The 3rd Dalai Lama History
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The 3rd Dalai Lama History

Update: Feb. 19th, 2013

Sonam Gyatso

The 3rd Dalai Lama History

The 3rd Dalai Lama is named Sonam Gyatso. He was born in a noble family nearby Lhasa City in Tibet in 1543 and died in 1588. It is said that his family was the earliest family which believe in Buddhism in Tibet region. His family was proud of the strong political power in local. In 1546 during Ming Dynasty, Sonam Gyatso was invited to Drepung Monastery as the reincarnation of Gendun Gyatso – the 2nd Dalai Lama. It is the official beginning of the reincarnation system of Living Buddha of Gelug Sect. In 1552 he became the Great Master of Drepung Monastery. In 1558 he became the Great Master of Sera Monastery.

In 1542 the last year before Sonam Gyatso born, the 2nd Dalai Lama – Gendun Gyatso passed away. Gendun Gyatso was once the Great Master of Drepung Monastery and Sera Monastery. As the marriage is strictly prohibited in Gelug Sect, the reincarnation system of Living Buddha has been succeeded successfully. The method of reincarnation system is bound up with the Buddhist metempsychosis and immortal soul theory. After the death of the last Living Buddha, the leadership of the monastery will look for some children. The children were born at the same time when the Living Buddha died or later. One of them will be collected to be the reincarnation of the last Living Buddha. Afterwards, the child will be brought to the monastery and educated to be the Great Master of the monastery. Sonam Gyatso was collected to be the reincarnation of Gendun Gyatso. When Sonam Gyatso was 4 years old he was brought to the monastery. He grew up in the Drepung Monastery.

After a long time of strict religious education and training in Drepung Monastery, Sonam Gyatso took Sonam Tsapa as his teacher when he was 7 years old in 1549. Sonam Tsapa was the Great Master of Drepung Monastery at that time. When he was 11 years old in 1553, Sonam Gyatso succeeded to be the Great Master of Drepung Monastery. He was the 12th Great Master of Drepung Monastery.

When he was 22 years old in 1564, he took Gele Basang as his teacher. He learned a lot of classic Buddhists scriptures and started to preach in some places. He went to Tashilhunpo Monastery of Shigatse and Shannan Prefecture, etc, to advocate Buddhists spirit. Many believers took his as their teacher, too. When he got back to Lhasa City, he took charge of the Great Master of Sera Monastery. He was the 13th Great Master of Sera Monastery.

At that time there are a lot of Buddhist sects in Tibet Region and Qinghai Province such as Sakya Sect, Karkyu Sect and Gelug Sect. Karkyu is also called White Sect. It was the powerful sect in Tibet at that time as it was supported by the local government. Gelug Sect was founded by the Tsongkhapa, the famous great master in Tibet Buddhism history, and it influenced more and more people. Gelug Sect developed quickly. Gelug Sect started to be supported by the local government, too, and respected by Ming Dynasty. After that, Sonam Gyatso devoted advocating Gelug Sect in Tibet region, Qinghai Province and even Inner Mongolia.

Please enjoy reading the following one: The 3rd Dalai Lama Biography.

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