1st Panchen Lama-great short bio

[LosangKhyentse]

First Panchen Lama Lobzang Chokyi Gyaltsen b.1570 - d.1662



Name Variants: Lobzang Chokyi Drakpa; Lobzang Chokyi Gyaltsen; Nangwa Taye Panchen Lobzang Chokyi Gyaltsen

Essay
 Teachers & Students
 Lobzang Chokyi Gyaltsen (blo bzang chos kyi rgyal mtshan) was born in a village called Drukgya (drug brgya) in the Lhan valley, in Tsang, in either 1567 or 1570. His father, Kunga Ozer (kun dga’ ’od zer), was a nephew of Wensa Sanggye Yeshe (dben sa sangs rgyas ye shes, 1525-1590/1591), and a member of the illustrious Ba (sba) clan. His mother’s name was Tsogyal (mtsho rgyal). They gave him the name Chogyal Pelden Sangpo (chos rgyal dpal ldan bzang po). The boy was recognized by Langmika Chokyi Gyaltsen (glang mig pa chos kyi rgyal mtshan) as the reincarnation of Wensapa Lobzang Dondrub (dben sa pa blo bzang don sgrub, 1505-1566) and given the name Chokyi Gyaltsen.

As a youth Chokyi Gyaltsen studied with Sanggye Yeshe (sangs rgyas ye shes, 1525-1591), the abbot of Tashilhunpo (bkra shis lhun po) and Wensapa monasteries (dben sa pa). For the first years of his life he was tutored in the autumn by Sanggye Yeshe in Drukgya, receiving from him many blessings and empowerments. There he also received teachings and initiations from his brother and grandfather. At the age of thirteen Chokyi Gyaltsen left Drukgya for Wensa monastery, to further his instruction with Sanggye Yeshe. He took novice vows with his master, and received the name Lobzang Chokyi Gyaltsen, and began instruction in Lamrim (lam rim). Chokyi Gyaltsen remained at Wensa for the next five years.

In his eighteenth year Chokyi Gyaltsen went to Tashilhunpo where he entered the Tosam Ling college (thos bsam gling grwa tshang), studying with Paljor Gyatso (dpal ’byor rgya mtsho). He spent the next three summers at Wensa, however, receiving further teachings and transmissions from Sanggye Yeshe, including the Ganden Mahamudra of Tsongkhapa. In 1591 he received the news that Sanggye Yeshe was ill with smallpox, and he quickly returned to visit with him one last time, shortly before Sanggye Yeshe passed away. Following a successful examination in Pramanavarttika at Tashilhunpo, Chokyi Gyaltsen returned to Wensa to oversee the funeral.

Chokyi Gyaltsen ordained that same year, 1591, with Panchen Damcho Yarwel (paN chen dam chos yar ’phel), Paljor Gyatso, and Panchen Lhawang Lodro (paN chen lha dbang blo gros) officiating. He then traveled to Lhasa, making offerings at the Jokang and proceeded to Ganden, where he continued his education with Namkai Tsenchen (nam mkha’i mtshan can), with whom he studied Kalachakra, and Gendun Gyaltsen (dge’ ’dun rgyal mtshan, 1532-1605/1607), the 28th throne holder of Ganden, who taught him the collected works of the 2nd Dalai Lama. Chokyi Gyaltsen in turn taught Gendun Gyaltsen the Ganden Mahamudra, making him his successor in the oral lineage of that tradition. Damcho Pelbar (dam chos dpal ’bar, 1523/1546-1599), the 26th throne holder of Ganden, also taught him Cho.

Having returned to Wensa, which he enlarged with new temples and statues, Chokyi Gyaltsen gave public teachings on Lamrim and other topics, but soon felt the urge to enter retreat. He closed himself off from the public for six or seven months, reading scripture between sessions of meditation. It was during this short retreat that he had a vision of Tsongkhapa, and in his sleep received a number of important transmissions from him. He shifted his retreat to his home village, living for a time like a “cotton-clad one” (ras pa) in the tradition of the Kagyu ascetics, before returning to Wensa.

