Trinity of Teachers
Guru Rinpoche (Main figure)
Click for high-resolution image
(Top to bottom): Buddha Shakyamuni, Buddha Vajradhara, Shrijnana Dipamkara Atisha, Guru Rinpoche, Lama Tsongkhapa, Nechung, Dorje Shugden and Acala.
Guru Rinpoche, also known as Guru Padmasambhava, was an 8th century Indian Buddhist master who travelled to Tibet in order to spread the Buddha’s teachings. Guru Rinpoche is highly revered within all schools of Tibetan Buddhism. He was invited to Tibet to subdue powerful obstructive beings who opposed the spread of Buddha’s teachings. He waged supernatural war with these deities and won due to his high spiritual attainments. Instead of vanquishing these obstructive beings, he chose to follow the Buddha’s teaching on compassion and bound them to oath never to harm sentient beings again. They promised to protect and provide for practitioners on the Buddhist path. One such being was Nechung, also known as Pehar Gyalpo. Once a powerful spirit from Persia he came to reside in Tibet and after battling with Guru Rinpoche he was subdued. Guru Rinpoche also had him promise to aid the “Holder of the White Lotus”, meaning an emanation of Chenrezig. When the powerful line of the Dalai Lamas arose, Nechung came to their aid for temporal matters, as they are considered to be the emanations of Chenrezig, the Buddha of Compassion. Since that time, Nechung came to be regarded as one of the State Dharma Protectors of Tibet.
Shrijnana Dipamkara Atisha was a great Bengali (Indian) master, who travelled to Tibet in order to translate and teach Buddhist teachings at a time when the teachings had declined. He is known as a reviver of the faith in Tibet. Having spent the majority of his life learning and studying the teachings, especially during his 12-year stay in the Srivijaya Kingdom of Sumtra (Indonesia) where he studied the teachings on compassion intensely, he was perfectly able to bring about a renaissance of Buddhist practice in Tibet. His heart disciple, Dromtonpa, went on to establish the Kadam School in Tibet. One of the Kadam School’s major practices was that of Acala. Practitioners relied on Acala to remove all manner of obstacles, especially those related to the spiritual path to enlightenment.
Lama Tsongkhapa was the 14th century scholar-yogi who established the Gelug School, which went on to become the dominant and most widespread of all Tibetan Buddhist Schools. After spending years studying and meditating, he went on to establish monastic institutions of learning and practice producing limitless masters, tantrikas, yogis, scholars and teachers of the Buddhist path. Dorje Shugden is now considered to be the primary Dharma protector of this school, aiding practitioners along the spiritual path.
Although Buddha Shakyamuni and Buddha Vajradhara are depicted as separate figures, they are in fact the same. Here Buddha Shakyamuni is depicted as the originator of the Sutra teachings, and across from him is the form he took to teach the Tantras, Buddha Vajradhara.
While each figure and the protectors associated with their lineages are unique in their own right, some people consider their worship to be at odds with each other. This could not be more further from the truth. All three lamas are in fact enlightened beings and therefore do not operate on the convention of duality. They are all embodiments of compassion, so treat all sentient beings equally. To have and worship images of these three great masters together will bring much benefit and spiritual merit, no matter which tradition you belong to.
Please support us so that we can continue to bring you more Dharma:
If you are in the United States, please note that your offerings and contributions are tax deductible. ~ the tsemrinpoche.com blog team
These three great compassionate Masters shaped Tibetan Buddhism at its advent(Guru Rinpoche) and also , as in the case of Atisha and Lama Tsongkhapa, they brought about a renaisance at each stage when the Dharma in Tibet was on the decline.
Guru Rinpoche,a great tantric Master, is remembered for subduing the powerful mountain spirits who had obstructed the introduction of Buddhism to Tibet. He compassionately bound them under oath to never harm sentient beings again , but instead to portect them and provide for them. They became oath bound Dharma Protectors.He is highly revered by all schools of Buddhism.
Dipamkara Atisha , who spent the majority of his life learning and studying the teachings, especially during his 12-year stay in Suvarnadvipa, in the Srivijaya Kingdom of Sumatra (Indonesia) where he studied the teachings on compassion intensely, was perfectly able to bring about a renaissance of Buddhist practice in Tibet, which he did! He had been invited by the great Dharmaja Jangjub Oe(whose uncle Yeshe Oe had sacrificed his life for the Dharma to be brought toTibet) to Tibet at a time, when Tibetan Buddhism had fallen into the Dark Ages.
Lama Tsongkhapa , 14th century scholar-yogi who established the Gelug School,the most dominant school today, had also brought about a Renaisance to Buddhism in Tibet, when it was degenerating. He studied the teachings under great masters, wrote and composed great works like the Lamrim Chenmo(as a commentary on Atisha’s seminal Lamrim “Lamp of The Path to Enlightenment). He went on to establish monastic institutions of learning and practice producing limitless masters, tantrikas, yogis, scholars and teachers of the Buddhist path.
Also depicted in this lovely Thangka is Dorje Shugden who is now considered to be the primary Dharma protector of Lama Tsongkhapa’s Lineage of teachings and practice -the Gelug Lineage, aiding practitioners along the spiritual path.
In this wonderfully powerful thangka, Buddha Shakyamuni is depicted as the originator of the Sutra teachings, and across from him is the form he took to teach the Tantras, Buddha Vajradhara.
All these great holy beings are all embodiments of compassion, and treat all sentient beings equally.
This powerful trinity of great compassionate Masters are key to the spread and growth of the Dharma in Tibet – Guru Rinpoche, Atisha and Lama Tsongkhapa.
Guru Rinpoche in the first wave of transmission of the Buddhadharma from India to Tibet. was the great tantric adept who was able to subdue powerful obstructive beings who opposed the Dharma and , with compassion, bound them by oath never to harm sentient beings again. They even promised to protect and provide for practitioners on the Buddhist path.A fine example is Nechung.
Atisha, in the next wave of transmission, came to Tibet at a time when the Dharma was on the decline and revived it. Atisha had spent long years in the study of the Dharma, including travelling to Indonesia and spending 12-years in the Srivijaya Kingdom of Sumtra (Indonesia) where he studied the teachings on compassion for a period of twelve years.
Lama Tsongkhapa established the Gelug school of Tibetan Buddhism and brought about a renaissance of the Dharma in Tibet in the 14th Century.He set up monastic institutions of learning and practice producing limitless masters, tantrikas, yogis, scholars and teachers of the Buddhist path. He is famous for his writing of Lamrim Chenmo, in which Atisha’s “Lamp of the Path to Enlightenment” served as “the root”, and Lama Tsongkhapa”s “Three Principles of the Path” as the “lifeblood”(p.53, “Liberation in the Palm of Your Hand”) .Dorje Shugden is the Dharma Protector who arose to protect the Lineage teachings of Lama Tsongkhapa.
I pay homage to the incomparable trinity of teachers.
In Tibetan Buddhism mythology , Guru Padmasambhava is referred to as Guru Rinpoche, or “precious master.” Guru Rinpoche is a totally enlightened being, a fully awakened one. Here he is along side with Buddha Shakyamuni, Buddha Vajradhara, Shrijnana Dipamkara Atisha, Lama Tsongkhapa, Nechung, Dorje Shugden and Acala in a beautiful art scroll.
Thank you Rinpoche for this sharing.