I would like to share short info re our lineage I came across recently, which is a good 'recap' for us to remember the glorious founding history of our lineage.
The Gelug tradition, also known as the Ganden tradition follows the teachings of the fifteenth-century scholar monk Je Tsongkapa Lobsang Dragpa (1357-1419), who was trained in Sakya, Kagyu, and Kadam traditions. Tsongkapa, who was born in the far eastern Amdo region of Tsongkha, founded several monasteries in the Lhasa region, chief among them
Ganden Namgyaling, in 1409, which became his primary seat.
His main disciples also founded monasteries in both U and Tsang, creating an institutional foundation for the rapid growth of the tradition in the later part of the 15th century:
- in 1418 Khedrubje Geleg Palzang (1385-1438) established Palkor Chode in Gyantse
- in 1419 Jamchen Choje Shakya Yeshe (1355-1435) established Sera Tegchenling outside of Lhasa
- in 1416 Jamyang Choje Tashi Palden (1397-1449) established Drepung Monastery outside of Lhasa
- in 1445 Gendun Drub (1391-1474) established Tashi Lhunpo in Shigatse
Like the Kadam tradition which the Gelug supplanted, the Gelug place an emphasis on monastic discipline and scholarship. The Gelug pride themselves on their scholarship of the philosophical texts and on their understanding and explication of the view of the Madhyamaka Prasangika philosophical school. They also maintain a strong, if somewhat less public, tradition of tantric transmission, scholarship, and practice. The Gelugpa practice an extensive system of
lamrim and
lojong, both of which have their origins with Atisha and the Kadampa tradition.
The Gelugpa also have a living tradition and lineage of Mahamudra teachings, which are said to have been transmitted to Tsongkapa via visionary experience of Manjushri. The primary teachings of the Tantrayana studied and practiced in the Gelug are the tantric cycles of Vajrabhairava, Chakrasamvara, and Guhyasamaja. The Kalachakra Tantra is also commonly practiced among many Gelug practitioners.
by Miranda Adams 2009 (
http://www.himalayanart.org/search/set.cfm?setID=430)