In 1601, his fame now widespread, Lobzang Chokyi Gyaltsen was asked to assume the abbacy of Tashilhunpo. The thirty-one year old was already abbot of Wensa and, beginning in 1598, abbot of Gangchen Chopel (gangs can chos ’phel), having been requested to assume that post by Lhuntse Depa (lhun rtse sde pa). That same year he initiated a Great Prayer Festival, or Monlam Chenmo (smon lam chen mo) at Tashilhunpo, installing a number of new statues in the temples. Eight years later, in 1609, he established a tantric college at the monastery, the Tashilhunpo Gyupa Dratsang (bkra shis lhun po rgyud pa grwa tshang)

Soon after taking the abbacy of Tashilhunpo, Yontan Gyatso (yon tan rgya mtsho, 1589-1616), the 4th Dalai Lama, visited there, arriving in Tibet from Mongolia for the first time. It would seem that Chokyi Gyaltsen played a role in the Tibetan acceptance of the Mongolian boy as the legitimate incarnation of Sonan Gyatsho (bsod nams rgya mtsho, 1543-1588). The 4th Dalai Lama requested Chokyi Gyaltsen accompany him to Drepung, where he taught for some time, and then as he traveled to various Kadampa and Gelugpa monasteries in the region, including Reting (rwa sgreng) and various sites connected to Tsongkhapa’s activities in Lhoka.

In 1612 Chokyi Gyaltsen visited Bhutan on invitation from the Lhapa hierarchs of Nyo (gnyos). This clan, Drukpa Kagyu followers who were strong in both Tsang and Bhutan, were rivals to Shabdrung Ngawang Namgyal (zhabs drung ngag dbang rnam rgyal, 1594-1651). Their loss of influence in Bhutan, and the close relations with Chokyi Gyaltsen, led to the Lhapa conversion to the Gelug tradition late in the century. They were but one clan-based religious tradition that Chokyi Gyaltsen brought under the Gelugpa tradition. Chokyi Gyaltso was again involved in Bhutanese-Tibetan affairs, negotiating a truce to conflicts between the two in the mid-1650s. Among hostages freed by Bhutan was a son of the house of Nenying (gnas rnying), another clan-based religious tradition whose merger with the Gelug was accomplished by Chokyi Gyaltsen.

Chokyi Gyaltsen continued to go back and forth between Shigatse and Lhasa, teaching at Tashilhunpo, Drepung, Sera, Ganden, and other Gelug monasteries. In 1617 the 4th Dalai Lama passed away, and Chokyi Gyaltsen assumed the abbacy of both Drepung and Sera. These were not the last monasteries where he served as abbot; in 1626 he was made abbot of Ganden’s Jangtse college, and in 1642 of Shalu (zha lu).

In 1618 the ruling family of most of Tibet, the Pakmodrupa (phag mo dru pa), was overthrown by the ruling family of Tsang, based in Shigatse. Supporters of the Kagyu tradition, the new rulers repressed Gelugpa institutions and religious practice, including the large Gelug monasteries of the Lhasa region, although he tolerated the presence of Tashilhunpo and Chokyi Gyaltsen. Curing him of a disease the King believed to have been inflicted by the 4th Dalai Lama, Chokyi Gyaltsen was able to secure permission from the King of Tsang to confirm the reincarnation of the 4th Dalai Lama in the person of a boy he named Lobzang Gyatso (blo bzang rgya mtsho), although he was forbidden to install him in Lhasa. Over the next decade relations between Lhasa and Shigatse continued to deteriorate, and Chokyi Gyaltsen was forced to mediate time and again. He was also forced to confront Mongol invasions, first in 1621 when Mongolian troops, brought in after secret negotiations with Gelugpa heirarchs, laid seige to Tsang authority in Lhasa and drove Tsang forces to Chakpori (lcags po ri), a small rocky hill in Lhasa. Only after Chokyi Gyaltsen’s intervention were the forces allowed to retreat to Shigatse. With Tsang forces out of Lhasa, in 1622 Chokyi Gyaltsen was able to enthrone the 5th Dalai Lama at Drepung.

Following the defeat of the Tsang King and the ascent of the 5th Dalai Lama as King of Tibet in 1641, the fortunes of Chokyi Gyaltsen grew greater still. Chokyi Gyaltsen was declared the 4th Panchen Lama and three previous lamas were posthumously identifyied as the first through third: Kedrubje (mkhas grub rje, 1385-1438), Sonam Chokyi Langpo (bsod nams phyogs kyi glang po, 1439-1505), and Wensapa Lobzang Dondrub (dben sa pa blo bzang don grub, 1505-1566). For this reason Chokyi Gyaltsen is either listed as the first or the fourth Panchen Lama.

Chokyi Gyaltsen continued to teach for the next two decades, passing away in 1662.

 

Sources.

