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Jñānaśrīmitra + (Late Indian Yogācāra philosopher and logic … Late Indian Yogācāra philosopher and logician of the school of Dharmakīrti at Vikramaśīla monastery, born between 975 and 1000. Within the Yogācāra, he held the so-called “aspectarian” (sākāra) position regarding the nature of cognition, taking a position opposed to that of Ratnākaraśānti. He is credited as the author of twelve treatises, including an important work on apoha, the ''Apohaprakaraṇa''. In his works on logic, he upholds the interpretation of Dharmakīrti by Prajñākaragupta against the interpretation by Dharmottara. (Source: "Jñānaśrīmitra." In ''The Princeton Dictionary of Buddhism'', 398. Princeton University Press, 2014. http://www.jstor.org/stable/j.ctt46n41q.27.)tp://www.jstor.org/stable/j.ctt46n41q.27.))
Līlāvajra + (Līlāvajra, also known as Vilāsavajra or La … Līlāvajra, also known as Vilāsavajra or Lalitavajra, was an 8th century Indian master, perhaps from Oddiyana, who wrote commentaries on ''Chanting the Names of Manjushri'' and the ''Guhyagarbha Tantra''. Among the students of Vilāsavajra, the most prominent were Buddhaguhya and Buddhajñanapada, who both studied the cycle of the Web of Magical Illusion. (Source: [https://www.rigpawiki.org/index.php?title=Vilasavajra Rigpa Wiki])g/index.php?title=Vilasavajra Rigpa Wiki]))
Mario D'Amato + (Mario D’Amato is an Associate Professor in … Mario D’Amato is an Associate Professor in the Department of Philosophy and Religion at Rollins College. His area of research is in Buddhist philosophy, with a special focus on the translation, interpretation, and analysis of Sanskrit Buddhist doctrinal texts from the Yogācāra school of Buddhist philosophy. He published a study and annotated translation of the fourth-century CE Buddhist treatise ''Distinguishing the Middle from the Extremes'' (2012), the coedited volume ''Pointing at the Moon: Buddhism, Logic, Analytic Philosophy'' (2009), as well as articles on Buddhist thought in the ''Journal of the International Association of Buddhist Studies'', ''Journal of Indian Philosophy'', ''Journal for Cultural and Religious Theory'', ''Semiotica'', and other journals. He also regularly teaches a course on Psychoanalysis and Religion. ([https://www.jamesclarke.co/pub/theology%20after%20lacan%20contributors.pdf Source Accessed Jul 21, 2020])ibutors.pdf Source Accessed Jul 21, 2020]))
Śākyaprabha + (Medeival Indian master of the Vinaya, reno … Medeival Indian master of the Vinaya, renowned in Tibet, together with Guṇaprabha, as one of the "two supreme ones" (mchog gnyis). Apparently from Kashmir, he was an expert in the Mūlasarvāstivāda vinaya. He is best known for his work ''Śrāmaṇeratriśatakakārikā'' ("Three Hundred Verses on the Novice"), to which he wrote an autocommentary entitled ''Prabhāvatī''. (Source: "Śākyaprabha." In ''The Princeton Dictionary of Buddhism'', 742. Princeton University Press, 2014. http://www.jstor.org/stable/j.ctt46n41q.27.)tp://www.jstor.org/stable/j.ctt46n41q.27.))
Nāgārjuna + (Nāgārjuna was the c. 2nd century founder o … Nāgārjuna was the c. 2nd century founder of the Madhyamaka school of Buddhist philosophy. He is eulogized in the Tibetan tradition as one of the group of great Indian scholars known as the Six Ornaments, though he is equally renown in the Chinese and other East Asian Buddhist traditions. He was the first major Mahāyāna philosopher and his ''Mūlamadhyamakakārikā'' became the standard exposition for the Mahāyāna view of emptiness (''śūnyatā'') as presented in the ''Prajñāpāramitā Sūtras''.resented in the ''Prajñāpāramitā Sūtras''.)
Kamalaśīla + (One of the most important Madhyamaka autho … One of the most important Madhyamaka authors of late Indian Buddhism, a major representative of the Yogācāra-Madhyamaka synthesis, and a participant in the famous Bsam yas Debate. According to Tibetan doxographies, he was a proponent of the Yogācāra-Svātantrika-Madhyamaka. Although little is known about his life, according to Tibetan sources he was a monk and teacher at Nālandā. Tibetan sources also count him as one of three (together with Śāntarakṣita and Jñãnagarbha) “Eastern Svātantrikas” (rang rgyud shar gsum), suggesting that he was from Bengal. He was clearly a direct disciple of Śāntarakṣita, composing important commentaries on his teacher’s two major works, the ''Madhyamakālaṃkāra'' and the ''Tattvasaṃgraha''. The latter commentary, which is extant in Sanskrit, is an important source for both Hindu and Buddhist philosophical positions in the eighth century. (Source: "Kamalaśīla." In ''The Princeton Dictionary of Buddhism'', 411. Princeton University Press, 2014. http://www.jstor.org/stable/j.ctt46n41q.27.)tp://www.jstor.org/stable/j.ctt46n41q.27.))
Ouyi Zhixu + (Ouyi Zhixu. (J. Gōyaku/Gūyaku Chigyoku; K. … Ouyi Zhixu. (J. Gōyaku/Gūyaku Chigyoku; K. Uik Chiuk 蕅益智旭) (1599–1655). One of the four eminent monks (si da gaoseng) of the late-Ming dynasty, along with Yunqi Zhuhong (1535-1615), Hanshan Deqing (1546–1623), and Daguan Zhenke (1543–1604); renowned for his mastery of a wide swath of Confucian and Buddhist teachings, particularly those associated with the Tiantai, pure land, and Chan traditions. In his youth, he studied Confucianism and despised Buddhism, even writing anti-Buddhist tracts. He had a change of heart at the age of seventeen, after reading some of Zhuhong's writings, and burned his previous screeds. According to his autobiography, Zhixu had his first "great awakening" at the age of nineteen while reading the line in the ''Lunyu'' ("Confucian Analects") that "the whole world will submit to benevolence" if one restrains oneself and returns to ritual. After his father's death that same year, he fully committed himself to Buddhism, reading sūtras and performing recollection of the Buddha's name (nianfo) until he finally was ordained under the guidance of Xueling (d.u.), a disciple of Hanshan Deqing, at the age of twenty-four. At that time, he began to read extensively in Yogācāra materials and had another great awakening through Chan meditation, in which he experienced body, mind, and the outer world suddenly disappearing. He next turned his attention to the bodhisattva precepts and the study of vinaya. Following his mother's death when he was twenty-seven, Zhixu rededicated himself to Chan meditation, but after a serious illness he turned to pure land teachings. In his early thirties, he devoted himself to the study of Tiantai materials, through which he attempted to integrate his previous research in Buddhism and began to write commentaries and treaties on Buddhist scriptures and on such Confucian classics as the ''Zhouyi'' ("Book of Changes"). In the late-sixteenth Century, Jesuit missionaries such as Michele Ruggieri (1543–1607) and Matteo Ricci (1552–1610) had reintroduced Christianity to China and sought "to complement Confucianism and to replace Buddhism." This emerging religious challenge led Zhixu to publish his ''Bixie ji'' ("Collected Essays Refuting Heterodoxy") as a critique of the teachings of Christianity, raising specifically the issue of theodicy (i.e., why a benevolent and omnipotent god would allow evil to appear in the world); Zhixu advocates instead that good and evil come from human beings and are developed and overcome respectively through personal cultivation. After another illness at the age of fifty-six, his later years were focused mostly on pure land teachings and practice. In distinction to Japanese pure land teachers, such as Hōnen (1133–1212) and Shinran (1173–1262), who emphasized exclusively Amitābha's "other-power" (C. tali; J. tariki), Zhixu, like most other Chinese pure land teachers, advocated the symbiosis between the other-power of Amitābha and the "self-power" (C. jiri; J. jiriki) of the practitioner. This perspective is evident in his equal emphasis on the three trainings in meditation (Chan), doctrine (jiao), and precepts (lü) (cf. Triśikṣā ). Ouyi's oeuvre numbers some sixty-two works in 230 rolls, including treatises and commentaries on works ranging from Tiantai, to Chan, to Yogācāra, to pure land. His pure land writings have been especially influential, and his ''Amituojing yaojie'' ("Essential Explanations" on the ''Amitābhasūtra'') and ''Jingtu shiyao'' ("Ten Essentials on the Pure Land") are regarded as integral to the modern Chinese Pure Land tradition. (Source: "Ouyi Zhixu." In ''The Princeton Dictionary of Buddhism'', 604–5. Princeton University Press, 2014. http://www.jstor.org/stable/j.ctt46n41q.27.)tp://www.jstor.org/stable/j.ctt46n41q.27.))
