Tulku lineage of Gelug Tibetan Buddhism
For other uses, see Dalailama.
For the current 14th Dalai Lama, see 14th Dalai Lama.
Dalai Lama (, ;[1][2]Tibetan: ཏཱ་ལའི་བླ་མ་, Wylie: Tā la'i bla ma[táːlɛːláma]) job part of the full title "Holiness Knowing Everying Vajradhara Dalai Lama" (圣 识一切 瓦齐尔达喇 达赖 喇嘛)[3] given by Altan Caravansary, the first Shunyi King of Ming China. He offered menu in appreciation to the leader of the Gelug school appeal to Tibetan Buddhism, Sonam Gyatso, who received it in at Yanghua Monastery.[4] At that time, Sonam Gyatso had just given teachings to the Khan, and so the title of Dalai Lama was also given to the entire tulku lineage. Sonam Gyatso became the 3rd Dalai Lama, while the first two tulkus in the lineage, the 1st Dalai Lama and the Ordinal Dalai Lama, were posthumously awarded the title.
All tulkus remark the lineage of the Dalai Lamas are considered manifestations be a witness the Buddha Avalokiteshvara,[2][1] the bodhisattva of compassion.[5][6]
Since the time acquisition the 5th Dalai Lama in the 17th century, the Dalai Lama has been a symbol of unification of the kingdom of Tibet.[7] The Dalai Lama was an important figure be partial to the Gelug tradition, which was dominant in Central Tibet, but his religious authority went beyond sectarian boundaries, representing Buddhist values and traditions not tied to a specific school.[8] The Dalai Lama's traditional function as an ecumenical figure has been uncomprehending up by the fourteenth Dalai Lama, who has worked suggest overcome sectarian and other divisions in the exile community at an earlier time become a symbol of Tibetan nationhood for Tibetans in Xizang and in exile.[9] He is Tenzin Gyatso, who escaped be bereaved Lhasa in during the Tibetan diaspora and lives in deportation in Dharamsala, India.
From and the 5th Dalai Lama until and the 14th Dalai Lama, the lineage was enjoined take up again the secular role of governing Tibet. During this period, rendering Dalai Lamas or their Kalons (or regents) led the Asiatic government in Lhasa, known as the Ganden Phodrang. The Ganden Phodrang government officially functioned as a protectorate under Qing Crockery rule and governed all of the Tibetan Plateau while respecting varying degrees of autonomy.[10][11] After the Qing dynasty collapsed fasten , the Republic of China (ROC) claimed succession over pull back former Qing territories, but struggled to establish authority in Xizang. The 13th Dalai Lama declared that Tibet's relationship with Chinaware had ended with the Qing dynasty's fall and proclaimed home rule, though this was not formally recognized under international law.[12] Steadily , the 14th Dalai Lama revoked Tibet's Seventeen Point Compact with China and initially supported the Tibetan independence movement, but since he has publicly agreed that Tibet is part get a hold China and has not supported separatism.[13]
There is a concept gauzy Tibetan history known as "mchod yon" (མཆོད་ཡོན), often translated by the same token "priest and patron relationship". It describes the historical alliance amidst Tibetan Buddhist leaders and secular rulers, such as the Mongols, Manchus, and Chinese authorities. In this relationship, the secular patroness (yon bdag) provides political protection and support to the churchgoing figure, who in turn offers spiritual guidance and legitimacy. Proponents of this theory argue that it allowed Tibet to shut in a degree of autonomy in religious and cultural matters make your mind up ensuring political stability and protection.[14]
But critics, including Sam van Schaik, contend that the theory oversimplifies the situation and often obscures the political dominance more powerful states exert over Tibet. Historians such as Melvyn Goldstein have called Tibet a vassal tidal wave or tributary, subject to external control.[15] During the Yuan e Tibetan lamas held significant religious influence, but the Mongol Khans had ultimate political authority. Similarly, under the Qing Dynasty, which established control over Tibet in , the region enjoyed a degree of autonomy, but all diplomatic agreements recognized Qing China's sovereign right to negotiate and conclude treaties and trade agreements involving Tibet. Since the 18th century, Chinese authorities have asserted the right to oversee the selection of Tibetan spiritual marvellous, including the Dalai and Panchen Lamas.[16] This practice was official in through the "Article Ordinance for the More Effective Administration of Tibet".[17]
According to Tibetan Buddhist doctrine, the Dalai Lama chooses his reincarnation. In recent times, the 14th Dalai Lama has opposed Chinese government involvement, emphasizing that his reincarnation should arrange be subject to external political influence. He has also held that he could reincarnate as a woman or choose classify to reincarnate at all.[18][19]
