Gelugpa

History

Tsongkhapa, initiator of the school gelug, began very young person its religious career: at 3 years, it received the laic ordination (upasaka) of the 4th Karmapa, Rolpe Dorje which predicts that he would have a great importance for the Bouddhisme Tibetan. He took the wishes of beginner at the age 7 years. He accepted an eclectic education which enabled him to know the best of all the currents. He mainly took as a starting point the tradition Kadampa, putting the emphase on the observance of the Vinaya (monastic rules) as on knowledge of will sutras and of Indian philosophy, in particular Nagarjuna and Chandrakirti, as well as of will tantras. He endeavoured to contain the Vajrayana inside the framework Mahayana and defines his idea of Buddhism in the Ode in the achievements where he mentions the three principal aspects of the way: compassion, wisdom and desire of release.

The oral tradition Tibetan claims that the caps of the first panditas (scholars) Buddhist were yellow like the dresses of the monks, color evoking the ground and stability. In front of the return in strength as from the 7th century of the philosophers Hindouiste S who often had the upper hand in the debates, to express their will to shine in this field, the Buddhist speakers would have adopted red bonnets, color of fire and eloquence. This is why the red was regarded as monastic color with the Tibet, and often adopted for the ceremonial caps by various currents, in particular Nyingmapa. By adopting the yellow bonnet, Tsongkhapa claimed to return at the origins and to wish for the monastic community before all stability and of the strong foundations. Tsongkhapa is also the initiator of the annual ceremony of common prayers of the monks, Mönlam Chenmo; the first proceeded with the monastery of Jokhang in 1409. Tsongkhapa have in particular like principal disciples Gendun Drub (1391 - 1474) and Khedrup I, which will be recognized thereafter respectively like the 1st Dalai Lama, and the 1st Panchen LAMA, which will be bound by a relation of Master to disciple during their successive incarnations. Gendun Gyatso (the 2nd Dalaï Lama) will be recognized like reincarnation of Gendun Drub. Then, Sonam Gyatso (the 3rd Dalaï Lama) will be recognized like reincarnation of Gendun Gyatso.

The Gelugpa school politically became the dominant line starting from the end of the 16th century, after Altan Khan, chief of the Mongolian , is converts with the Bouddhisme Tibetan. Altan Khan twice invited Sonam Gyatso (1543 - 1588) in Mongolia (1569, 1578) and converts with the Bouddhisme Tibetan during the second visit of the LAMA. The khan created and offered the title of Dalaï Lama to Sonam Gyatso which was applied retrospectively to its two preceding incarnations: Gendün Drup and Gendün Gyatso. Its successor, the 4th Dalaï LAMA, was a great-grandson of Altan Khan; he dies at the 27 years age. In 1640, to deal with internal disorders, the 5th dalaï LAMA, Ngawang Lobsang Gyatso (1617 - 1682), recalls the Mongols who restore the order and give him political and administrative control total country. Lobsang Chökyi Gyalsten, abbot of the monastery of Tashilhunpo and tutor of the Dalaï Lama, is named by this last Panchen LAMA, title retroactively allotted to three of its preceding incarnations.

In the following centuries, many monasteries gelugpa were built, while those of other schools (Kadampa and Jonang) were integrated into the order gelugpa. Within the gelugpa various lines of reincarnation were constituted; the principal lines are those of the Dalaï LAMA, of the Panchen LAMA, Chagkya Dorje Chang, Ngachen Könchok Gyaltsen, Kyishö Tulku Tenzin Thrinly, Jamyang Shepa, Phurchok Jampa Rinpoche, Jamyang Dewe Dorje, Takphu Rinpoche, Khachen Yeshe Gyaltsen.

Monasteries and lesson

Tsongkhapa founded in 1409 the monastery of Ganden. Its disciples Gyaltsab I (1364 - 1431), then Khedrup I (1385 - 1438), replaced it. Gyaltsab I is regarded as the 1st Ganden Tripa (thereafter they will be named by the Dalaï LAMA for one seven years period; Khensur Loungri Namgyél Rinpoché, holder current of the function, is the 101e). In 1416, Jamyang Choje founds Drepung, and in 1419 Chöje Shakya Yeshe founds Will be; Gyalwa Gendün Drup (1391 - 1474), 1st dalaï LAMA on a purely posthumous basis, founds the monastery of Tashilhunpo to Shigatse (1447). Ganden, Drepung, Will be, Tashilhunpo, Tar and Labrang is the six principal monasteries gelugpa.

The centers of lesson gelugpa were numerous. One can quote the two colleges of Ganden, Ganden Shartse and Ganden Jangtse, on which seven branches reduced later on to four depended: Loseling, Gomang, Deyang and Ngagpa. Drepung was also a Buddhist university, as Will be, which comprised five branches reduced later to two: I and EMS will be. Two colleges were devoted to tantric specialization: Gyume (first level), established by I Sherab Senge in 1440, and Gyutö (higher level), established by Gyuchen Kunga Dhondup in 1474. Before the exile, more than 5000 monks come from various areas studied with Ganden, Drepung and Will be and nearly 500 in each college tantric. After the exile in India, Will be, Drepung, Ganden, Tashilhunpo and Gyume was recreated in the Karnataka, and Gyutö with Bomdila in the Arunachal Pradesh.

The principal matters taught in the lesson gelug are the Prajnaparamita, philosophy Madhyamika, the " cognition valide" (Tsema or tshad-my), the Phenomenology and the monastic discipline. The course goes from 15 to 20 years and each center has its own handbooks. The pupils who achieve the entirety of the studies become Geshe (titular of knowledge); there exist three levels of this title: Dorampa, Tsogrampa and Lharampa. After these basic studies, they can enter the colleges tantric.

Practical and texts founders

Gelug integrated practices born in various currents, but the principal one is Lamrim “Sees progressive” developed in Pratique according to Lamrim (Lam-rim chen-Mo) of Tsongkhapa starting from the Lamp of the way (Bodhipathapradipa) of Atisha, inspirer of the thought kadampa. With regard to the tantric practice, the principal deities are Guhyasamaja, Heruka-Cakrasamvara and Yamantaka (Vajrabhairava), to which Kalacakra and Vajrayogini were added, parèdre of Heruka. The three will tantras principal are the Guhyasamajatantra , the Vajrabhairavatantra and the Vajrayoginitantra .

Six works of Tsongkhapa are particularly important:

the Large book of the progression towards the awakening (Lam-rim chen-Mo)
the great talk of will tantras (sNgag-rim chenmo)
the Gasoline of the eloquence of the interpretative and final lesson (Drnng-nges legacy-bshad snying-Po),
Éloge of relativity (rTen- 'brel bstodpa),
the five stages of Guhyasamaja (gSang- 'due rim-lnga gsal-sgron) and
the Rosary of gold (gSer-phreng)

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