Chapa Chökyi Senge + (Phywa pa [alt. Cha pa] Chos kyi Seng ge. ( … Phywa pa [alt. Cha pa] Chos kyi Seng ge. (Chapa Chökyi Senge) (1109–1169). The sixth abbot of Gsang phu ne’u thog, a Bka' gdams monastery founded in 1073 by Rngog Legs pa'i shes rab. Among his students are included the first Karma pa, Dus gsum mkhyen pa and the Sa skya hierarch Bsod nams rtse mo. His collected works include explanations of Madhyamaka and Prajñāpāramitā. With his influential ''Tshad ma'i bsdus pa yid kyi mun sel rtsa 'grel'' he continued the line of ''pramāṇa'' scholarship started by Rngog Blo ldan shes rab, one that would later be challenged by Sa skya Paṇḍita. He is credited with originating the distinctively Tibetan bsdus grwa genre of textbook (used widely in Dge lugs monasteries) that introduces beginners to the main topics in abhidharma in a peculiar dialectical form that strings together a chain of consequences linked by a chain of reasons. He also played an important role in the formation of the bstan rim genre of Tibetan Buddhist literature, the forerunner of the more famous lam rim. (Source: "Phywa pa Chos kyi Seng ge." In ''The Princeton Dictionary of Buddhism'', 644. Princeton University Press, 2014. http://www.jstor.org/stable/j.ctt46n41q.27)ttp://www.jstor.org/stable/j.ctt46n41q.27))
Shangton Tenpa Gyatso + (Shangton Tenpa Gyatso was born in Tseshung … Shangton Tenpa Gyatso was born in Tseshung (rtse gzhung) in 1825. His father's name was Nyingkar bum. and his mother was Tsering Drolma. He entered Bkra-shis-'khyil monastery in 1837. He later took the Tshogs-bsags rab-'byams-pa degree in 1845. He went to Pe-cin to become the yongs 'dzin of the Thu'u-bkwan in 1854. His collected works (gsung 'bum) comprise four volumes (79 sections). His Collected Works can be found [https://archive.org/details/bdrc-W29232/mode/2up here]. ([https://www.tbrc.org/#!rid=P257 Adapted from Source Sep 1 2020])!rid=P257 Adapted from Source Sep 1 2020]))
Shenxiu + (Shenxiu. (J. Jinshū; K. Sinsu 神秀) (606?–70 … Shenxiu. (J. Jinshū; K. Sinsu 神秀) (606?–706). Chinese Chan master of the Tang dynasty and putative founder of the "Northern school" (Bei zong ) of early Chan Buddhism. Shenxiu was a native of Kaifeng in present-day Henan province. As an extraordinarily tall man with well-defined features, Shenxiu is said to have had a commanding presence. In 625, Shenxiu was ordained at the monastery of Tiangongsi in Luoyang, but little is known of his activities in the first two decades following his ordination. In 651, Shenxiu became a disciple of Hongren (601-674), cofounder of the East Mountain Teachings (Dongshan famen) and the monk later recognized as the fifth patriarch of the Chan school; indeed, by many early accounts, such as the Chuan fabao ji and Lengqie shizi ji, Shenxiu became Hongren's legitimate successor. According to the famous story in the ''Liuzu tanjing'' ("Platform Sūtra of the Sixth Patriarch"), however, Shenxiu lost a verse-writing contest to the unlettered Huineng (638-713), whom Hongren then in secret sanctioned as the sixth patriarch. However, it is unclear how long Shenxiu studied with Hongren. One source states that it was for a period of six years, in which case he would have left Hongren's monastery long before Huineng's arrival, making the famous poetry contest impossible. Regardless of the date of his departure, Shenxiu eventually left Hongren's monastery for Mt. Dangyang in Jingzhou (present-day Hubei province), where he remained for over twenty years and attracted many disciples. Shenxiu and his disciples were the subjects of a polemical attack by Heze Shenhui (684-758), who disparaged Shenxiu as representing a mere collateral branch of Bodhidharma's lineage and for promoting what Shenhui called a "gradual" (jian) approach to enlightenment. Shenhui instead promoted a "sudden teaching" (dunjiao), which he claimed derived from a so-called "Southern school" (Nan zong) founded by Huineng, another (and relatively obscure) disciple of Hongren, whom Shenhui claimed was Hongren's authentic successor and the true sixth patriarch (liuzu). Later Chan historians such as Guifeng Zongmi (780–841) began to use the designation "Northern school" (Bei zong) to describe the lineage of Shenxiu and his disciples Yifu (661-736), Puji (651-739), and Xiangmo Zang (d.u.). While Shenhui's characterization of Shenxiu and his supposed "gradualism" is now known to be misleading, subsequent histories of the Chan tradition (see Chuandeng lu) more or less adopted Shenhui's vision of early Chan; thus Huineng, rather than Shenxiu, comes to be considered the bearer of the orthodox Chan transmission. As one mark of Shenxiu's high standing within the Chan tradition of his time, in 700, Shenxiu was invited to the imperial palace by Empress Wu Zetian, where the empress prostrated herself before the nonagenarian monk. She was so impressed with the aged Chan master that she decided to build him a new monastery on Mt. Dangyang named Dumensi. She also gave him the title of state preceptor (guoshi). Upon his death, he was given a state funeral. He is one of only three Buddhist monks whose biography is included in the ''Tang shi'' ("Tang Annals"). This is clearly not the profile of an imposter within the Chan lineage. Shenxiu's teachings are known to have focused on the transcendence of thoughts (linian) and the five expedient means (fangbian; S. upāya); these teachings appear in "Northern school" treatises discovered at Dunhuang, such as the ''Yuanming lun'', ''Guanxin lun'', and ''Dasheng wusheng fangbian men''. Shenxiu was an expert on the ''Laṅkāvatārasūtra'', a text favored by Hongren and the early Chan tradition, and is also thought to have written a substantial commentary on the ''Avataṃsakasūtra''. Despite the uncomplimentary portrayal of the "Northern school" in mainstream Chan materials, it is now recognized that Shenxiu and his disciples actually played a much more important role in the early growth and development of the Chan school than the mature tradition acknowledged. (Source: "Shenxiu." In ''The Princeton Dictionary of Buddhism'', 800–801. Princeton University Press, 2014. http://www.jstor.org/stable/j.ctt46n41q.27.)tp://www.jstor.org/stable/j.ctt46n41q.27.))
