LAMA Tsong Khapa or I Tsongkhapa (1357 - 1419), of his religious name Lobsang Dragpa, founder of the branch Gelugpa of the Buddhism Tibetan. He recommended only one strict celibacy and an academic formation inspired of the monastic course of the shakyapa and based the large monastery of Ganden on the Riwoché mountain close to Lhassa. Its order created has, seems it, started by being named " gandenpa" , then " gelugpa" thus " vertueux" in Tibetan, even if this order does not have anything more or less virtuous but the other orders Tibetans.

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. 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. 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.

The Gelugpa 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. 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)