A BRIEF
BIOGRAPHY OF JE TSONGKHAPA.
The biography of a great lama is called a "namtar"
(rnam-thar), a liberating biography,
since it inspires the listeners to follow the example of the lama and achieve
liberation and enlightenment. The biography of Tsongkhapa (rJe
Tsong-kha-pa Blo-bzang grags-pa) (1357-1419) is indeed inspiring.
Prophesies and Childhood
Both Buddha Shayamuni and Guru Rinpoche prophesied
Tsongkhapa’s birth and attainments. At the time of Buddha Shakyamuni, a young
boy who was a previous incarnation of Tsongkhapa presented a crystal rosary to
Buddha and received a conch shell in return. Buddha prophesied Manjushri would
be born as a boy in Tibet, would found Ganden monastery, and would present a
crown to my statue. Buddha gave the boy the future name Sumati-kirti (Blo-bzang
grags-pa, Lozang-dragpa). Guru Rinpoche also prophesied a monk named
Lozang-dragpa would be born near China, would be regarded as an emanation of a
great bodhisattva, and would make a Buddha-statue into a Sambhogakaya
representation.
Several indications before Tsongkhapa’s birth also
indicated that he would be a great being. His parents, for example, had many
auspicious dreams that their child would be an emanation of Avalokiteshvara,
Manjushri, and Vajrapani. His future teacher, Chojey Dondrub-rinchen (Chos-rje
Don-grub rin-chen), was told by Yamantaka in a vision that he (Yamantaka)
would come to Amdo (A-mdo) in a
certain year and become his disciple.
Tsongkhapa was born in Tsongkha (Tsong-kha),
Amdo, in 1357, the fourth of six sons. The day after Tsongkhapa’s birth,
Chojey Dondrub-rinchen sent his main disciple to the parents with gifts, a
statue, and a letter. A sandlewood tree grew from the spot where his umbilical
cord fell to the ground. Each leaf had a natural picture of the Buddha Sinhanada
(Sangs-rgyas Seng-ge sgra), and was thus called Kumbum (sKu-‘bum),
a hundred thousand body images. The Gelug monastery called Kumbum was later
built on that spot.
Tsongkhapa was not like an ordinary child. He never
misbehaved; he instinctively engaged in bodhisattva type actions; and he was
extremely intelligent and always wanted to learn everything. At the age of
three, he took lay vows from the Fourth Karmapa, Rolpay-dorjey (Kar-ma-pa Rol-pa’i rdo-rje) (1340-1383). Soon after, his father
invited Chojey Dondrub-rinchen to their home. The lama offered to care for the
education of the boy and the father happily agreed. The boy stayed at home until
he was seven, studying with Chojey Dondrub-rinchen. Just seeing the lama read,
he instinctively knew how to read without needing to be taught.
During this time, Chojey Dondrub-rinchen gave the boy
the empowerments of Five-Deity Chakrasamvara (Dril-bu lha-lnga), Hevajra, Yamantaka, and Vajrapani. By the age of
seven, he had already memorized their complete rituals, had completed the
Chakrasamvara retreat, was already doing the self-initiation, and already had a
vision of Vajrapani. He frequently dreamt of Atisha (Jo-bo rJe dPal-ldan A-ti-sha) (982-1054), which was a sign that he
would correct misunderstandings of the Dharma in Tibet and restore its purity,
combining sutra and tantra, as Atisha had done.
At the age of seven, Tsongkhapa received novice vows
from Chojey Dondrub-rinchen and the ordination name Lozang-dragpa. He continued
to study in Amdo with this lama until he was sixteen, at which time he went to
U-tsang (dBus-gtsang, Central Tibet)
to study further. He never returned to his homeland. Chojey Dondrub-rinchen
remained in Amdo, where he founded Jakyung Monastery (Bya-khyung dGon-pa) to the south of Kumbum.
Early Studies in Central Tibet
In Central Tibet, Tsongkhapa first studied at a
Drigung Kagyu monastery, where he learned the Drigung mahamudra tradition called
"possessing five" (phyag-chen
lnga-ldan), medicine, and further details about bodhichitta. By seventeen,
he was a skilled doctor. He then studied Filigree
of Realizations (mNgon-rtogs-rgyan,
Skt. Abhisamayalamkara), the other
texts of Maitreya, and prajnaparamita (phar-phyin,
far-reaching discriminating awareness) at several Nyingma, Kagyu, Kadam, and
Sakya monasteries, memorizing the texts in just days. By nineteen, he was
already acknowledged as a great scholar.