Sāramati + (Sāramati, a Sankrit rendering of the Chine … Sāramati, a Sankrit rendering of the Chinese name Jianyi, is credited with authorship of the ''Ratnagotravibhāga'' in the Chinese tradition. Little is known of this figure outside of Chinese accounts, which also attribute to him another work reportedly translated into Chinese as ''Dasheng fajie wuchabie lun'' and rendered into Sanskrit as the ''Mahāyānadharmadhātunirviśeṣa''. However, neither the name Sāramati nor this latter work are attested to in any Indian sources. Several academics that initially worked on the ''Ratnagotravibhāga'' have equated Sāramati with the well known sixth-century Indian scholar Sthiramati, though this assertion has been contested in more recent decades and remains controversial. recent decades and remains controversial.)
Tenpa Gyatso + (Tenpa Gyatso 1825-1897 1837. Enters Bkr … Tenpa Gyatso 1825-1897 1837. Enters Bkra-shis-'khyil1845. Took the Tshogs-bsags rab-'byams-pa degree1854. Went to Pe-cin to become the yongs 'dzin of the Thu'u-bkwanGsung 'bum in four volumes (79 sections)Students (not recorded): 1884: Lcang-skya given name Blo-bzang-ye-shes-rgya-mtsho ; 1874: Sde-khriW19801[p. 1449]W19837[Vol. 2, p. 201]W19836[p. 727]W19803[p. 922] source contains brief biographydates given: 1825-1897ins brief biography dates given: 1825-1897)
Eighth Karmapa Mikyö Dorje + (The eighth member of the incarnation linea … The eighth member of the incarnation lineage of the Karmapas, Mikyö Dorje, was a prolific scholar and an acclaimed artist, often credited with the development of the Karma Gadri style of painting. Though he only lived into his mid-40's his contributions to the Karma Kagyu and Tibetan tradition, in general, were immense. His collected works are said to have originally filled thirty volumes and he is widely held to be one of the most significant of the Karmapa incarnations.t significant of the Karmapa incarnations.)
Kālacakrapāda + (The one known as Kālacakrapāda the Elder ( … The one known as Kālacakrapāda the Elder (Dus zhabs pa chen po) was born in Varendra (a region of northern Bengal) in eastern India. His father was a Brahmin yogin who practised Black Yamāri (Gshin rje gshed nag po), and his mother was an awareness ḍākinī. They performed a ritual from the ''Kṛiṣṇayamāri Tantra'' to ensure the birth of a noble son. The father dreamed of the noble Mañjuśrī entering his wife's belly, and the child was later born together with auspicious signs.Due to the blessing of noble Mañjuśrī, the child had a bright mind with clear faculties, and took ordination when he was young. He studied many subjects and understanding them all with ease he became a paṇḍita and was known as Cilupa. He heard of Kālacakra from Paṇḍita Ācārya, but was not satisfied, and through the awakening of his previous prayers he developed a powerful wish to go to Sambhala.As his personal deity Tārā would grant the realization of anything he wished, she prophesied that for the benefit of beings he would gather from Sambhala many tantras and bodhisattva commentaries.This is a reference to a particular cycle of commentaries, often known as the bodhisattva trilogy (Sems 'grel skor gsum). Said each to have been written by great bodhisattvas, one is the ''Vimalaprabhā'' commentary on Kālacakra, and the other two deal with the Cakrasaṃvara and Hevajra tantras. ([http://www.kalacakra.org/history/khistor3.htm Source Accessed October 16, 2019])or3.htm Source Accessed October 16, 2019]))
Eighth Tai Situpa Chökyi Jungne + (Tibetan Buddhist scholar recognized as the … Tibetan Buddhist scholar recognized as the eighth Tai Si tu incarnation, remembered for his wide learning and his editorial work on the Tibetan Buddhist canon. He traveled extensively throughout his life, maintaining strong relationships with the ruling elite of eastern Tibet and the Newar Buddhists of the Kathmandu Valley. Born in the eastern Tibetan region of Sde dge, Chos kyi 'byung gnas was recognized as a reincarnate lama (''sprul sku'') by the eighth Zhwa dmar, from whom he received his first vows. He would go on to study with Kah thog Rigs 'dzin Tshe dbang nor bu (1698–1755), from whom he learned about gzhan stong (“other emptiness”). At the age of twenty-one, he accompanied several important Bka' brgyud hierarchs, the Zhwa dmar and the twelfth Karma pa, to Kathmandu, a journey that was to have a profound impact on the young Si tu's life. He returned to eastern Tibet in 1724, where he was received favorably by the king of Sde dge, Bstan pa tshe ring (Tenpa Tsering, 1678–1738). Under the latter's patronage, Chos kyi 'byung gnas founded Dpal spungs monastery in 1727, which became the new seat for the Si tu lineage (they are sometimes called the Dpal spungs si tu). Between the years 1731 and 1733, he undertook the monumental task of editing and correcting a new redaction of the bka' 'gyur section of the Tibetan Buddhist canon, to be published at the printing house of Sde dge. Although in his day Tibetan knowledge of Indian linguistic traditions had waned, Chos kyi 'byung gnas devoted much of his later life to the study of Sanskrit grammar and literature, which he had first studied with Newar paṇḍitas during his time in Kathmandu. He sought out new Sanskrit manuscripts in order to establish more precise translations of Sanskrit works aiready translated in the Tibetan canon; he is esteemed in Tibet for his knowledge of Sanskrit grammar. In addition to his prolific scholarly work, Chos kyi 'byung gnas was an accomplished painter as well as a gifted physician, much sought after by the aristocracy of eastern Tibet. In 1748, he visited Nepal once again, where he translated the ''Svayambhūpurāṇa'', the legends concerning the Svayambhū stūpa, into Tibetan. He was received amicably by the rulers Jayaprakāśamalla (1736–1768) of Kathmandu, Raṇajitamalla (1722–1769) of what is now Bhaktapur, and Pṛthvīnārāyaṇa Śāha, who would unify the Kathmandu Valley under Gorkhali rule several decades later. Chos kyi 'byung gnas' collected writings cover a vast range of subjects including lengthy and detailed diaries and an important history of the Karma bka' brgyud sect coauthored by his disciple Be lo Tshe dbang kun khyab (Belo Tsewang Kunkyap, b. 1718). He is retrospectively identified as an originator of what would become known as Khams ris med movement, which gained momentum in early nineteenth century Sde dge. (Source: "Chos kyi 'byung gnas." In ''The Princeton Dictionary of Buddhism'', 189. Princeton University Press, 2014)'', 189. Princeton University Press, 2014))
Asaṅga + (Traditionally counted among the Seventeen … Traditionally counted among the Seventeen Great Paṇḍitas of Nālandā, Asaṅga was an illustrious Indian scholar who, along with his brother Vasubandhu, is credited with the founding of the Yogācāra school and the introduction of the associated theories of mind-only (''cittamātra''), the storehouse consciousness (''ālayavijñāna''), the three natures (''trisvabhāva''), and so forth, into the milieu of Indian Buddhist philosophical discourse. He is most famously eulogized in the Tibetan tradition for his association with the Five Dharma Treatises of Maitreya (Byams chos sde lnga), which he is reported to have received directly from the bodhisattva Maitreya. In terms of the ''Uttaratantra'', the Tibetan tradition, which divides the text into two distinct works, asserts that Asaṅga was the author of the prose commentary (''vyākhyā'') of this work, while Maitreya, himself, is the author of the actual verses of the treatise (''śāstra'').ctual verses of the treatise (''śāstra'').)