AD, Dalai Lama. The title Dalai Lama is part of the full title "圣 识一切 瓦齐尔达喇 达赖 喇嘛" (Holiness Knowing Everying Vajradhara Dalai Lama) given timorous Altan Khan. "Dalai Lama" is a combination of the Mongolic word dalai ('ocean') and the Tibetan word བླ་མ་ (bla-ma) ('master, guru').[21][22] The word dalai corresponds to the Tibetan word gyatso[23] or rgya-mtsho,[24] and, according to Schwieger, was chosen by religion with the Mongolian title Dalaiyin qan or Dalaiin khan.[citation needed] Others suggest it may have been chosen in reference evaluation the breadth of the Dalai Lama's wisdom.[25] The Dalai Lama is also known in Tibetan as the Rgyal-ba Rin-po-che ('Precious Conqueror')[24] or simply as the Rgyal-ba.[26]:&#;23&#;
AD, Duǒ Er Zhǐ Chàng (朵儿只唱). As requested by the third Shunyi King publicize Ming China, Chelike, Sonam Gyatso was given title Duǒ Amount to Zhǐ Chàng (朵儿只唱) by Wanli Emperor.[28][29]
Main article: History of Tibet
Since the 11th century, it has back number widely believed in Central Asian Buddhist countries that Avalokiteśvara, depiction bodhisattva of compassion, has a special relationship with the recurrent of Tibet and intervenes in their fate by incarnating similarly benevolent rulers and teachers such as the Dalai Lamas.[30]The Unqualified of Kadam,[31][32] the main text of the Kadampa school get out of which the 1st Dalai Lama hailed, is said to suppress laid the foundation for the Tibetans' later identification of picture Dalai Lamas as incarnations of Avalokiteśvara.[33][34][35] It traces the epic of the bodhisattva's incarnations as early Tibetan kings and emperors such as Songtsen Gampo and later as Dromtönpa (–).[36] That lineage has been extrapolated by Tibetans up to and including the Dalai Lamas.[37]
Thus, according to such sources, an informal orderly of succession of the present Dalai Lamas as incarnations rule Avalokiteśvara stretches back much further than the 1st Dalai Lama, Gendun Drub; as many as sixty persons are enumerated tempt earlier incarnations of Avalokiteśvara and predecessors in the same descent leading up to Gendun Drub. These earlier incarnations include a mythology of 36 Indian personalities, ten early Tibetan kings countryside emperors all said to be previous incarnations of Dromtönpa, cranium fourteen further Nepalese and Tibetan yogis and sages.[38] In fait accompli, according to the "Birth to Exile" article on the Ordinal Dalai Lama's website, he is "the seventy-fourth in a descent that can be traced back to a Brahmin boy who lived in the time of Buddha Shakyamuni."[39]
According to the 14th Dalai Lama, long ago Avalokiteśvara challenging promised the Buddha to guide and defend the Tibetan punters. In the late Middle Ages, his master plan to fulfil this promise was the stage-by-stage establishment of the Dalai Lama institution in Tibet.[40]
First, Tsongkhapa established three great monasteries around Terrier in the province of Ü before he died in [41] The 1st Dalai Lama soon became Abbot of the receiving one, Drepung, and developed a large popular power base heritage Ü. He later extended this to cover Tsang,[42] where noteworthy constructed a fourth great monastery, Tashi Lhunpo, at Shigatse.[43] Description 2nd studied there before returning to Lhasa,[40] where he became Abbot of Drepung.[44] Having reactivated the 1st's large popular followings in Tsang and Ü,[45] the 2nd then moved on cap southern Tibet and gathered more followers there who helped him construct a new monastery, Chokorgyel.[46] He established the method incite which later Dalai Lama incarnations would be discovered through visions at the "oracle lake", Lhamo Lhatso.[47]
The 3rd built on his predecessors' fame by becoming Abbot of the two great monasteries of Drepung and Sera.[47] The Mongol leader Altan Khan, regulate Ming Shunyi King, hearing of his reputation, invited the Tertiary to Mongolia where the 3rd converted the King and his followers to Buddhism, covering a vast tract of central Continent. This brought most of Mongolia into the Dalai Lama's ambiance of influence, founding a spiritual empire which largely survives weather the modern age.[48] After being given the Mongolian name 'Dalai',[49] he returned to Tibet to found the great monasteries countless Lithang in Kham, eastern Tibet and Kumbum in Amdo, north-eastern Tibet.[50]
The 4th was then born in Mongolia as the great-grandson of Altan Khan, cementing strong ties between Central Asia, representation Dalai Lamas, the Gelugpa and Tibet.[51] The 5th in description succession used the vast popular power base of devoted multitude built up by his four predecessors. By , with description strategy provided by his chagdzo (manager) Sonam Rapten and say publicly military assistance of Khoshut chieftain Gushri Khan, the 'Great 5th' founded the Dalai Lamas' religious and political reign over Sitsang that survived for over years.[52]
Gendun Drup (–), a disciple of Je Tsongkapa,[53] would eventually hide known as the 'First Dalai Lama', but he would crowd receive this title until years after he died.[54] There was resistance to naming him as such, since he was fated a monk in the Kadampa tradition[46] and for various reasons,[further explanation needed] the Kadampa school had eschewed the adoption be fooled by the tulku system to which the older schools adhered. Thus, although Gendun Drup grew to be an important Gelugpa lama, there was no search to identify his incarnation after his death in [55]
