in the Tsang region of Central Tibet. His father, Kunga Gyaltsen (1432–1481) (), was a
ngakpa (married tantric practitioner) of the Nyingma lineage, a famous
Nyingma
Nyingma (literally 'old school') is the oldest of the four major schools of Tibetan Buddhism. It is also often referred to as ''Ngangyur'' (, ), "order of the ancient translations". The Nyingma school is founded on the first lineages and transl ...
tantric master.
His mother was Machik Kunga Pemo, they were a farming family. According to scholar Gene Smith, "the rebirth of the First Dalai Lama as the son of Grub chen Kun dga' rgyal mtshan resulted in the end of a hereditary line of Shangs pa Bka' brgyud pa lamas."
Legend has it that soon after he learned to speak, he told his parents his name was Pema Dorje, the birth name of
Gendun Drup (1391–1474) and that his father was Lobsang Drakpa, which was
Tsongkapa's ordination name.
When he was four, he reportedly told his parents he wished to live in the
Tashilhunpo
Tashi Lhunpo Monastery (), founded in 1447 by the 1st Dalai Lama, is the traditional
monastic seat of the Panchen Lama, and an historically and culturally important monastery in Shigatse, the second-largest city in Tibet.
The monastery was sa ...
monastery (next to Shigatse and founded in 1447 by Gendun Drup) to be with his monks.
He was proclaimed the
reincarnation
Reincarnation, also known as rebirth or transmigration, is the philosophical or religious concept that the non-physical essence of a living being begins a new life in a different physical form or body after biological death. Resurrection is ...
of
Gendun Drup as a young boy – according to some sources at the age of four years, and to others at eight.
He received his novice vows from Panchen Lungrig Gyatso in 1486, at the age of ten, and his vows of an ordained monk from Ghoje Choekyi Gyaltsen who gave him his ordination name of Gedun Gyatso.
At the age of eleven, he was enthroned as the reincarnation of Gendun Drup at Tashilhunpo monastery. He received his novice and then full ordination vows.
He remained at Tashilhunpo until he was 16 or 17 but, then, due to "some controversies or jealousy" he had to leave the monastery and went to Lhasa to study at
Drepung Monastery
Drepung Monastery (, "Rice Heap Monastery"), located at the foot of Mount Gephel, is one of the "great three" Gelug university gompas (monasteries) of Tibet. The other two are Ganden Monastery and Sera Monastery.
Drepung is the largest of all ...
.
Buddhist influence
Gedun Gyatso was a renowned scholar and composer of mystical poetry, who traveled widely to extend
Gelugpa
240px, The 14th Dalai Lama (center), the most influential figure of the contemporary Gelug tradition, at the 2003 Bodhgaya (India).
The Gelug (, also Geluk; "virtuous")Kay, David N. (2007). ''Tibetan and Zen Buddhism in Britain: Transplantati ...
influence, and became
abbot
Abbot is an ecclesiastical title given to the male head of a monastery in various Western religious traditions, including Christianity. The office may also be given as an honorary title to a clergyman who is not the head of a monastery. The ...
of the largest Gelugpa monastery, Drepung, which from this time on was closely associated with the reincarnation line which eventually would be known as that of the Dalai Lamas. According to Sumpa Khenpo, the great
Gelug
240px, The 14th Dalai Lama (center), the most influential figure of the contemporary Gelug tradition, at the 2003 Bodhgaya (India).
The Gelug (, also Geluk; "virtuous")Kay, David N. (2007). ''Tibetan and Zen Buddhism in Britain: Transplantati ...
scholar, he also studied some
Nyingma
Nyingma (literally 'old school') is the oldest of the four major schools of Tibetan Buddhism. It is also often referred to as ''Ngangyur'' (, ), "order of the ancient translations". The Nyingma school is founded on the first lineages and transl ...
-pa
tantric doctrines.
It is said that Palden Lhamo, the female guardian spirit of the
sacred lake
Sacred waters are sacred natural sites characterized by tangible topographical land formations such as rivers, lakes, springs, reservoirs, and oceans, as opposed to holy water which is water elevated with the sacramental blessing of a cler ...
