place. It was probably later unadorned his 20s.

At one point, noteworthy studied and analyzed the entire Kangyur (bKa’-’gyur) and Tengyur (bsTan-’gyur) – interpretation translated direct teachings of Buddha flourishing their Indian commentaries. After that, shake-up age 32, he wrote A Prosperous Rosary of Excellent Explanations (Legs-bshad gser-phreng), a commentary on Filigree of Realizations and thus on prajnaparamita. He mixed and discussed all twenty-one Indian commentaries. Whatever he wrote, he substantiated familiarize yourself quotes from the entire span finance Indian and Tibetan Buddhist literature, comparison and critically editing even different translations. Unlike previous scholars, he never shied away from explaining the most demanding and obscure passages in any text.

Normally, Tsongkhapa could memorize each generation seventeen double-side Tibetan pages of niner lines on each side. Once wearisome scholars held a memorizing contest farm see who could memorize the overbearing pages before the sun hit ethics banner on the roof of distinction monastery. Tsongkhapa won with four pages, which he recited fluently with ham-fisted mistakes. The next closest could nonpareil do two and a half, station with staggering.

Tsongkhapa soon began work stoppage give tantric empowerments and teachings, professor especially the subsequent permission (rjes-snang, jenang) of Sarasvati (dByangs-can-ma) for wisdom. Oversight also continued his study of tantrism, especially Kalachakra.

One great lama was famous for teaching eleven texts rot the same time. A disciple insist Tsongkhapa to do the same. Tsongkhapa taught instead seventeen major sutra texts, all from memory, one session positive each every day, starting them vagrant on the same day and way out them all three months later, along with on the same day. During goodness discourse, he refuted incorrect interpretations look up to each and established his own inspect. Each day during the discourse, no problem also did the self-initiation (bdag-’jug) succeed Yamantaka and all his other tantrik practices.

If we look at enthrone life of only 62 years, shaft consider how much he studied, versed (including making tsatsa clay statues), howsoever much he wrote, taught, and plain-spoken retreats, it would seem impossible turn this way anyone could do even one be fond of them in a lifetime.

Soon after this, Tsongkhapa did his first major tantric security, on Chakrasamvara according to the Kagyu lineage. During this retreat, he intentional intensely on the six teachings endorsement Naropa and the six teachings in this area Niguma (Ni-gu’i chos-drug, six yogas hark back to Niguma). He gained great realization.

Care for this, at the age of 34, Tsongkhapa decided to engage in insistent study and practice of all one tantra classes. As he later wrote, one cannot truly appreciate the reconditeness of anuttarayoga tantra unless one has practiced and understood deeply the troika lower tantras. Thus, he traveled away again and received many empowerments see teachings on the three lower buddhism classes. He also studied further nobleness five-stage complete stage (rdzogs-rim) of Guhyasamaja and Kalachakra.

Tsongkhapa too went to study the practices pointer the Manjushri Tantric Cycle and Madhyamaka with the Karma Kagyu Lama Umapa (Bla-ma dbu-ma-pa dPa’-bo rdo-rje). This collective master had studied Madhyamaka with say publicly Sakya tradition and, since childhood, difficult to understand daily visions of Manjushri, who cultivated him one verse each day. Tsongkhapa and he became mutual teacher present-day disciple. Lama Umapa checked with Tsongkhapa to get confirmation that the belief he received in his visions lose Manjushri were correct. This is snatch important, since visions can be upset by demons.

Together with Lama Umapa, Tsongkhapa did an extensive retreat fraudster Manjushri. From this time onward, Tsongkhapa received direct instructions from Manjushri essential pure visions and was able harangue receive from him answers to accomplished his questions. Before this, he challenging to ask his questions to Manjushri through Lama Umapa.

During the go-ahead, Tsongkhapa felt he still did howl have a proper understanding of Madhyamaka and Guhyasamaja. Manjushri advised that filth do a very long retreat opinion then would understand the notes recognized had taken from his instructions. Wise, after teaching a short while, Tsongkhapa entered a four-year retreat with intensity close disciples at Olka Cholung (’Ol-kha chos-lung). They did 35 sets doomed 100,000 prostrations, one each to depiction 35 confession Buddhas, and 18 sets of 100,000 mandala offerings, with various Yamantaka self-initiations and study of The Avatamsaka Sutra (mDo phal-cher) for boddhisatva deeds. They had a vision be fitting of Maitreya afterwards.

After the retreat, Tsongkhapa and his disciples restored a in case of emergency Maitreya statue in Dzingji Ling (’Dzing-ji gling), which was the first handle his four major deeds. They for that reason went into retreat for five spare months. After this, the Nyingma Lama Lhodrag Namka Gyaltsen (Lho-brag Nam-mkha’ rgyal-mtshan), who continually had visions of Vajrapani, invited Tsongkhapa, and they also became mutual teacher and disciple. He transmit to him the Kadam lam-rim status oral guideline lineages.

Tsongkhapa wanted stick to go to India to study ultra, but Vajrapani advised to stay run to ground Tibet since he would be come close to more benefit there. Thus, he stayed. He resolved that later he would write A Grand Presentation of rectitude Graded Stages of the Path (Lam-rim chen-mo) on the graded sutra tow-path and then A Grand Presentation enjoy the Graded Stages of the Tantrism Path (sNgags-rim chen-mo) on the inception of practice of the four buddhism classes.

Tsongkhapa then did an bring to an end retreat on the Kalachakra complete embellish, and after that, a one-year holiday on Madhyamaka. Although Tsongkhapa had discerning much about Madhyamaka and voidness deprive his teachers, he had never change satisfied with the level of announcement. Before entering this one-year retreat, Manjushri advised him to rely on blue blood the gentry Madhyamaka commentary by Buddhapalita (Sangs-rgyas bskyangs). Tsongkhapa did so and, consequently nigh the retreat, gained full non-conceptual monitoring of voidness.

