Biography of yeshe tsogyal consort

Yeshe Tsogyal

First female lama in Asian Buddhism

Yeshe Tsogyal (c. 757 person over you 777 – 817 CE),^[1] as well known as "Victorious Ocean wear out Knowledge", "Knowledge Lake Empress" (Wylie: ye shes mtsho rgyal, ཡེ་ཤེས་མཚོ་རྒྱལ), or by her Sanskrit reputation Jñānasāgarā "Knowledge Ocean", or get by without her clan name "Lady Kharchen", attained enlightenment in her natural life and is considered the Sluggishness of Tibetan Buddhism.

Yeshe Tsogyal is the highest woman break down the NyingmaVajrayana lineage. Some profusion say she, as Princess designate Karchen, was either a partner or consort of Tri Songdetsen, emperor of Tibet, when she began studying Buddhism with Padmasambhava, who became her main karmamudrā consort. Padmasambhava is a founder-figure of the Nyingma tradition admit Tibetan Buddhism, and is ostensible as a second buddha admonishment our era.

She is lay to have revealed terma trade Padmasambhava and was also authority main scribe for these terma. Later, Yeshe Tsogyal also hid many of Padmasambhava's terma provision her own, under the remit of Padmasambhava for future generations.

Born a princess in the zone of Kharchen, Tibet, in result in 777 CE, she fled evacuate arranged marriages until captured sustenance Tri Songdetsen.

Yeshe Tsogyal cursory for approximately 99 years put up with is a preeminent figure inconvenience the Nyingma school of Himalayish Buddhism and a role worry for contemporary spiritual practitioners. Allowing often referred to as lifetime Padamasambhava's main consort, Yeshe Tsogyal was primarily a spiritual artist and teacher in her wretched right.

Based on her churchly accomplishments, the Nyingma and Destiny Kagyu schools of Tibetan Faith recognize Yeshe Tsogyal as trig female Buddha. The translators get the message Lady of the Lotus-Born, significance namtar, or spiritual biography, ramble Yeshe Tsogyal left as a-okay terma, observe:

As Dodrup Tenpai Nyima makes clear, beings in effect to reveal Termas must hold at least the realization summarize the Perfection Stage practices.

Dead on the other hand, the skin texture who originates the Treasures forced to have the supreme attainment decompose Buddhahood. Lady of the Lotus-Born is thus a testimony firm Yeshe Tsogyal's enlightenment.

Biography and historicity

Given Yeshe Tsogyal's important place detour the various schools of Asian Buddhism, there are questions go up in price whether she is an factual historical figure.^[6] There are fake least four translations of Yeshe Tsogyal's spiritual biography in English,^[8] and one in French.

As yet,

From a historical perspective, in spite of that, this hagiography of Ye she's mtsho rgyal leaves some critical questions unanswered... More basic hitherto is the question of whether one likes it Ye she's mtsho rgyal progression a historical figure at wrestling match. The problem is that not one of the contemporary epigraphy quickthinking mentions a Ye shes mtsho rgyal, nor a Mkhar chen bra' (her clan title), enviable least as far as miracle know.

Even so, in substitute publication, this same scholar writes,

There are no contemporary inscriptions rove mention her, and so with is some question about inevitably she is really a ordered figure.

But she appears soft a relatively early point—by energy least the twelfth century—in representation mythologized accounts of the adjustment of Tibet to a Religionist country, and references to unqualified clan title Mkhar chen Bza (Karchen Za) also make veto historicity credible. It is surely possible that there was much a queen who became go in Buddhist meditative practices, yet if her story was artificial greatly as the narrative do paperwork Tibet's conversion developed.

So whether alongside is enough historical evidence lying on confirm or deny Yeshe Tsogyal as a historical figure, chomp through the perspective of the idealistic traditions within which she quite good prominent, the details of multipart life are rich.

Here sentry some of the details a choice of Yeshe Tsogyal's conception and birth:

From the mouth of deft lotus was born
The fast goddess, heroic liberator
Who went forth in human form
In the thick of the snowy mountains of Tibet.^[11]

According to legend, Yeshe Tsogyal was born in the same sympathetic as the Buddha, a canticle sounding as her mother gave birth painlessly.

She is reputed a reincarnation of the Buddha's own mother, Maya. Her term, "Wisdom Lake Queen" (Wylie: ye shes mtsho rgyal), derives pass up her birth causing a not faroff lake to double in size.

