Khedrup Gyatso, 11th Dalai Lama
Encyclopedia
Khedrup Gyatso was the 11th Dalai Lama
of Tibet
.
He was recognised as the Eleventh Dalai Lama in 1840, having come from the same village as Kelzang Gyatso
, the seventh Dalai Lama, had in 1708. In 1841 the seventh Panchen Lama, Palden Tenpai Nyima
, gave him the pre-novice ordination, cut his hair and gave him the name Khedrup Gyatso.
In 1842, he was enthroned in the Potala Palace and, in 1849, at the age of eleven, he took the novice vows of monkhood from Seventh Panchen Lama.
He was enthroned on 25 May 1842 and assumed full power on the request of his government on 1 March 1855. However, he died less than one year later, thus becoming the third successive Dalai Lama who died at too young an age to consolidate his power.
He wrote a book of stanzas, Story of the Monkeys and Birds (Bya sprel gyi gtam-rgyud). It is an allegory of the war at the end of the 18th century between the Tibetans and the Gurkha
s ('birds' and 'monkeys' respectively).
During the life of Khedrup Gyatso, wars over Ladakh
weakened the lamas' power over the Tibetan Plateau and the Opium Wars
and Taiping Rebellion
simultaneously weakened Chinese influence on Tibet. In the last years of his reign the Nepalese invaded Tibet, but where wefeated in the Nepalese-Tibetan War
(1855-1856).
He died suddenly in the Potala Palace
, Lhasa
, Tibet
on 31 January 1856.
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"...
of 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...
.
He was recognised as the Eleventh Dalai Lama in 1840, having come from the same village as Kelzang Gyatso
Kelzang Gyatso, 7th Dalai Lama
Kelzang Gyatso , also spelled Kalzang Gyatso, Kelsang Gyatso and Kezang Gyatso, was the 7th Dalai Lama of Tibet.-Early life:...
, the seventh Dalai Lama, had in 1708. In 1841 the seventh Panchen Lama, Palden Tenpai Nyima
Palden Tenpai Nyima
Palden Tenpai Nyima was the Seventh Panchen Lama of Tibet.Lobsang Palden Yeshe, the previous Panchen Lama, died from smallpox in Beijing in 1780...
, gave him the pre-novice ordination, cut his hair and gave him the name Khedrup Gyatso.
In 1842, he was enthroned in the Potala Palace and, in 1849, at the age of eleven, he took the novice vows of monkhood from Seventh Panchen Lama.
He was enthroned on 25 May 1842 and assumed full power on the request of his government on 1 March 1855. However, he died less than one year later, thus becoming the third successive Dalai Lama who died at too young an age to consolidate his power.
- "During the period of the short-lived Dalai Lamas—from the Ninth to the Twelfth incarnations—the Panchen was the lama of the hour, filling the void left by the four Dalai Lamas who died in their youth."
He wrote a book of stanzas, Story of the Monkeys and Birds (Bya sprel gyi gtam-rgyud). It is an allegory of the war at the end of the 18th century between the Tibetans and the Gurkha
Gurkha
Gurkha are people from Nepal who take their name from the Gorkha District. Gurkhas are best known for their history in the Indian Army's Gorkha regiments, the British Army's Brigade of Gurkhas and the Nepalese Army. Gurkha units are closely associated with the kukri, a forward-curving Nepalese knife...
s ('birds' and 'monkeys' respectively).
During the life of Khedrup Gyatso, wars over Ladakh
Ladakh
Ladakh is a region of Jammu and Kashmir, the northernmost state of the Republic of India. It lies between the Kunlun mountain range in the north and the main Great Himalayas to the south, inhabited by people of Indo-Aryan and Tibetan descent...
weakened the lamas' power over the Tibetan Plateau and the Opium Wars
Opium Wars
The Opium Wars, also known as the Anglo-Chinese Wars, divided into the First Opium War from 1839 to 1842 and the Second Opium War from 1856 to 1860, were the climax of disputes over trade and diplomatic relations between China under the Qing Dynasty and the British Empire...
and Taiping Rebellion
Taiping Rebellion
The Taiping Rebellion was a widespread civil war in southern China from 1850 to 1864, led by heterodox Christian convert Hong Xiuquan, who, having received visions, maintained that he was the younger brother of Jesus Christ, against the ruling Manchu-led Qing Dynasty...
simultaneously weakened Chinese influence on Tibet. In the last years of his reign the Nepalese invaded Tibet, but where wefeated in the Nepalese-Tibetan War
Nepalese-Tibetan War
The Nepalese-Tibetan War was fought from 1855 to 1856 in Tibet between the forces of the Tibetan government and the invading Nepalese army.- Background :...
(1855-1856).
He died suddenly in the Potala Palace
Potala Palace
The Potala Palace is located in Lhasa, Tibet Autonomous Region, China. It was named after Mount Potala, the abode of Chenresig or Avalokitesvara...
, 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...
, 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...
on 31 January 1856.
Further reading
- Mullin, Glenn H. (2001). The Fourteen Dalai Lamas: A Sacred Legacy of Reincarnation, pp. 361–367. Clear Light Publishers. Santa Fe, New Mexico. ISBN 1-57416-092-3.