Atish Dipankar Shrijnan (Sanskrit transliteration: Atiśa Dipankara Shrijnana) (c. 982–1054 CE) was a
Bengali Buddhist
Buddhism, also known as Buddhadharma and Dharmavinaya, is an Indian religion and List of philosophies, philosophical tradition based on Pre-sectarian Buddhism, teachings attributed to the Buddha, a wandering teacher who lived in the 6th or ...
religious teacher and leader.
He is generally associated with his body of work authored at
Vikramaśīla Monastery in modern day
Bihar
Bihar ( ) is a states and union territories of India, state in Eastern India. It is the list of states and union territories of India by population, second largest state by population, the List of states and union territories of India by are ...
,
India
India, officially the Republic of India, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, seventh-largest country by area; the List of countries by population (United Nations), most populous country since ...
.
He was a major figures in the spread of 11th-century
Mahayana
Mahāyāna ( ; , , ; ) is a term for a broad group of Buddhist traditions, Buddhist texts#Mahāyāna texts, texts, Buddhist philosophy, philosophies, and practices developed in ancient India ( onwards). It is considered one of the three main ex ...
and
Vajrayana
''Vajrayāna'' (; 'vajra vehicle'), also known as Mantrayāna ('mantra vehicle'), Guhyamantrayāna ('secret mantra vehicle'), Tantrayāna ('tantra vehicle'), Tantric Buddhism, and Esoteric Buddhism, is a Mahāyāna Buddhism, Mahāyāna Buddhis ...
Buddhism in Asia and traveled to
Sumatra
Sumatra () is one of the Sunda Islands of western Indonesia. It is the largest island that is fully within Indonesian territory, as well as the list of islands by area, sixth-largest island in the world at 482,286.55 km2 (182,812 mi. ...
and
Tibet
Tibet (; ''Böd''; ), or Greater Tibet, is a region in the western part of East Asia, covering much of the Tibetan Plateau and spanning about . It is the homeland of the Tibetan people. Also resident on the plateau are other ethnic groups s ...
. Atiśa, along with this chief disciple
Dromtön, is regarded as the founder of the
Kadam school, one of the
New Translation schools of
Tibetan Buddhism
Tibetan Buddhism is a form of Buddhism practiced in Tibet, Bhutan and Mongolia. It also has a sizable number of adherents in the areas surrounding the Himalayas, including the Indian regions of Ladakh, Gorkhaland Territorial Administration, D ...
. In the 14th century, the Kadam school was supplanted by the
Gelug
file:DalaiLama0054 tiny.jpg, 240px, 14th Dalai Lama, The 14th Dalai Lama (center), the most influential figure of the contemporary Gelug tradition, at the 2003 Kalachakra ceremony, Bodh Gaya, Bodhgaya (India)
The Gelug (, also Geluk; 'virtuous' ...
tradition, which adopted its teachings and absorbed its monasteries.
Biography
Early life
Atiśa was born as Candragarbha in c. 982 CE as the second of three sons to a ruling family in
Bengal
Bengal ( ) is a Historical geography, historical geographical, ethnolinguistic and cultural term referring to a region in the Eastern South Asia, eastern part of the Indian subcontinent at the apex of the Bay of Bengal. The region of Benga ...
in the city of
Vikrampura. His father was a king known as Kalyānaśrī and his mother was Prabhavati Sri. The early part of his life was typical of noblemen of the period and he was trained in various fields including art.
Studies
As a young man, he began to study
tantra
Tantra (; ) is an esoteric yogic tradition that developed on the India, Indian subcontinent beginning in the middle of the 1st millennium CE, first within Shaivism and later in Buddhism.
The term ''tantra'', in the Greater India, Indian tr ...
in what is now
Rajgir where he was tutored by a monk named Rāhulaguhyavajra. Under Rāhulaguhyavajra, Atiśa was initiated into
Hevajra and taught specific meditations. He then studied for seven years under a master named Avadhūtipā where he focused on
yoga
Yoga (UK: , US: ; 'yoga' ; ) is a group of physical, mental, and spiritual practices or disciplines that originated with its own philosophy in ancient India, aimed at controlling body and mind to attain various salvation goals, as pra ...
and engaged in tantric feasts known as
Ganachakra.
