Tsongkhapa Lobzang Drakpa
Tsongkhapa Lobzang Drakpa (T. tsong kha pa blo bzang grags pa ཙོང་ཁ་པ་བློ་བཟང་གྲགས་པ་) (1357-1419) was one of the most influential Tibetan Buddhist scholars of the last millennium.[1]
He studied with numerous teachers of all traditions and engaged in many retreats resulting in his development of a fresh interpretation of Nāgārjuna's Madhyamaka view and a reinvigoration of the monastic Vinaya. Widely regarded as an emanation of Mañjuśrī, Tsongkhapa composed eighteen volumes of works of which the majority dealt with tantric subjects. He was the founder of Ganden Monastery, which became the central monastery of the Gelug tradition that was founded on his teachings and writings.[1]
According to John Powers, Tsongkhapa's work "contains a comprehensive view of Buddhist philosophy and practice that integrates sutra and tantra, analytical reasoning, and yogic meditation."[2]
Guy Newland describes Tsongkhapa's philosophical approach as one which combines the existence and validity of logic and ethics (conventionally and contingently) with "a radical view of emptiness" which sees all phenomena as devoid of intrinsic nature.[3]
Writings
Tsongkhapa's writings include the following texts.
On practice and the path:
- The Foundation of All Good Qualities (Yönten Shyir Gyurma)
- Three Principal Aspects of the Path
- Lamrim Chenmo ("Great Treatise on the Stages of the Path")
- Lamrim Chungwa (“Short Treatise on the Stages of the Path”)
- Lamrim Düdön (“Concise Meaning of the Stages of the Path”)
On Mahayana philosophy:
- In Praise of Dependent Origination
- Essence of True Eloquence, a treatise on the view of emptiness
- Ocean of Reasoning, a commentary on Nagarjuna's Mulamadhyamakakarika
- Golden Garland of Eloquence, a commentary on Maitreyanātha's Abhisamayālaṃkāra
- Thoroughly Clear Intention (dbu ma dgongs pa rab gsal), a commentary on Candrakīrti's Madhyamakāvatāra
On tantra:
- Lamp to Illuminate the Five Stages, a presentation of the five stages of the Guhyasamaja tantric system
- Great Exposition of Secret Mantra (sngags rim chen mo)
Further reading
Tsong_kha_pa, Tsadra Commons
Tsongkhapa Lobzang Drakpa, Treasury of Lives
Tsongkhapa, Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy
Tsongkhapa, StudyBuddhism
Tsongkhapa Lobzang Drakpa, Rigpa Shedra Wiki
Je Tsongkhapa, Wikipedia
Notes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Tsong_kha_pa, Tsadra Commons
- ↑ Powers, John (2007) Introduction to Tibetan Buddhism, p. 467. Snow Lion Publications.
- ↑ Newland, Guy (2008–2009), Introduction to Emptiness: As Taught in Tsong-kha-pa's Great Treatise on the Stages of the Path, Ithaca, p. 8.