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From Buddha-Nature
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Go Khukpa Lhetse was one of the most important translators and scholars of the early Tibetan renaissance. A teacher of Khon Konchok Gyeltsen, he went three times to India to study Guhyasamāja. +
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Jinamitra was an Indian paṇḍita who participated in the translation of scores of Buddhist scriptures into Tibetan, including a version of the ''Mahāparinirvāṇasūtra''. Among his most frequent Tibetan collaborators were Yeshe De and Lui Gyeltsen. +
Lodro Pel was one of Dolpopa’s fourteen major disciples. A Sanskrit scholar, he completed a new translation of the ''Kālacakra Tantra'' and the ''Vimalaprabhā''. Dolpopa personally selected Lodro Pel as his successor and the fifth holder of the monastic seat of Jonang Monastery. Lodro Pel also made important new additions to the art and architecture of the Jonang stupa. +
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The Third Karmapa, Rangjung Dorje, was a prominent Karma Kagyu hierarch who also held Nyingma and Chod lineages. He was likely the first man to carry the title of Karmapa, following his identification by Orgyenpa Rinchen Pal as the reincarnation of Karma Pakshi, whom Orgyenpa posthumously identified as the reincarnation of Dusum Khyenpa. He spent much of his life traveling across Tibet and made two visits to the Yuan court in China. +
Kawa Peltsek was one of the first Tibetans to take Buddhist ordination. He later became a disciple of Padmasambhava, who identified him as an incarnation of an Indian mahapaṇḍita. A famed translator, he was instrumental in designing forms of Tibetan calligraphy. +
Tsewang Norbu later received the entire Jonangpa tradition's teachings from Drubchen Kunzang Wangpo (grub chen kun bzang dbang po, seventeenth century), and he is credited with bringing about a renaissance of the teachings, particularly of the Jonang zhentong, or “other emptiness” view (gzhan stong). Tsewang Norbu had first attempted to meet with Kunzang Wangpo in 1726, while en route to Nepal, but was unable to do so. When he returned to Tibet the following year, the two met, and Tsewang Norbu received the extensive transmission at the hermitage Genden Khacho (dga' ldan mkha' chos) in Tsang, which was named Rulak Drepung (ru lag 'bras spung) prior to its forced conversion to Geluk. Tsewang Norbu transmitted the Jonang teachings to many Kagyu and Nyingma lamas, most importantly to the Eighth Tai Situ, Chokyi Gyeltsen (ta'i si tu 08 chos kyi 'byung gnas, c.1699-1774), with whom he spent time at the Swayambhunath Stupa in Kathmandu in 1748. +
Khedrubje Gelek Pelzang (mkhas grub rje dge legs dpal bzang) was born in Tsang in 1385. His father, Gunga Tashi Pelzang (kun dga' bkra shis dpal bzang, d.u.), was a member of the Se clan, said to have originated in Khotan, and his mother was Budren Gyelmo (bu 'dren rgyal mo, d.u.).
His name Gelek Pelzang was given to him as a child when he took novice ordination at the age of seven from Khenchen Sengge Gyeltsen (mkhen chen seng ge rgyal mtshan, d.u.). From the age of sixteen he studied at the Sakya monastery of Ngamring Chode (ngam ring chos sde), training with Bodong Paṇchen Jikdrel Chokle Namgyel (bo dong paN chen 'jigs bral phyogs las rnam rgyal, 1376-1451), the founder of the Bodong tradition, who taught him logic and philosophy.
When Gelek Pelzang was twenty-one he studied with Rendawa Zhonnu Lodro (red mda' ba gzhon nu blo gros, 1349-1412), with whom he took full ordination. He studied Darmakīrt's Pramāṇavārttika, Abhidharma, and the Five Books of Maitreya, Nāgārjuna's works on Madhyamaka, and the Vinaya.
