Rinchen Zangpo
Encyclopedia
Rinchen Zangpo (958–1055), also known as Lha Lama Yeshe O'd or Mahaguru, was a principal lotsawa
or translator of Sanskrit Buddhist texts into Tibetan during the second diffusion of Buddhism in Tibet (or the New Translation School or New Mantra School period). He was a student of the famous Indian master, Atisha
. His associates included (Locheng) Legpai Sherab. Zangpo's disciple Guge Kyithangpa Yeshepal wrote Zangpo's biography. He is said to have built over one hundred monasteries in Western Tibet, including the famous Tabo Monastery
in Spiti
, Himachal Pradesh
, and Poo
in Kinnaur.
Rinchen Zangpo had been sent as a young man by King Yesh-es-od, who seems to have been ruler of Zanskar
, Guge
, Spiti and Kinnaur, with other young scholars to Kashmir
and other Buddhist centres to study and bring back Buddhist teachings to Western Tibet. He was possibly the single most important person for the 'Second Propagation of Buddhism' in Tibet. Some sources claim he became king of the western Himalayan Kingdom of Guge
, Rinchen (d. 1323), a commander from Ladakh region who had conquered Kashmir, started his personal quest for religion, was baffled by the mutually contradictory answers he received from Brahmins, happened to watch Sayyid Bilal (d.1327) at prayer, was enchanted by the simplicity of the Sayyid's faith and embraced it with fervour. .
Lotsawa
Lotsawa is a Tibetan word used as a title to refer to the native Tibetan translators, such as Vairotsana, Rinchen Zangpo, Marpa and others, who worked alongside Indian scholars or panditas to translate the texts of the buddhist canon into Tibetan from Sanskrit, Chinese and other Asian languages...
or translator of Sanskrit Buddhist texts into Tibetan during the second diffusion of Buddhism in Tibet (or the New Translation School or New Mantra School period). He was a student of the famous Indian master, Atisha
Atisha
Atiśa Dipankara Shrijnana was a Buddhist teacher from the Pala Empire who, along with Konchog Gyalpo and Marpa, was one of the major figures in the establishment of the Sarma lineages in Tibet after the repression of Buddhism by King Langdarma .- Birth :Atisha is most commonly said to have been...
. His associates included (Locheng) Legpai Sherab. Zangpo's disciple Guge Kyithangpa Yeshepal wrote Zangpo's biography. He is said to have built over one hundred monasteries in Western Tibet, including the famous Tabo Monastery
Tabo Monastery
Tabo Monastery was founded in 996 CE in the Spiti Valley, Himachel Pradesh, India by the great Tibetan Buddhist lotswa , Rinchen Zangpo, the king of western Himalayan Kingdom of Guge...
in Spiti
Spiti
-Geographical locations:*Lahaul and Spiti, a district in the state of Himachal Pradesh in India.*Spiti Valley, former heartland of the former Spiti district now combined.*Spiti River, in the Spiti Valley, Himachal Pradesh.*Spitia River-Language:...
, Himachal Pradesh
Himachal Pradesh
Himachal Pradesh is a state in Northern India. It is spread over , and is bordered by the Indian states of Jammu and Kashmir on the north, Punjab on the west and south-west, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh on the south, Uttarakhand on the south-east and by the Tibet Autonomous Region on the east...
, and Poo
Poo
Poo or Pooh may refer to:* Feces -Places:* Poo, India, small town in Kinnaur, Himachal Pradesh, India* Fernando Poo, former colonial name of the island of Bioko* Poo , one of nine parishes in Cabrales, Asturias, Spain...
in Kinnaur.
Rinchen Zangpo had been sent as a young man by King Yesh-es-od, who seems to have been ruler of Zanskar
Zanskar
Zanskar is a subdistrict or tehsil of the Kargil district, which lies in the eastern half of the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir. The administrative centre is Padum...
, Guge
Guge
Guge was an ancient kingdom in Western Tibet. The kingdom was centered in present-day Zanda County, within Ngari Prefecture of Tibet Autonomous Region, China. At various points in history after 10th century AD, the kingdom held sway over a vast area including south-eastern Zanskar, Upper Kinnaur,...
, Spiti and Kinnaur, with other young scholars to Kashmir
Kashmir
Kashmir is the northwestern region of the Indian subcontinent. Until the mid-19th century, the term Kashmir geographically denoted only the valley between the Great Himalayas and the Pir Panjal mountain range...
and other Buddhist centres to study and bring back Buddhist teachings to Western Tibet. He was possibly the single most important person for the 'Second Propagation of Buddhism' in Tibet. Some sources claim he became king of the western Himalayan Kingdom of Guge
Guge
Guge was an ancient kingdom in Western Tibet. The kingdom was centered in present-day Zanda County, within Ngari Prefecture of Tibet Autonomous Region, China. At various points in history after 10th century AD, the kingdom held sway over a vast area including south-eastern Zanskar, Upper Kinnaur,...
, Rinchen (d. 1323), a commander from Ladakh region who had conquered Kashmir, started his personal quest for religion, was baffled by the mutually contradictory answers he received from Brahmins, happened to watch Sayyid Bilal (d.1327) at prayer, was enchanted by the simplicity of the Sayyid's faith and embraced it with fervour. .
External links
- Rinchen Zangpo - Rigpa Wiki
- Lochen Rinchen Sangpo, the Great Translator
- The Kingdom of Guge, Western Tibet
- Mural of Rinchen Zangpo
- http://www.aarogya.com/tabo/monastery.html "Tabo Ancient Monastery: Ajanta of the Himalayas."