 

Blo bzang chos kyi rgyal mtshan. 1973 (1720). Chos smra ba’i dge slong blo bzang chos kyi rgyal mtshan spyod tshul gsal bar ston pa nor bu’i phreng ba. In Collected Works (Gsung ’bum) of Blo bzang chos kyi rgyal mtshan, the 1st Panchen Lama, reproduced from tracings from prints of the Bkra shis lhun po blocks, pp. 5-454. New Delhi: Mongolian Lama Gurudeva. Also published as The Autobiography of the First Panchen Lama Blo bzang chos kyi rgyal mtshan, 1969, Delhi: Ngawang Gelek Demo.

Kapstein, Matthew. 2006. The Tibetans. Boston: Blackwell Publishing, pp. 134-139.

Smith, Gene. 2001. “The Autobiography of the First Panchen Lama.” In Among Tibetan Texts, pp. 119-131. Boston: Wisdom Publications.

Tshe mchog gling yongs ’dzin ye shes rgyal mtshan. 1970 (1787). Biographies of Eminent Gurus in the Transmission Lineages of the teachings of the Graduated Path, being the text of: Byang chub Lam gyi Rim pa’i Bla ma Brgyud pa’i Rnam par Thar pa Rgyal mtshan Mdzes pa’i Rgyan Mchog Phul byung Nor bu’i Phreng ba. New Delhi: Ngawang Gelek Demo, vol 1, pp. 88-235.

Willis, Janice D. 1985. “Preliminary Remarks on the Nature of rNam-thar: Early dGe-lugs-pa Siddha Biographies.” In Soundings in Tibetan Civilizations. Barbara Aziz and Matthew Kapstein, eds. Delhi: Manohar, pp. 304-319.

 

Incarnation line of the Panchen Lamas of Tashilhunpo.

 

(I) Kedrubje (mkhas grub rje, 1385-1438),

(II) Sonam Chokyi Langpo (bsod nams phyogs kyi glang po, 1439-1505)

(III) Wensapa Lobzang Dondrub (dben sa pa blo bzang don grub, 1505-1566

1) Lobzang Chokyi Gyaltsen (blo bzang chos kyi rgyal mtshan,1567-1662).

2) Lobzang Yeshe (blo bzang ye shes, 1663-1737).

3) Lobzang Palden Yeshe (blo bzang dpal ldan ye shes, 1738-1780).

4) Lobzang Tenpai Nyima Chole Namgyal (blo bzang bstan pa’i nyi ma phyogs las rnam rgyal, 1781-1854).

5) Lobzang Tenpai Wangchuk Palden Chokyi Drakpa(blo bzang bstan pa’i dbang phyug dpal ldan chos kyi grags pa, 1855-1882)

6) Lobzang Tubten Chokyi Nyima Gelek Namgyal (lo bzang thub bstan chos kyi nyi ma dge legs rnam rgyal, 1883-1937)

7) Chokyi Gyaltsen Trinle Lhudrub (chos kyi rgyal mtshan phrin las lhun grub, 1938-1989)

Gendun Chokyi Nyima (dge ’dun chos kyi nyi ma, b. 1989).

 

Alexander Gardner
October 2009

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I extracted the above from:

http://tibetanlineages.org/biographies/view/163/9839

tk

[Losang_Tenpa]

Awesome stuff!!!

I have always enjoyed his writing. Here is a link to the acip formatted text of his longer namtar:

http://www.asianclassics.org/release6/flat/S5877M_T.TXT

I am working on converting this into a pdf file in Tibetan fonts for those interested.

[Midakpa]

It is fascinating and intriguing to discover, if we read the biographies of the Panchen Lamas, the Dalai Lamas and the previous incarnations of Dorje Shugden, how, for centuries, their lives have been intertwined, playing different roles, sometimes as students, sometimes as teachers of one another. They have collaborated with each other, have taught each other and helped each other. It would be interesting to do in depth research on the incarnations of these three personalities with the aim of tracing the development of their relationships to the present day. Perhaps, by doing so, we may find some possible answers to our doubts and solutions to our present dilemma. Is it possible, in the first place, to attempt such a study? Food for thought.

[thor]

midakpa: Its a good idea, something like that will help clarify doubts, resolve anger and clear minds. And that is the purpose for which this site was founded. Recording the conflicts and harmonious periods between the 5th, 13th and 14th Dalai Lamas and Lord Dorje Shugden, and what role the Panchen Lama played, would be one of the ways.

Perhaps someone like Trinley Kelsang, who did excellent work with the Dorje Shugden History site, would be able to accomplish this and offer the material to this site's webmaster to post up

[Middleway]

That's an interesting idea, does it pre-suppose that each of the identified reincarnations is genuine though? It seems to me that if they were we wouldn't have this mess...