Ngawang Tsoknyi Gyatso + (Tsoknyi Gyatso [was] a scholar of the Jona … Tsoknyi Gyatso [was] a scholar of the Jonang tradition who was considered an incarnation of one of Dolpopa’s major disciples, Nyawon Kunga Pal (1285-1364) . . . Tsoknyi Gyatso’s writings are not only intriguing and perplexing because they present a specific species of zhentong, but they are important because they disclose to us the intentional workings of a major Jonang scholar during a fascinating period in far eastern Tibetan history. As a disciple of the great Jonang master from Dzamthang, Bamda Thubten Gelek Gyatso (1844-1904), Tsoknyi Gyatso was undoubtedly exposed to a rich nexus of views. Having lived at the crossroads of intellectual exchange during the height of the Rimé eclectic movement in Kham, Bamda Gelek studied with masters including Jamgon Kongtrul (1813-1899), Jamyang Khyentse Wangpo (1820-1892), Dza Patrul (1808-1887) and his Geluk teacher Akon. With these mentors close to his own teacher’s heart, it is safe to infer that Tsoknyi Gyatso was not only versed in the mainstream zhentong works of his own tradition from authors such as Dolpopa and Taranatha, but that he most likely inherited ways of thinking through alternative presentations of emptiness. ([https://jonangfoundation.org/blog/tsoknyi-gyatso-zhentong Source Accessed October 23, 2019])hentong Source Accessed October 23, 2019]))
Tsongkhapa + (Tsongkhapa Lobzang Drakpa was one of the m … Tsongkhapa Lobzang Drakpa was one of the most influential Tibetan Buddhist scholars of the last millennium. Born in Amdo, he travelled to U-Tsang in his youth, never to return to his homeland. In U-Tsang he studied with numerous teachers of all traditions and engaged in many retreats resulting in his development of a fresh interpretation of Nāgārjuna's Madhyamaka view and a reinvigoration of the monastic Vinaya. Widely regarded as an emanation of Mañjuśrī, Tsongkhapa composed eighteen volumes of works of which the majority dealt with tantric subjects. He was the founder of Ganden Monastery, which became the central monastery of the Geluk tradition that was founded on his teachings and writings.was founded on his teachings and writings.)
Vairotsana + (Vairotsana was the greatest of all Tibetan … Vairotsana was the greatest of all Tibetan lotsawas. Together with Padmasambhava and Vimalamitra, he was one of the three main masters to bring the Dzogchen teachings to Tibet. Vairotsana was born into the Pagor clan, and was sent to India by Trisong Detsen to study with Indian panditas. He also travelled widely in China, Khotan, Nepal, Shangshung and elsewhere. He was one of the original seven monks ordained by Shantarakshita. (Source: [https://www.rigpawiki.org/index.php?title=Vairotsana Rigpa Wiki])Rigpa Wiki]))
Vasubandhu + (Vasubandhu, who lived around the Fourth ce … Vasubandhu, who lived around the Fourth century CE, was one of India's most prominent Buddhist philosophers. His prolific writings record an odyssey through the systems of the leading Buddhist schools of his day. Though primarily venerated by later Buddhists as co-founder of the Yogācāra school with his half-brother Asaṅga, his pre-Yogācāra works, such as the Abhidharma-kośa and his auto-commentary (-bhāṣya) on it, have continued to be seriously studied until the present day. He wrote commentaries on many Mahāyāna texts, works on logic, devotional poetry, works on Abhidharma classifications (see below), as well as original and innovative philosophical treatises. Many of his writings survive in their original Sanskrit form, but others, particularly his commentaries, are extant only in Chinese or Tibetan translations. (Source: [http://www.acmuller.net/yogacara/thinkers/vasubandhu.html Dan Lusthaus])ra/thinkers/vasubandhu.html Dan Lusthaus]))
Xie Lingyun + (Xie Lingyun (SHEE-EH LIHNG-yewn) was born … Xie Lingyun (SHEE-EH LIHNG-yewn) was born into one of the most powerful aristocratic families of the Six Dynasties, one that was at the center of cultural and literary movements. The Xie family moved from Henan to Zhejiang province. His great wealth gave him all the leisure he needed. His book collection made him one of the most learned poets of his time, and he was famous as a calligrapher and painter. He was an eccentric and had a special love for nature. Xie spent much time wandering around the country looking at celebrated landscapes.His poems were a blending of sentiment, reason, and beauty of nature with Daoism, Buddhism, and Confucian philosophy. Xie edited the southern version of the ''Mahaparinirvana-sutra'', wrote a “discussion of essentials,” and identified the combination of Nirvana and Samsara with the doctrine of Void. These were tasks well suited to a mind accustomed to the Daoist teachings of the ''Dao De Jing'' . . . Xie was regarded as the first of the nature poets and the founder of the school of mountains and waters poetry (''shanju fu''). His editions and commentary on Buddhism popularized this religion with educated Chinese scholars. ([https://www.enotes.com/topics/xie-lingyun Source Accessed Aug 20, 2020])In the Jin Dynasty and the Song Dynasty, [the] ''Mahaparinirvana-sutra'' spread in the Central Plains [and] had two versions: the southern one and the northern one. The northern version was translated by Tan Mochen, while the southern one by Xie Lingyun, Hui Yan and Hui Guan. The two versions had many differences in their structure, content and style. According to many documents, Xie played a quite important role in the retranslation and the compilation of [the] ''Mahaparinirvana-sutra''. He participated in and presided over it. In addition, he did a lot of pertinent research and annotating work. ([https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/Xie-Lingyun-and-the-Retranslation-and-the-of-Yan-jun/eeecb39bd8afa62bac6d7c87552fea54365b7664 Source Accessed Aug 20, 2020])a54365b7664 Source Accessed Aug 20, 2020]))
Minyak Lama Yeshe Dorje + (Yeshe Dorje (born fourteenth century) from … Yeshe Dorje (born fourteenth century) from Minyak in Kham was a student of the Karma Kamtsang master Mase Tönpa Rinchen Zangpo (1317–1383), the second Gangkar Lama. The latter is known as one of "the five learned ones from Minyak" and was a student of the Third and Fourth Karmapas, Dölpopa, Butön, and several Kadampa masters. (Adapted from ''[[When the Clouds Part]]'', p. 309)n the Clouds Part]]'', p. 309))
Khenpo Zhenga + (Zhenpen Chökyi Nangwa, a disciple of Orgye … Zhenpen Chökyi Nangwa, a disciple of Orgyen Tendzin Norbu, was the nineteenth abbot of Dzogchen's Śrī Siṃha college, the founder and first abbot of Dzongsar's Khamshe monastic college, and the teacher of countless Nyingma, Sakya and Kagyu lamas. He and his disciples are said to have established nearly one hundred study centers, emphasizing the study of thirteen Indian root texts.g the study of thirteen Indian root texts.)
