 | This article's factual accuracy is disputed .(September 2022) |
Chandragomin (Skt. Candragomin) was an Indian Buddhist lay scholar and poet. The Tibetan tradition believes he challenged Chandrakirti. Chandragomin was a teacher at Nalanda Monastic University during the 5th century. [1] [2]
It is unclear when Chandragomin lived, with estimates ranging between 5th to 6th-century CE, [3] [4] but his position at Nalanda signifies he lived during the 5th century. Taranatha states that Chandragomin was from the Varendra region of Eastern Bengal [5] however in the prologue of his composition, the Lokānanda, Chandragomin merely states that he was “born in the Jātukarṇa lineage in the east of India". [6] He further states that he was the son of a Jayādevi although he doesn't add anything further to this.
The Tibetan tradition details many stories of miraculous incidents that occurred in Chandragomin's life. In one story told by Taranatha, it was said that Chandragomin defeated a Charvaka by proving the doctrine of rebirth to be true: [6]
In order to prove the doctrine of rebirth, Candragomin fixed on the middle of his forehead a mark of vermillion which entered deep into the flesh, placed a pearl in his mouth and died instantly. His corpse was put in a sealed copper vessel. In accordance with his prophecy he was reborn as the son of a Paṇḍita Viśeṣaka among the Kṣatriyas. Immediately after his birth a mark of vermillion came to light on his forehead and a pearl appeared in his mouth. The corpse in the vessel was examined, but the mark and the pearl had disappeared, which convinced the Lokāyata teacher that the doctrine of rebirth is true.
The hagiographical and legendary tales however cannot be taken as historical fact. Different writers also attempted to fit Chandragomin within their narratives for example Taranatha wanted to depict Chandragomin as someone who is learned and cultured while Buton Rinchen Drub emphasised his work on grammar. [6]
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Translated from the original Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit into Tibetan is Chandragomin's 'Shurangama Mantra Sadhana' (Tibetan canon Tengyur Karchag Phangthangma Toh 3096, Toh 593/2/1). It is titled Sarvatathāgataoṣṇīṣaśitātapatrā-nāmāparājitā-mahāpratyangirā-mahāvidyārājñī-nāma-dhāraṇī; Tibetan name is ['phags pa] De bshin gshegs pa'i gtsug tor nas byung ba'i gdugs dkar po can gshan gyi mi thub pa phir bzlog pa chen mo mchog tu grub pa shes bya ba'i gzungs.
Tibetan Buddhism is a form of Buddhism practiced in China, Bhutan and Mongolia. It also has a sizable number of adherents in the areas surrounding the Himalayas, including the Indian regions of Ladakh, Sikkim, and Arunachal Pradesh, as well as in Nepal. Smaller groups of practitioners can be found in Central Asia, some regions of China like Xinjiang, Inner Mongolia, and some regions of Russia, such as Tuva, Buryatia, and Kalmykia.
The bhavachakra or wheel of life is a visual teaching aid and meditation tool symbolically representing saṃsāra. It is found on the walls of Tibetan Buddhist temples and monasteries in the Indo-Tibetan region, to help both Buddhists and non Buddhists understand the core Buddhist teachings. The image consists of four concentric circles, held by Yama, the lord of Death, with an image of the Buddha pointing to the moon metaphysically representing the possibility for liberation from the suffering of reincarnation.
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Shantideva was an 8th-century CE Indian philosopher, Buddhist monk, poet, and scholar at the mahavihara of Nalanda. He was an adherent of the Mādhyamaka philosophy of Nāgārjuna. Abhayadatta Sri also lists Shantideva as one of the eighty-four mahasiddhas and is known as Bhusuku Pa (布苏固巴).
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Lamrim is a Tibetan Buddhist textual form for presenting the stages in the complete path to enlightenment as taught by Buddha. In Tibetan Buddhist history there have been many different versions of lamrim, presented by different teachers of the Nyingma, Kagyu and Gelug schools. However, all versions of the lamrim are elaborations of Atiśa's 11th-century root text A Lamp for the Path to Enlightenment (Bodhipathapradīpa).
Gampopa Sönam Rinchen was the main student of Milarepa, and a Tibetan Buddhist master who codified his own master's ascetic teachings, which form the foundation of the Kagyu educational tradition. Gampopa was also a doctor and tantric master. He authored the first Lamrim text, Jewel Ornament of Liberation, and founded the Dagpo Kagyu school. He is also known as Dvagpopa, and by the titles Dakpo Lharjé "the physician from Dakpo" and Daö Zhönnu, "Candraprabhakumara".
Tsongkhapa was an influential Tibetan Buddhist monk, philosopher and tantric yogi, whose activities led to the formation of the Gelug school of Tibetan Buddhism. He is also known by his ordained name Losang Drakpa or simply as "Je Rinpoche". He is also known by Chinese as Zongkapa Lobsang Zhaba or just Zōngkābā (宗喀巴).
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