Rangjung Dorje

Rangjung Dorje () (1284–1339) was the third Karmapa (head of the Karma Kagyu, the largest sub-school of the Kagyu) and an important figure in the history of Tibetan Buddhism, who helped to spread Buddha-nature teachings in Tibetan Buddhism.

Biography

Rangjung Dorje visited China, where the emperor Toghon Temur became his disciple. Upon his death, Rangjung Dorje's face is said to have appeared in the moon there. As a group, the Karmapa Lamas were among the earliest recognized Tulku, or lamas reincarnated as deities or lineage of deceased teachers. The first Karmapas were influential in the Yuan and Ming courts as well as the Tangut Western Xia Kingdom.

Lineage

Born to a Nyingma family, Rangjung Dorje was a lineage-holder in both the Kagyu and the Nyingma (Dzogchen):

Teachings and influence

Buddha-nature and shentong

In 1321 the famous scholar Dolpopa (1292-1361) visited Tsurphu Monastery for the first time and had extensive discussions with Rangjung Dorje about doctrinal issues. It appears that Rangjung Dorje almost certainly influenced the development of some of Dolpopa's theories, possibly including his Zhentong (''gzhan stong'') method.

According to Karma phrin las, ''Dri lan yid'', 91-92, his teacher, Chödrak Gyatso, the Seventh Karmapa, interpreted the nature of Zhentong (''gzhan stong'') accepted by Rangjung Dorje.

Chod

Schaeffer (1995: p.15) conveys that the Third Karmapa was a systematizer of the Chöd developed by Machig Labdrön and lists a number of his works on Chod consisting of redactions, outlines and commentaries.

Dzogchen

Yungtön Dorjepel (1284-1365), (the previous incarnation of the First Panchen Lama, Khedrup Je), studied the Great Perfection due to the great inspiration of Rangjung Dorje.

Writings

Rangjung Dorje was a noted scholar who composed many significant texts, the most famous of which is the '' Profound Inner Meaning'' (Wylie: ''zab mo nang don''), which concern the Vajrayana inner yoga practices. Other important texts of his include:
* the ''Aspiration Prayer of Mahamudra'' (Wylie: nge don phyag rgya chen po'i smon lam gyi 'grel pa grub pa mchog gi zhal lung),
* the ''Prayer to the Lineage of Chö'',
* the thirty-six verse doha (Sanskrit) ''Distinguishing Consciousness from Wisdom'' (Wylie: rnam shes ye shes ‘byed pa),
* ''Instructions on Sahajayoga Mahamudra '',
* ''A Treatise on Buddha Nature'' (Wylie: de bzhin gshegs pa'i snying po gtan la dbab pa; or, de bzhin gshegs pa'i snying po bstan pa).Schaeffer, Kurtis R. (1995). ''The Englightened Heart of Buddhahood: A Study and Translation of the Third Karma pa Rang byung rdo rje's Work on Tathagatagarbha''. (Wylie: de bzhin pa'i snying po gtan la dbab pa). University of Washington. p.1.

Notes

References

Sources

* Lama Kunsang, Lama Pemo, Marie Aubèle (2012). ''History of the Karmapas: The Odyssey of the Tibetan Masters with the Black Crown''. Snow Lion Publications, Ithaca, New York. .
*

Further reading

* Schaeffer, Kurtis R. (1995), ''The Englightened Heart of Buddhahood: A Study and Translation of the Third Karma pa Rang byung rdo rje's Work on Tathagatagarbha''. (Wylie: de bzhin pa'i snying po gtan la dbab pa). University of Washington.
*

External links

;Biography
*

;Texts
* Rangjung Dorje (root text); Venerable Khenchen Thrangu Rinpoche (commentary); Peter Roberts (translator) (2001)
''Transcending Ego - Distinguishing Consciousness from Wisdom
(Wylie: rnam shes ye shes ‘byed pa).''
* Rangjung Dorje (root text); Venerable Khenchen Thrangu Rinpoche (commentary); John Rockwell (translator)

* Rangjung Dorje (root text); Venerable Khenchen Thrangu Rinpoche (commentary); Peter Roberts (translator) (1990)

{{DEFAULTSORT:Dorje, Rangjung, 3rd Karmapa Lama
1284 births
1339 deaths
Nyingma lamas
3
Tibetan Buddhists from Tibet
13th-century Tibetan people
14th-century Tibetan people
14th-century lamas