Origin of the title of "Dalai Lama" and its related backgrounder

BEIJING, March1 (Chinese medianet) -- The title of "Dalai

Lama", was not granted by the Dalai Lama himself, or created by Tibetan

Buddhism, or conferred by the old Tibetan ruling class and still less by any

foreigners. The title was actually granted by the central government of China's

dynasties and has multi-ethnic language features.

In the late Ming dynasty, Tibetan Buddhism

proliferated into a number of sects, among which Sagya, Gagya and Gadang were

most popular. However, many monks failed to follow Buddhist tenets; instead,

they always served the devil by seeking fame and personal interests,

disrespecting senior monks, indulging in entertainment, abducting, cheating or

raping women. This resulted in grievances among the public in Tibet. At that

time, Tsongkapa, a monk born in Qinghai Province, was learning Buddha Dharma in

Tibet. Seeing all this, he felt that what these monks did was a long way from

the actual requirements of Buddhism. Then he proposed a religious reform of all

sects in Tibet, and vowed to create a new sect.

The picture shows a fresco in the Potala

Palace depicting that Emperor Shunzhi received the 5th Dalai Lama in

Beijing. In 1652, or the 9th year of the reign of Emperor Shunzhi, Ngawang

Lobsang Gyamco came to Beijing and was granted to be the 5th Dalai Lama

plus a golden certificate of appointment and a gold seal of authority in

the following year. (Chinese media file Photo)
Photo

Gallery

In

1402 and 1406, Tsongkapa finished writing "Treaties of the Staged Enlightenment"

and "Tantra in Tibet: The Grand Exposition of Secret Mantra" respectively,

laying a theoretical basis for establishing the Gelug Sect. He thought that

Buddhism believers ought to first respect Sakyamuni, the founder of Buddhism, be

devoted to learning Sutras, Vinaya and Sastra of Tripitaka Sutra, as well as the

three trainings of precepts, concentration, and insight. That is, to abide by

taboos, to esteem the Buddhas and Patriarchs, to be immersed in studying the

original meaning of Buddhist scriptures, to cultivate oneself according to

Buddhist doctrine, to free oneself from vulgarity, to study intensively sutras

of Mahayana and Hinayana, as well as to practice both Esoteric and Exotoric

Buddhism.

Tsongkapa's reform soon won support from the Tibetan

nobles and serf owners. In lunar January 1409, he held and presided over the

first Pray for Blessing Dharma Assembly in Lhasa's Jokhang Temple. Later in the

same year, Tsongkapa had the Ganden Monastery built and appointed himself the

chief abbot there, marking the establishment of the Gelug Sect.

With an increasingly higher influence, the Gelug

sprang up in Tibet and Qinghai. As a result, more monasteries were set up, such

as Drepung, Sera and Tashilhunpo, laying a solid foundation for the development

of the Yellow Sect.

The picture shows that Emperor Shunzhi

granted the 5th Dalai Lama the title of "His Holiness Dalai Lama," and a

golden seal of authority in 1653. (Chinese media file Photo)
Photo Gallery

Tsongkapa's success in the reformation enabled the

Gelug to become the largest sect in Tibetan Buddhism. "Gelug" means that

Buddhism believers should do good things and never do evil things. It is also

called Huangjiao (the Yellow Sect) by the Han people because its followers

always wear yellow hats.

Though it was the last to come into being, the Gelug

had grown into the most powerful sect in Tibet with the energetic support of the

central dynasty. This indicates that even a small sect would be able to become

grand and influential in a region, so long as it gained support of the imperial

court, the central government or a secular regime.

The title of "Dalai" first came from the third Dalai

Lama Soinam Gyamco. "Gyamco" means the Sea in the Tibetan language, which is

contained in the name of Dalai Lama of later generations.

In 1577, the 38th year of the reign of Emperor

Jiajing of the Ming dynasty, Soinam Gyamco, Tsongkapa's third-generation

disciple, came to Qinghai, by traveling thousands of miles from Tibet, to

publicize the doctrine of the Gelug Sect. At that time, Mongolian noble Althan

Khan, who ruled Qinghai, was a Buddhist who believed in Tibetan Buddhism the

most. Hearing that Soinam Gyamco had arrived, he extended a rousing welcome to

the dignitary and conferred him the title of "the Overseer of the Buddhist Faith

Vajra-dhara Dalai Lama" to express appreciation of his wisdom and talents.

The picture shows the golden certificate

issued by Emperor Daoguang to appoint Kezhol Gyamco the 11th Dalai Lama.

(Chinese media file Photo)
Photo Gallery

The title has multi-ethnic language characteristics.

"The Overseer of the Buddhist Faith" is the Han language. "Vajra-dhara" in

Sanskrit means the ultimate Primordial Buddha, or Adi Buddha, according to the

cosmology of Tibetan Buddhism. "Dalai" in the Mongolian language means the sea,

and "Lama" in Tibetan means Living Buddha. All the best words in multi-ethnic

languages had been granted to Soinam Gyamco.

Thanks to the support of the mighty Mongolian Khan,

the newly-established Gelug Sect was able to stand firm in Tibet. Then the

titles of "the first and the second Dalai Lama" were given to the former

generations.

In 1653, the 10th year of the reign of the Emperor

Shunzhi of the Qing dynasty, the 5th Dalai Lama, who had reached Beijing in the

previous year, was granted an honorific title plus a golden certificate of

appointment and a golden seal of authority by the Qing imperial court. For the

first time the Dalai Lama had the administrative power as authorized by the

central government. As a result, the Dalai Lama became a principal leader of

theocracy in Tibet, which integrated administrative and religious powers.