Śraddhākaravarman + (Śraddhākaravarman was a Kashmiri paṇḍita w … Śraddhākaravarman was a Kashmiri paṇḍita who was a student of Ratnakaraśānti (late 10th century – early 11th century) and teacher of Rinchen Zangpo. According to Jean Naudou, Śraddhākaravarman, with Padmākaravarman, was "one of the most productive Indian translators of his generation." Furthermore, describing his collaborations with Rinchen Zangpo, he writes, "The Kaśmīri origin of one of the two most fruitful collaborators of the ''Lo-chen'' [i.e. Rinchen Zangpo] is specified on several occasions: Śraddhākaravarman, introduced to the system of Buddhajñāna by Śāntipāda, taught it to Rin-chen bzaṅ-po at the same time as Padmākaravarman. He had also received from Vāgīśvara instructions about the propitiation of Tārā according to the method of Ravigupta, and he transmitted it to Tathāgatarakṣita. He is the author of a certain number of very short texts, of which the longest is ''Yogānattaratantrārthāvatārasaṃgraha'' (''Rg''. LXXII, 9) (24 p.)." (Jean Naudou, ''Buddhists of Kaśmīr'' [Delhi: Agam Kala Prakashan, 1980], 191–92). The most important of Śraddhākaravarman's translations, according to Naudou, were carried out in cooperation with Rinchen Zangpo.ed out in cooperation with Rinchen Zangpo.)
Śākyasiṁha + (Śākyasiṁha was an Indian paṇdita primarily … Śākyasiṁha was an Indian paṇdita primarily known for the Tibetan translation of the ''Mahāyānasūtrālaṃkārakārikā'' that he completed with Kawa Paltsek (ska ba dpal brtsegs). According to the introduction to ''The Universal Vehicle Discourse Literature (Mahāyānasūtrālaṁkāra)'' (American Institute of Buddhist Studies, Columbia University's Center for Buddhist Studies, and Tibet House US, 2004), both the verses in the ''Mahāyānasūtrālaṃkārakārikā'' (Peking 5521) and the work which contains the verses and commentary together under the title ''Sūtrālaṁkāra-bhāṣya'' (Peking 5527) were prepared by Śākyasiṁha and Kawa Paltsek during the royal translation project at Samye monastery in the 8th-9th century. (xxxiv) monastery in the 8th-9th century. (xxxiv))

Vijayaśīla + (Indian paṇḍita associated with works in th … Indian paṇḍita associated with works in the Kangyur. He is the co-translator, along with Śīlendrabodhi and Ye shes sde, of the ''Gaganagañjaparipṛcchāsūtra'' (''Questions of Gaganagañja Sūtra''). He also appears as the translator, along with Mañjuśrīgarbha, Śīlendrabodhi, and Yeshe De of the ''Dharmasaṃgīti''.hi, and Yeshe De of the ''Dharmasaṃgīti''.)

Tanak Rinchen Yeshe + ("Rinchen Yeshe, an expert on the five work … "Rinchen Yeshe, an expert on the five works of Maitreya, flourished in the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries and was primarily a teacher of Tokme Zangpo (1295–1369). He also briefly taught Dölpopa and is mentioned in Butön’s biography as an esteemed colleague." (Adapted from ''[[When the Clouds Part]]'', p. 308.) the Clouds Part]]'', p. 308.))
Fourth Shamarpa Chodrak Yeshe + (''The following biography is a traditional … ''The following biography is a traditional account of the life of the Fourth Shamarpa Chodrak Yeshe as written on Sharmapa.org.''The 4th Shamarpa was born in Kangmar in the Treshö province of Kham, eastern Tibet. Wonderous signs were ablaze at his birth, which were variously interpreted by the local monastic communities, according to their own anticipation. Some were of the mind that it could only be the long awaited Karmapa Incarnate, while others were more inclined towards the Shamarpa Incarnate or that of a Mahasiddhi. Seven months had passed, speculations abound; conclusions, there were none. The infant Rinpoche was invited formally to Tara Kangmar Monastery, where a collection of books was laid before him to select. He took none but works by the Karmapa. The indecisive took this to be unmistakably an indication of the Karmapa’s return. Thus the solemn matter of identification was settled arbitrarily on a simple test. From then on, the Shamarpa remained in the monastery. The 6th Karmapa Tongwa Dönden was born the year after. When he was four years of age, he embarked on an extensive Dharma tour through Tibet. In due course, he arrived at the Lhündrup Gön Monastery in the south, not far from Dra-Kangmar, where, all the while, the disciples of the Shamarpa were anxiously waiting for their Guru’s return, without avail. They came to the Karmapa, labourously recalling the passing of their Guru, whose last word was “Dra-Kangmar”, they said. It was to be the name of the place of his next rebirth. The Karmapa reassured them that their Guru had indeed taken rebirth, but in distant Tre-Kangmar. Tre and Dra, an understandable confusion of words for his griefing followers, in time of stress. His now jubilant disciples, planned on an instant return of their Guru to his long awaited monasteries. The Karmapa told them it was not to be so. As the Karmapa, he must himself invite him, in full ceremonial honours, as befitting the return of the Shamarpa.By the time the Dharma tour had reached the province of Treshö the Karmapa was seven years old. He set up camp near Kangmar, remaining in retreat, while he sent his gifted attendant-monk, to invite the Shamarpa. This learned monk, a man of exceptional realizations was none other than Paljor Döndrup, the 1st Gyaltsab Rinpoche, who was to become a Guru to the Shamarpa. When the Karmapa and the Shamarpa met, it was the renewal of a very close tie, stretching far beyond history. In terms of human relationship, it was to be compared to the joyful reunion of father and son. The Karmapa gave the young Shamarpa the name of Chöji Drakpa Yeshe Pal Zangpo. Returning the Red Crown, he enthroned him.They had been successively each others Guru up to then. The Karmapa proposed that from then on, they were to propagate the Dharma together, each in a different region of the country, with the Shamarpa