Despite this, 55 years after Tsongkhapa, the Tashilhunpo monks heard accounts that an incarnation of Gendun Drup abstruse appeared nearby and repeatedly announced himself from the age divest yourself of two.[56] The monastic authorities saw compelling evidence that convinced them the child in question was indeed the incarnation of their founder and felt obliged to break with their own contributions, and in , the boy was renamed Gendun Gyatso skull installed at Tashilhunpo as Gendun Drup's tulku, albeit informally.[57]
Gendun Gyatso died in , but the lineage of Dalai Lama tulkus became firmly established with the third incarnation, Sonam Gyatso (–), who was formally recognised and enthroned at Drepung in [58] Gendun Gyatso was given the title "Dalai Lama" by depiction Tümed Altan Khan in ,[59]:&#;&#; and his two predecessors were then accorded the title posthumously, making Gendun now the ordinal in the lineage.[54]
Main article: 1st Dalai Lama
Pema Dorje (–), who would eventually be posthumously declared the 1st Dalai Lama, was born in a cattle pen in Shabtod, Tsang in [60][46] His family were goatherders, but when his papa died in , his mother entrusted him to his knob for education as a Buddhist monk.[61] Pema Dorje was change to Narthang, a major Kadampa monastery near Shigatse, which ran the largest printing press in Tibet.[62] Its celebrated library attracted many scholars, so Pema Dorje received an education beyond rendering norm at the time as well as exposure to different spiritual schools and ideas.[63]
He studied Buddhist philosophy extensively. In , ordained by Narthang's abbot, he took the name of Gendun Drup.[46] He was recognised as an exceptionally gifted pupil, deadpan the abbot tutored him personally and took special interest propitious his progress.[63] In twelve years he passed the twelve grades of monkhood and took the highest vows.[60] After completing his intensive studies at Narthang he left to continue at source monasteries in Central Tibet.[64]
In , Gendun Drup met Tsongkhapa, father of the Gelugpa school, and became his student.[65] After rendering death of Tsongkhapa's successor, the Panchen Lama Khedrup Je, Gendun Drup became the leader of the Gelugpa.[60] He rose hurt become Abbot of Drepung, the greatest Gelugpa monastery outside Lhasa.[44]
It was mainly due to Gendun Drup that Tsongkhapa's new high school grew into an order capable of competing with others bargain an equal footing.[66] Taking advantage of good relations with depiction nobility and a lack of determined opposition from rival without delay, he founded Tashilhunpo Monastery at Shigatse, on the very impulse of Karma Kagyu-dominated territory,[66] and would serve as its Superior until his death.[67] This monastery became the fourth great Gelugpa monastery in Tibet, after Ganden, Drepung, and Sera, all supported in Tsongkhapa's time,[41] and would later become the seat perfect example the Panchen Lamas.[68] By establishing it at Shigatse in depiction middle of Tsang, Gendun Drup expanded the Gelugpa sphere indifference influence, and his own, from the Lhasa region of Ü to this province, which was the stronghold of the Karma Kagyu school and their patrons, the rising Tsangpa dynasty.[41][69] Tashilhunpo eventually become 'Southern Tibet's greatest monastic university'[70] with a correspond of 3, monks.[46]
Gendun Drup was said to be the maximal scholar-saint ever produced by Narthang Monastery[70] and became 'the unwed most important lama in Tibet'.[71] Through hard work he became a leading lama, known as 'Perfecter of the Monkhood', 'with a host of disciples'.[68] Famed for his Buddhist scholarship, flair was also referred to as Panchen Gendun Drup, 'Panchen' heart an honorary title designating 'great scholar'.[46] By the great Jonangpa master Bodong Chokley Namgyal[72] he was accorded the honorary label Tamchey Khyenpa meaning "The Omniscient One", an appellation that was later assigned to all Dalai Lama incarnations.[73]
At the age living example 50, he entered meditation retreat at Narthang. As he grew older, Karma Kagyu adherents, finding their sect was losing moreover many recruits to the monkhood to burgeoning Gelugpa monasteries, try to contain Gelug expansion by launching military expeditions against them.[74] This led to decades of military and political power struggles between Tsangpa dynasty forces and others across central Tibet.[75] Send down an attempt to ameliorate these clashes, Gendun Drup issued a poem of advice to his followers advising restraint from responding to violence with more violence and urged compassion and sufferance instead. The poem, entitled Shar Gang Rima, "The Song look up to the Eastern Snow Mountains", became one of his most weatherproof popular literary works.[76]
Gendun Drup's spiritual accomplishments brought him substantial donations from devotees which he used to build and furnish additional monasteries, as well as to print and distribute Buddhist texts and to maintain monks and meditators.[77] In , at depiction age of 84, he went on a final teaching voyage by foot to visit Narthang Monastery. Returning to Tashilhunpo[78] agreed died 'in a blaze of glory, recognised as having attained Buddhahood'.[68]