[Big Uncle]

Wow neat Namthar! I read that it was this Panchen Lama Lozang Chokyi Gyeltsen who composed the beautiful Lama Chopa and tsog offering. I heard that the amazingly haunting melody of the puja was composed based on the  actual celestial songs sung by Dakinis. Almost every Gelug monastery and center around the world performs Lama Chopa every two weeks or more.

[Midakpa]

Dear Big Uncle,

Thank you for this information. It is important to document the contributions of these great masters to Tibetan Buddhism in general and the Gelug tradition in particular. Many of the prayers that we perform in pujas, the sadhanas, mantras etc come from them. If we know who the authors are, it makes our practice all the more meaningful and interesting.

Midakpa

[thor]

That's an interesting idea, does it pre-suppose that each of the identified reincarnations is genuine though? It seems to me that if they were we wouldn't have this mess...

It does but I think its necessary. Recognising incarnations is so involved and relies upon signs, dreams, prophecies and tests ... nothing particularly logical about that. Yet the entire system of tibetan buddhism revolves around very concept and you have incarnations recognising other incarnations as well as oracles recognising incarnations (which some people frown upon and disbelieve). We have to view our lamas as supreme, as buddhas, and if we truly believe that then its better not to doubt the entire incarnation system. If an incarnation was false, our omniscient Gurus should know that... wouldnt they?

[Midakpa]

Dear Duldzin, I absolutely agree with you. Faith in the guru is the basis of all good qualities. The Buddha doesn't lie.

[Midakpa]

Dear Trinley Kalsang,

Please do compile what you call your "general observations" which, I'm sure, will turn out to be very educational and useful for students like me who know very little about the history of Tibetan masters. I've visited the Dorje Shugden History website and I'm very impressed with it. I think it is very important to document both the spiritual incarnations as well as the official incarnations because sometimes the official incarnations are not as outstanding as the spiritual ones. Thank you.

[Midakpa]

I see what you mean. Trying to make some kind of science out of emanation/reincarnation lineages might do more harm than good. You are very wise. I think your chosen approach is the best. Do keep us updated.

[Lee Dhi]

Thank you sincerely for the post and the opportunity to read and know another pivotal enlightened being in Tibetan Buddhism.

The contribution and continuous dedication Panchen Lama displays throughout his life is inspiring and awesome.

In reading Panchen Lama’s bio data (as well as those of other Great Dharma Masters), there always seem to be some level of political involvement. If one looks farther, it is also like this in other forms of Dharma/religion. Example: Nabi Muhammad for Islam, the Catholic Pope for Christianity etc.

There are claims that politics and Dharma should not mix. However, do we really create the conditions for this separation to exist? By reviewing history, there seem to be more effort to engage religion to politics than to split them. Man used religion (Dharma) as the reason to go to war: fulfilling both the desire from greed and consolation from guilt. At the same time, religion has also been an effective catalyst of peace.

The role Dharma needs to play in samsara (catalyst of peace or cause of disharmony etc.) really depends on the karma of beings at the time. In the many facades of Dharma, I trust that there is one constant: it is operating within samsara for the liberation of all sentient beings. All the “main characters” (i.e. the holy Gurus, Buddhas and Boddhisattvas) of the Dharma world have been changing their methods and techniques as well as roles they played to subdue our untamed minds to help us progress towards enlightenment. How compassionate of them!

Reading the bio data of the 1st Panchen Lama reminds me to be humbled by and deeply grateful for the dedication Panchen Lama and other great Gurus had for the benefit of all sentient beings. May more and more people be inspired by Panchen Lama and dedicate their lives to meaningful effort that brings benefit beyond one life time.

[shugdenpromoter]

Dear Everyone,

I was browsing through some previous post quite and I found this 1st Panchen Lama Short Bio. The only information I knew was that the 1st Panchen Lama is Khedrup Je. I thought it will be nice to revive this post as it has very good information.

On top of this, I found another article on the 1st Panchen Lama with some additional information.
Source : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Khedrup_Gelek_Pelzang,_1st_Panchen_Lama


Khedrup Gelek Pelzang (1385–1438), better known as Khedrup Je, the 1st Panchen Lama, was one of the main disciples of Lama Tsongkhapa (founder of the Gelug tradition of Tibetan Buddhism).
Before becoming Tsongkhapa's foremost disciple,[1] Khedrup Je had been a learned Sakyapa scholar. He is considered to be a reincarnation of Manjushri, the Buddha of Wisdom. He wrote an important text on Kalachakra initiation which is still used by Tenzin Gyatso, the 14th Dalai Lama, as the basis of his public initiations into the Kalachakra. Altogether, there are nine volumes of his collected works, containing fifty-eight treatises.[2]