He continued to travel to the most famous monasteries
of the Tibetan Buddhist traditions, studying the five major Geshe-training
topics and the Indian tenet systems, debating them and sitting for debate
examinations. He received the Kadam lam-rim (lam-rim, graded sutra path) teachings and also innumerable tantric
empowerments and teachings, including the Sakya tradition of lamdray (lam-‘bras,
the paths and the result), the Drigung Kagyu tradition of the six teachings of
Naropa (Na-ro’i chos-drug, six yogas
of Naropa), and Kalachakra. He also studied poetic composition, astrology, and
mandala construction. In all his studies, he only had to hear an explanation
once and then he understood and remembered it perfectly – as was the case with
His Holiness the Fourteenth Dalai Lama.
Tsongkhapa always had strong renunciation. He lived
extremely humbly and kept his vows purely. He easily achieved shamatha (zhi-gnas,
a stilled and settled state of mind) and vipashyana (lhag-mthong,
an exceptionally perceptive state of mind), but was never satisfied with his
learning or level of realization. He continued to travel and requested teachings
over and again even on the same texts. He debated and sat exams with most of the
learned masters of his day. One of his main teachers was Rendawa (Red-mda’-ba
gZhon-nu blo-gros) (1349-1412), a Sakya master. Tsongkhapa wrote the
Migtsema (dMigs-brtse-ma) praise to
him, but this master rededicated it to Tsongkhapa. It later became the verse
repeated for Tsongkhapa guru-yoga.
Early Teaching and Writing
Tsongkhapa began to teach while in his 20s, with his
first teaching being on abhidharma (mdzod,
special topics of knowledge). Everyone was astounded at his erudition. He also
began to write and do more retreats. Soon, he had many disciples of his own.
Although some accounts say Tsongkhapa took full monk vows at age 21, it is
uncertain in which year this actually took place. It was probably later in his
20s.
At one point, he studied and analyzed the entire Kangyur
(bKa’-‘gyur) and Tangyur
(bsTan-‘gyur) – the translated
direct teachings of Buddha and their Indian commentaries. After that, at age 32,
he wrote A Golden Rosary of Excellent
Explanation (Legs-bshad gser-phreng),
a commentary on Filigree of Realizations and
thus on prajnaparamita. He synthesized and discussed all twenty-one Indian
commentaries. Whatever he wrote, he substantiated with quotes from the entire
span of Indian and Tibetan Buddhist literature, comparing and critically editing
even different translations. Unlike previous scholars, he never shied away from
explaining the most difficult and obscure passages in any text.
Normally, Tsongkhapa could memorize each day
seventeen double-side Tibetan pages of nine lines on each side. Once some
scholars held a memorizing contest to see who could memorize the most pages
before the sun hit the banner on the roof of the monastery. Tsongkhapa won with
four pages, which he recited fluently with no mistakes. The next closest could
only do two and a half, and with staggering.
Tsongkhapa soon began to give tantric empowerments
and teachings, and especially the subsequent permission (rjes-snang, jenang) of Sarasvati (dByangs-can-ma) for wisdom. He also continued his study of tantra,
especially Kalachakra.
One great lama was famous for teaching eleven texts
at the same time. A disciple requested Tsongkhapa to do the same. Tsongkhapa
taught instead seventeen major sutra texts, all from memory, one session on each
every day, starting them all on the same day and finishing them all three months
later, also on the same day. During the discourse, he refuted incorrect
interpretations of each and established his own view. Each day during the
discourse, he also did the self-initiation (bdag-‘jug)
of Yamantaka and all his other tantric practices.
If we look at his life of only 62 years, and consider
how much he studied, practiced (including making tsatsa clay statues), how much
he wrote, taught, and did retreats, it would seem impossible that anyone could
do even one of them in a lifetime.
Intensive Tantra Study and Practice
Soon after this, Tsongkhapa did his first major
tantric retreat, on Chakrasamvara according to the Kagyu lineage. During this
retreat, he meditated intensely on the six teachings of Naropa and the six
teachings of Niguma (Ni-gu’i chos-drug,
six yogas of Niguma). He gained great realization.