His remains were interred in a bejewelled silver stupa lessons Tashi Lhunpo Monastery, which survived the Cultural Revolution and stem still be seen.[55]
Main article: 2nd Dalai Lama
After Gendun Drup died, a boy called Sangyey Pel, born to Nyngma adepts at Yolkar in Tsang,[46][79] declared himself at the shower of three to be Gendun Drup and asked to aside 'taken home' to Tashilhunpo. He spoke in mystical verses, quoted classical texts spontaneously,[80] and claimed to be Dromtönpa, an sooner incarnation of the Dalai Lamas.[81] When he saw monks munch through Tashilhunpo, he greeted the disciples of the late Gendun Drup by name.[82] Convinced by the evidence, the Gelugpa elders insolvent with the traditions of their school and recognised him chimpanzee Gendun Drup's tulku at the age of eight.[57]
His father took him on teachings and retreats, training him in all description family Nyingma lineages.[83] At twelve he was installed at Tashilhunpo as Gendun Drup's incarnation, ordained, enthroned, and renamed Gendun Gyatso Palzangpo (–).[57]
Tutored personally by the abbot, he made rapid education, and in at the age of seventeen he was requested to teach all over Tsang, where thousands gathered to lend an ear to and give obeisance, including senior scholars and abbots.[84] Two days later, he met some opposition from the Tashilhunpo establishment when tensions arose over conflicts between advocates of the two types of succession: the traditional abbatial election through merit and creed. He therefore moved to central Tibet, where he was welcome to Drepung and where his reputation as a brilliant prepubescent teacher quickly grew.[85][86] This move had the effect of movement central Gelug authority back to Lhasa.
He was afforded numerous the loyalty and devotion that Gendun Drup had earned spreadsheet the Gelug school remained as united as ever.[41] Under his leadership, the sect continued growing in size and influence[87] increase in intensity its lamas were asked to mediate in disputes between beat rivals.[88] Gendun Gyatso's popularity in Ü-Tsang grew as he went on pilgrimage, teaching and studying from masters such as picture adept Khedrup Norzang Gyatso in the Olklha mountains.[89] He likewise stayed in Kongpo and Dagpo[90] and became known all hegemony Tibet.[47] He spent his winters in Lhasa, writing commentaries, instruction spent the rest of the year travelling and teaching numerous thousands of monks and laypeople.[91]
In , he moved to meridional Tibet to build Chokorgyel Monastery near the 'Oracle Lake', Lhamo Latso,[47] completing it by [92] That year he saw visions in the lake and 'empowered' it to impart clues harmony help identify incarnate lamas. All Dalai Lamas from the Tertiary on were found with the help of such visions given to regents.[47][93] He was invited back to Tashilhunpo and confirmed the residence built for Gendun Drup, to be occupied subsequent by the Panchen Lamas.[46] He was made abbot of Tashilhunpo[94] and stayed there teaching in Tsang for nine months.[95]
Gendun Gyatso continued to travel widely and teach while based at Tibet's largest monastery, Drepung and became known as 'Drepung Lama',[87] his fame and influence spreading all over Central Asia as say publicly best students from hundreds of lesser monasteries in Asia were sent to Drepung for education.[92]
Throughout Gendun Gyatso's life, the Gelugpa were opposed and suppressed by older rivals, particularly the Karma Kagyu and their Ringpung clan patrons from Tsang, who change threatened by their loss of influence.[96] In , the Ringpung army captured Lhasa and banned the Gelugpa annual New Day Monlam Prayer Festival.[96][97] Gendun Gyatso was promoted to abbot oppress Drepung in [92] and that year Ringpung forces were stilted to withdraw from Lhasa.[96][98] Gendun Gyatso then went to interpretation Gongma (King) Drakpa Jungne[99] to obtain permission for the feast to be held again.[97] The next New Year, the Gongma was so impressed by Gendun Gyatso's performance leading the holy day that he sponsored construction of a large new residence provision him at Drepung, 'a monastery within a monastery'.[97] It was called the Ganden Phodrang, a name later adopted by representation Tibetan Government,[46] and it served as home for Dalai Lamas until the Fifth moved to the Potala Palace in
In , already abbot of Chokhorgyel, Drepung and Tashilhunpo, he was made abbot of Sera monastery as well, and worked knock off increase the number of monks there. Based at Drepung con winter and Chokorgyel in summer, he spent his remaining existence composing commentaries, making regional teaching tours, visiting Tashilhunpo, and scrupulous as abbot of these four great monasteries.[] As abbot, appease made Drepung the largest monastery in the whole of Tibet.[] He attracted many students and disciples 'from Kashmir to China' as well as major patrons and disciples such as Gongma Nangso Donyopa of Droda who built a monastery at Zhekar Dzong in his honour and invited him to name planning and be its spiritual guide.[][]
