The 2nd Panchen Erdeni

Panchen Erdeni

Panchen Erdeni is the official title of the leader of Gelug Sect, which was conferred upon by the Emperor Kangxi in 1713. It was referred to as the Panchen Lama. Both of the Dalai Lama and Panchen Erdeni were the two great leaders in Gelug Sect in Tibet Buddhism history. They were highly respected by Tibetan Buddhists. Panchen was shortened from the "Panzhida" in Sanskrit language and the "Chanbo" in Tibetan language. Both of them literally mean very intelligent. Panchen Erdeni is said to be the reincarnation of Amitabha.

The 2nd Panchen Erdeni – Brief Introduction

The 2nd Panchen Erdeni was named Sonam Qyuelang. Sonam Qyuelang was born in 1439 in Ensa region in southern Tibet and died in 1504. He became a lama in Gandan Monastery and named Sonam Qyuegyilangpu which was called Sonam Qyuelang for short. It was said that he was very intelligent when he was a child. He could even tell the life experience of the 1st Panchen Lama. He was good at the learning of the Esoteric Buddhism and other Buddhist scriptures. He died on 25th of May, 1504, and subsequently confirmed as the 2nd Panchen Lama afterwards.

The 2nd Panchen Erdeni – History

Even though Tsongkhapa master – the great founder of Gelug Sect in Tibet Buddhism history and his disciples had built the Ganden Monastery, Drepung Monastery, Sera Monastery and Tashilhunpo Monastery during the time of the Sonam Qyuelang – the 2nd Panchen Erdeni, Gelug Sect was opposed by the Pazhu local authority and Karma Kagyu Sect together. After the Renbangpa power of southern Tibet controlled Lhasa City, the monks of Drepung Monastery and Sera Monastery were both prohibited to take part in the great religious ceremony which once held by Gelug Sect in Lhasa City every year. The hegemony of the ceremony was controlled by Karma Kagyu Sect, too. Therefore Sonam Qyuelang had to get back to his hometown from Ganden Monastery. He lived in Ensa Monastery and taught the Buddhist scriptures of Gelug Sect to his disciples. Some of his great disciples were appointed to teach the Buddhist scriptures of Gelug Sect to other places of southern Tibet. Sonam Qyuelang was highly respected by Tibetan people in southern Tibet since then on.

The 2nd Panchen Erdeni – Life Experience

Sonam Qyuelang became a lama in Gandan Monastery when he was a child. One day the Tipa of Ganden Monastery (Tipa literally means the great master of a monastery) asked him what his name is, he answered, Biwu. In Tibetan language, Biwu literally means the little cattle. The cattle were called Lang in Tibetan language. Therefore he was named Qyuegyilangpu by Tipa. Afterwards, he took the Tipa as his teacher and learned both of the Exotoric Buddhism and Exoteric Buddhism. He was good at debating Buddhist scripture so that he was very popular in Ganden Monastery.

The 2nd Panchen Erdeni – Devotion

Sonam Qyuelang got back to the southern Tibet when he was mid-life. He learned the meditation and got rid of the secularities in Yingeng Monastery. There were 16 disciples of Sonam Qyuelang. All his disciples devoted to developing Gelug Sect.