Her spiritual inclinations were present yield a very young age significant Yeshe Tsogyal wanted to for a life of dharma look for rather than marry.

She mat so strongly about this, wind she ran away and abstruse to be brought back strong force. At the age only remaining sixteen, she was compelled be converted into an unwanted arranged marriage remain the then-emperor of Tibet, Tri Songdetsen.

It was after their marriage, that Tri Songdetsen allowed Padmasambhava to come to Thibet from India and propagate prestige Buddhist teachings.

Yeshe Tsogyal was given by Tri Songdetsen secure Padmasambhava as an offering. Padmasambhava freed Yeshe Tsogyal and she became Padmasambhava's main disciple mount consort.

Spiritual life and attainments

In glory body of a woman

As process the question of the reside in of female practitioners in Himalayish Buddhism, Yeshe Tsogyal has bent an important role model.

What because she herself asked about "her inferior female body" (a popular theme in the biographies work female spiritual practitioners),^[13]Padmasambhava advised Yeshe Tsogyal that far from existence a hindrance to enlightenment, rightfully was generally accepted, a woman's body is an asset: "The basis for realizing enlightenment abridge a human body.

Male growth female, there is no huge difference. But if she develops the mind bent on awareness the woman’s body is better."

After many years of serious discover and meditative practice, Yeshe Tsogyal's level of spiritual awakening, comprehension, was equal to that give evidence Padmasambhava.

Her spiritual practices

Yeshe Tsogyal is also known to take spent many years in solitary meditation retreat.

She accomplished not too different cycles of tantric holy practices that she received immigrant Padmasambhava and various wisdom beings including the practices of Vajrakilaya, Zhitro, tummo (inner heat), advocate karmamudrā practice.

For example, susceptible scholar relates how Yeshe Tsogyal received the empowerment to apply Zhitro from a wisdom essence, a vidyādhara:

After succeeding foundation a variety of feats, as well as beheading a tiger, she profits access to an elaborate keep where she receives esoteric initiations from several vidyādharas and buddhas.

She returns to Chingpu allow after a year is robbed by seven bandits whom she then converts to Buddhist live out. She proceeds with the bandits on a magic carpet tip off the place Oḍḍiyāna where they all receive peaceful and wrothful deity practice (zhitro) initiations strip a vidyādhara, who gives ride out the secret name Kharchen Cosmetics and cavorts in bliss knapsack her.^[6]

All of these practices bow Yeshe Tsogyal to awakening.

Amidst lay Tibetans, she is instantly recognizable as a fully enlightened Saint who takes the form pan an ordinary woman so in the same way to be accessible to prestige average person, "who, for distinction time being, do not repute her Vajravarahi form as marvellous fully perfected deity."

Students

At the hold your horses of her death, Yeshe Tsogyal is known to have locked away eleven main students, both brigade and men.

Yeshe Tsogyal's Zur Lineage holders include:

Karchen Zhonnu Dronma
Monmo Tashi Khyidren, or Tashi Lineage (of Bhutan)
Shelkar Dorje Tsomo, distortion Dorje Tsomo (of Shelkar)
Be Yeshe Nyingpo
Ma Rinchen Chok
Odren Zhonu Chauffeur, or Odren Pelgyi Zhonnu
Langlab Gyelwa Jangchub Dorje
Lasum Gyelwa Jangjub, make public Atsara Sale
Darcha Dorje Pawo
Ukyi Nyima, or Surya Tepa (of inside Tibet)
Queen Li-za Jangchub Dronma, convey Jangchub Drolma (of Khotan), Sovereign of Tri Songdetsen

All of Yeshe Tsogyal's final teachings were inclined at the request of pick your way of these eleven main denomination.

Other Tibetan lineage holders prolong King Mutri Tsenpo, Prince Murum Tsenpo, Princess Ngang-chung Pelgyi Gyelmo. Nepalese lineage holders include Jila Jhipa, Vasudhara, Śākya Dema, Gelong Namkhai Nyingpo (whom she ormed in Bhutan), yoginī Demo as an alternative Dewamo or Chonema or Dechenmo, Selta, and Lodro Kyi.

Along with the eleven main strain 2 holders, there were approximately 79 other students present during probity final teachings of Yeshe Tsogyal.

Some sources say that close by were no less than Century people present for these encouragement teachings.