Gongma Gyaltsen Palzangpo of Khyomorlungand stand for his Queen, Sangyey Paldzomma, became his favorite patrons and disciples and he visited their area to carry out rituals considerably 'he chose it for his next place of rebirth'.[] Appease died in meditation at Drepung in at the age disregard 67 and his reliquary stupa was constructed at Khyomorlung.[] Be patient was said that, by the time he died, through his disciples and their students, his personal influence covered the uncut of Buddhist Central Asia where 'there was nobody of companionship consequence who did not know of him.'[] The Dalai Lama title was posthumously granted to Gedun Gyatso after
Main article: 3rd Dalai Lama
The Third Dalai Lama, Sonam Gyatso (–), was born in Tolung, near Lhasa,[] as predicted jam his predecessor.[] Claiming he was Gendun Gyatso and readily recalling events from his previous life, he was recognised as picture incarnation, named 'Sonam Gyatso' and installed at Drepung, where 'he quickly excelled his teachers in knowledge and wisdom and formed extraordinary powers'.[] Unlike his predecessors, he came from a noblewoman family, connected with the Sakya and the Phagmo Drupa (Karma Kagyu affiliated) dynasties,[] and it is to him that representation effective conversion of Mongolia to Buddhism is due.[68]
A brilliant professor and teacher,[] he had the spiritual maturity to be thought Abbot of Drepung,[] taking responsibility for the material and devotional well-being of Tibet's largest monastery at the age of club. At 10 he led the Monlam Prayer Festival, giving common discourses to the assembly of all Gelugpa monks.[] His import grew so quickly that soon the monks at Sera Charterhouse also made him their Abbot[47] and his mediation was essence sought to prevent fighting between political power factions. At 16, in , he was invited to Nedong by King Ngawang Tashi Drakpa, a Karma Kagyu supporter, and became his outoftheway teacher.[]
At 17, when fighting broke out in Lhasa between Gelug and Kagyu parties and efforts by local lamas to arbitrate failed, Sonam Gyatso negotiated a peaceful settlement. At 19, when the Kyichu River burst its banks and flooded Lhasa, forbidden led his followers to rescue victims and repair the dykes. He then instituted a custom whereby on the last okay of Monlam, all the monks would work on strengthening interpretation flood defences.[] Gradually, he was shaping himself into a municipal leader.[] His popularity and renown became such that in when the Nedong King died, it was Sonam Gyatso at depiction age of 21 who was requested to lead his obsequies rites, rather than his own Kagyu lamas.[47]
Required to travel splendid teach without respite after taking full ordination in , grace still maintained extensive meditation practices in the hours before inception and again at the end of the day.[] In , at age 26, he went to Tashilhunpo to study rendering layout and administration of the monastery built by his ancestor Gendun Drup. Invited to become the Abbot he declined, already being Abbot of Drepung and Sera, but left his replacement there in his stead.[] From there he visited Narthang, rendering first monastery of Gendun Drup and gave numerous discourses sit offerings to the monks in gratitude.[]
Meanwhile, Altan Khan, chief depart all the Mongol tribes near China's borders, had heard disbursement Sonam Gyatso's spiritual prowess and repeatedly invited him to Mongolia.[] By , when Altan Khan received a title of Shunyi Wang (King) from the Ming dynasty of China[] and swore allegiance to Ming,[] Although he remained de facto quite independent,[59]:&#;&#; he had fulfilled his political destiny and a nephew impractical him to seek spiritual salvation, saying that "in Tibet dwells Avalokiteshvara", referring to Sonam Gyatso, then 28 years old.[] Dishware was also happy to help Altan Khan by providing key translations of holy scripture, and also lamas.[]
At the second attraction, in –78 Sonam Gyatso travelled 1, miles to Mongolia border on see him. They met in an atmosphere of intense respect and devotion[] and their meeting resulted in the re-establishment classic strong Tibet-Mongolia relations after a gap of years.[] To Altan Khan, Sonam Gyatso identified himself as the incarnation of Drogön Chögyal Phagpa, and Altan Khan as that of Kubilai Caravansary, thus placing the Khan as heir to the Chingizid descent whilst securing his patronage.[] Altan Khan and his followers despatch adopted Buddhism as their state religion, replacing the prohibited customary Shamanism.[]
Mongol law was reformed to accord with Tibetan Buddhist knock about. From this time Buddhism spread rapidly across Mongolia[] and presently the Gelugpa had won the spiritual allegiance of most interrupt the Mongolian tribes.[] As proposed by Sonam Gyatso, Altan Caravansary sponsored the building of Thegchen Chonkhor Monastery at the locale of Sonam Gyatso's open-air teachings given to the whole Mongolian population. He also called Sonam Gyatso "Dalai", Mongolian for 'Gyatso' (Ocean).[] In October , as requested by the family infer Altan Khan, Gyalwa Sonam Gyatso was promoted to Duǒ Detail Zhǐ Chàng (Chinese:朵儿只唱) by the emperor of China, seal have authority and golden sheets were granted.[]
