Son-kha-pa

The name "Tsongkhapa" derives from the Tibetan "Tsongkha," meaning "Onion Valley," the region of his birth. "Pa" signifies "person." Thus, "Tsongkhapa" literally translates to "Person from Onion Valley." His full monastic name was Lobsang Drakpa.

Written also Tsong-kha-pa. A famous Tibetan reformer of tlie fourteenth century who introduced a purified Biuldhism into his country. He was a great Adept, who being unable to witness nny longer the desecration of Buddhist philosophy by the false priests who made of it a marketable commodity, put a forcible stop thereto by a timely revolution and the exile of 40,000 sham monks and Lamas from the country. He is regarded as an Avatar of Buddha, and is the founder of the Gdukpa ("yellow-cap") Sect, and of the mystic Brotherhood connected with its chiefs. The "tree of the 10.000 images" (khoomhoom) has, it is said, sprung from the long hair of this ascetic, who leaving it behind him disappeared fonn'er from the view of the profane. Sooniam. A magical ceremony for the ])urpose of removing a sickness from one person to another. Black magic, sorcery.

The figure of Je Tsongkhapa, as presented in Blavatsky's era and understood within Tibetan Buddhism, offers a compelling counterpoint to the notion of spiritual knowledge as a purely hidden or arcane pursuit. He was not merely a mystic but a formidable scholar and reformer, a testament to the idea that profound spiritual realization is inextricably linked to intellectual clarity and ethical rectitude. His establishment of the Gelug school, a lineage characterized by its emphasis on monastic discipline and scholasticism, underscores a belief in the power of structured learning and ethical living as the bedrock of spiritual progress.

Mircea Eliade, in his studies of shamanism and religion, often highlighted the importance of lineage and transmission of knowledge. Tsongkhapa's work embodies this, creating a systematic path, the Lamrim, designed to guide practitioners through the stages of spiritual development. This is not a haphazard collection of secrets but a carefully articulated curriculum, drawing from the vast treasury of Indian Buddhist thought and adapting it to the Tibetan context. His biography, embellished with accounts of miraculous events and spiritual attainments, serves to elevate him as an exemplar, an avatar of wisdom, but the practical import of his teachings lies in their accessibility through diligent study and practice.

The "desecration of Buddhist philosophy by the false priests" mentioned by Blavatsky points to a perennial struggle within religious traditions: the tension between authentic spiritual realization and the ossification of dogma or the commodification of sacred knowledge. Tsongkhapa's purported actions, whether literal or symbolic, speak to a desire to purify the tradition, to return it to its core principles of compassion, wisdom, and ethical conduct. In a world often saturated with superficial spiritual trends, Tsongkhapa's example reminds us that true esoteric understanding is cultivated through sustained effort, a disciplined mind, and an unwavering commitment to the ethical foundations of existence. His legacy is not one of hidden codes, but of an illuminated path forged through rigorous inquiry and compassionate action.

RELATED_TERMS: Lamrim, Bodhisattva, Mahayana, Manjushri, Tibetan Buddhism, Gelug school, Dharma, Enlightenment