Kunga Lekpa
Encyclopedia
Kunga Lekpa (1433–1483) was a King of Tibet
who ruled in 1448-1481. He belonged to the Phagmodrupa dynasty
, which was the leading political regime in Tibet from 1354 to 1435, and retained a certain political status until the early 17th century. His time saw the further fragmentation of Tibetan politics.
. His mother was a lady of the important Rinpungpa
family. During the reign of his brother Drakpa Jungne
(1432–1445) the central power of the Phagmodrupa broke down, and the Rinpungpa lord Norzang
(d. 1466) acquired a leading positing in the Tsang
region (West Central Tibet). When Drakpa Jungne died in 1445, there was a three-year interregnum. The young Kunga Lekpa was elevated to abbot of the Tsethang monastery in 1446, and was eventually enthroned as king (gongma, "the high one") in 1448 by a council of ministers. He resided in the Nêdong
palace in Ü
(East Central Tibet) with Konchok Rinchen as his chief deputy.
Emperor would have "ordered" his son Gongge Liesiba Zhongnai Lingzhan Jianzan Baer Cangbu (Kunga Lekpa Jungne Rinchen Pal Zangpo) to accede to the throne. The historiographical discrepancy is not easily explained, and seems to point to the limited Chinese insights in Tibetan affairs. At any rate the princely title (wang) conferred by the Chenghua Emperor was valued enough by the Tibetan elite to merit a mention in the local chronicles.
(1463–1512) was a supporter of the Karmapa
sect and insisted on building a monastery outside Lhasa
, thus within the orbit of Phagmodru authority. However, hostile Gelugpa monks raised the new establishment and almost killed the Karmapa lama Chödrak Gyatso
. Finally, in 1480, Donyo Dorje invaded the Ü region and captured some districts which had hitherto been under Phagmodrupa's control. He also forced the deputy Konchok Rinchen from power. A renewed attack in the next year was unsuccessful, but by now Kunga Lekpa had lost much of his allegiance among the Tibetan elite. The ministers of the kingdom met in the same year 1481 in Nêdong to discuss the conflict between the gongma's faction and the Rinpungpa. In the end Kunga Lekpa was deposed and received an estate as compensation. The throne went to his nephew Ngagi Wangpo. Two years after this, the old ruler died. He had a son called Rinchen Dorje who became abbot of Tsethang in 1467, but died at a young age. He is sometimes listed as ruler after Kunga Lekpa, which appears to be incorrect.
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...
who ruled in 1448-1481. He belonged to the Phagmodrupa dynasty
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 was the leading political regime in Tibet from 1354 to 1435, and retained a certain political status until the early 17th century. His time saw the further fragmentation of Tibetan politics.
Early years
Kunga Lekpa was a son of Sangye Gyaltsen, a brother of the last effective ruler of the dynasty, Gongma Drakpa GyaltsenGongma Drakpa Gyaltsen
Gongma Drakpa Gyaltsen was a King of Tibet who ruled in 1385–1432. He belonged to the Phagmodrupa dynasty, which was the leading regime in Tibet between 1354 and 1435...
. His mother was a lady of the important Rinpungpa
Rinpungpa
Rinpungpa was a Tibetan regime that dominated much of Western Tibet and some of Central Tibet between 1440 and 1565...
family. During the reign of his brother Drakpa Jungne
Drakpa Jungne
Drakpa Jungne was a king of Tibet who ruled in 1432–1445. He belonged to the Phagmodrupa dynasty which was the leading regime in Tibet from 1354 to 1435, and exerted some influence until the early 17th century...
(1432–1445) the central power of the Phagmodrupa broke down, and the Rinpungpa lord Norzang
Norzang
Norzang , in full Norbu Zangpo , was the founder of the power of the Rinpungpa Dynasty in Central Tibet.-Religious activities:...
