Taklung Thangpa Tashi Pal
Taklung Thangpa Tashi Pal (1142–1210) is the founder of the Taklung Kagyu lineage of Tibetan Buddhism.
Tashi Pal was born in 1142 AD, to the Taklung Gazi family, one of the six main ancestral Tibetan lineages. He embraced monkhood in Pal Thang-kya Monastery, where he studied and mastered the general and distinct Buddhist teachings. Owing to his vast and profound knowledge of Buddhist doctrine, he was renowned as the great sovereign and accomplished master scholar.
He traveled towards Central Tibet where he met his destined root teacher, Pakmodrupa Dorje Gyelpo. For six years, Tashi Pal served his master as his personal attendant during which time he received the entire tantric and sutric teachings, including the ripening empowerment and liberating instructions of the great Mahamudra and the Six yogas of Naropa. Later, he spent many years in six different solitary places staying in extremely strict retreat practice by sealing off his retreat room.
In the year 1180 AD, he established the seat and the distinct tradition of Taklung Kagyu at Taklung Thang Dorje Den. Since then, his name came to be known as Taklung Thangpa.
Taklung Thangpa Tashi Pal is also the founder the Taklung Yarthang Monastery.
Sources
- Taklung Thangpa Tashi Pal, taklungkagyu.org
