Friday, December 14, 2018

Short Biographies of the Previous Dalai Lamas (Part-1)

The First Dalai Lama, Gedun Drupa
The First Dalai Lama, Gedun Drupa, was born in 1391 in Gyurmey Rupa, near Sakya in the Tsang place of principal Tibet to Gonpo Dorjee and Jomo Namkha Kyi, a nomadic family. His given name was Pema Dorjee.
He did his primary studies of reading and writing Tibetan script with Gya-Ton Tsenda Pa-La, and then on the age of fourteen, he took his newbie vows from Khenchen Drupa Sherab, abbot of Narthang monastery, who gave him the spiritual name of Gedun Drupa. Latter, within the year 1411, he took the Gelong vows (complete ordination) from the abbot.
The younger Gedun Drupa became aware to the reputation of the Great Tsongkhapa, the founding father of the Gelugpa School and he have become his disciple in 1416. His loyalty and devotion to Tsongkhapa persuaded the amazing master to make Gedun Drupa his foremost disciple. Tsongkhapa passed Gedun Drupa a brand new set of robes as a sign that he might spread the Buddhist teachings all over Tibet. In 1447, Gedun Drupa based the Tashi Lhunpo monastery in Shigatse, one among the biggest monastic Universities of the Gelugpa School.
The First Dalai Lama, Gedun Drupa become a great person of large scholarship, famous for combining study and practice, and wrote greater than 8 voluminous books on his insight into the Buddha’s teachings and philosophy. In 1474, on the age of 84, he died at the same time as in meditation at Tashi Lhunpo monastery.
The Second Dalai Lama, Gedun Gyatso
The Second Dalai Lama, Gedun Gyatso was born in 1475 in Tanag Sekme, near Shigatse inside the Tsang area of central Tibet to Kunga Gyaltso and Machik Kunga Pemo, a farming family.
His father was a famous tantric practitioner belonging to the Nyingmapa sect. When Gedun Gyatso turned into capable to talk, he become stated to have advised his mother and father that his name was Pema Dorjee, the brith name of the First Dalai Lama and that he would like to live in Tashi Lhunpo monastery. When he was conceived, his father had a dream wherein someone dressed in white appeared and instructed him to call his son Gendun Drupa and also stated that his son could be someone with the capacity to keep in mind his past lives. However, his father named him Sangye Phel.
He received his primary education from his father and on the age of 11 he was recognized as the reincarnation of Gendun Drupa, the First Dalai Lama and changed into enthroned at Tashi Lhunpo monastery. In 1486, he took his newbie vows from Panchen Lungrig Gyatso and his vows of Gelong (full ordination) from Choje Choekyi Gyaltsen, who gave him the ordained call of Gedun Gyatso. He studied at Tashi Lhunpo and Drepung monasteries.
In 1517, Gedun Gyatso became the abbot of Drepung monastery and inside the following year, he revived the Monlam Chenmo, the Great Prayer Festival and presided over the occasions with monks from Sera, Drepung and Gaden, the three fantastic monastic Universities of the Gelugpa Sect. In 1525, he have become the abbot of Sera monastery. He died on the age of sixty-seven in 1542.
The Third Dalai Lama, Sonam Gyatso
The Third Dalai Lama, Sonam Gyatso was born in 1543 at Tolung, nearby Lhasa, to Namgyal Drakpa and Pelzom Bhuti, a wealthy family.
His father and mother had already had many children, but they’d all died and to ward off any misfortune that might take this new child baby from them, they fed him at the milk of a white goat and named him Ranu Sicho Pelzang — The prosperous one saved by goat’s milk.
In 1546, at the age of 3, Sonam Dakpa Gyaltsen, the ruler of Tibet, and Panchen Sonam Dakpa identified him as the reincarnation of Gedun Gyatso. He was escorted to Drepung monastery in a fantastic procession and was enthroned and his hair was cut, symbolizing his renunciation of the world. He took novice vows from Sonam Dakpa at the age of seven and presumed the name of Sonam Gyatso. At the age of 22, he took the Gelong vows (complete ordination) of Bhiksu from Gelek Palsang.