Khedrup Je

Khedrup was posthumously decided to have been a previous incarnation of Lobsang Chökyi Gyaltsen (1570–1662), and is considered to be the First Panchen Lama and, like all the Panchen Lamas, was an incarnation of Amitabha Buddha.
Traditionally, there were considered to be four Indian and three Tibetan incarnations before Khedrup, starting with Subhuti, one of the original disciples of Gautama Buddha.[3][4]
Khedrup Je was unanimously chosen as Ganden Monastery's third abbot (after Tsongkhapa and Gyaltsab Je) by its monks, and also became the Ganden Tripa, the leader of the Gelug tradition.

Khedrub Je was a prolific writer (for example on Kalachakra), and founded Baiju Monastery in Gyantse District in Tibet in 1418. He also wrote many prayer books.[5]

“   According to the legend, after Tsongkhapa passed away in 1419, his disciple Khedrub Jey on five occasions met with him in mystical states. Kedrub Jey is most remembered for his charisma as a teacher, as well as for the many excellent commentaries that he wrote on the tantric lineages which Tsongkhapa gathered together and elucidated. He played an important role in the education of the First Dalai Lama, who was the youngest of Tsongkhapa's five chief disciples.[6]   ”

He founded the large Riwo Choling Monastery in the Yarlung Valley.

[Vajraprotector]

Some info on the history of the "Panchen" title.

Lobsang Chokyi Gyeltsen was conferred the title “Panchen Bhogto” () by Gushri Khan.

Later in 1713, the title “Panchen Erteni” (??) was conferred to Panchen Lobsang Yeshe (5th Panchen Lama) by the Chinese Emperor Kangxi during the Qing Dynasty. According to Dungkar Rinpoche, the title “Panchen” was given to Lobsang Yeshe by the 5th Dalai Lama, initiating the formal recognition of this incarnation lineage.

However, in both the biography of the 1st Dalai Lama as well as the history of Tashi Lhunpo Monastery, the popular usage of the term “Panchen” came about from the title “thams cad mkhyen pa” or “Omniscient One” as it was conferred to the first Dalai Lama Gendun Drup (1391-1474) by Bodong Chogle Namyal (1376-1451). This follows in the tradition of Tashi Lhunpo, since the first Dalai Lama founded Tashi Lhunpo Monastery in 1447, and both he and the 2nd Dalai Lama were throne-holders there. It was not until Lobsang Chokyi Gyeltsen that the Panchens inherited the throne at Tashi Lhunpo.

[Big Uncle]

Some info on the history of the "Panchen" title.

Lobsang Chokyi Gyeltsen was conferred the title “Panchen Bhogto” () by Gushri Khan.

Later in 1713, the title “Panchen Erteni” (??) was conferred to Panchen Lobsang Yeshe (5th Panchen Lama) by the Chinese Emperor Kangxi during the Qing Dynasty. According to Dungkar Rinpoche, the title “Panchen” was given to Lobsang Yeshe by the 5th Dalai Lama, initiating the formal recognition of this incarnation lineage.

However, in both the biography of the 1st Dalai Lama as well as the history of Tashi Lhunpo Monastery, the popular usage of the term “Panchen” came about from the title “thams cad mkhyen pa” or “Omniscient One” as it was conferred to the first Dalai Lama Gendun Drup (1391-1474) by Bodong Chogle Namyal (1376-1451). This follows in the tradition of Tashi Lhunpo, since the first Dalai Lama founded Tashi Lhunpo Monastery in 1447, and both he and the 2nd Dalai Lama were throne-holders there. It was not until Lobsang Chokyi Gyeltsen that the Panchens inherited the throne at Tashi Lhunpo.

Dear Vajraprotector,

I am afraid that there are some inaccuracies with the information you have presented here. The title Panchen Lama was first bestowed by his great student, the Great Fifth Dalai Lama to his Guru Panchen Lama Chokyi Gyeltsen and not Panchen Lobsang Yeshe, who is a later incarnation.

The Great Fifth Dalai Lama revered his Guru so much that he gave him Tashi Lhumpo monastery to be his home monastery and the seat of his future incarnations. I don't know if the title Panchen Lama has any co-relations with the Dalai Lama's title, 'Tamche Khyenpa'. All I know is that Panchen is a Tibetan pronunciation of the Indian word Pandit, which means a master of great learning. So, I don't see how it is connected with Tamche Khyenpa, which means the 'Omniscient One'. I could not see any other connections between them.