Having been imperially acknowledged and granted the

authority over Tibet since then, almost all the Dalai Lamas of later

generations, except for the 14th Dalai Lama, were patriotic, loyal to the

central government, and devoted to safeguarding the national unity. What people

could not understand is that now that every Dalai Lama was the reincarnation of

the late Living Buddha, why the patriotic quality wasn't passed to the 14th?

In fact, what the 14th Dalai Lama loves is his personal reputation, personal status and old Tibetan local regime practicing a feudal serfdom under the theocracy. Since he fled to India in 1959, the 14th Dalai Lama has been depending on the western countries for survival and those politicians with ulterior motives who can support his living, to win his so-called honor, status and obtain more funds from them. How despicable it is that Dalai, a previously esteemed religious leader in Tibet, has been reduced into a card of others chosen to play in the game!

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History of the Dalai Lamas

Let's look at the history of the Dalai Lamas.

As mentioned above, the first and the second Dalai

Lamas were posthumously admitted after the third Dalai Lama, who died at 46, was

conferred the honor title by the Mongolian Khan.

The 4th Dalai Lama, Yundain Gyamco, was confirmed as

the reincarnated soul boy of the late 3rd Dalai Lama by Gaden Tripa (the supreme

head of the Gelug lineage, whose status was the same as Tsongkapa) before the

Sakyamuni statue in Ganden Monastery. And he was granted the title of "Holy

Vajra Buddha" in addition to an official seal as well as Lama costume and hat by

Emperor Wanli in Ming dynasty. He died at 28.

The picture shows the Gold Bum-pa which

was specially made for the lot-drawing process introduced by Emperor

Qianlong for Lamasery to determine the reincarnation of the late Living

Buddha in 1792, or the 57th year of the reign of Emperor Qianglong.

(Chinese media file Photo)
Photo Gallery

The 5th Dalai Lama, Ngawang Lobsang Gyamco, was

conferred the title of "the Dalai Lama" by Emperor Shunzhi, plus a golden

certificate of appointment and a golden seal of authority, bearing inscription

written in three languages: Manchurian, Tibetan and Han. In 1682，he passed away

at 68.

Three years later, Cangyang Gyamco was selected to be

the 6th Dalai Lama and Emperor Kangxi of the Qing dynasty appointed Living

Buddha Lcang-skya to officiate the sitting -in-the-bed enthronement ceremony at

the Potala Palace. Cangyang Gyamco died at 25.

The 7th Dalai Lama Lobsang Gyamco was determined as

the soul boy at 12 in Tar Monastery by Emperor Kangxi's 14th son Yunti on behalf

of the Qing imperial court. And he was granted a golden certificate of

appointment and a golden seal of authority by Emperor Kangxi, with inscription

written in three languages, Manchurian, Tibetan and Han Chinese. He died at 49.

In 1761, Emperor Qianlong of the Qing dynasty

approved confirmed soul boy Jambai Gyamco in the form of an edict and he ordered

Grand Minister Resident of Tibet and the 6th Panchen Lama to hold the

enthronement ceremony at the Potala Palace in the following year, granting a

golden certificate of appointment and a golden seal of authority. The 8th Dalai

Lama passed away at 46.

The fresco shows that the Emperor

Dowager received the 13th Dalai Lama who came to Beijing in 1908, or the

34th year of the reign of Emperor Guangxu. (Chinese media file

Photo)
Photo

Gallery

The 9th Dalai Lama Lhundo Gyamco was confirmed as

Living Buddha without going through the procedure of "drawing lot from the

golden urn (the system introduced by Emperor Qianlong for Lamasery to determine

the reincarnate of the late Living Buddha)" with the approval of Emperor Jiaqing

of the Qing dynasty, who issued an imperial edict for this purpose. He was

enthroned in the sitting-in-the-bed ceremony held by Grand Minister Resident of

Tibet at the Potala Palace, but he died at the age of 10.

The 10th Dalai Lama Curchen Gyamco was determined as

the soul boy with the approval of Emperor Daoguang of the Qing dynasty and went

through the procedure of the drawing (of) lots presided over by Grand Minister

Resident of Tibet together with the Panchen Lama. The 10th Dalai Lama died at

the age of 21.

The 11th Dalai Lama came to throne after being

approved imperially and going through the lot-drawing process. Emperor Daoguang

dispatched a special envoy to deliver the certificate of appointment and gifts.

The 11th Dalai Lama died in 1855 at 18.

In 1860, the sitting-in-the-bed ceremony was held to

enthrone the 12th Dalai Lama Chenlie Gyamco after the lot-drawing procedure

officiated by Grand Minister Resident of Tibet and the Hotogtu Living Buddha

Razheng. Emperor Xianfeng of the Qing dynasty granted him a golden certificate

of appointment and many gifts, and he died at the age of 20.

The 13th Dalai Lama was the second Dalai Lama approved as the reincarnated Living Buddha exempted from the drawing lot. Emperor Guangxu of the Qing dynasty ordered Grand Minister of Resident in Tibet and the 8th Panchen to preside over the sitting-in-the-bed enthronement ceremony and issued an imperial edict approving Lobsang Takai Gyamco to use the golden seal of authority of the 12th Dalai Lama. The 13th Dalai Lama passed away at 58.

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