remaining in the Kongpo area in the south while the Karmapa himself proceeding towards eastern Kham.Some years later, they were together again, at Treshö Kangmar. The Shamarpa arrived laden with offerings for the Karmapa; the Karmapa readily imparted to him the Mahamudra, the Six Teachings of Naropa and the numerous instructions of the Kagyü Lineage.The Shamarpa became renowned as a great scholar and also for being unsparing on himself in practice, whether it was on the teachings received from the Karmapa, from Gyaltsap Rinpoche or from any of the great lamas and scholars, thus setting a challenging example of relentless perseverance.The 4th Shamarpa went as far as to Bhutan to propagate the Dharma. In southern Bhutan, there remains to this day a monastery built by the Shamarpa. It stands sturdy and almost untouched by the passing years. Apart from it being a shining testamony to the craftsmanship of the period, it is indelibly a mark of his enduring blessings.In central Tibet, where, at the insistence of the people, he became king for eleven years, ruling the country strictly in accordance with Buddhist principles. However, his first priority was Dharma. As he studied, so he taught and meditated, never neglecting his monastic obligations, thus fully accomplishing the three-fold task of a Holder of the Buddha’s Teachings. ([https://shamarpa.org/history/the-4th-shamarpa-shamar-chokyi-drakpa-yeshe-pal-zangpo-1453-1524/ Source Accessed Mar 4, 2020])o-1453-1524/ Source Accessed Mar 4, 2020]))
Bodong Paṇchen Chokle Namgyal + ((Chokle Namgyal) (1376-1451). The twenty-t … (Chokle Namgyal) (1376-1451). The twenty-third abbot of Bo dong E monastery, founded in about 1049 by the Bka' gdams geshe (dge bshes) Mu dra pa chen po, and the founder of the Bo dong tradition. His collected works, said to number thirty-six titles, include his huge encyclopedic work ''De nyid 'dus pa'' ("Compendium of the Principles"); it alone runs to 137 volumes in the incomplete edition published by the Tibet House in Delhi. Phyogs las rnam rgyal (who is sometimes confused with Jo nang pa Phyogs las rnam rgyal who lived some fifty years earlier) was a teacher of Dge 'dun grub (retroactively named the first Dalai Lama) and Mkhas grub Dge legs dpal bzang, both students of Tsong kha pa. Among his disciples was the king of Gung thang, Lha dbang rgyal mtshan (1404–1463), whose daughter Chos kyi sgron me (1422–1455) became a nun after the death of her daughter and then the head of Bsam lding (Samding) monastery, which her father founded for her. The monastery is the only Tibetan monastery whose abbot is traditionally a woman; incarnations are said to be those of the goddess Vajravārāhī (T. Rdo rje phag mo), "Sow-Headed Goddess." (Source: "Bo dong Phyogs las rnam rgyal." In ''The Princeton Dictionary of Buddhism'', 139. Princeton University Press, 2014. http://www.jstor.org/stable/j.ctt46n41q.27.)tp://www.jstor.org/stable/j.ctt46n41q.27.))
Zhiyi + ((J. Tendai Chigi; K. Ch’ǒnt’ae Chiǔi) (538 … (J. Tendai Chigi; K. Ch’ǒnt’ae Chiǔi) (538-597). One of the most influential monks in Chinese Buddhist history and de facto founder of the Tiantai zong. A native of Jingzhou (in present-day Hunan province), Zhiyi was ordained at the age of eighteen after his parents died during the wartime turmoil that preceded the Sui dynasty’s unification of China. He studied vinaya and various Mahāyāna scriptures, including the ''Saddharmapuṇḍarīkasūtra'' ("Lotus Sūtra'") and related scriptures. In 560, Zhiyi met Nanyue Huisi (515-577), who is later listed as the second patriarch of the Tiantai lineage, on Mt. Dasu in Guangzhou and studied Huisi’s teachings on the suiziyi sanmei (cultivating samādhi wherever mind is directed, or the samādhi of freely flowing thoughts), the "four practices of ease and bliss" (si anle xing), a practice based on the ''Saddharmapuṇḍarīkasūtra'', and the lotus repentance ritual. Zhiyi left Huisi at his teacher’s command and headed for the Southern capital of Jinling (present-day Jiangsu province) at the age of thirty (567) to teach the ''Saddharmapuṇḍarīkasūtra'' and the ''Dazhidu lun'' for eight years at the monastery of Waguansi. The ''Shi chanboluomi cidi famen'' [alt. ''Cidi chanmen''] are his lecture notes from this period of meditation and teaching. In 575, he retired to Mt. Tiantai (present-day Zhejiang province), where he built a monastery (later named Xiuchansi by the emperor) and devoted himself to meditative practice for eleven years. During this time he compiled the ''Fajie cidi chumen'' and the ''Tiantai xiao zhiguan''. After persistent invitations from the king of Chen, Zhiyi returned to Jinling in 585 and two years later wrote the ''Fahua wenju'', an authoritative commentary on the ''Saddharmapuṇḍarīkasūtra''. Subsequently in Yangzhou, Zhiyi conferred the bodhisattva precepts on the crown prince, who later became Emperor Yang (r. 604-617) of the Sui dynasty. Zhiyi was then given the title Great Master Zhizhe (Wise One). Zhiyi also established another monastery on Mt. Dangyang in Yuquan (present-day Hunan province), which Emperor Wen (r. 581-604) later named Yuquansi. Zhiyi then began lecturing on what became his masterpieces, the ''Fahua xuanyi'' (593) and the ''Mohe zhiguan'' (594). At the request of the king of Jin, in 595 Zhiyi returned to Yangzhou, where he composed his famous commentaries on the ''Vimalakīrtinirdeśa'', i.e., the ''Weimojing xuanshou'' and the ''Weimojing wenshou'', before dying in 597. Among the thirty or so works attributed to Zhiyi, the ''Fahua xuanyi'', ''Fahuawenju'', and ''Mohe zhiguan'' are most renowned and are together known as the Tiantai san dabu (three great Tiantai commentaries). (Source: "Tiantai Zhiyi." In ''The Princeton Dictionary of Buddhism'', 911–12. Princeton University Press, 2014. http://www.jstor.org/stable/j.ctt46n41q.27.)tp://www.jstor.org/stable/j.ctt46n41q.27.))