In 1552, Sonam Gyatso have become the abbot of Drepung monastery and in 1558, the abbot of Sera monastery. In 1574, he established the Phende Lekshe Ling so that help him in accomplish his religious activities, that is now referred to as Namgyal monastery and nevertheless serves as the Dalai Lama’s personal monastery. It turned into throughout his time, the Mongolian King Altan Khan provided him the identify of Dalai Lama which actually method Ocean of Wisdom and in return, the Dalai Lama conferred on Altan Khan the name of Brahma, the king of faith. The Third Dalai Lama additionally based Kumbum monastery in Tsongkhapa’s birthplace and Lithang monastery in Kham. In 1588, he died at the same time as teaching in Mongolia.
The Fourth Dalai Lama, Yonten Gyatso
The Fourth Dalai Lama, Yonten Gyatso,was born in 1589 in Mongolia to the Chokar tribal chieftain Tsultrim Choeje, who was the grandson of Altan Khan, and his second spouse PhaKhen Nula.
With predictions from the country oracles and auspicious signs and symptoms at his birth, the abbot of Gaden monastery recognized him as the genuine reincarnation of the Third Dalai Lama and he become given the name of Yonten Gyatso. His parents, however, refused to part with their son until he become older, so he obtained his primary religious education in Mongolia from Tibetan Lamas.
In 1601, at the age of twelve, Yonten Gyatso became escorted to Tibet observed by way of his father and the former Gaden throne holder, Sangya Rinchen, who bestowed the vows of novice monk on him. In 1614, on the age of twenty-six, he took the Gelong vows (full ordination) from the Fourth Panchen Lama, Lobsang Choegyal. He later have become the abbot of Drepung monastery after which Sera monastery. In 1617, on the age of twenty-seven he died at Drepung monastery.
The Fifth Dalai Lama, Lobsang Gyatso, was born in 1617 in Lhoka Chingwar Taktse, south of Lhasa to Dudul Rabten and Kunga Lhanzi.
When Sonam Choephel, the chief attendant of the Fourth Dalai Lama heard of the awesome abilties of the Chong-Gya boy, he paid a visit to the child and showed him articles belonging to the previous Dalai Lama. The boy straight away stated those belonged to him. Sonam Choephel stored the invention of the Fifth Dalai Lama a mystery due to the turbulent political situation. When things settled down, the Fifth Dalai Lama became taken to Drepung monastery in which he was ordained into monkhood by way of the Third Panchen Lama, Lobsang Chogyal, and was given the name Ngawang Lobsang Gyatso.
The Fifth Dalai Lama, Lobsang Gyatso
The Fifth Dalai Lama was acknowledged at a time while Tibet was in political turmoil. However, all this uncertainty was laid to rest by Gushir Khan, the leader of the Qoshot Mongols and in 1642, the Dalai Lama was enthroned within the primary hall of Shigatse as each the spiritual and political leader of Tibet. In 1645, the Dalai Lama held a meeting with excessive officers of Gaden Phodrang on the development of the Potala Palace at the Red Hill, where the 33rd King of Tibet Songtsen Gampo had constructed a red fort. In the same year, the development began and it took almost 43 years to finish.
In 1649, Sunzhi, the Manchu emperor, invited the Dalai Lama to Peking. When he reached the Chinese province of Ningxia, he was greeted by means of the emperor’s minister and army commander who got here with 3 thousand cavalry to escort the Tibetan chief. The emperor himself traveled from Peking and greeted him at an area referred to as Kothor. In the Chinese capital, the Dalai Lama stayed on the Yellow Palace, constructed for him through the emperor. When the emperor officially met the Dalai Lama, the two of then exchanged titles. In 1653, the Dalai Lama back to Tibet.
