Sakya Pandita
Encyclopedia
Tibetan people
The Tibetan people are an ethnic group that is native to Tibet, which is mostly in the People's Republic of China. They number 5.4 million and are the 10th largest ethnic group in the country. Significant Tibetan minorities also live in India, Nepal, and Bhutan...
spiritual leader and Buddhist scholar and the fourth of the Five Venerable Supreme Sakya
Sakya
The Sakya school is one of four major schools of Tibetan Buddhism, the others being the Nyingma, Kagyu, and Gelug...
Masters of Tibet
Tibet
Tibet is a plateau region in Asia, north-east of the Himalayas. It is the traditional homeland of the Tibetan people as well as some other ethnic groups such as Monpas, Qiang, and Lhobas, and is now also inhabited by considerable numbers of Han and Hui people...
. Günga Gyaicain is generally known simply as Sa'gya Paṇḍita, a title given to him in recognition of his scholarly achievements and knowledge of Sanskrit
Sanskrit
Sanskrit , is a historical Indo-Aryan language and the primary liturgical language of Hinduism, Jainism and Buddhism.Buddhism: besides Pali, see Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit Today, it is listed as one of the 22 scheduled languages of India and is an official language of the state of Uttarakhand...
. He is held in the tradition to have been an emanation of the Bodhisattva
Bodhisattva
In Buddhism, a bodhisattva is either an enlightened existence or an enlightenment-being or, given the variant Sanskrit spelling satva rather than sattva, "heroic-minded one for enlightenment ." The Pali term has sometimes been translated as "wisdom-being," although in modern publications, and...
Manjushri, the embodiment of the wisdom of all the Buddhas.
He became known as a great scholar in Tibet, Mongolia, Coastal China and India and was proficient in the five great sciences of medicine, grammar, dialectics and sacred Sanskrit literature as well as the minor sciences of rhetoric, synonymies, poetry, dancing and astrology. He is considered in Tibet to be the fourth "Great Forefather" and sixth Sakya Trizin
Sakya Trizin
Sakya Trizin or Sa'gya Gongma Rinboqê is the traditional title of the head of the Sakya Order of Tibetan Buddhism.The Sakya Order of Tibetan Buddhism was founded in 1073, when Khon Konchog Gyalpo , a member of Tibet’s noble Khön family, established a monastery in the region of Sakya, Tibet,...
, and one of the most important figures among the Sakya lineage.
He was born at Sa'gya
Sa'gya County
Sa'gya County is a county of the Xigazê Prefecture in the Tibet Autonomous Region.- Transport :*...
of the noble family of Jam-yan-gon.
His father was Palchen of Öpochey. Sa'gya Paṇḍita was the nephew, and became the principal disciple of Jetsun Dakpa Gyeltsen or Drakpa Gyaltsen
Drakpa Gyaltsen
Drakya Gyaltsen was a Tibetan spiritual leader and the third of the Five Venerable Supreme Sakya Masters of Tibet. He was also the guru of the famous Sakya Pandita....
(1147–1216).
After the death of Genghis Khan
Genghis Khan
Genghis Khan , born Temujin and occasionally known by his temple name Taizu , was the founder and Great Khan of the Mongol Empire, which became the largest contiguous empire in history after his death....
in 1227, the Tibetans stopped sending tribute. As a result, in 1240, the grandson of Genghis Khan and second son of Ögedei Khan
Ögedei Khan
Ögedei Khan, born Ögedei was the third son of Genghis Khan and second Great Khan of the Mongol Empire by succeeding his father...
, Prince Godan invaded Tibet killing some 500 monks and destroying and looting monasteries, villages and towns. Prince Godan asked his commanders to search for an outstanding Buddhist lama and, as Sa'gya Paṇḍita was considered the most religious, Godan sent a letter of "invitation" and presents to him.
Thus began a strong alliance and the capital of Sakya, gDan-sa, became the capital of Tibet. This lasted until about the middle of the 14th century. During the reign of the 14th Sakya Trizin
Sakya Trizin
Sakya Trizin or Sa'gya Gongma Rinboqê is the traditional title of the head of the Sakya Order of Tibetan Buddhism.The Sakya Order of Tibetan Buddhism was founded in 1073, when Khon Konchog Gyalpo , a member of Tibet’s noble Khön family, established a monastery in the region of Sakya, Tibet,...
, Sonam Gylatsen, the Central Tibetan province of U was taken by the Myriarch, marking the "beginning of the end of the period of Sakya power in Central Tibet."