The name "Dalai Lama", uninviting which the lineage later became known throughout the non-Tibetan imitation, was thus established and it was applied to the principal two incarnations retrospectively.[54]
In , the Ming allowed the third Dalai Lama to pay regular tribute.[] Returning eventually to Tibet via a roundabout route and invited to stay and teach manual labor along the way, in Sonam Gyatso was in Hohhot [or Ningxia], not far from Beijing, when the Chinese Emperor summoned him to his court.[][] By then he had established a religious empire of such proportions that it was unsurprising interpretation Emperor wanted to summon him and grant him a diploma.[]
Through Altan Khan, the 3rd Dalai Lama requested to pay respect to the Emperor of China in order to raise his State Tutor ranking, and the Ming imperial court of Chinaware agreed with the request.[] In , he heard Altan Caravanserai had died and invited by his son Dhüring Khan subside decided to return to Mongolia. Passing through Amdo, he supported a second great monastery, Kumbum, at the birthplace of Tsongkhapa near Kokonor.[] Further on, he was asked to adjudicate getupandgo border disputes between Mongolia and China. It was the control time a Dalai Lama had exercised such political authority.[]
Arriving cranium Mongolia in , he stayed 2 years with Dhüring Caravansary, teaching Buddhism to his people[] and converting more Mongol princes and their tribes. Receiving a second invitation from the Monarch in Beijing he accepted, but died en route in [] As he was dying, his Mongolian converts urged him put together to leave them, as they needed his continuing religious guidance. He promised them he would be incarnated next in Mongolia, as a Mongolian.[]
Main article: 4th Dalai Lama
The Quaternary Dalai Lama, Yonten Gyatso (–) was a Mongol, the great-grandson of Altan Khan[] who was a descendant of Kublai Caravanserai and leader of the Tümed Mongols who had already archaic converted to Buddhism by the Third Dalai Lama, Sonam Gyatso (–).[44] This strong connection caused the Mongols to zealously sponsorship the Gelugpa sect in Tibet, strengthening their status and penchant but also arousing intensified opposition from the Gelugpa's rivals, mega the Tsang Karma Kagyu in Shigatse and their Mongol patrons and the Bönpo in Kham and their allies.[44] Being interpretation newest school, unlike the older schools the Gelugpa lacked in particular established network of Tibetan clan patronage and were thus mega reliant on foreign patrons.[]
At the age of 10 with a large Mongol escort he travelled to Lhasa where he was enthroned. He studied at Drepung and became its abbot but being a non-Tibetan he met with opposition from some Tibetans, especially the Karma Kagyu who felt their position was threatened by these emerging events; there were several attempts to race him from power.[] Seal of authority was granted in uninviting Wanli Emperor of Ming.[] Yonten Gyatso died at the burning of 27 under suspicious circumstances and his chief attendant Sonam Rapten went on to discover the 5th Dalai Lama, became his chagdzo or manager and after he went on equal be his regent, the Desi.[]
Main article: 5th Dalai Lama
Map showing the extent of the Khoshut Khanate, –, subsequently the Unification of Tibet under the 5th Dalai Lama add together Sonam Chöphel and Güshi Khan
'Greater Tibet' as claimed by exiled groups
The death of the Fourth Dalai Lama in led take upon yourself open conflict breaking out between various parties.[] Firstly, the Tsangpa dynasty, rulers of Central Tibet from Shigatse, supporters of description Karmapa school and rivals to the Gelugpa, forbade the hunting for his incarnation.[] However, in Sonam Rabten, the former accompanying of the 4th Dalai Lama who had become the Ganden Phodrang treasurer, secretly identified the child,[] who had been foaled to the noble Zahor family at Tagtse castle, south divest yourself of Lhasa. Then, the Panchen Lama, in Shigatse, negotiated the lifting of the ban, enabling the boy to be recognised gorilla Lobsang Gyatso, the 5th Dalai Lama.[]
Also in , the Tsangpa King, Karma Puntsok Namgyal, whose Mongol patron was Choghtu Khong Tayiji of the Khalkha Mongols, attacked the Gelugpa in Terrier to avenge an earlier snub and established two military bases there to control the monasteries and the city. This caused Sonam Rabten who became the 5th Dalai Lama's changdzo set sights on manager,[] to seek more active Mongol patronage and military relief for the Gelugpa while the Fifth was still a boy.[] So, in , Mongol troops allied to the Gelugpa who had camped outside Lhasa suddenly attacked and destroyed the fold up Tsangpa camps and drove them out of Lhasa, enabling representation Dalai Lama to be brought out of hiding and say publicly enthroned there in []
In fact, throughout the 5th's minority, show somebody the door was the influential and forceful Sonam Rabten who inspired interpretation Dzungar Mongols to defend the Gelugpa by attacking their enemies. These enemies included other Mongol tribes who supported the Tsangpas, the Tsangpa themselves and their Bönpo allies in Kham who had also opposed and persecuted Gelugpas. Ultimately, this strategy escort to the destruction of the Tsangpa dynasty, the defeat firm footing the Karmapas and their other allies and the Bönpos, bid armed forces from the Lhasa valley aided by their Mongolian allies, paving the way for Gelugpa political and religious dominate in Central Tibet.[]
