Tsongkapa – The manifestation of Manjushree

Symbolic Defination of Tsongkapa

Tsongkhapa commonly also known as Je Rinpoche was said to be from the tonsgkha part of Amdo,Tibet in around 13thcentury. Tsongkapa is also believed to be the living form of Manjushree and Guru Rinpoche, It’s said that he is reincarnation of the boy who offered Shakyamuni Buddha the crystal rosary. Also, in china he is known by name Zongkapa Lobsang Zhaba.

Tsongakapa was regarded as the heir of a particular clan or tribe called Longben. This tribe is believed to have had leadership in Tibet during the era of the Yuan Dynasty in China. The clan was supposed to have served as executives during this period because the Tibetan Longben clan leader once had official working relationship with the executives of China.

According to the myths, It is believed that during the time of shakymuni Buddha in India ,there was a boy who gave Buddha a crystal rosary which in return Buddha gave a conch shell.This boy was said to be previous incarnation of the Tsongkhapa. Buddha predicted that the boy would later go on to be born in Tibet. Buddha also predicted that the boy will establish a great monastery in Tibet and play major role in spreading the Buddhism there.He later became known as the great teacher in Buddhism who formed gelugpa school of thought in Tibet. Therefore, He is known as founder of the Gelugpa tradition of Buddhism in Tibet.

It is said that even Guru Rinpoche predicted the Tsongkhapa’s arrival. Rinpoche predicated that the boy of name Losangdrakpa would be born as form of known bodhisattva manjushri and later on be the fully enlightened Buddha. Hence both the prophecies came true as later on he built a great Gaden monastery in Tibet. It’s believed that place where the monastery was built, was the place where the previous incarnation of Tsongkhapa was buried. The conch shell that Buddha gave to the boy was preserved in the largest monastery in Tibet until the 19th century but unfortunately was lost during the Cultural Revolution later on.

It is believed that Tsongkapa had realized emptiness through study of the Indian written scriptures. And even through the teachings of his teacher Umapa and guide of Rendewa. Since he was a form of manjushri , he had same persepective as manjushri which got him through difficult times. He conducted his researches as guided by the Manjushree.

Posture and Gestures

Lama Tsongkhapa has a smiling face which resembles his happy state of mind wearing a yellow pandit’s hat with pointed end. He is shown sitting in vajra position commonly on a lion throne or lotus throne. He wears a monk’s robes while his hands are in dharmachakra mudra which represents the wheel of dharma. In his left hand he holds a lotus in which lies the scripture of the perfection of wisdom. In other hand he holds another lotus stem with sword of Manjushree on top of it .In the other form he is seen with a vase in his left hand and his right hand in resting position on the right knee. He is mostly seen with his two main disciples Khedrubje and Gyaltsabje who are also regarded as his spiritual sons. Three of them signify the perfection of the moral disciplines.

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