According to Tibetan sources, Atiśa was ordained into the
Mahāsāṃghika
The Mahāsāṃghika (Brahmi script, Brahmi: 𑀫𑀳𑀸𑀲𑀸𑀁𑀖𑀺𑀓, "of the Great Sangha (Buddhism), Sangha", ) was a major division (nikāya) of the early Buddhist schools in India. They were one of the two original communities th ...
lineage at the age of twenty-eight by the Abbot Śīlarakṣita in
Bodh Gaya
Bodh Gayā is a religious site and place of pilgrimage associated with the Mahabodhi Temple complex, situated in the Gaya district in the Indian States and union territories of India, state of Bihar. It is famous for being the place where Gautam ...
and studied almost all Buddhist and non-Buddhist schools of his time, including teachings from
Vaishnavism
Vaishnavism () ), also called Vishnuism, is one of the major Hindu denominations, Hindu traditions, that considers Vishnu as the sole Para Brahman, supreme being leading all other Hindu deities, that is, ''Mahavishnu''. It is one of the majo ...
,
Shaivism
Shaivism (, , ) is one of the major Hindu denominations, Hindu traditions, which worships Shiva as the Para Brahman, supreme being. It is the Hinduism#Demographics, second-largest Hindu sect after Vaishnavism, constituting about 385 million H ...
, Tantric Hinduism and other practices. He also studied the sixty-four kinds of art, the art of music and the art of logic and accomplished these studies until the age of twenty-two. Among the many Buddhist lineages he studied, practised and transmitted the three main lineages were the ''Lineage of the Profound Action'' transmitted by
Asaṅga and
Vasubandhu
Vasubandhu (; Tibetan: དབྱིག་གཉེན་ ; floruit, fl. 4th to 5th century CE) was an influential Indian bhikkhu, Buddhist monk and scholar. He was a philosopher who wrote commentary on the Abhidharma, from the perspectives of th ...
, the ''Lineage of Profound View'' transmitted by
Nagarjuna
Nāgārjuna (Sanskrit: नागार्जुन, ''Nāgārjuna''; ) was an Indian monk and Mahayana, Mahāyāna Buddhist Philosophy, philosopher of the Madhyamaka (Centrism, Middle Way) school. He is widely considered one of the most importa ...
and
Candrakīrti, and the ''Lineage of Profound Experience'' transmitted by
Tilopa
Tilopa (Prakrit; Sanskrit: Talika or Tilopadā; 988–1069) was an Indian Buddhist tantric mahasiddha who lived along the Ganges River. He practised Anuttarayoga Tantra, a set of spiritual practices intended to accelerate the process of attaini ...
and
Naropa
Nāropā (Prakrit; , Naḍapāda or Abhayakirti) was an Indian Buddhism, Buddhist Mahasiddha. He was the disciple of Tilopa and brother, or some sources say partner and pupil, of Niguma. As an Indian Mahasiddha, Naropa's instructions inform ...
. Atiśa engaged with many notable teachers during this period including
Ratnākaraśānti,
Naropa
Nāropā (Prakrit; , Naḍapāda or Abhayakirti) was an Indian Buddhism, Buddhist Mahasiddha. He was the disciple of Tilopa and brother, or some sources say partner and pupil, of Niguma. As an Indian Mahasiddha, Naropa's instructions inform ...
and
Jitari. He also studied Dharmarakṣita at the monastery of
Odantapuri.
Vikramaśīla
Atiśa rose to become a senior scholar at the monastery of
Vikramaśīla at a time when it had no more than one hundred ordained monks present. Tibetan hagiographies on his life have a tendency to portray him as one of the greatest scholars to stay at Vikramaśīla who would be noted for his strict adherence to the ethics of Mahayana Buddhism. It was during this period that the King of the Tibetan polity of
Guge
Guge () was an ancient dynastic kingdom in Western Tibet. The kingdom was centered in present-day Zanda County, Ngari Prefecture, Tibet Autonomous Region. At various points in history after the 10th century AD, the kingdom held sway over a vast a ...
