Approaching the Issue of Lama Tsongkhapa’s Ethnic Origin
In the Mongolian-speaking world, it is widely accepted that Lama Tsongkhapa, the founder of the Gelug school of Buddhism, known for his great contribution to the maintenance and promotion of Buddhist teachings, was an ethnic Mongolian. However, the question of whether there is any factual evidence t...
| Main Author: | |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Российской академии наук, Калмыцкий научный центр
2021-12-01
|
| Series: | Монголоведение |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://mongoloved.kigiran.com/jour/article/view/718 |
| _version_ | 1797990345881944064 |
|---|---|
| author | Bair L. Tushinov |
| author_facet | Bair L. Tushinov |
| author_sort | Bair L. Tushinov |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | In the Mongolian-speaking world, it is widely accepted that Lama Tsongkhapa, the founder of the Gelug school of Buddhism, known for his great contribution to the maintenance and promotion of Buddhist teachings, was an ethnic Mongolian. However, the question of whether there is any factual evidence to support the claim is still open. The present article aims to examine the issue of his Mongolian background and identify the grounds for this widespread opinion. This is of relevance because the issue has not been discussed in detail so far. Both textological and historical methods were used for analysis. The major source for the study was an obscure text written by a prominent Mongolian researcher Chahar-Geshe [Tibetan: cha har dge bshes blo bzang tshul khrims, 1740–1810] «The Life of Tsongkhapa: The Source of All Boons and Fortunes» [Tibetan: tsong kha pa chen po’i rnam thar go sla bar brjod pa bde legs kun gyi ‘byung gnas]; other Tibetan sources were also examined. The article focuses on the data found in the sources that associates with Lama Tsongkhapa’s father and family, place of his birth, etc. Results. The examination of Lama Tsongkhapa’s biography shed useful light on the historical and cultural processes in Inner Asia. The author’s main conclusion is that he may have been an ethnic Mongolian on his father’s side, and the fact may have been of relevance for the promotion of Gelug in Mongolia. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-11T08:35:02Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-f430daed099d4f35b3f8647b19b915e1 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2500-1523 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-11T08:35:02Z |
| publishDate | 2021-12-01 |
| publisher | Российской академии наук, Калмыцкий научный центр |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Монголоведение |
| spelling | doaj.art-f430daed099d4f35b3f8647b19b915e12022-12-22T04:34:22ZengРоссийской академии наук, Калмыцкий научный центрМонголоведение2500-15232021-12-01132416427http://doi.org/10.22162/2500-1523-2021-3-416-427Approaching the Issue of Lama Tsongkhapa’s Ethnic OriginBair L. Tushinov0https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6029-160XInstitute for Mongolian, Buddhist and Tibetan Studies of the Siberian Branch of the RASIn the Mongolian-speaking world, it is widely accepted that Lama Tsongkhapa, the founder of the Gelug school of Buddhism, known for his great contribution to the maintenance and promotion of Buddhist teachings, was an ethnic Mongolian. However, the question of whether there is any factual evidence to support the claim is still open. The present article aims to examine the issue of his Mongolian background and identify the grounds for this widespread opinion. This is of relevance because the issue has not been discussed in detail so far. Both textological and historical methods were used for analysis. The major source for the study was an obscure text written by a prominent Mongolian researcher Chahar-Geshe [Tibetan: cha har dge bshes blo bzang tshul khrims, 1740–1810] «The Life of Tsongkhapa: The Source of All Boons and Fortunes» [Tibetan: tsong kha pa chen po’i rnam thar go sla bar brjod pa bde legs kun gyi ‘byung gnas]; other Tibetan sources were also examined. The article focuses on the data found in the sources that associates with Lama Tsongkhapa’s father and family, place of his birth, etc. Results. The examination of Lama Tsongkhapa’s biography shed useful light on the historical and cultural processes in Inner Asia. The author’s main conclusion is that he may have been an ethnic Mongolian on his father’s side, and the fact may have been of relevance for the promotion of Gelug in Mongolia.https://mongoloved.kigiran.com/jour/article/view/718lama tsongkhapadarughachidarakhacheamdolumbum gethe mal clanchahar-geshechahar-gebshe |
| spellingShingle | Bair L. Tushinov Approaching the Issue of Lama Tsongkhapa’s Ethnic Origin Монголоведение lama tsongkhapa darughachi darakhache amdo lumbum ge the mal clan chahar-geshe chahar-gebshe |
| title | Approaching the Issue of Lama Tsongkhapa’s Ethnic Origin |
| title_full | Approaching the Issue of Lama Tsongkhapa’s Ethnic Origin |
| title_fullStr | Approaching the Issue of Lama Tsongkhapa’s Ethnic Origin |
| title_full_unstemmed | Approaching the Issue of Lama Tsongkhapa’s Ethnic Origin |
| title_short | Approaching the Issue of Lama Tsongkhapa’s Ethnic Origin |
| title_sort | approaching the issue of lama tsongkhapa s ethnic origin |
| topic | lama tsongkhapa darughachi darakhache amdo lumbum ge the mal clan chahar-geshe chahar-gebshe |
| url | https://mongoloved.kigiran.com/jour/article/view/718 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT bairltushinov approachingtheissueoflamatsongkhapasethnicorigin |