Kagyud Nampar Gyalwa
Encyclopedia
Kagyud Nampar Gyalwa (late 16th century) was a king in Central Tibet. He belonged to the Phagmodrupa dynasty
which reigned in Tibet
or parts of it from 1354 to the early 17th century. He was the penultimate ruler of the line.
Kagyud Nampar Gyalwa was a son of the preceding ruler of the dynasty, Ngawang Drakpa Gyaltsen
. He took over the throne in Nêdong
, southeast of Lhasa
, after the demise of his father, possibly in 1579. According the chronicles of the Fifth Dalai Lama, he "opened wide the doors of both religious and secular knowledge but paid special attention to the doctrines of Absolute Truth, such as Mahamudra
". By this time the dynasty had almost ceased to wield any executive power in Tibet. His reign is the most obscure of all in the history of the Phagmodrupa, and there is very little information about his actions in the chronicles. Chinese sources are at variance with the Tibetan ones, since they say that a ruler called Zhashi Cangbu (Tashi Tsangpo) flourished at this time.
During his time the Third Dalai Lama, a friend of the Phagmodrupa, strengthened his ties with the Tümed
Mongols
. After his death in 1588 a Mongol prince was identified as the new Dalai Lama
. The boy, Yonten Gyatso, stayed in Mongolia
for several years, although many Tibetans appealed to his family to let him travel to Tibet. Kagyud Nampar Gyalwa wrote a poem in 33 verses where he appealed to the young boy:
"Please become a monk and come here,
To this temple where apparitions are displayed,
To Ü Tsang, the purified land that has been cleansed hundreds of times,
By the river current of words of Indian and Tibetan scholars.
Take the place of your previous incarnation
On the fearless Snow Lion Throne,
And ceaselessly turn the wheel of dharma through a hundred eons."
Actually the fourth Dalai Lama only came to Tibet in 1601. By this time Kagyud Nampar Gyalwa was dead, since Yonten Gyatso was greeted by his son and successor Mipham Sonam Wangchuk Drakpa Namgyal Palzang
.
Phagmodrupa dynasty
The Phagmodrupa dynasty or Pagmodru of Tibet was established by Tai Situ Changchub Gyaltsen at the end of the Mongol Yuan Dynasty. Tai Situ came from the monastic fief Phagmodru , which was originally founded as a hermitage in 1158 by the famous Kagyu scholar Phagmo Drupa Dorje Gyalpo...
which reigned in Tibet
Tibet
Tibet is a plateau region in Asia, north-east of the Himalayas. It is the traditional homeland of the Tibetan people as well as some other ethnic groups such as Monpas, Qiang, and Lhobas, and is now also inhabited by considerable numbers of Han and Hui people...
or parts of it from 1354 to the early 17th century. He was the penultimate ruler of the line.
Kagyud Nampar Gyalwa was a son of the preceding ruler of the dynasty, Ngawang Drakpa Gyaltsen
Ngawang Drakpa Gyaltsen
Ngawang Drakpa was a king in Central Tibet who ruled from 1564 to maybe 1579. He belonged to the Phagmodrupa dynasty which held power in Tibet or parts of it from 1354 to the early 17th century...
. He took over the throne in Nêdong
Nêdong County
Nêdong County, is a county of the Shannan Prefecture in the Tibet Autonomous Region....
, southeast of Lhasa
Lhasa
Lhasa is the administrative capital of the Tibet Autonomous Region in the People's Republic of China and the second most populous city on the Tibetan Plateau, after Xining. At an altitude of , Lhasa is one of the highest cities in the world...
, after the demise of his father, possibly in 1579. According the chronicles of the Fifth Dalai Lama, he "opened wide the doors of both religious and secular knowledge but paid special attention to the doctrines of Absolute Truth, such as Mahamudra
Mahamudra
Mahāmudrā literally means "great seal" or "great symbol." It "is a multivalent term of great importance in later Indian Buddhism and Tibetan Buddhism" which "also occurs occasionally in Hindu and East Asian Buddhist esotericism."The name refers to the way one who...
". By this time the dynasty had almost ceased to wield any executive power in Tibet. His reign is the most obscure of all in the history of the Phagmodrupa, and there is very little information about his actions in the chronicles. Chinese sources are at variance with the Tibetan ones, since they say that a ruler called Zhashi Cangbu (Tashi Tsangpo) flourished at this time.
During his time the Third Dalai Lama, a friend of the Phagmodrupa, strengthened his ties with the Tümed
Tümed
The Tümed are a Mongol subgroup. Most engage in sedentary agriculture, living in mixed communities in the suburbs of Huhhot. Part of them live along Hulun Buir, Inner Mongolia...
Mongols
Mongols
Mongols ) are a Central-East Asian ethnic group that lives mainly in the countries of Mongolia, China, and Russia. In China, ethnic Mongols can be found mainly in the central north region of China such as Inner Mongolia...
. After his death in 1588 a Mongol prince was identified as the new Dalai Lama
Dalai Lama
The Dalai Lama is a high lama in the Gelug or "Yellow Hat" branch of Tibetan Buddhism. The name is a combination of the Mongolian word далай meaning "Ocean" and the Tibetan word bla-ma meaning "teacher"...
. The boy, Yonten Gyatso, stayed in Mongolia
Mongolia
Mongolia is a landlocked country in East and Central Asia. It is bordered by Russia to the north and China to the south, east and west. Although Mongolia does not share a border with Kazakhstan, its western-most point is only from Kazakhstan's eastern tip. Ulan Bator, the capital and largest...
for several years, although many Tibetans appealed to his family to let him travel to Tibet. Kagyud Nampar Gyalwa wrote a poem in 33 verses where he appealed to the young boy:
"Please become a monk and come here,
To this temple where apparitions are displayed,
To Ü Tsang, the purified land that has been cleansed hundreds of times,
By the river current of words of Indian and Tibetan scholars.
Take the place of your previous incarnation
On the fearless Snow Lion Throne,
And ceaselessly turn the wheel of dharma through a hundred eons."
Actually the fourth Dalai Lama only came to Tibet in 1601. By this time Kagyud Nampar Gyalwa was dead, since Yonten Gyatso was greeted by his son and successor Mipham Sonam Wangchuk Drakpa Namgyal Palzang
Mipham Sonam Wangchuk Drakpa Namgyal Palzang
Mipham Sonam Wangchuk Drakpa Namgyal Palzang was a king in Central Tibet...
.