Gendhundup (1391-1474) was the first Dalai Lama of Tibet. He was a disciple of Tsongkhapa Lobsang Drakpa (1357-1419), the great founder of the Gelug sect of Tibetan Buddhism. Gendhundup was the first abbot of Ganden Monastery, the founder of Tashilhunpo Monastery, and established three religious colleges in Shigatse, Tibet. He was a famous scholar-sage, known for his combination of learning and practice. He recorded his insights into the Buddha’s teachings and philosophy in eight major works. Some of his famous works are “Sunshine on the Road to Freedom”, “Hymn to Venerable Kadiravanitala”, “Shattering the Powers of Evil into Dust”, “Song of the Snowy Mountains of the East” and three of his extensive works. Commentary on the commandments. In 1474, he passed away while meditating in Tashilhunpo Monastery at the age of 84. More than a hundred years after his death, he was posthumously named the first Dalai Lama.
Wiki/Biography
Gendhundup was born in 1391 in Gyurmey Rupa near Sakya in the Houzang region of central Tibet. From an early age, Gendhundup showed a keen interest in religious symbols and customs. He was an ardent learner and often carved sacred Tibetan syllables and prayers into stones. After his father passed away, his mother sent him to Natang Monastery to study and named him Pema Dorje. At the age of 15, he received the title of dge ‘dun grub pa dpal. Five years later, he became a monk in 1411. Due to his outstanding achievements in the study of precepts, he received the title of “Study of Precepts”. “omniscient”(sans ka mqimba). In 1415, at the age of 25, he met the great master Tsongkhapa Lobsang Drakpa (tsong kha pa blo bzang grags pa, 1357-1419) at Uzang Ganden Monastery, where he became his student and learned a lot. Religious knowledge. Teachings ultimately transformed into his legacy.
Gendhundup’s teacher Tsongkhapa Losang Drakpa
Gendhundup met his classmate Sherab Sengge (1383-1445) at Sangpu Monastery and the successor of Tsongkhapa’s tantric teachings. They studied and traveled together for twelve years, spreading Tsongkhapa’s Lamrim teachings in monasteries such as Sakya Monastery and Kadam Monastery in Tsang. Throughout his life as a spiritual master, Gendhun Drup trained the abbots of Hatang, Gelug and Sakya monasteries in the Kham region of Tibet.
family
The first Dalai Lama came from humble beginnings. He was born into a nomadic tribe belonging to the ‘brom clan. He grew up as a shepherd for 7 years before being sent to Narthang Monastery by his mother.
parents
His father’s name is mgon po rdo rje and his mother’s name is jomo Namkyi (jo mo nam mkha’ skyid). His father died in 1398, when he was 7 years old. Unable to support the shepherds, his mother sent him to live with his uncle, a monk at Natang Monastery near Shigatse.
legend
Mahakala
Mahākāla, the protector of the Dharma, the deity of Gendun Drub
According to legend, he experienced divine intervention on the night of his birth. It is said that after his camp was attacked by bandits, his mother hid him in the rocks for the night. When she returned the next day, she found him safe and sound, guarded by a large black crow. It is believed that Mahakala, the patron saint of Tibetan Buddhism, took the form of a crow to protect him. Later, Gendub Drub took refuge in Mahākāla.
Lucky Heavenly Mother
Lucky Heavenly Mother, the protector of each reincarnation of the Dalai Lama. She is the only female Dharampala among the eight Dharampalas
According to another tradition, Palden Lhamo is the female protector of the Gelug sect and the patron saint of the Lhamo Tso Lake (Ramoracuo) came into Gendundlen’s sight and promised that she would protect the reincarnation lineage of the Dalai Lama. To this day, she remains the Dalai Lama’s personal protector in all incarnations. Gendun Gyatso, the second Dalai Lama, officially made it a custom for monks to come to the holy lake in order to see and guide the whereabouts of the Dalai Lama’s next reincarnation.
Tibet Gyatso Ram Latso
ordination
After entering Nathang Monastery, he received the Upasaka lay ordination from the fourteenth abbot Khenchen Drubpa Sherab (1357-1423), and received the novice ordination in 1405 at the age of 15. And received the Buddhist title Gendun Druk Babe (dge ‘dun). grub pa dpal). In 1411, he received the bhikkhu ordination and became a formal monk. It took him 12 years to pass the 12th level of monkhood, and he took the highest ordination after becoming a monk.
Natang Temple in Shigatse, where Gendun Drub became a monk
Profession
In 1432, Gendhundup became the abbot of Thanariku, a Sakya monastery and converted it into a Gelug monastery. After the death of Tsongkhapa’s successor Kedrupgyal (the first Panchen Lama, 1385-1438), Gendhundup took over the leadership of the Gelug sect. Later he served as the abbot of Drepung Monastery in Lhasa. In 1441, at the age of 50, he went into retreat in Natang. He held two large-scale prayer meetings at Tashilhunpo Monastery, one in 1463 and the other in 1474, with about 1,600 monks and 10,000 lay people participating. In 1477, Gendhundup established the Tashilhunpo Monastery in Shigatse, Houzang, despite the strong opposition from the Sakya and Kagyu monasteries. Its establishment enhanced the influence of the Gelug sect in Tsang. He also established three religious colleges in Shigatse. Tashilhunpo Monastery has become the fourth largest Gelug Sect monastery in Tibet after Ganden Monastery, Drepung Monastery and Sera Monastery. Gendhun Drup served as the abbot of Tashilhunpo Monastery until his death. The temple is now the seat of the reincarnation of the Panchen Lama.
Tashilhunpo Monastery in Shigatse, Tibet
Gendhundup has no political role. The Dalai Lama’s political interference began as early as the fifth Dalai Lama’s accession to the throne.
die
In 1474, Gendhun Drub passed away while meditating in Tashilhunpo Monastery at the age of 84. Before his death, he walked to Natang Temple to teach the Dharma for the last time.
Facts/Trivia
- He is known as “The Perfect Monk” and is often called the Panchen Gen Dudjom, the title “Panchen” meaning “the great scholar”.
- He is considered to be an incarnation of the compassionate Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara.
- It is said that the Sakya master Tangtong Gyelpo (1361-1485) tried to prevent him from establishing Tashilhunpo Monastery in Shigatse.
- His body was buried in Tashilhunpo Monastery and can still be seen today.
Categories: Biography
Source: HIS Education