(d. 1466) acquired a leading positing in the Tsang
Ü-Tsang
Ü-Tsang , or Tsang-Ü, is one of the three traditional provinces of Tibet, the other two being Amdo and Kham. Geographically Ü-Tsang covered the central and western portions of the Tibetan cultural area, including the Tsang-po watershed, the western districts surrounding and extending past Mount...
region (West Central Tibet). When Drakpa Jungne died in 1445, there was a three-year interregnum. The young Kunga Lekpa was elevated to abbot of the Tsethang monastery in 1446, and was eventually enthroned as king (gongma, "the high one") in 1448 by a council of ministers. He resided in the Nêdong
Nedong
Nedong may refer to:*Nêdong County, county in Tibet*Nêdong , village in Tibet...
palace in Ü
Ü (region)
Ü is a geographic division and a historical region in Tibet. Together with Tsang , it forms Central Tibet Ü-Tsang , which is one of the three Tibetan regions or cholka . The other two cholka are Kham and Amdo...
(East Central Tibet) with Konchok Rinchen as his chief deputy.
Conflicting Tibetan and Chinese accounts
His father Sangye Gyaltsen was still alive, and resided in the Tsethang monastery. He only died in 1457. But in the Mingshi or Chinese dynastic annals the succession is given differently than in the Tibetan chronicles. They assert that the father Sangerjie Jianzan Ba Cangbu (Sangye Gyaltsen Pal Tsangpo) succeeded Drakpa Jungne, and ruled in his own name until 1469. After the latter's death the ChenghuaChenghua
Chenghua may refer to:*Chenghua Emperor, Chinese emperor of Ming Dynasty*Chenghua District, district in Chengdu, Sichuan, China...
Emperor would have "ordered" his son Gongge Liesiba Zhongnai Lingzhan Jianzan Baer Cangbu (Kunga Lekpa Jungne Rinchen Pal Zangpo) to accede to the throne. The historiographical discrepancy is not easily explained, and seems to point to the limited Chinese insights in Tibetan affairs. At any rate the princely title (wang) conferred by the Chenghua Emperor was valued enough by the Tibetan elite to merit a mention in the local chronicles.
Trouble with the Rinpungpa
Kunga Lekpa made a tour in Tsang, where his Rinpungpa kinsman Norzang received him in state. However, the king felt dissatisfied with the treatment accorded him. He was married to a Rinpungpa lady, his cousin, but the marriage was unhappy, and caused serious political repercussions. To this was added religiously tainted disputes. Norzang's grandson Donyo DorjeDonyo Dorje
Donyo Dorje was the third and most powerful prince of the Rinpungpa Dynasty that held power in much of Central Tibet from 1435 to 1565.-Succession and religious patronate:...
(1463–1512) was a supporter of the Karmapa
Karmapa
The Karmapa is the head of the Karma Kagyu, the largest sub-school of the Kagyupa , itself one of the four major schools of Tibetan Buddhism....
sect and insisted on building a monastery outside 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...
, thus within the orbit of Phagmodru authority. However, hostile Gelugpa monks raised the new establishment and almost killed the Karmapa lama Chödrak Gyatso
Chödrak Gyatso
Chödrak Gyatso , also Chödrag Gyamtso, was the seventh Gyalwa Karmapa, head of the Kagyu School of Tibetan Buddhism.Chödrak Gyatso was born in Chida in the north of Tibet...
. Finally, in 1480, Donyo Dorje invaded the Ü region and captured some districts which had hitherto been under Phagmodrupa's control. He also forced the deputy Konchok Rinchen from power. A renewed attack in the next year was unsuccessful, but by now Kunga Lekpa had lost much of his allegiance among the Tibetan elite. The ministers of the kingdom met in the same year 1481 in Nêdong to discuss the conflict between the gongma's faction and the Rinpungpa. In the end Kunga Lekpa was deposed and received an estate as compensation. The throne went to his nephew Ngagi Wangpo. Two years after this, the old ruler died. He had a son called Rinchen Dorje who became abbot of Tsethang in 1467, but died at a young age. He is sometimes listed as ruler after Kunga Lekpa, which appears to be incorrect.