The Great 5th Dalai Lama
H.H. the 5th Dalai Lama (Main figure)
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(Top to bottom): H.H. the 4th Panchen Lama, H.H. the 5th Dalai Lama, Palden Lhamo and Dorje Shugden.
Figure: His Holiness the 4th Panchen Lama Lobsang Chokyi Gyeltsen
The Panchen Lama line of incarnations are believed to be emanations of Amitabha, the Buddha of Boundless Light. Amitabha is relied on strongly within Pure Land Buddhism which is popularly practised in East Asia. He currently resides in Sukhavati, the Western Pure Land, which practitioners aspire to take rebirth in to continue their spiritual practice. Panchen Lama is not just a name but a title bestowed by the Great 5th Dalai Lama upon his illustrious teacher, Lobsang Chokyi Gyeltsen and it literally means ‘Great Scholar’ in recognition of his teacher’s scholarly prowess. Since then, the Panchen Lamas have been regarded as the second-highest incarnation lineage after the Dalai Lamas in Tibet.
Lobsang Chokyi Gyeltsen, who later became known as the 4th Panchen Lama, was born in a village called Drukgya in the Lhan valley, in Tsang, Tibet in 1570. Later, he searched for and enthroned Ngawang Lobsang Gyatso as the 5th Dalai Lama and Tulku Drakpa Gyeltsen as the 4th Zimkhang Gongma Tulku (the incarnation of Panchen Sonam Drakpa). These two lamas became the heart disciples of Lobsang Chokyi Gyeltsen.
Figure: The Great 5th Dalai Lama
Ngawang Lobsang Gyatso was recognised as the Great 5th Dalai Lama by His Holiness the 4th Panchen Lama Lobsang Chokyi Gyeltsen and was a contemporary of Tulku Drakpa Gyeltsen. He was successful in unifying all of Tibet after a long period of civil war and from then on, the Dalai Lamas wielded temporal and spiritual power over the country. During his reign, he established diplomatic relations with China, other regional states and also met with several European explorers. As a writer, he composed 24 volumes of written works covering a broad range of scholarly and literary subjects. He built the Potala Palace as his seat of power but did not live to see its completion.
Deity: Palden Lhamo
Alternative name: Sri Devi (Sanskrit)
In the Gelug tradition, Palden Lhamo is known as Magzor Gyalmo or the Queen Who Repels Armies and is regarded as the wrathful emanation of Saraswati. She is propitiated as a protector of the Dharma. Palden Lhamo is also the protectress of the Dalai Lama’s line of incarnations.
Deity: Dorje Shugden
Alternative name: Vajra Rudra (Sanskrit)
Dorje Shugden is recognised to be an emanation of the bodhisattva Manjushri. In fact, Dorje Shugden arose from a long line of incarnated lamas who strove to proliferate and protect the teachings. He is a protector of recent origins, arising 350 years ago, and due to his strong affinity with beings of this time, he is widely renowned to be efficacious and powerful in overcoming our obstacles and creating favourable conditions for our practice.
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Ngawang Lobsang Gyatso been the Fifth Dalai Lama was a key religious and temporal leader of Tibetan Buddhism and Tibet. He was recognised as the Great 5th Dalai Lama by HH the 4th Panchen Lama. He studied and received numberour teachings with many of the leading Highly Attained Lamas. His accomplishments of unifying all of Tibet after a long period of civil war were widely recognized. And he continues to be considered a significant lineage holder. He was an author, wrote many histories and religious commentaries, which are collected in more than thirty large volumes and even founded many monasteries.
Here he is depicted with H.H. the 4th Panchen Lama, Palden Lhamo and Dorje Shugden . Beautiful thangka to have.
Thank you Rinpoche for this sharing.