At the age of twenty-three, in 1407, he went to U to meet with Tsongkhapa Lobzang Drakpa (tsong kha pa blo bzang grags pa, 1357-1419) at Sera Choding (se ra chos sdings – not to be confused with the famous Sera Monastery). Khedrub Je received instructions on both sutra and tantra from Tsongkhapa, and soon became one of his most devoted disciples, receiving teachings alongside Tsongkhapa's other disciples such as Gyeltsabje Darma Rinchen (rgyal tshab rje dar ma rin chen, 1364-1432) and Duldzin Drakpa Gyeltsen ('dul 'dzin grags pa rgyal mtshan, 1374-1434). +
Zhenpen Chokyi Nangwa, a disciple of Orgyen Tendzin Norbu, was the nineteenth abbot of Dzogchen's Śrī Siṃha college, the founder and first abbot of Dzongsar's Khamshe monastic college, and the teacher of countless Nyingma, Sakya and Kagyu lamas. He and his disciples was said to have established nearly one hundred study centers, emphasizing the study of thirteen Indian root texts. +
Khenpo Zopa (mkhan po bzod pa) was born in the Drigung Valley some time in the early twelfth century. Where he received ordination is not known.
It appears that he studied with Lama Zhang Yudrakpa (bla ma zhang g.yu brag pa, 1123-1193), and possibly participated in the establishment of Tsel Gungtang (tshal gung thang); he gave ordination there to Nyima Sherab (nyi ma shes rab, 1139-1208), a contemporary of Jikten Gonpo and the founder of Rokam Monastery (ro skam dgon pa).
He seems to have helped in the establishment of Drigung Til Monastery ('bri gung mthil) in 1179. He studied with Jikten Gonpo Rinchen Pel ('jig rten mgon po rin chen dpal, 1143-1217), the founder of the monastery, and became one of the most important holders of the Vinaya tradition at Drigung, presiding over the ordination ceremonies. +
Jamyang Khyentse Wangpo was one of the most prominent lamas of the nineteenth century of any tradition. He is said to have received teachings from over one hundred and fifty lamas of all traditions and served as teacher to most of the lamas of Kham in the second half of the nineteenth century. From his seat at Dzongsar Monastery in Derge, a branch of Ngor, he traveled twice to Tibet, and endlessly traversed Kham teaching and performing religious rituals. He famously worked closely with Jamgon Kongtrul and Chokgyur Lingpa, at the center of a religious revival the effects of which are still being felt. He was involved with the creation of Jamgon Kongtrul’s “Five Treasuries” and assisted Chokgyur Lingpa with the production of most of his treasures, authorizing and providing the organization of the revelations. He was a treasure revealer in his own right, included by Jamgon Kongtrul as the last in a list of “five kingly treasure revealers.” +
Jamgön Kongtrul is often described as one of the greatest scholars in the history of Tibet. A Karma Kagyu lama and model of rimay ecumenical activity, he collaborated closely with the Sakya lama Jamyang Khyentse Wangpo and the Nyingma treasure revealer Chokgyur Lingpa, in the opening of sacred sites and the revelation of treasure. His prodigious literary output, categorized as the Five Treasuries, cover the entire range of Tibetan Buddhist theory and ritual as well as numerous other topics, and preserved scores of Tibetan religious traditions that were at the time in danger of being lost. Based primarily at Pelpung Monastery, in Derge in eastern Tibet, he built the nearby hermitage of Tsadra Rinchen Drak, which became his personal seat. Multiple incarnation lines were recognized after his death, including the main Jamgön Kongtrul line, based at Pelpung, the Dzokchen Kongtrul line and the Dzigar Kongtrul line. +
Kunga Drolchok (kun dga' grol mchog) was born in 1507 in Lo Montang (glo smon thang), the capital of the Mustang (glo) region of present-day Nepal. His main teacher as a youth was his uncle, the Sakya master Drungpa Choje Kunga Chokdrub (drung pa chos rje kun dga' mchog grub, d.u.), who was a disciple of the great Sakya master Dakchen Lodro Gyeltsen (bdag chen blo gros rgyal mtshan, 1444-1495).
Kunga Drolchok received ordination as a novice monk from Drungpa Choje when he was ten years old, and stayed with him constantly for the next four years, receiving many initiations and teachings of the Sakya tradition, including Lamdre three times.