Sakya Pandita died in 1251, at the age of seventy in the city of Gyu-ma. As he did not marry he chose his brother's son Chogyal Phagpa as his heir and nominated him before his death as his religious authority by giving him his conch shell and begging bowl. After his death Phakpa continued his mission. The conch is one of the Ashtamangala
Ashtamangala
Ashtamangala or Zhaxi Daggyai are a sacred suite of Eight Auspicious Signs endemic to a number of Dharmic Traditions such as Hinduism, Jainism, and Buddhism. The symbols or 'symbolic attributes' are yidam and teaching tools...
and the begging bowl was a particular symbol of Buddha Shakyamuni and the Shramana
Shramana
A shramana is a wandering monk in certain ascetic traditions of ancient India including Jainism, Buddhism, and Ājīvikism. Famous śramaṇas include Mahavira and Gautama Buddha....
Traditions.
In the lineage of the Tibet
Tibet
Tibet is a plateau region in Asia, north-east of the Himalayas. It is the traditional homeland of the Tibetan people as well as some other ethnic groups such as Monpas, Qiang, and Lhobas, and is now also inhabited by considerable numbers of Han and Hui people...
an Panchen Lama
Panchen Lama
The Panchen Lama , or Bainqên Erdê'ni , is the highest ranking Lama after the Dalai Lama in the Gelugpa lineage of Tibetan Buddhism...
s there were considered to be four Indian and three Tibetan mindstream
Mindstream
Mindstream in Buddhist philosophy is the moment-to-moment "continuum" of awareness. There are a number of terms in the Buddhist literature that may well be rendered "mindstream"...
emanations
Tulku
In Tibetan Buddhism, a tulku is a particular high-ranking lama, of whom the Dalai Lama is one, who can choose the manner of his rebirth. Normally the lama would be reincarnated as a human, and of the same sex as his predecessor. In contrast to a tulku, all other sentient beings including other...
of Amitabha
Amitabha
Amitābha is a celestial buddha described in the scriptures of the Mahāyāna school of Buddhism...
Buddha before Khedrup Gelek Pelzang
Khedrup Gelek Pelzang
Khedrup Gelek Pelzang , better known as Khedrup Je, the 1st Panchen Lama, was one of the main disciples of Lama Tsongkhapa ....
, who is recognised as the 1st Panchen Lama. The lineage starts with Subhuti
Subhuti
Subhūti was one of the Ten Great Śrāvakas of Śākyamuni Buddha, and foremost in the understanding of emptiness. In Sanskrit, his name literally means "Good Existence" . He is also sometimes referred to as or "Elder Subhūti"...
, one of the original disciples of Gautama Buddha
Gautama Buddha
Siddhārtha Gautama was a spiritual teacher from the Indian subcontinent, on whose teachings Buddhism was founded. In most Buddhist traditions, he is regarded as the Supreme Buddha Siddhārtha Gautama (Sanskrit: सिद्धार्थ गौतम; Pali: Siddhattha Gotama) was a spiritual teacher from the Indian...
. Sakya Pandita is considered to be the second Tibetan emanation of Amitabha
Amitabha
Amitābha is a celestial buddha described in the scriptures of the Mahāyāna school of Buddhism...
Buddha in this line.
Works
He is best known for his works such as the Treasury of Logic on Valid Cognition (Tshad ma rigs pa'i gter) and the Discrimination of the Three Vows (sDom-gsum rab-dbye). He produced five major works in all, the other three being the The Entrance Gate for the Wise (Mkhas pa rnams 'jug pa'i sgo), Clarifying the Sage's Intention (Thub pa'i dgongs gsal), and the Elegant Sayings of Sakya Pandita (sa skya legs bshad). The latter is a collection of moral precepts in verse which was imitated by others and translated into MongolianMongolian language
The Mongolian language is the official language of Mongolia and the best-known member of the Mongolic language family. The number of speakers across all its dialects may be 5.2 million, including the vast majority of the residents of Mongolia and many of the Mongolian residents of the Inner...
. He focused on doctrine and logic "basing himself upon the Pramanavarttika of Dharmakirti
Dharmakirti
Dharmakīrti , was an Indian scholar and one of the Buddhist founders of Indian philosophical logic. He was one of the primary theorists of Buddhist atomism, according to which the only items considered to exist are momentary states of consciousness.-History:Born around the turn of the 7th century,...
" and was very interested in rhetoric.
Five major works
- Treasury of Logic on Valid Cognition (Tshad ma rigs pa'i gter)
The Padmakara Translation GroupPadmakara Translation GroupPadmakara was founded in 1987, in Dordogne, France and is directed by Tsetul Pema Wangyal Rinpoche and Jigme Khyentse Rinpoche. As a department of SONGTSEN, Padmakara is responsible for the preservation, translation and publication of Tibetan texts...