After this, at the age of 34, Tsongkhapa decided to
engage in intensive study and practice of all four tantra classes. As he later
wrote, one cannot truly appreciate the profundity of anuttarayoga tantra unless
one has practiced and understood deeply the three lower tantras. Thus, he
traveled widely again and received many empowerments and teachings on the three
lower tantra classes. He also studied further the five-stage complete stage (rdzogs-rim)
of Guhyasamaja and Kalachakra.
Study and Retreats for Gaining Nonconceptual
Cognition of Voidness
Tsongkhapa also went to study the practice of
Manjushri Dharmachakra (‘Jam-dbyangs
chos-kyi ‘khor-lo) and Madhyamaka with the Karma Kagyu Lama Umapa (Bla-ma
dbu-ma-pa dPa’-bo rdo-rje). This great master had studied Madhyamaka with
the Sakya tradition and, since childhood, had daily visions of Manjushri, who
taught him one verse each day. Tsongkhapa and he became mutual teacher and
disciple. Lama Umapa checked with Tsongkhapa to get confirmation that the
teachings he received in his visions of Manjushri were correct. This is very
important, since visions can be influenced by demons.
Together with Lama Umapa, Tsongkhapa did an extensive
retreat on Manjushri. From this time onward, Tsongkhapa received direct
instruction from Manjushri in pure visions and was able to receive from him
answers to all his questions. Before this, he had to ask his questions to
Manjushri through Lama Umapa.
During the retreat, Tsongkhapa felt he still did not
have a proper understanding of Madhyamaka and Guhyasamaja. Manjushri advised
that he do a very long retreat and then would understand the notes he had taken
from his instructions. Thus, after teaching a short while, Tsongkhapa entered a
four-year retreat with eight close disciples at Olka Cholung (‘Ol-kha
chos-lung). They did thirty-five sets of 100,000 prostrations, one each to
the thirty-five confession Buddhas, and eighteen sets of 100,000 mandala
offerings, with many Yamantaka self-initiations and study of The
Avatamsaka Sutra (mDo phal-cher)
for bodhisattva deeds. They had a vision of Maitreya afterwards.
After the retreat, Tsongkhapa and his disciples
restored a great Maitreya statue in Lhasa, which was the first of his four major
deeds. They then went into retreat for five more months. After this, the Nyingma
Lama Lhodrag Namka-gyeltsen (Lho-brag Nam-mkha’
rgyal-mtshan), who continually had visions of Vajrapani, invited Tsongkhapa,
and they also became mutual teacher and disciple. He transmitted to him the
Kadam lam-rim and oral guideline lineages.
Tsongkhapa wanted to go to India to study more, but
Vajrapani advised to stay in Tibet since he would be of more benefit there.
Thus, he stayed. He resolved that later he would write A Grand Presentation of the Graded Stages of the Path (Lam-rim
chen-mo) on the graded sutra path and then A
Grand Presentation of the Graded Stages of the Tantra Path (sNgags-rim
chen-mo) on the stages of practice of the four tantra classes.
Tsongkhapa then did an extensive retreat on the
Kalachakra complete stage, and after that, a one-year retreat on Madhyamaka.
Although Tsongkhapa had learned much about Madhyamaka and voidness from his
teachers, he had never felt satisfied with the level of explanation. Before
entering this one-year retreat, Manjushri advised him to rely on the Madhyamaka
commentary by Buddhapalita (Sangs-rgyas
bskyangs). Tsongkhapa did so and,
consequently during the retreat, gained full nonconceptual cognition of voidness.
Based on his realization, Tsongkhapa revised
completely the understanding of the Prasangika-Madhyamaka teachings on voidness
and related topics that the teachers and learned masters of his day had held. In
this regard, he was a radical reformer with the courage to go beyond current
beliefs when he found them inadequate.
Tsongkhapa always based his reforms strictly on logic
and scriptural references. When he established his own view as the deepest
meaning of the great Indian texts, he was not committing a breach of his close
bond and relationship with his teachers. Seeing our spiritual teachers as
Buddhas does not mean that we can not go beyond them in our realizations.
Tsenzhab Serkong Rinpoche II explained this with the following example.
To make a cake, we need to put together many
ingredients – flour, butter, milk, eggs, and so on. Our teachers show us how
to make a cake and bake a few for us. They may be very delicious and we may
enjoy them greatly. Due to our teachers’ kindness, we now know how to make a
cake. This does not mean that we cannot make some changes, add some different
ingredients, and bake cakes that are even more delicious than those our teachers
made. In doing so, we are not being disrespectful toward our teachers. If the
teachers are really qualified, they will rejoice in our improvement on the
recipe and enjoy the new cakes with us.