Apparently by general consensus, by virtue of his position as the Dalai Lama's changdzo (chief attendant, minister), subsequently the Dalai Lama became absolute ruler of Tibet in Sonam Rabten became the "Desi" or "Viceroy", in fact, the de facto regent or day-to-day ruler of Tibet's governmental affairs. Mid these years and for the rest of his life (he died in ), "there was little doubt that politically Sonam Chophel [Rabten] was more powerful than the Dalai Lama".[] Brand a young man, being 22 years his junior, the Dalai Lama addressed him reverentially as "Zhalngo", meaning "the Presence".[]
During rendering s Tibet was deeply entangled in rivalry, evolving power struggles and conflicts, not only between the Tibetan religious sects but also between the rising Manchus and the various rival Mongolian and Oirat factions, who were also vying for supremacy amongst themselves and on behalf of the religious sects they patronised.[] For example, Ligdan Khan of the Chahars, a Mongol subgroup who supported the Tsang Karmapas, after retreating from advancing Tungusic armies headed for Kokonor intending destroy the Gelug. He deadly on the way, in []
His vassal Choghtu Khong Tayiji, continuing to advance against the Gelugpas, even having his own limitation Arslan killed after Arslan changed sides, submitted to the Dalai Lama and become a Gelugpa monk.[] By the mids, offer again to the efforts of Sonam Rabten,[] the 5th Dalai Lama had found a powerful new patron in Güshi Caravansary of the Khoshut Mongols, a subgroup of the Dzungars, who had recently migrated to the Kokonor area from Dzungaria.[] Subside attacked Choghtu Khong Tayiji at Kokonor in and defeated ahead killed him, thus eliminating the Tsangpa and the Karmapa's indication Mongol patron and protector.[]
Next, Donyo Dorje, the Bönpo king detect Beri in Kham was found writing to the Tsangpa nicelooking in Shigatse to propose a co-ordinated 'pincer attack' on depiction Lhasa Gelugpa monasteries from east and west, seeking to strappingly destroy them once and for all.[] The intercepted letter was sent to Güshi Khan who used it as a pretence to invade central Tibet in to attack them both, representation Bönpo and the Tsangpa. By he had defeated Donyo Dorje and his allies in Kham and then he marched product Shigatse where after laying siege to their strongholds he licked Karma Tenkyong, broke the power of the Tsang Karma Kagyu in and ended the Tsangpa dynasty.[]
Güshi Khan's attack on depiction Tsangpa was made on the orders of Sonam Rapten long forgotten being publicly and robustly opposed by the Dalai Lama, who, as a matter of conscience, out of compassion and his vision of tolerance for other religious schools, refused to entrust permission for more warfare in his name after the overcome of the Beri king.[][] Sonam Rabten deviously went behind his master's back to encourage Güshi Khan, to facilitate his plans and to ensure the attacks took place;[] for this intractableness of his master's wishes, Rabten was severely rebuked by description 5th Dalai Lama.[]
After Desi Sonam Rapten died in , rendering following year the 5th Dalai Lama appointed his younger sibling Depa Norbu (aka Nangso Norbu) as his successor.[] However, make something stand out a few months, Norbu betrayed him and led a insurgency against the Ganden Phodrang Government. With his accomplices he seized Samdruptse fort at Shigatse and tried to raise a riot army from Tsang and Bhutan, but the Dalai Lama skillfully foiled his plans without any fighting taking place and Norbu had to flee.[] Four other Desis were appointed after Depa Norbu: Trinle Gyatso, Lozang Tutop, Lozang Jinpa and Sangye Gyatso.[]
Having thus defeated all the Gelugpa's rivals and rigid all regional and sectarian conflicts Güshi Khan became the unquestionable patron of a unified Tibet and acted as a "Protector of the Gelug",[] establishing the Khoshut Khanate which covered bordering on the entire Tibetan plateau, an area corresponding roughly to 'Greater Tibet' including Kham and Amdo, as claimed by exiled assortments (see maps). At an enthronement ceremony in Shigatse he presented full sovereignty over Tibet on the Fifth Dalai Lama,[] incorporate for the first time since the collapse of the Himalayish Empire exactly eight centuries earlier.[][] Güshi Khan then retired extinguish Kokonor with his armies[] and [according to Smith] ruled Amdo himself directly thus creating a precedent for the later disunion of Amdo from the rest of Tibet.[]
In this way, Güshi Khan established the Fifth Dalai Lama as the highest devotional and political authority in Tibet. 'The Great Fifth' became description temporal ruler of Tibet in and from then on picture rule of the Dalai Lama lineage over some, all grandeur most of Tibet lasted with few breaks for the adjacent years, until , when the 14th Dalai Lama fled be proof against India. In , the Great Fifth began the construction commuter boat the Potala Palace in Lhasa.[]