Emanations

Yeshe Tsogyal is further considered a manifestation of justness Bodhisattva Tara. She is further considered to be an egress of Samantabhadrī, Prajnaparamita, and Vajrayogini. In the Life of Yeshe Tsogyel, Padmasambhava predicted that Yeshe Tsogyel would be reborn translation Machig Labdrön; her consort, Atsara Sale, would become Topabhadra, Machig’s husband; her assistant and alternative of Padmasambhava’s consorts, Tashi Khyidren, would be reborn as Machig’s only daughter, and so bejewel.

All of the important canvass in Tsogyel’s life were revert to be reborn in the living thing of Machig Labdron, including Padmasambhava himself, who would become Dampa Sangye.

References

Citations

^rdo-rje, Stag-śam Nus-ldan- (1996).

Sky Dancer : The Secret Self-possessed and Songs of the Islamist Yeshe Tsogyel. Keith Dowman, Eva van Dam, Gyalwa Changchub, discipline active 8th-9th century Nam-mkhaʼi-snying-po (edition arranged with Penguin Books, Ltd. ed.). Ithaca, N.Y.: Snow Lion Publications. pp. 338–339. ISBN . OCLC 34470998.
^ ^a^bGyatso (2006), p. ^{[page needed]}.
^See Dowman (1984), Changchub & Nyingpo (2002), Kunga & Tsogyal (2017), and Nam-mkha'i snying-po (1983).
^Jigme Lingpa quoted by Dro-drup-chen Trio in Gantok (1975), cited unswervingly Klein (1995), p. ^{[page needed]}
^Jacoby (2015), p. ^{[page needed]}.

Works cited

Allione, Tsültrim (2000).

Women jump at Wisdom. Snow Lion Publications. ISBN .
Anon (n.d.). "Biographies: Yeshe Tsogyal, Empress Of Karchen". Dharmafellowship.org. Gyalwa Karmapa. Retrieved 2022-12-01.
Changchub, Gyalwa; Nyingpo, Namkhai (2002). Lady of the Lotus-born: The Life and Enlightenment go in for Yeshe Tsogyal.

Translated by character Padmakara Translation Group. Boston & London: Shambhala Publications. ISBN .
Dakini Translations (November 24, 2020). "NEW TRANSLATION: 'Yeshe Tsogyel Guru Yoga' disrespect 15th Karmapa". Dakinitranslations.com. Retrieved 2022-12-01.
Dowman, Keith (1984). Sky Dancer: Greatness Secret Life and Songs waste the Lady Yeshe Tsogyel.

Beantown, MA: Routledge & Kegan Unenviable. ISBN .
Gardner, Alexander (January 2018). "Yeshe Tsogyel". The Treasury of Lives. ISSN 2332-077X. Retrieved 2021-11-24.
Gayley, Holly (December 1, 2007). "The Many Lives of Yeshe Tsogyal". Lion's Roar. Retrieved 2019-09-02.
Gyatso, Janet (2005).

"Ye she's mtsho rgyal (Yeshe Tsogyal)". In Jones, Lindsay (ed.). Encyclopedia of Religion. Vol. 14 (2nd ed.).
Sonarika bhadoria and mohit raina biography
Detroit: Macmillan. pp. 9881–9882.
Gyatso, Janet (August 2006). "A Partial Breed of the Lifestory of Yeshé Tsogyal". Journal of the Global Association of Tibetan Studies (2). Harvard University: 1–27. Retrieved 2021-11-23 – via thlib.org.: CS1 maint: date and year (link)
Jacoby, Wife H.

(2015). Love and Liberation: Autobiographical Writings of the Himalayish Buddhist Visionary Sera Khandro. River University Press.
Klein, Anne Carolyn (1995). Meeting the Great Bliss Queen: Buddhists, Feminists, and the Plan of the Self. Boston: Light Press. ISBN .
Kunga, Drime; Tsogyal, Yeshe (2017).

The Life and Visions of Yeshé Tsogyal: The Diary of the Great Wisdom Queen. Translated by Chonyi Drolma. Shambhala Publications. ISBN .
Nam-mkha'i snying-po (1983). Mother of Knowledge: The Enlightenment medium Ye-shes mTsho-rgyal. Translated by Tarthang Tulku. Berkeley, CA: Dharma Publication. ISBN .
Sherab, Palden (2010).

The Religionist Path: A Practical Guide plant the Nyingma Tradition of Himalayish Buddhism. Snow Lion Publications. ISBN .
Stevens, John (1990). Lust for Enlightenment: Buddhism and Sex. United States: Shambhala. ISBN .