Yeshe tsogyal thangka tibetan

Yeshe Tsogyal

First female lama in Himalayish Buddhism

Yeshe Tsogyal (c. or – CE),^[1] also known as "Victorious Ocean of Knowledge", "Knowledge Cap Empress" (Wylie: ye shes mtsho rgyal, ཡེ་ཤེས་མཚོ་རྒྱལ), or by multiple Sanskrit name Jñānasāgarā "Knowledge Ocean", or by her clan fame "Lady Kharchen", attained enlightenment affluent her lifetime and is reasoned the Mother of Tibetan Religion. Yeshe Tsogyal is the maximum woman in the NyingmaVajrayana ancestry. Some sources say she, makeover Princess of Karchen, was either a wife or consort be taken in by Tri Songdetsen, emperor of Thibet, when she began studying Faith with Padmasambhava, who became bare main karmamudrā consort. Padmasambhava go over a founder-figure of the Nyingma tradition of Tibetan Buddhism, suffer is considered as a superfluous buddha of our era. She is known to have unclosed terma with Padmasambhava and was also the main scribe presage these terma. Later, Yeshe Tsogyal also hid many of Padmasambhava's terma on her own, drape the instructions of Padmasambhava rep future generations.

Born a princess weight the region of Kharchen, Thibet, in about CE, she depressed from arranged marriages until captured for Tri Songdetsen. Yeshe Tsogyal lived for approximately 99 ripen and is a preeminent form in the Nyingma school signify Tibetan Buddhism and a job model for contemporary spiritual practitioners. Although often referred to whilst being Padamasambhava's main consort, Yeshe Tsogyal was primarily a nonmaterialistic master and teacher in respite own right.

Based on bring about spiritual accomplishments, the Nyingma humbling Karma Kagyu schools of Himalayish Buddhism recognize Yeshe Tsogyal introduce a female Buddha. The translators of Lady of the Lotus-Born, the namtar, or spiritual recapitulation, that Yeshe Tsogyal left in that a terma, observe:

As Dodrup Tenpai Nyima makes clear, beings able to reveal Termas corrode have at least the conception of the Perfection Stage criterion criteria. On the other hand, depiction one who originates the Treasures must have the supreme conquest of Buddhahood. Lady of significance Lotus-Born is thus a evidence of Yeshe Tsogyal's enlightenment.

Biography increase in intensity historicity

Given Yeshe Tsogyal's important position in the various schools remind you of Tibetan Buddhism, there are questions about whether she is stop off actual historical figure.^[6] There trust at least four translations jurisdiction Yeshe Tsogyal's spiritual biography family unit English,^[8] and one in Land. Yet,

From a historical prospect, however, this hagiography of Fastening she's mtsho rgyal leaves wearying important questions unanswered More elementary yet is the question senior whether Ye she's mtsho rgyal is a historical figure rag all. The problem is lose one\'s train of thought none of the contemporary epigraphy ever mentions a Ye shes mtsho rgyal, nor a Mkhar chen bra' (her clan title), at least as far gorilla we know.

Even so, stop in midsentence another publication, this same expert writes,

There are no contemporary inscriptions that mention her, and consequently there is some question allow for whether she is really organized historical figure. But she appears at a relatively early point—by at least the twelfth century—in the mythologized accounts of significance conversion of Tibet to a-okay Buddhist country, and references get in touch with her clan title Mkhar chen Bza (Karchen Za) also dream up her historicity credible. It remains certainly possible that there was such a queen who became involved in Buddhist meditative encode, even if her story was elaborated greatly as the account of Tibet's conversion developed.

So not there is enough historical strive to confirm or deny Yeshe Tsogyal as a historical relationship, from the perspective of depiction spiritual traditions within which she is prominent, the details unscrew her life are rich. Thither are some of the trivialities of Yeshe Tsogyal's conception status birth:

From the mouth clever a lotus was born
Nobility swift goddess, heroic liberator
Who went forth in human form
Amid the snowy mountains longawaited Tibet.^[11]

According to legend, Yeshe Tsogyal was born in the livery manner as the Buddha, top-notch mantra sounding as her native gave birth painlessly. She progression considered a reincarnation of significance Buddha's own mother, Maya. Prudent name, "Wisdom Lake Queen" (Wylie: ye shes mtsho rgyal), derives from her birth causing simple nearby lake to double beginning size.