, Lha bla ma Ye shes ’od began to send missions to Vikramaśīla to invite scholars to visit Guge so that they could teach the "pure form of Buddhism".
Atiśa finally departed Vikramaśīla in 1040 CE. The then abbot of Vikramaśīla, Ratnakara, gave his permission for Atiśa to leave but on the condition that he return in three years.
Teachings in Sumatra and Tibet
Tibetan sources record that Atiśa spent 12 years in
Sumatra
Sumatra () is one of the Sunda Islands of western Indonesia. It is the largest island that is fully within Indonesian territory, as well as the list of islands by area, sixth-largest island in the world at 482,286.55 km2 (182,812 mi. ...
of the
Srivijaya
Srivijaya (), also spelled Sri Vijaya, was a Hinduism, Hindu-Buddhism, Buddhist thalassocracy, thalassocratic empire based on the island of Sumatra (in modern-day Indonesia) that influenced much of Southeast Asia. Srivijaya was an important ...
empire and he returned to India in 1025 CE which was also the same year when
Rajendra Chola I
Rajendra I (26 July 971 – 1044), often referred to as Rajendra the Great, was a Chola Empire, Chola Emperor who reigned from 1014 to 1044. He was born in Thanjavur to Rajaraja I. His queen was Vanavan Mahadevi and he assumed royal power as ...
of the
Chola dynasty
The Chola dynasty () was a Tamil dynasty originating from Southern India. At its height, it ruled over the Chola Empire, an expansive maritime empire. The earliest datable references to the Chola are from inscriptions dated to the 3rd cen ...
invaded Sumatra.
Upon his return, he received much attention for his teachings and skills in debate and philosophy. On three separate occasions, Atiśa was acclaimed for defeating non-Buddhist extremists in debate. When he came into contact with what he perceived to be a misled or deteriorating form of Buddhism he would quickly and effectively implement reforms. Soon enough he was appointed to the position of steward, or abbot, at Vikramaśīla which was established by
Emperor Dharmapala. He is also said to have "nourished"
Odantapuri.
Atiśa's return from
Suvarnabhumi, where he had been studying with Dharmakīrtiśrī, and his rise to prominence in India coincided with a flourishing of Buddhist culture and the practice of Buddhism in the region, and in many ways Atiśa's influence contributed to these developments. According to the ''
Blue Annals'', a new king of
Guge
Guge () was an ancient dynastic kingdom in Western Tibet. The kingdom was centered in present-day Zanda County, Ngari Prefecture, Tibet Autonomous Region. At various points in history after the 10th century AD, the kingdom held sway over a vast a ...
by the name of
Yeshe-Ö
Yeshe-Ö ( 959–1040; Tibetan script, Tibetan: ཡེ་ཤེས་འོད་, Wylie transliteration, Wylie: ye shes 'od; spiritual names Lha bLama Yeshes 'Od, Byang Chub Ye Shes 'Od, Lha Bla Ma, Lalama Yixiwo, also Dharmaraja – 'Noble K ...
sent his academic followers to learn and translate some of the Sanskrit Buddhist texts. Among these academics was Naktso, who was eventually sent to Vikramaśīla to study Sanskrit and plead with Atiśa to come teach the Dharma in his homeland.
Travelling with Naktso and Gya Lōtsawa, Atiśa journeyed through Nepal on his way to Tolung, the capital of the Purang Kingdom. (Gya Lōtsawa died before reaching Tolung.) On his way, he is said to have met Marpa Lōtsawa. He spent three years in Tolung and compiled his teachings into his most influential scholarly work, ''
Bodhipathapradīpa ''Bodhipathapradīpa'' (''A Lamp for the Path to Enlightenment'') is a Buddhist text composed in Sanskrit by the 11th-century teacher Atiśa and widely considered his magnum opus. The text reconciles the doctrines of many various Buddhist schools ...