,
Lhamo La-tso
Lhamo Latso or Lha-mo La-tso () is a small oval oracle lake where senior Tibetan monks of the Gelug sect go for visions to assist in the discovery of reincarnations of the Dalai Lamas. Other pilgrims also come to seek visions. It is considered to ...
, promised the First Dalai Lama in one of his visions "that she would protect the reincarnation lineage of the Dalai Lamas." Since the time of Gendun Gyatso, who formalised the system, monks have gone to the lake to seek guidance on choosing the next reincarnation through visions while meditating there. Gendun Gyatso is said to have been the first to discover the sacredness of Lake Lhamoi Latso.
In 1509 he went to southern Tibet and founded the monastery of
Chokorgyel Monastery
Chokorgyel Monastery (; also, Chökorye, Chokhor-gyal) is a Buddhist monastery in Gyatsa County in Tibet.
History
In 1509 Gedun Gyatso, the 2nd Dalai Lama, had a meditation cave and founded a hermitage here. The Gelugpa monastery of Chokorgyel ( ...
(Chokhor-gyal) close to lake Lhamo La-tso, about 115 km northeast of
Tsetang
Tsetang () or Zedang (), is the fourth largest city in Tibet and is located in the Yarlung Valley, southeast of Lhasa in Nedong District of the Shannan Prefecture in the Tibet region of China. It is the capital of Shannan Prefecture (which i ...
and at an altitude of 4,500 m (14,764 ft), while the lake itself is at an altitude of about 5,000 m. (16,404 ft).
Gedun Gyatso became abbot of Tashilhunpo in 1512 at the age of thirty-six. In 1517 he became abbot of
Drepung
Drepung Monastery (, "Rice Heap Monastery"), located at the foot of Mount Gephel, is one of the "great three" Gelug university gompas (monasteries) of Tibet. The other two are Ganden Monastery and Sera Monastery.
Drepung is the largest of all ...
monastery and he revived the 'Great Prayer Festival' or
Monlam Chenmo
Monlam also known as The Great Prayer Festival, falls on 4th–11th day of the 1st Tibetan month in Tibetan Buddhism.
History
The event of Monlam in Tibet was established in 1409 by Tsong Khapa, the founder of the Geluk tradition. As the greates ...
in 1518, presiding over the celebration with monks from the three large Gelug monasteries of
Sera, Drepung and
Gaden (Ganden was the original monastery of the Geluk order, founded by Je Tsongkhapa himself in 1409). He then became abbot of
Sera monastery
Sera Monastery ( "Wild Roses Monastery"; ) is one of the "great three" Gelug university monasteries of Tibet, located north of Lhasa and about north of the Jokhang. The other two are Ganden Monastery and Drepung Monastery. The origin of its ...
in 1525; Sera had been founded in 1419, by Jamchen Chojey (Sakya Yeshe), a disciple of Tsong Khapa.
His Seat has been Drepung.
Gedun Gyatso died deep in meditation at the age of 67 in 1542.
[''The Dalai Lamas of Tibet'', pp. 82–83. Thubten Samphel and Tendar. Roli & Janssen, New Delhi. (2004). .]
References
Bibliography
* ''Essence of Refined Gold by the Third Dalai Lama: with related texts by the Second and Seventh Dalai Lamas''. (1978) Translated by
Glenn H. Mullin. Tushita Books, Dharamsala, H.P., India.
* Mullin, Glenn H. (2001). ''The Fourteen Dalai Lamas: A Sacred Legacy of Reincarnation'', pp. 86–129. Clear Light Publishers. Santa Fe, New Mexico. .
* Mullin, Glenn H. (2005). ''Second Dalai Lama His Life and Teachings'', Snow Lion Publications,
* 2nd Dalai Lama. ''Tantric Yogas of Sister Niguma'', Snow Lion Publications, 1st ed. U. edition (May 1985),
External links
tbrc.org: dge 'dun rgya mtsho
{{DEFAULTSORT:Gyatso, Gedun
1475 births
1542 deaths
*2
15th-century Tibetan people
16th-century Tibetan people