Tsongkhapa

Tsongkhapa

Tsongkhapa meaning: “the man from Tsongkha” or “the man from Onion Valley”, was an influential Tibetan Buddhist monk, philosopher, and Tantric yogi, whose activities led to the formation of the Gelug school of Tibetan Buddhism. He is also known by his ordained name Losang Drakpa or simply as “Je Rinpoche”. He is also known by Chinese as Zongkapa Lobsang Zhaba or just Zōngkàbā (宗喀巴).

Tsongkhapa appears as a youthful 16-year-old boy sitting in the Vajra position on a lion throne, lotus, and moon cushion supported by eight lions. His skin is white with a tinge of red. Lama Tsongkhapa has one face, which is smiling with a happy state of mind. He wears a yellow Pandit hat that has a pointed tip with two flaps, along with the three robes of a monk. Tsongkhapa has two hands, they are either in the Dharmacakra Mudra form or the Long-Life posture. The Dharmacakra Mudra form symbolizes turning the wheel of Dharma or teaching the Dharma. In his left hand, he holds the stem of a lotus between his thumb and index finger, the height of the lotus is at the same level as Tsongkhapa’s ears. Atop this lotus rests the scripture of the Perfection of Wisdom in 8,000 lines with a wish-fulfilling jewel above it. In his right hand, holding another lotus stem within his thumb and index finger, and the actual lotus is also at the same level as Tsongkhapa’s ears and is adorned with a flaming Wisdom Sword of Manjushri. In the Long-Life form, the right hand of Tsongkhapa is resting on his right knee and he holds a vase with his right hand. The vase symbolizes Tsongkhapa dispensing the nectar of immortality to cure inner and outer sickness and restore health in our bodies so that we may be able to practice the Dharma.