Buddhism in Tibet
Buddhism first came to Tibet in the 8th Century from India. As a new religion and philosophy it flourished under royal patronage and with direct support of two of the greatest Indian Buddhist masters Shantarakshita and the tantric Mahasiddha Padmasambhava. This fertile period brought about what has to become known as the old school of Tibetan Buddhism (Nyingma) and provided a solid foundation for the later proliferation of the Buddhadharma throughout Tibet. After a period of suppression Buddhism again burst fourth with even more richness and diversity. This renewal began with arrival in 1042 of Atisha the Abbot of India’s finest learning institution of the time, Nalanda University. Atisha laid a firm footing for the development of the Sarma (new) schools of Tibetan Buddhism: Sakya, Kagyu and Gelugpa. From here on Buddhism firmly established its roots in Tibet. In 1244 Sakya Pandita, the head of the Sakya Tradition of Tibetan Buddhism, became the ruler of the whole of Tibet when he was appointed regent by the Mongol ruler Godan. In the 17th century the Gelukpas became rulers of Tibet and in 1642 the 5th Dalai Lama became the first Dalai Lama to rule Tibet. This tradition continued until the 14th Dalai Lama fled Tibet after the invasion of the Chinese Red Army.
The Four Schools of Tibetan Buddhism
Four schools of Tibetan Buddhism have arisen and evolved over more than a thousand years of Tibetan history. The Nyingma Tradition is the oldest school and dates back to the influence of Padmasambhava in the 8th century. The Kagyu Tradition was founded by Marpa, Milarepa and Gampopa. This tradition arose from the teachings of great Indian Mahasiddhas, Naropa and Tilopa. The Gelugpa tradition was founded in the 14th century by Lama Tsong Khapa and later became the dominant political force in central Tibet. The Sakya School was founded by Khon Konchok Gyalpo in 1073 when he built the Sakya monastery in south central Tibet. Within the Sakya School, there is the principal branch of Sakya and the two main sub–branches of Ngorpa and Tsarpa.
The Sakya Tradition
The origins of the Sakya tradition can be found in the mythical stories of ancient Tibet. According to this tradition a race of celestial beings came to earth and fought with some resident earthly demons. During the conflict, one of the clear light gods fell in love with one of the daughters of the demons and a son was born to them. It is from this son (named Khon Bar–kye meaning ‘he who is born between love and strife’) that the Khon family started and came to be known in Tibet. The members of the Khon family then became students of Guru Padmasambhava and one of the Khon sons became one of the first seven Tibetans to receive monastic ordination. From this time until the 11th century, the Khon family were supporters and followers of the old Nyingma tradition.
When the new Buddhist teachings began to arrive in the 11th century, Khon Konchok Gyalpo (1034–1102) decided that the Khon family would also benefit from this new wave of Dharma and so Khon Konchok Gyalpo founded the Sakya monastery in the Tibetan Tsang province in 1073. This marked the start of the Sakya tradition. Lord Buddha Shakyamuni himself prophesied in the Manjushri tantra that a Sakya monastery would cause the teachings to flower in Tibet. Atisha (982–1053), on his way from India to Tibet in 1040 C.E, was said to have made offerings at the location where the monastery would later be built. This monastery became known as “white earth”, and Atisha also prophesied that this place would witness one Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara incarnation, seven Bodhisattva Manjushri incarnations and one Bodhisattva Vajrapani incarnation. Through many years of Tibetan history there were indications that these visions had materialised. The word “Sakya” means “white earth”, in Tibetan and the Sakya tradition is named after the patch of white earth where Atisha made these prophesies.
In the 12th and 13th centuries, the Sakya tradition rose to a prominent position in Tibet. This prominence was brought about by the efforts of the Five Great Sakya Masters—Sachen Kunga Nyingpo (1092–1158), Sonam Tsemo (1142–1182), Jetsun Drakpa Gyaltsen (1147–1216), Sakya Pandita (1182–1251) and Chogyal Phakpa (1235–1280). After these founding father there came the Six Ornaments of Tibet: Yakton Sangye Pal, Rongton Sheja Kunrig, Ngorchen Kunga Zangpo, Dzongpa Kunga Namgyal, Gorampa Sonam Senge and Shakya Chogden, all the way down to the present 41st Sakya Trizin.
Tsarpa
The Tsarpa sub–school of the Sakya tradition began with Tsarchen Losal Gyatso who established the Dar Drangmochen monastery in Tsang province in Tibet. The Tsarpa lineage is renowned because of it strong combination of both a scholarly and a yogic tradition, as exemplified by the extraordinary attainments of the late His Eminence Chogye Trichen Rinpoche. The home monastery for the Tsarpa tradition in Tibet is Nalendra founded by the Mahasiddha Rongton Sheja Kunrig (1367–1449).
For more details of Tsarpa and Sakya visit the site of His Eminence Chogye Trichen.