In 1519, when Kunga Drolchok was thirteen years old, he traveled with his elder brother to U and Tsang for further studies. They first went to the great monastery of Sakya and the nearby retreat center of Khau Drakdzong (kha'u brag rdzong), where they received teachings from the master Kunpang Doringpa (kun spangs rdo ring pa, d.u.).
Then they proceeded to the Sakya monastery of Serdokchen (gser mdog can), the monastic seat of Paṇchen Śākya Chokden (paN chen shAkya mchog ldan, 1428-1507), where they began the serious study of epistemology and other scholastic subjects under the guidance of Shākya Chokden's disciple and successor, Donyo Drubpa, known by the Sanskrit version of his name, Amoghasiddhi (a mo g+ha sidd+hi, don yod grub pa, d.u.). But tragedy soon stuck. A smallpox epidemic claimed the lives of nineteen of the twenty-two students, including Kunga Drolchok's elder brother. +
Khenchen Kunzang Pelden was a Nyingma scholar and teacher associated with Katok Monastery. A student of a number of distinguished Nyingma teachers including Dza Patrul and Ju Mipam, he was an important Longchen Nyingtik lineage holder. He composed a famous commentary to the ''Bodhisattvacaryāvatāra'', and served Katok Monastery as the first abbot of its study center, Shedrub Norbu Lhunpo, for three years. Following retirement he returned to his hometown and taught until his death in 1944. +
Kyotön Mönlam Tsultrim was born into the Kyo (''skyod'') clan at a place named Tanakyang (''rta nag yang''), in U (''dbus''), in 1219, the earth-rabbit year of fourteenth sexagenary cycle.
He studied the complete Kadam traditions under the guidance of the sixth abbot, Sanggye Gompa Sengge Kyab (sangs rgyas sgom pa seng ge skyabs, 1179-1250) and the seventh abbot of Nartang Monastery (''snar thang dgon''), Chim Namkha Drak (mchims nam mkha’ grags, 1210-1285). +
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Layakpa Jangchub Ngodrub (la yag pa byang chub dngos grub) was born in Layak, in Lhokha. He is sometimes called Layak Jose (la yag jo sras) or Layakpa Bawachan (la yag pa lba ba can). This last name signifies that, in addition to hailing from Layak, that he had a goiter (''lba ba''), a rather common medical condition in Tibet in those times.
Layakpa's childhood name was Chokyi Ngodrub (chos kyi dngos grub). His father, Tarka Pelkyi (star ka dpal skyid), was a learned man versed in Abhidharma as well as the tantras, both old and new. His grandfather Tarka Bodhirāja (star ka bo dhi rA dza) developed siddhis through his practice of the old tantras and lived to be one hundred and twelve years old. His mother, Taklo Dadron (stag lo zla sgron), was said to be a manifestation of a wisdom ḍākinī.
According to his hagiography, as a baby when there was no one to look after him, Chokyi Ngodrub was cared for by a mysterious white hand wearing ornaments. One day when he was three and his father started teaching him the alphabet, he protested saying, “Father, I know it, too!” A sensitive child who couldn't bear the thought of anyone suffering, he once fainted when a playmate burned a flea.
Chokyi Ngodrub's earlier studies focused on Prajñāpāramitā Sutras and the Chod practices, along with the treatises by Maitreya. He went at age seventeen for a brief stay in Tsang province, and when he returned two well-known disciples of the Kadampa philosopher Chapa Chokyi Sengge (phya pa chos kyi seng ge, d.u.) were there for the funeral of their teacher. He took this opportunity to further his understanding of the Prajñāpāramitā. People were very impressed by his performance in philosophical debates, and Chapa's student promised him he could be made into a master of Prajñāpāramitā in just one year of tutoring. +
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Naktso Lotsāwa Tsultrim Gyelwa was a prominent Tibetan translator of the early eleventh century who, at the order of Lha Lama Jangchub Wo, brought [[Atiśa]] to Tibet. He is credited with almost one hundred translations in the Kangyur and Tengyur. +
Ngawang Lodro Drakpa was a vajra master at Tsangwa Monastery in the Dzamtang region of Amdo. Often referred to as “Mati Rinpoche,” he was one of the leading intellectual figures and most prolific Jonangpa authors of the twentieth century. He is regarded by the living Jonang tradition as a miraculous manifestation of the Tibetan masters Dolpopa Sherab Gyeltsen, Kunga Drolchok, and Tāranātha, among others. +
Ngoje Repa Zhedang Dorje (ngo rje ras pa zhe sdang rdo rje) was born in the early part of the twelfth century in the Ngor region (ngor) of Tsang (gtsang). His father, a member of the Ngoje (ngo rje) family, was named Dorje Tob (rdo rje stobs), and his mother was named Dortso (rdor mtsho).