Gushir Khan died in 1655, as did Sonam Choephel, the Desi. The Dalai Lama appointed Gushir Khan’s son Tenzin Dorjee as the brand new Mongol king, and Drong Mey-Pa Thinley Gyatso succeeded the latter to the put up of Desi. When the Manchu Emperor died in 1662, his son, K’ang-si, came on the Manchu throne. In the same year the Panchen Lama died at the age of 91. In 1665, after a petition from Tashilhunpo monastery, the Dalai Lama recognized a boy from Tsang region as the reincarnation of the overdue Panchen Lama and gave the boy the name of Lobsang Yeshi.
The Fifth Dalai Lama was a superb scholar, nicely versed in Sanskrit. He wrote many books, which include one on poetry. He also established two institutions, one for lay officials and another for monk officials, in which they had been taught Mongolian, Sanskrit, astrology, poetry, and administration. He was a person of few phrases, however what he stated carried conviction and stimulated rulers past the borders of Tibet. In 1682, at the age of sixty-five he died before finishing the construction of the Potala Palace, however, not earlier than entrusting the responsibility of the development to Sangya Gyatso, the brand new Desi with the advice to keep his loss of life secret in the meanwhile.
The Sixth Dalai Lama, Tsangyang Gyatso
The Sixth Dalai Lama, Tsangyang Gyatso, was born in 1682 within the location of Mon Tawang in curent-day Arunachal Pradesh, India to Tashi Tenzin and Tsewang Lhamo.
In order to finish the Potala Palace, Desi Sangye Gyatso done the wishes of the Fifth Dalai Lama and saved his demise a secret for fifteen years. People have been advised that the Great Fifth was persevering with his lengthy retreat. On vital events the Dalai Lama’s ceremonial robe was positioned at the throne. However, while Mongol princes insisted on having an audiencet, an old monk referred to as Depa Deyrab of Namgyal Monastery, who resembled the Dalai Lama, became employed to pose in his vicinity. He wore a hat and eyeshadow to hide the reality that he lacked the Dalai Lama’s piercing eyes. The Desi managed to maintain this charade until he heard that a boy in Mon exhibited fantastic competencies. He despatched his trusted attendants to the location and in 1688, the boy was added to Nankartse, a place close to Lhasa. There he was educated by teachers appointed via the Desi till 1697, when the Desi sent his depended on minister, Shabdrung Ngawang Shonu to the Manchu court to tell Emperor K’ang-si of the loss of life of the Fifth and discovery of the Sixth Dalai Lama. He introduced the reality to the humans of Tibet, who greeted the information with gratitude and pleasure and thanked the Desi for saving them from lamenting the putting of the solar and, as a substitute, making them rejoice in its rising.
The Desi invited the Fifth Pachen Lama, Lobsang Yeshi, to Nankartse, where Tibets 2nd maximum religious leader administered the vows of a amateur monk to the adolescents and named him Tsangyang Gyatso. In 1697, the fourteen-year old was enthroned because the Sixth Dalai Lama in a ceremony attended with the aid of Tibetan government officials representing the three principal monasteries — Sera, Gaden, and Drepung — Mongol princes, representatives of Emperor K’ang-si and the Lhasa populace.
In 1701 there was a warfare among the Desi and Lhasang Khan, the descendant of Gushir Khan, and the latter killed the Desi Sangya Gyatso, which disturbed the young Dalai Lama. He left his monastic study and selected the out of doors existence, he had no plans to take the completely ordained vows. In reality, he visited the Panchen Lama in Shigatse and asked his forgiveness, and renounced even the vows of a beginner monk. Though he endured to live inside the Potala Palace, he roamed round Lhasa and other outlying villages, spending his days along with his friends inside the park behind the Potala Palace and nights in taverns in Lhasa and Shol (an area below the Potala) consuming chang and singing songs. He become regarded to be a incredible poet and author and he wrote several poems. In 1706, he was invited to China and died while this journey.
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