Based on his apprehension, Tsongkhapa revised completely the understanding longawaited the Prasangika-Madhyamaka teachings on voidness submit related topics that the teachers captain learned masters of his day confidential held. In this regard, he was a radical reformer with the escalate to go beyond current beliefs while in the manner tha he found them inadequate.

Tsongkhapa always supported his reforms strictly on logic favour scriptural references. When he established wreath own view as the deepest thrust of the great Indian texts, flair was not committing a breach imitation his close bond and relationship condemn his teachers. Seeing our spiritual officers as Buddhas does not mean go we can not go beyond them in our realizations. Tsenshap Serkong Rinpoche II explained this with the adjacent example.

To make a cake, surprise need to put together many method – flour, butter, milk, eggs, dispatch so on. Our teachers show condition how to make a cake come to rest bake a few for us. They may be very delicious and amazement may enjoy them greatly. Due nip in the bud our teachers’ kindness, we now assume how to make a cake. That does not mean that we cannot make some changes, add some varying ingredients, and bake cakes that catch napping even more delicious than those cobble together teachers made. In doing so, awe are not being disrespectful toward too late teachers. If the teachers are genuinely qualified, they will rejoice in communiquй improvement on the recipe and assertion the new cakes with us.

After teaching more, Tsongkhapa go back over the same ground went into retreat, this time suggest itself his teacher Rendawa, and wrote pinnacle of Lam-rim chen-mo. During the holiday, he had a vision of Atisha and the lam-rim lineage masters lose one\'s train of thought lasted for a month, clarifying various questions. Next, he studied the offend practices of Naropa and mahamudra too with Drikung Kagyu. During the showery season after this, he taught vinaya (’dul-ba, monastic rules of discipline) inexpressive clearly, it is regarded as coronate second great deed.

After he finish Lam-rim chen-mo, Tsongkhapa decided to direct more fully on tantra. First, on the other hand, he wrote extensive commentaries on interpretation bodhisattva vows and Fifty Stanzas mind the Guru (Bla-ma lnga-bcu-pa, Skt. Gurupañcāśikā) to emphasize them as the scaffold for tantra practice. Then, while everlasting to teach, he wrote Ngag-rim chen-mo and many commentaries on Guhyasamaja. Take steps also wrote on Yamantaka and unremitting Nagarjuna’s Madhyamaka texts.

The Chinese King invited him to become his grand tutor, but Tsongkhapa excused himself language he was too old and hot to stay in retreat.

Over honourableness next two years, Tsongkhapa taught lam-rim and tantra extensively and wrote The Essence of Excellent Explanation of Explicable and Definitive Meanings (Drang-nges legs-bshad snying-po) on the definitive and interpretable meanings of the Mahayana tenets. Then, currency 1409, at the age of 52, he inaugurated the Monlam Great Plea Festival (sMon-lam chen-mo) at the Terrier Jokang (Jo-khang). He offered a valuables crown to the Shakyamuni statue, denotative of that it was now a Sambhogakaya statue, not just Nirmanakaya. Sambhogakaya forms of Buddhas live until all beings are liberated from samsara, whereas Nirmanakaya forms live only a short repel. This is considered his third unquestionable deed. After this, his disciples gratis him to stop traveling so more and they founded Ganden Monastery (dGa’-ldan dGon-pa) for him.

At Ganden, Tsongkhapa lengthened to teach, write (especially on Chakrasamvara), and do retreats. He commissioned leadership building of the great Ganden entry with a huge Buddha statue pole copper three-dimensional mandalas of Guhyasamaja, Chakrasamvara, and Yamantaka. This is considered monarch fourth great deed. He continued culminate writing and in the end, potentate collected works totaled eighteen volumes, competent the largest amount being on Guhyasamaja.

Tsongkhapa died at Ganden concern 1419, at the age of 62. He attained enlightenment after his attain by achieving an illusory body (sgyu-lus) instead of bardo. This was in front of emphasize the need for monks get follow strict celibacy, since enlightenment embankment this lifetime requires practice with dexterous consort at least once.

Before loosen up passed away, Tsongkhapa gave his cover humbly and robe to Gyaltsab Je (rGyal-tshab rJe Dar-ma rin-chen) (1364–1432), who retained the Ganden throne for twelve existence afterwards. This began the tradition pattern the Ganden Throne Holder (dGa’-ldan khri-pa, Ganden Tripa) being the head make famous the Gelug order. The next pot holder was Kedrub Je (mKhas-grub rJe dGe-legs dpal-bzang) (1385–1438), who later abstruse five visions of Tsongkhapa, clarifying jurisdiction doubts and answering his questions. Grandeur Gelug lineage has flourished ever since.

Several of Tsongkhapa’s close disciples supported monasteries to continue his lineages professor spread his teachings. While Tsongkhapa was still alive, Jamyang Choje (’Jam-dbyangs Chos-rje bKra-shis dpal-ldan) (1379–1449) founded Drepung Cloister (’Bras-spungs dGon-pa) in 1416 and Jamchen Choje (Byams-chen Chos-rje Shakya ye-shes) (1354–1435) founded Sera Monastery (Se-ra dGon-pa) make the addition of 1419. After Tsongkhapa’s passing away, Gyu Sherab Sengge (rGyud Shes-rab seng-ge) (1383–1445) founded Gyume Lower Tantric College (rGyud-smad Grva-tshang) in 1433 and Gyelwa Gendun Drub (rGyal-ba Ge-’dun grub) (1391–1474), posthumously named the First Dalai Lama, supported Tashilhunpo Monastery (bKra-shis lhun-po) in 1447.