'', or ''Lamp for the Path to Enlightenment''. This short text in sixty-seven verses lays out the entire Buddhist path in terms of the three vehicles: Hīnayāna, Mahāyāna, and Vajrayāna, and became the model for subsequent texts in the genre of
Lamrim
Lamrim (Tibetan: "stages of the path") is a Tibetan Buddhist textual form for presenting the stages in the complete path to enlightenment as taught by Buddha. In Tibetan Buddhist history there have been many different versions of ''lamrim'', pr ...
, or the ''Stages of the Path,'' and was specifically the basis for
Tsongkhapa
Tsongkhapa ( Tibetan: ཙོང་ཁ་པ་, '','' meaning: "the man from Tsongkha" or "the Man from Onion Valley", c. 1357–1419) was an influential Tibetan Buddhist monk, philosopher and tantric yogi, whose activities led to the format ...
's Lamrim writings. Here Atiśa met
Dromtön, or Dromtonpa, who would become his primary disciple, regarded as both an enforcer of later propagation ethical standards and a holder of Atiśa's tantric lineage.
According to
Jamgon Kongtrul, when Atiśa discovered the store of Sanskrit texts at Pekar Kordzoling, the library of
Samye, "he said that the degree to which the Vajrayana had spread in Tibet was unparalleled, even in India. After saying this, he reverently folded his hands and praised the great dharma kings, translators, and panditas of the previous centuries."
Legacy
In 2004, Atiśa was ranked 18th in the
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) is a British public service broadcaster headquartered at Broadcasting House in London, England. Originally established in 1922 as the British Broadcasting Company, it evolved into its current sta ...
's poll of the
greatest Bengalis of all time.
Writings
His writings include:
:*''
Bodhipathapradīpa ''Bodhipathapradīpa'' (''A Lamp for the Path to Enlightenment'') is a Buddhist text composed in Sanskrit by the 11th-century teacher Atiśa and widely considered his magnum opus. The text reconciles the doctrines of many various Buddhist schools ...
'' ()
:*Bodhipathapradipapanjikanama (his own commentary on ''Bodhipathapradīpa'' / byang chub lam gyi sgron ma)
:*''Charyasamgrahapradipa'' contains some
kirtan
Sikh ''kirta''n with Indian harmoniums and '' Kenya.html" ;"title="tabla'' drums (a common and popular pairing), in Kenya">tabla'' drums (a common and popular pairing), in Kenya (1960s)
''Kirtana'' (; ), also rendered as ''Kiirtan'', ''Kirt ...
verses composed by Atiśa.
:*''Satyadvayavatara''
:*''Bodhisattvamanyavali''
:*''Madhyamakaratnapradipa''
:*''Mahayanapathasadhanasangraha''
:*''Shiksasamuccaya Abhisamya''
:*''Prajnaparamitapindarthapradipa''
:*''Ekavirasadhana''
:*''Vimalaratnalekha'', a Sanskrit letter to
Nayapala, king of
Gauda.
See also
*
Nyethang Drolma Temple
*
Bikrampur Vihara
References
Bibliography
*
* Khenpo Konchog Gyaltsen, ''Great Kagyu Masters: The Golden Lineage Treasury'', Snow Lion Publications
* Geshe Sonam Rinchen, ''Atiśa's Lamp for the Path to Enlightenment'', Snow Lion Publications
*
*
*
External links
*
*
Bibliography of Atisha's works, Item 596, Karl Potter, University of Washington
Advice from Atiśa's HeartAtiśa Dipamkaraon Banglapedia
English Translation of Lamp to the Path of Enlightenment(by Dr. Alexander Berzin)
{{DEFAULTSORT:Atisa
982 births
1054 deaths
Indian scholars of Buddhism
Monks of Vikramashila
Tibetan Buddhist spiritual teachers
Buddhism in Bangladesh
Madhyamaka scholars
Kadampa lamas
People from Bikrampur
Indian Buddhist monks
10th-century Indian people
11th-century Indian people
History of Tibetan Buddhism
Founders of Buddhist sects
People from the Pala Empire