Among his early teachers were the Kashmiri Paṇḍita Śākyaśrībhadra (kha che pan chen shAkya shrI b+ha dra, 1127-1225). He studied philosophy in the Sakya tradition and was known as an excellent debater and expounder of the Buddhist teachings.
According to tradition, when Ngoje Repa first heard of Jikten Gonpo Rinchen Pel ('jig rten mgon po rin chen dpal, 1143-1217) the founder of Drigung Til Monastery ('bri gung mthil), he was overcome by jealousy. He drew a picture on a wall of Jikten Gonpo turning a stone mill with the heads of his disciples in it, a depiction meant to suggest that Jikten Gonpo was spinning the heads of his disciples with false teachings.
Confident of his debating skills, he went to Drigung Til to challenge Jikten Gonpo. He was brought into the master's presence by Pelchen Ngepuwa (dpal chen ngad phu ba). Despite his intentions, legend has it that as soon Ngoje Repa saw Jikten Gonpo he felt he was seeing the Buddha himself. +
Khedrup Norsang Gyatso (1423–1513), a well-known scholar and adept of the fifteenth century, was a student of the First Dalai Lama and a principal teacher of the Second Dalai Lama. Though belonging to the Geluk school of Tibetan Buddhism, Norsang Gyatso is recognized as a seminal figure in the promotion of a syncretic approach—between the Geluk and Kagyü schools—to the teachings and practices of mahamudra. Along with Phukpa Lhundrup Gyatso, Norsang Gyatso is credited also with the founding of the highly influential Phuk school of Tibetan astronomy and astrology. Because of his dedication to intensive meditative practice for more than four decades as a wandering hermit, Norsang Gyatso came to be revered by the Tibetan tradition as a great meditator and teacher, and he is included among the lineage masters of many important practice traditions, including the lineage of Kalachakra. (Source: [https://wisdomexperience.org/product/ornament-stainless-light/?attribute_pa_format=ebook Wisdom Experience]) +
Sanggye Yeshe (sangs rgyas ye shes) was born into the Nub (gnubs) clan in the Dra (sgrags) region of U (dbus) around the year 844. His father was Selwa Wangchuk (gsal ba dbang phyug) and his mother was Chimo Tashi Tso (mchims mo bkra shis 'tsho). His birth name was Dorje Tritsuk (rdo rje khri gtsug). Sanggye Yeshe was his ordination name; his tantric initiation name was Dorje Yangwang Ter (rod rje yang dbang gter).
At the age of seven he began studying with Odren Pelgi Zhonnu ('o bran dpal gyi gzhon nu), who heads a long list of luminaries with whom he studied. According to later historians he received tantric initiation from Padmasambhava, his flower landing on the maṇḍala of Yamāntaka, the wrathful form of Mañjuśrī. In his own biography Nubchen claims to have met Padmasambhava on the border of India and Nepal, and to have received teachings from him, but it is unlikely that he lived early enough to have actually encountered him.
The list given of the Indian masters who he met includes Śrī Siṃha, Vimalamitra, and Kamalaśīla, who ordained him. He also trained with Nyak Jñānakumara (gnyags dznya na ku ma ra) and his disciples Sokpo Pelgyi Yeshe (sog po dpal gyi ye shes) and Zhang Gyelwai Yonten (zhang rgyal ba'i yon tan), both of whom had also been disciples of Ma Rinchen Chok (rma rin chen mchog). +