Khensur Rinpoche Ngawang Nyima + (72nd abbot of Drepung Gomang Monastery, Ge … 72nd abbot of Drepung Gomang Monastery, Geshe Ngawang Nyima was born on 18th July, 1907 in Davatai, Buryatia (today's Republic of Buryatia under Russian Federation). His parents, father Tsedup Dorje and mother Tsekyima, were devoted Buddhists. It is said that on the day of his birth, Geshe Lharamba Minyak Lobsang Yonten from Drepung Loseling visited the house of his parents. Later, Lobsang Yonten became the abbot of Loseling College.Geshe Ngawang Nyima entered the door to Dharma in Shulutuiskii Datsan (Aginskii Datsan) and received vows of Barma Ravjung and novice vows there. Until the age of nine he learnt to read and write in Mongolian and Tibetan languages. Then he memorized various prayers and started to study Buddhist logic. At that time Russia was in the process of Communist revolution and he had to study communist theory at his Monastery.In 1923 he left Buryatia secretly for Tibet and the next year he arrived Lhasa, through Ulaanbaatar. In Lhasa he entered Drepung Gomang Monastic College, and continued his Buddhist studies. Drepung was traditionally the biggest monastery in Tibet and was established in 1416 by Jamyang Choije Tashi Palden, a disciple of Je Tsongkhapa. he lived in Drepung until 1958.Despite many difficulties, such as lack of financial means and not being able to return home to arrange more support due to the political situations, he studied very hard for sixteen years. Often he would have nothing except the clothes he wore and could not even afford offerings to his altar. In 1938 he received the degree of Geshe Rabjim and came to be known among other Geshes for his erudition in classical Buddhist scriptures. He started receiving students to study under his guidance. Geshe Ngawang Nyima received oral transmissions of Kangyur and collected writings of Je Tsongkhapa, his spiritual sons, and many other eminent masters such as the ones from Kangsar Dorjechang. Agwan Nima spent years in meditation, and went on pilgrimage to India for three times.In 1960, at the request of the Dalai Lama of Tibet, he took a teacher's post at Sanskrit University in Varanasi, India. He worked there for seven years. While at Sanskrit University, he wrote in Tibetan a book on Buddhist history, titled "Choijung Lungrig Dronme". He also published a collection of biographies of over two hundred scholars and yogis from India, Tibet and Mongolia.In 1967, again following the request of the fourteenth the Dalai Lama, he went to Laiden, Holland to become a teacher at an Institute. He stayed there for six years writing five volumes on Buddhist philosophy until his retirement from the institute in 1972. Then he traveled to Switzerland where he wrote eight more volumes on Buddhist philosophy.In 1977 he was elected as Abbot of Drepung Gomag Monastic College by the monastic community and in 1978 by the order of the Dalai Lama he became the abbot. He stayed in this position until 1980. At the age of 73 years handed down his position and went to Switzerland for vacasion during which he wrote his autobiography. A year later, he came back to India where many students studied under his guidance. He taught there until the age of 81. In 1990, his health condition became unwell . For three days he was bedridden and then after several days in meditative equipoise of Clear Light, on November 24th, he left this world. ([https://www.drepunggomang.org/monastery-s-abbots Source Accessed October 21, 2019])-abbots Source Accessed October 21, 2019]))
Jigme Lingpa + (A Tibetan exegete and visionary, renowned … A Tibetan exegete and visionary, renowned as one of the premier treasure revealers (''gter ston'') in the Rnying ma sect of Tibetan Buddhism. 'Jigs med gling pa was born in the central Tibetan region of 'Phyong rgyas (Chongye), and from an early age recalled many of his previous incarnations, including those of the Tibetan king Khri srong lde btsan, the scholars Sgam po pa and Klong chen pa and, in his immediately preceding birth, Chos rje gling pa. After a period of monastic education, in his late twenties, he undertook an intense series of meditation retreats, first at Dpal ri monastery and then at the Chims phu cave complex near Bsam yas. In one of the numerous visions he experienced during this period, he received the klong chen snying thig, or "Heart Sphere of the Great Expanse," from a ḍākinī at the Bodhnāth stūpa in Kathmandu. The revelation of this text is considered a “mind treasure” (''dgongs gter''), composed by Padmasambhava and revealed to the mind of a later disciple. 'Jigs med gling pa kept this revelation secret for seven years before transcribing it. The klong chen snying thig corpus systematized by 'Jigs med gling pa, including numerous explanatory texts, tantric initiations, and ritual cycles, became a seminal component of the rdzogs chen teachings in the Rnying ma sect. While based in central Tibet, 'Jigs med gling pa was also influential in Tibet's eastern regions, serving as spiritual teacher to the royal family of Sde dge and supervising the printing of the collected Rnying ma tantras in twenty-eight volumes. His patrons and disciples included some of the most powerful and prestigious individuals from Khams in eastern Tibet, and his active participation in reviving Rnying ma traditions during a time of persecution earned him a place at the forefront of the burgeoning eclectic or nonsectarian (''ris med'') movement. Numerous subsequent visionaries involved in promulgating the movement identified themselves as 'Jigs med gling pa's reincarnation, including 'Jam dbyang mkhyen brtse dbang po, Mdo mkhyen brtse Ye Shes rdo rje, Dpal sprul Rinpoche, and Dil mgo mkhyen brtse. (Source: "'Jigs med gling pa." In ''The Princeton Dictionary of Buddhism'', 387–88. Princeton University Press, 2014. http://www.jstor.org/stable/j.ctt46n41q.27.)tp://www.jstor.org/stable/j.ctt46n41q.27.))
Ratnākaraśānti + (A circa 11th century Indian scholar that w … A circa 11th century Indian scholar that was one of the gate-keepers at the great monastic university of Vikramaśīla, as well as being included in the list of the eighty-four mahāsiddhas under the name Śāntipa. He was a prolific author and proponent of the Yogācāra school that was outspoken in his attempts to harmonize this school of thought with the philosophy of the Madhyamaka school. Though the majority of his known works, many of which were preserved in the Tibetan canon, covered topics related to Tantra.n canon, covered topics related to Tantra.)
Zhang Tsepong Chökyi Lama + (According to Anne Burchardi, "Zhang Tshe s … According to Anne Burchardi, "Zhang Tshe spong ba cho kyi bla ma was, together with Blo gros 'byung gnas, a direct disciple of Rngog [blo ldan shes rab]. After the death of Rngog, Zhang took over the abbot's chair at Gsang phu and held it for 32 years. He upheld all of Rngog's transmissions and composed several commentaries. So far very little is known of him and his ''RGV'' commentary is considered lost." (Anne Burchardi, "[[A Provisional List of Tibetan Commentaries on the Ratnagotravibhāga]]," [''The Tibet Journal'' 31, no. 4: 2006], 8).'The Tibet Journal'' 31, no. 4: 2006], 8).)
