Gendun Gyatso, 2nd Dalai Lama

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Gendun Gyatso, 2nd Dalai Lama
1475 -1541
Name
His Holiness Gendun Gyatso,
the 2nd Dalai Lama
Birth Tibet
School/tradition Gelug

Gendun Gyatso Palzangpo (Wylie transliteration: Dge-'dun Rgya-mtsho), also Gendun Gyatso ("Sublimely Glorious Ocean of Spiritual Aspirants", layname: Yonten Phuntsok) (1475 – 1541) was the second Dalai Lama. He was proclaimed the reincarnation of Gendun Drup as a young boy.

Legend has it that soon after he learned to speak, he told his parents his name was Pema Dorje, the birth name of the first Dalai Lama. When he was four, he reportedly told his parents he wished to live in the Tashilhunpo monastery to be with his monks.

He remained at Tashilhunpo until he was 16 or 17 but, then, due to "some controversies or jealousy" he had to leave the monastery and went to Lhasa to study at Drepung Monastery.[1]

When the high priests came looking for the incarnation of the previous Dalai Lama, they found him when he was 17 years old. Apparently, he told the priests that he had been waiting for them.

He was a renowned scholar and composer of mystical poetry, who traveled widely to extend Gelugpa influence, and became abbot of the largest Gelugpa monastery, Drepung, which from this time on was closely associated with the Dalai Lamas. According to Sumpa Khenpo, the great Gelug scholar, he also studied some Nyingma-pa tantric doctrines.[2]

It is said that Palden Lhamo, the female guardian spirit of the sacred lake, Lhamo La-tso, promised the First Dalai Lama in one of his visions "that she would protect the reincarnation lineage of the Dalai Lamas." Since the time of Gendun Gyatso, who formalised the system, monks have gone to the lake to seek guidance on choosing the next reincarnation through visions while meditating there.[3]

In 1509 he went to southern Tibet and founded the monastery of Chokorgyel Monastery (Chokhor-gyal) close to lake Lhamo La-tso, about 115 km northeast of Tsetang and at an altitude of 4,500 m (14,764 ft), while the lake itself is at an altitude of about 5,000 m. (16,404 ft).[4][5]

Gedun Gyatso became abbot of Tashilhunpo in 1512.[6]

[edit] Footnotes

  1. ^ Laird, Thomas (2006). The Story of Tibet: Conversations with the Dalai Lama, p. 138. Grove Press, N.Y. ISBN 978-0-8021-827-1.
  2. ^ Stein, R. A. (1972). Tibetan Civilization, pp. 171-172. Stanford University Press, Stanford California. ISBN 0-8047-0806-1 (cloth); ISBN 0-8047-0901-7 (paper).
  3. ^ Laird, Thomas (2006). The Story of Tibet: Conversations with the Dalai Lama, pp. 139, 264-265. Grove Press, N.Y. ISBN 978-0-8021-827-1.
  4. ^ Laird, Thomas (2006). The Story of Tibet: Conversations with the Dalai Lama, p. 139. Grove Press, N.Y. ISBN 978-0-8021-827-1.
  5. ^ Mayhew, Bradley and Kohn, Michael. (2005) Tibet. 6th Edition, pp. 158-159. ISBN 1-74059-523-8.
  6. ^ Stein, R. A. (1972). Tibetan Civilization, p. 84. Stanford University Press, Stanford California. ISBN 0-8047-0806-1 (cloth); ISBN 0-8047-0901-7 (paper).

[edit] References

  • Essence of Refined Gold by the Third Dalai Lama: with related texts by the Second and Seventh Dalai Lamas. (1978) Translated by Glenn H. Mullin. Tushita Books, Dharamsala, H.P., India.
Buddhist titles
Preceded by
Gendun Drup		 Reincarnation of the Dalai Lama Succeeded by
Sonam Gyatso
v • d • e
Dalai Lamas
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