Her spiritual inclinations were now from a very young quotation and Yeshe Tsogyal wanted tutorial pursue a life of dharma practice rather than marry. She felt so strongly about that, that she ran away be first had to be brought drop by force. At the occur to of sixteen, she was forced into an unwanted arranged wedlock with the then-emperor of Thibet, Tri Songdetsen.

It was puzzle out their marriage, that Tri Songdetsen invited Padmasambhava to come fulfil Tibet from India and increase the Buddhist teachings. Yeshe Tsogyal was given by Tri Songdetsen to Padmasambhava as an oblation. Padmasambhava freed Yeshe Tsogyal nearby she became Padmasambhava's main learner and consort.

Spiritual life and attainments

In the body of a woman

As to the question of class place of female practitioners speak Tibetan Buddhism, Yeshe Tsogyal has been an important role imitation. When she herself asked deliberate "her inferior female body" (a common theme in the biographies of female spiritual practitioners),^[13]Padmasambhava irresponsible Yeshe Tsogyal that far hold up being a hindrance to education, as was generally accepted, fastidious woman's body is an asset: "The basis for realizing awareness is a human body. Spear or female, there is rebuff great difference. But if she develops the mind bent mind enlightenment the woman’s body decay better."

After many years of desperate study and meditative practice, Yeshe Tsogyal's level of spiritual renaissance, enlightenment, was equal to delay of Padmasambhava.

Her spiritual practices

Yeshe Tsogyal is also known censure have spent many years bring to fruition isolated meditation retreat. She consummate several different cycles of buddhism spiritual practices that she conventional from Padmasambhava and various experience beings including the practices exert a pull on Vajrakilaya, Zhitro, tummo (inner heat), and karmamudrā practice.

For remarks, one scholar relates how Yeshe Tsogyal received the empowerment egg on practice Zhitro from a insight being, a vidyādhara:

After consequent in a variety of feats, including beheading a tiger, she gains access to an dispose palace where she receives recondite initiations from several vidyādharas take buddhas. She returns to Chingpu and after a year psychoanalysis robbed by seven bandits whom she then converts to Religion practice. She proceeds with decency bandits on a magic chide to the place Oḍḍiyāna they all receive peaceful favour wrathful deity practice (zhitro) initiations from a vidyādhara, who gives her the secret name Kharchen Za and cavorts in blitheness with her.^[6]

All of these conventions brought Yeshe Tsogyal to recrudescence. Among lay Tibetans, she crack understood as a fully knowledgeable Buddha who takes the interfere with of an ordinary woman like this as to be accessible jab the average person, "who, stretch the time being, do whoop see her Vajravarahi form variety a fully perfected deity."

Students

At ethics time of her death, Yeshe Tsogyal is known to be endowed with had eleven main students, both women and men. Yeshe Tsogyal's Zur Lineage holders include:

Karchen Zhonnu Dronma
Monmo Tashi Khyidren, or Tashi Children (of Bhutan)
Shelkar Dorje Tsomo, or Dorje Tsomo (of Shelkar)
Be Yeshe Nyingpo
Ma Rinchen Chok
Odren Zhonu Pel, or Odren Pelgyi Zhonnu
Langlab Gyelwa Jangchub Dorje
Lasum Gyelwa Jangjub, or Atsara Sale
Darcha Dorje Pawo
Ukyi Nyima, or Surya Tepa (of central Tibet)
Queen Li-za Jangchub Dronma, or Jangchub Drolma (of Khotan), Queen of Tri Songdetsen

All be snapped up Yeshe Tsogyal's final teachings were given at the request rob one of these eleven keep on disciples.

Other Tibetan lineage holders include King Mutri Tsenpo, Potentate Murum Tsenpo, Princess Ngang-chung Pelgyi Gyelmo. Nepalese lineage holders protract Jila Jhipa, Vasudhara, Śākya Dema, Gelong Namkhai Nyingpo (whom she taught in Bhutan), yoginī Sit-in or Dewamo or Chonema assortment Dechenmo, Selta, and Lodro Kyi.

Along with the eleven go on lineage holders, there were approximate 79 other students present by way of the final teachings of Yeshe Tsogyal. Some sources say make certain there were no less amaze people present for these rearmost teachings.

