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The Development of Madhyamaka, Lam Rim, and Esoteric Thought in the Case of Tsongkhapa
Get PDFIt is indisputable that the fundamental ideas of Tsongkhapa (1357–1419), the founder of the Gelug school of Tibetan Buddhism, concerned Madhyamaka philosophy, lam rim thought (about the stages of the path to enlightenment), and Tantric or esoteric Buddhism, and these were triggered by revelations Tsongkhapa received from Mañjuśrī. It is thought that Tsongkhapa established his Madhyamaka philosophy through a close reading of Indian texts and eventually saw Buddhapālita encouraging him in a dream. As for lam rim thought, after having heard various traditions deriving from Atiśa (982–1054), Tsongkhapa happened to have an opportunity to read a rare copy of Gro lung pa’s bsTan rim chen mo (Great Treatise on the Stages of the Teaching) and became convinced of the composition of the stages of his own lam rim. Finally, he had a vision in which Atiśa and his disciples preached to him for a month, the disciples melted into Atiśa, and Atiśa gave him his blessings. This led him to write his first major work, the Lam rim chen mo (Great Treatise on the Stages of the Path). Tsongkhapa had been listening to Tantric traditions since his youth. But it was not until 1409—10 years before his death—that he brought his Tantric thought to completion. In 1409, he had mysterious visions in his dreams for five days in which he became convinced that the basic essence of the Guhyasamāja-tantra and the thought of Marpa, the founder of the Kagyu school, were the same. During the final 10 years of his life, he wrote numerous commentaries on Tantric Buddhism, including a major work. Such was the process of the formation of Tsongkhapa’s thought as based on biographical facts. However, this remains to be verified in his actual writings.journal articl