Further Great Deeds
After teaching more, Tsongkhapa again went into
retreat, this time with his teacher Rendawa, and wrote most of Lam-rim
chen-mo. During the retreat, he had a vision of Atisha and the lam-rim
lineage masters that lasted for a month, clarifying many questions. Next, he
studied the six practices of Naropa and mahamudra further with Drigung Kagyu.
During the rainy season after this, he taught vinaya (‘dul-ba,
monastic rules of discipline) so clearly, it is regarded as his second great
deed.
After he finished Lam-rim chen-mo, Tsongkhapa decided to teach more fully on tantra.
First, however, he wrote extensive commentaries on the bodhisattva vows and Fifty
Stanzas on the Guru (Bla-ma
lnga-bcu-pa, Skt. Gurupanchashika)
to emphasize them as the foundation for tantra practice. Then, while continuing
to teach, he wrote Ngag-rim chen-mo
and many commentaries on Guhyasamaja. He also wrote on Yamantaka and on
Nagarjuna’s Madhaymaka texts.
The Chinese Emperor invited him to become his
imperial tutor, but Tsongkhapa excused himself saying he was too old and wanted
to stay in retreat.
Over the next two years, Tsongkhapa taught lam-rim
and tantra extensively and wrote The
Essence of Excellent Explanation of Interpretable and Definitive Meanings (Drang-nges
legs-bshad snying-po) on the definitive and interpretable meanings of the
Mahayana tenets. Then, in 1409, at the age of 52, he inaugurated the Monlam
Great Prayer Festival (sMon-lam chen-mo)
at the Lhasa Jokang (Jo-khang). He
offered a gold crown to the Shakyamuni statue, signifying that it was now a
Sambhogakaya statue, not just Nirmanakaya. Sambhogakaya forms of Buddhas live
until all beings are liberated from samsara, whereas Nirmanakaya forms live only
a short time. This is considered his third great deed. After this, his disciples
asked him to stop traveling so much and they founded Ganden Monastery (dGa’-ldan dGon-pa) for him.
At Ganden, Tsongkhapa continued to teach, write
(especially on Chakrasamvara), and do retreats. He commissioned the building of
the great Ganden hall with a huge Buddha statue and copper three-dimensional
mandalas of Guhyasamaja, Chakrasamvara, and Yamantaka. This is considered his
fourth great deed. He continued his writing and in the end, his collected works
totaled eighteen volumes, with the largest amount being on Guhyasamaja.
Passing Away
Tsongkhapa died at Ganden in 1419, at the age of 62.
He attained enlightenment after his death by achieving an illusory body (sgyu-lus)
instead of bardo. This was to emphasize the need for monks to follow strict
celibacy, since enlightenment in this lifetime requires practice with a consort
at least once.
Before he passed away, Tsongkhapa gave his hat and
robe to Gyeltsabjey (rGyal-tshab rJe
Dar-ma rin-chen) (1364-1432), who held the Ganden throne for twelve years
afterwards. This began the tradition of the Ganden Throne Holder (dGa’-ldan
khri-pa, Ganden Tripa) being the head of the Gelug order. The next throne
holder was Kaydrubjey (mKhas-grub rJe dGe-legs
dpal-bzang) (1385-1438), who later had five visions of Tsongkhapa,
clarifying his doubts and answering his questions. The Gelug lineage has
flourished ever since.
Disciples
Several of Tsongkhapa’s close disciples founded
monasteries to continue his lineages and spread his teachings. While Tsongkhapa
was still alive, Jamyang Chojey (‘Jam-dbyangs
Chos-rje bKra-shis dpal-ldan) (1379-1449) founded Drepung Monastery (‘Bras-spungs
dGon-pa) in 1416 and Jamchen Chojey (Byams-chen
Chos-rje Shakya ye-shes) (1354-1435) founded Sera Monastery (Se-ra dGon-pa) in 1419. After Tsongkhapa’s passing away, Gyu
Sherab-senggey (rGyud Shes-rab seng-ge)
(1383-1445) founded Gyumay Lower Tantric College (rGyud-smad Grva-tshang) in 1433 and Gyelwa Gendun-drub (rGyal-ba
Ge-’dun grub) (1391-1474), posthumously named the First Dalai Lama,
founded Tashilhunpo Monastery (bKra-shis
lhun-po) in 1447.