(2005: p. 37) holds that the Tsod-ma rigs-gter, a celebrated work many consider Sakya Pandita's magnum opusMasterpieceMasterpiece in modern usage refers to a creation that has been given much critical praise, especially one that is considered the greatest work of a person's career or to a work of outstanding creativity, skill or workmanship....
, champions Dhamakirti's 'antirealism' by countering Chapa's (phya pa chos kyi seng ge, 1109–1169) interpretation of Dharmakirti. - Discrimination of the Three Vows (sDom-gsum rab-dbye)
Published in English as A Clear Differentiation of the Three Codes: Essential Distinctions among the Individual Liberation, Great Vehicle, and Tantric Systems by Sakya Pandita Kunga Gyaltshen, translated by Jared Douglas Rhoton. (State University of New York Press: 2001). - The Entrance Gate for the Wise (Mkhas pa rnams 'jug pa'i sgo)
Section III published in English as The Entrance Gate for the Wise (Section III): Saskya Pandita on Indian and Tibetan Traditions of Pramana and Philosophical Debate. by David P. Jackson (Arbeitskreis fur Tibetisch und Buddhistiche Studien Universiteit Wein: 1987); Section I published in English as "The Dharma's Gatekeepers: Sakya Pandita on Buddhist Scholarship in Tibet", by Jonathan C. Gold (SUNY: 2007) - Clarifying the Sage's Intention (Thub pa'i dgongs gsal)
A commentary on the on two verses of Maitreya’s Mahayanasutralamkara, this serves as the main Lam Rim text in the Sakya school. - The Elegant Sayings of Sakya Pandita (sa skya legs bshad)
Published in English as Ordinary Wisdom: Sakya Pandita's Treasury of Good Advice, translated by John T. Davenport. (Wisdom Publications:2000 ISBN 0861711610).
Other works
- sgra'i bstan bcos
- tshad ma'i bstan bcos sde bdun gyi snying po rig pa'i gter 'grel pa dang bcas pa
- bzo'i bstan bcos
- sku gzugs kyi bstan bcos
- sa brtag pa
- bstan pa rin po che'i rtsis
- yan lag brgyad pa'i bsdus don
- phyogs bcu'i sangs rgyas byang chub sems dpa' la zhu ba'i 'phrin yig dang skyes bu dam pa rnams la springs yig sogs 'phrin yig dang zhus lan mang ba
- grub mtha' rnam 'byed
- pha rol phyin pa'i gzhung lugs spyi'i tshogs chos chen mo
- bdag med ma'i bstod pa'i 'grel pa
- rdo rje theg pa'i man ngag rten 'brel lnga'i yi ge
- lam sbas bshad dang bla ma'i rnal 'byor
- sems bskyed chen mo lung sbyor
- chos nyams su blang ba'i rim pa
- theg pa chen po'i lam gyi rnam gzhag mdor bsdus
- bsngo ba'i yon bshad
- bdag nyid kyi rnam thar nga brgyad ma'i rtsa 'grel
- sdeb sbyor me tog gi chun po
- snyan ngag mkhas pa'i kha rgyan
- mngon brjod tshig gi gter
- zlos gar rab dga'i 'jug pa
- rol mo'i bstan bcos
- byis pa bde blag tu 'jug pa'i 'grel pa
- bstod pa rgyud gsum 'khor lo'i 'grel pa
- sangs rgyas la bstod pa sogs bstod pa mang po mdzad
Translations
- Pramānavārttika of Dharmakīrti (with Śākyaśrībhadra)
- Pramānavārttikatīkā of Śamkaranandana (with Samghaśrī)
- Samksiptapranidhāna of Candragomin
- Amarakośa of Amarasimha (partial)
- Kāvyādarśa of Dandin (partial)
- Āryaguhyamanitilaka (tantra)
- Āryavajrapātālatantrarāja
- Sarvatathāgatakāyavākcitta Guhyālamkāravyūhatantrarāja
- Ganacakravidhi
- Yuganaddhaprakāśasekaprakriyā
- Vajrakīlamūlatantra
See also
- Brian Cutillo's Illuminations of Sakya Pandita
- Drogön Chögyal PhagpaDrogön Chögyal PhagpaZhogön Qögyä Pagba, Zhogoin Qoigyai Phagspa or Drogön Chögyal Phagpa , born Lochö Gyäcän or Lochoi Gyaicain , was the fifth leader of the Sakya school of Tibetan Buddhism. He became the first vice-king of Tibet and played an important political role...