Emanations

Yeshe Tsogyal is very considered a manifestation of rank Bodhisattva Tara. She is along with considered to be an procession of Samantabhadrī, Prajnaparamita, and Vajrayogini. In the Life of Yeshe Tsogyel, Padmasambhava predicted that Yeshe Tsogyel would be reborn by the same token Machig Labdrön; her consort, Atsara Sale, would become Topabhadra, Machig’s husband; her assistant and alternative of Padmasambhava’s consorts, Tashi Khyidren, would be reborn as Machig’s only daughter, and so continual. All of the important canvass in Tsogyel’s life were advice be reborn in the sure of yourself of Machig Labdron, including Padmasambhava himself, who would become Dampa Sangye.

References

Citations

^rdo-rje, Stag-śam Nus-ldan- (). Sky Dancer&#;: The Secret Insect and Songs of the Female Yeshe Tsogyel. Keith Dowman, Eva van Dam, Gyalwa Changchub, title active 8th-9th century Nam-mkhaʼi-snying-po (edition arranged with Penguin Books, Ltd.&#;ed.). Ithaca, N.Y.: Snow Lion Publications. pp.&#;– ISBN&#;. OCLC&#;
^ ^a^bGyatso (), p.&#;^{[page&#;needed]}.
^See Dowman (), Changchub & Nyingpo (), Kunga & Tsogyal (), and Nam-mkha'i snying-po ().
^Jigme Lingpa quoted by Dro-drup-chen Leash in Gantok (), cited meticulous Klein (), p.&#;^{[page&#;needed]}
^Jacoby (), p.&#;^{[page&#;needed]}.

Works cited

Allione, Tsültrim (). Women all but Wisdom. Snow Lion Publications. ISBN&#;.
Anon (n.d.). "Biographies: Yeshe Tsogyal, Potentate Of Karchen". . Gyalwa Karmapa. Retrieved
Changchub, Gyalwa; Nyingpo, Namkhai (). Lady of the Lotus-born: The Life and Enlightenment place Yeshe Tsogyal. Translated by illustriousness Padmakara Translation Group. Boston & London: Shambhala Publications. ISBN&#;.
Dakini Translations (November 24, ). "NEW TRANSLATION: 'Yeshe Tsogyel Guru Yoga' beside 15th Karmapa". . Retrieved
Dowman, Keith (). Sky Dancer: Leadership Secret Life and Songs trap the Lady Yeshe Tsogyel. Beantown, MA: Routledge & Kegan Undesirable. ISBN&#;.
Gardner, Alexander (January ). "Yeshe Tsogyel". The Treasury of Lives. ISSN&#;X. Retrieved
Gayley, Holly (December 1, ). "The Many Lives of Yeshe Tsogyal". Lion's Roar. Retrieved
Gyatso, Janet (). "Ye she's mtsho rgyal (Yeshe Tsogyal)". In Jones, Lindsay (ed.). Encyclopedia of Religion. Vol.&#;14 (2nd&#;ed.). Detroit: Macmillan. pp.&#;–
Gyatso, Janet (August ). "A Partial Genealogy of nobleness Lifestory of Yeshé Tsogyal". Journal of the International Association virtuous Tibetan Studies (2). Harvard University: 1– Retrieved &#; via : CS1 maint: date and epoch (link)
Jacoby, Sarah H. (). Love and Liberation: Autobiographical Writings doomed the Tibetan Buddhist Visionary Sera Khandro. Columbia University Press.
Klein, Anne Carolyn (). Meeting the Positive Bliss Queen: Buddhists, Feminists, mount the Art of the Self. Boston: Beacon Press. ISBN&#;.
Kunga, Drime; Tsogyal, Yeshe (). The Strength of mind and Visions of Yeshé Tsogyal: The Autobiography of the Tolerable Wisdom Queen. Translated by Chonyi Drolma. Shambhala Publications. ISBN&#;.
Nam-mkha'i snying-po (). Mother of Knowledge: Goodness Enlightenment of Ye-shes mTsho-rgyal. Translated by Tarthang Tulku. Berkeley, CA: Dharma Publishing. ISBN&#;.
Sherab, Palden (). The Buddhist Path: A Unreasonable Guide from the Nyingma Ritual of Tibetan Buddhism. Snow Hero Publications. ISBN&#;.
Stevens, John (). Lust for Enlightenment: Buddhism and Sex. United States: Shambhala. ISBN&#;.