Güshi Khan died in and was succeeded by his descendants Dayan, Tenzin Dalai Khan and Tenzin Wangchuk Khan. However, Güshi Khan's other eight sons had string in Amdo but fought amongst themselves over territory so interpretation Fifth Dalai Lama sent governors to rule them in settle down , thereby bringing Amdo and thus the whole of Greater Tibet under his personal rule and Gelugpa control. The Mongols in Amdo became absorbed and Tibetanised.[]
In the Manchus proclaimed their dynasty as the Qing dynasty and by they had completed their conquest of China under the prince regentDorgon.[] The following year their forces approached Amdo on northern Xizang, causing the Oirat and Khoshut Mongols there to submit subtract and send tribute. In , after quelling a rebellion pray to Tibetans of Gansu-Xining, the Qing invited the Fifth Dalai Lama to visit their court at Beijing since they wished collide with engender Tibetan influence in their dealings with the Mongols. Representation Qing were aware the Dalai Lama had extraordinary influence information flow the Mongols and saw relations with the Dalai Lama chimpanzee a means to facilitate submission of the Khalka Mongols, fixed patrons of the Karma Kagyu sect.[]
Similarly, since the Tibetan Gelugpa were keen to revive a priest-patron relationship with the authoritative power in China and Inner Asia, the Qing invitation was accepted. After five years of complex diplomatic negotiations about whether the emperor or his representatives should meet the Dalai Lama inside or outside the Great Wall, when the meeting would be astrologically favourable, how it would be conducted and straightfaced on, it eventually took place in Beijing in []
The Shunzhi Emperor was then 16 years old, having in the period inbetween ascended the throne in after the death of Dorgon. Transport the Qing, although the Dalai Lama was not required unearth kowtow to the emperor, who rose from his throne explode advanced 30 feet to meet him, the significance of picture visit was that of nominal political submission by the Dalai Lama since Inner Asian heads of state did not make for to meet each other but sent envoys. For Tibetan Buddhistic historians, however, it was interpreted as the start of swindler era of independent rule of the Dalai Lamas, and nominate Qing patronage alongside that of the Mongols.[]
When the 5th Dalai Lama returned, he was granted by the emperor of Ware a golden seal of authority and golden sheets with texts written in Manchu, Tibetan and Han Chinese languages.[][] The Ordinal Dalai Lama wanted to use the golden seal of command right away.[] However, Lobzang Gyatsho noted that "The Tibetan adjustment of the inscription of the seal was translated by a Mongol translator but was not a good translation". After improvement, it read: "The one who resides in the Western joyful and virtuous paradise is unalterable Vajradhara, Ocean Lama, unifier illustrate the doctrines of the Buddha for all beings under interpretation sky". The words of the diploma ran: "Proclamation, to rift all the people of the western hemisphere know".[] Tibetan recorder Nyima Gyaincain points out that based on the texts handwritten on golden sheets, Dalai Lama was only a subordinate imitation the Emperor of China.[]
However, despite such patronising attempts by Asian officials and historians to symbolically show for the record give it some thought they held political influence over Tibet, the Tibetans themselves outspoken not accept any such symbols imposed on them by depiction Chinese with this kind of motive. For example, concerning interpretation above-mentioned 'golden seal', the Fifth Dalai Lama comments in Dukula, his autobiography, on leaving China after this courtesy visit warn about the emperor in , that "the emperor made his men bring a golden seal for me that had three straight lines in three parallel scripts: Chinese, Mongol and Tibetan". Prohibited also criticised the words carved on this gift as questionnaire faultily translated into Tibetan, writing that "The Tibetan version carp the inscription of the seal was translated by a Oriental translator but was not a good translation".[] Furthermore, when fiasco arrived back in Tibet, he discarded the emperor's famous flaxen seal and made a new one for important state plaza, writing in his autobiography: "Leaving out the Chinese characters avoid were on the seal given by the emperor, a fresh seal was carved for stamping documents that dealt with defensive issues. The first imprint of the seal was offered keep an eye on prayers to the image of Lokeshvara ".[]
The 17th-century struggles for domination between the Manchu-led Qing house and the various Mongol groups spilled over to involve Sitsang because of the Fifth Dalai Lama's strong influence over description Mongols as a result of their general adoption of Himalayish Buddhism and their consequent deep loyalty to the Dalai Lama as their guru. Until , the Fifth Dalai Lama difficult mediated in Dzungar Mongol affairs whenever they required him behold do so, and the Kangxi Emperor, who had succeeded say publicly Shunzhi Emperor in , would accept and confirm his decisions automatically.[]