Padmasambhava + (Along with Trisong Detsen and Shantarakshi … Along with Trisong Detsen and Shantarakshita, Padmasambhava is considered one of the principal early teachers to bring Buddhism to Tibet in the 8th century, Padmasambhava has numerous forms representing outer, inner and secret aspects of his spiritual being. He is also known by many different names which generally follow chronologically his life story. Aside from Trisong Detsen and Shantarakshita, the most important figures to interact with Padmasambhava were his principle Tibetan consort Yeshe Tsogyal and the principal Twenty-five Disciples. There are various Padmasambhava Number Sets which help to organize the important topics and essential subjects of his life and chronological sequence of important events, along with grouping the various sub-sets of important disciples. An 18th century curiosity is the inclusion of Padmasambhava as one of the pre-incarnations in the line of Panchen Lamas.Concerning the life story of Padmasambhava there are at least four different versions of his birth and early childhood. Within the Oral (Kama) Tradition of the Nyingma School, Padmasambhava was born in Northern India as the son of a king, or minister. In the Revealed Treasure (Terma) Tradition he was born on a lotus in Dhanakosha lake, in the country of Oddiyana, as an emanation of Lokeshvara and the Buddha Amitabha. The Treasure King, Dorje Lingpa, revealed a number of Buddhist and Bon treasure texts where the Bon explain a completely different narrative of the life story and have Padmasambhava born in Tibet. There is also some evidence to suggest that Padmasambhava came from South India and that he was the brother-in-law of the Indian Abbott Shantarakshita, founder of Samye, the first Buddhist monastery in Tibet. ([https://www.himalayanart.org/search/set.cfm?setID=100 Source Accessed Jan 21, 2020])m?setID=100 Source Accessed Jan 21, 2020]))
Bhāvaviveka + (Also known as Bhāviveka and Bhavya, an imp … Also known as Bhāviveka and Bhavya, an important Indian master of the Madhyamaka school, identified in Tibet as a proponent of Svātantrika Madhyamaka and, within that, of Sautrāntika-Svātantrika-Madhyamaka. He is best known for two works. The first is the ''Prajñāpradīpa'', his commentary on [[Nāgārjuna]]’s ''Mūlamadhyam- akakārikā''; this work has an extensive subcommentary by [[Avalokitavrata]]. Although important in its own right as one of the major commentaries on the central text of the Madhyamaka school, the work is most often mentioned for its criticism of the commentary of Buddhapālita on the first chapter of Nāgārjuna’s text, where Bhāvaviveka argues that it is insufficient for the Madhyamaka only to state the absurd consequences (''prasaṅga'') that follow from the position of the opponent . . . The other major work of Bhāvaviveka is his ''Madhyamakahṛdaya'', written in verse, and its prose autocommentary, the ''Tarkajvālā''. The ''Madhyamakahṛdaya'' is preserved in both Sanskrit and Tibetan, the ''Tarkajvālā'' only in Tibetan. It is a work of eleven chapters, the first three and the last two of which set forth the main points in Bhāvaviveka’s view of the nature of reality and the Buddhist path, dealing with such topics as bodhicitta, the knowledge of reality (''tattvajñāna''), and omniscience (''sarvajñātā''). The intervening chapters set forth the positions (and Bhāvaviveka’s refutations) of various Buddhist and non-Buddhist schools, including the śrāvaka, Yogācāra, Sāṃkhya, Vaiśeṣika, Vedānta, and Mīmāṃsā. These chapters (along with Śāntarakṣita’s ''Tattvasaṃgraha'') are an invaluable source of insight into the relations between Madhyamaka and other contemporary Indian philosophical schools, both Buddhist and non-Buddhist. (Source: "Bhāvaviveka." In ''The Princeton Dictionary of Buddhism'', 114. Princeton University Press, 2014. http://www.jstor.org/stable/j.ctt46n41q.27.)tp://www.jstor.org/stable/j.ctt46n41q.27.))
Longchen Rabjam Drime Özer + (Also known as Klong chen pa (Longchenpa). … Also known as Klong chen pa (Longchenpa). An esteemed master and scholar of the Rnying ma sect of Tibetan Buddhism known especially for his promulgation of rdogs chen. Klong chen pa is believed to be the direct reincarnation of Padma las 'brel rtsal, who revealed the ''Rdzogs chen snying thig'', and also of Padma gsal, who first received those teachings from the Indian master Padmasambhava. Born in the central region of G.yo ru (Yoru), he received ordination at the age of twelve. At nineteen, he entered Gsang phu ne'u thog monastery where he engaged in a wide range of studies, including philosophy, numerous systems of sūtra and tantra, and the traditional Buddhist sciences, including grammar and poetics. Having trained under masters as diverse as the abbots of Gsang phu ne'u thog and the third Karma pa, Rang 'byung rdo rje, he achieved great scholarly mastery of numerous traditions, including the Rnying ma, Sa skya, and Bka' brgyud sects. However, Klong chen pa quickly became disillusioned at the arrogance and pretention of many scholars of his day, and in his mid-twenties gave up the monastery to pursue the life of a wandering ascetic. At twenty-nine, he met the great yogin Kumārarāja at Bsam yas monastery, who accepted him as a disciple and transmitted the three classes of rdzogs chen (rdzogs chen sde gsum), a corpus of materials that would become a fundamental part of Klong chen pa's later writings and teaching career . . . Among the most important and well-known works in Klong chen pa's extensive literary corpus are his redaction of the meditation and ritual manuals of the heart essence (Snying thig), composed mainly in the hermitage of Gangs ri thod dkar. Other important works include his exegesis on the theory and practice of rdzogs chen, such as the Mdzod bdun (“seven treasuries”) and the Ngal gso skor gsum (“Trilogy on Rest”). (Source: “Klong chen rab 'byams.” In ''The Princeton Dictionary of Buddhism'', 439. Princeton University Press, 2014. http://www.jstor.org/stable/j.ctt46n41q.27.)tp://www.jstor.org/stable/j.ctt46n41q.27.))
Jñānacandra + (An 8th century Indian author that was associated mainly with the Yogācāra school of thought.)
Nāropa + (An Indian scholar and tantric master who h … An Indian scholar and tantric master who holds an important place in the lineages of tantric Buddhism in Tibet. According to his traditional biography, Nāropa was a brāhmana born in Bengal, who traveled to Kashmir as a child. He was forced to marry at the age of seventeen, but the marriage ended by mutual consent after eight years. According to some sources, Nāropa’s wife (or sister according to other sources) was Niguma, who became a famous tantric yoginī. Nāropa was ordained as a Buddhist monk, entering Nālandā monastery in 1049. His talents as a scholar eventually led him to be selected to serve as abbot and as a senior instructor known by the name Abhayakīrti. In 1057, while at the monastery, he encountered an old hag (in reality a ḍākinī), who told him that he had understood the words of the texts he had studied but not their inner meaning. She urged him to go in search of her brother Tilopa. As a result of this encounter, Nāropa left the monastery to find Tilopa and become his disciple. Over the course of his journey, he encountered Tilopa in various forms but was unable to recognize him. Tilopa eventually revealed himself to Nāropa, subjecting him to a famous series of twelve greater and twelve lesser trials, involving serious physical injury and mental anguish. Tilopa eventually transferred his realization to Nāropa by striking him on the head with his shoe. Nāropa later compiled Tilopa’s instructions and transmitted them to his own disciples. (Source: "Nāropa." In ''The Princeton Dictionary of Buddhism'', 576. Princeton University Press, 2014. http://www.jstor.org/stable/j.ctt46n41q.27.)tp://www.jstor.org/stable/j.ctt46n41q.27.))
Rāmapāla + (An Indian student of Maitrīpa that wrote a commentary on his teacher's ''Sekanirdeśa'' that is preserved in Tibetan translation.)
Sajjana + (An eleventh-century Kashmiri scholar that … An eleventh-century Kashmiri scholar that was the source from which many prominent Tibetan scholars and translators of the day received teachings. Most notably he taught the ''Ratnagotravibhāga'' to Ngok Lotsāwa and Tsen Khawoche, which spread in Tibet as the Ngok and Tsen traditions and became the two primary trends that influenced much of the history of the Tibetan exegesis of the treatise. He also helped Ngok translate the text and worked with several other Tibetan translators on works that were later included in the Tibetan canon. were later included in the Tibetan canon.)
Zurmang Pema Namgyal + (An esteemed 20th century Kagyu master from … An esteemed 20th century Kagyu master from Zurmang Monastery in eastern Tibet with strong ties to the Nyingma and Ri-me traditions. He was a student of the 11th Tai Situ and the famed Khenpo Zhenga with whom he studied at the Śrī Siṃha monastic university at Dzogchen Monastery. His pedogical manual (''yig cha'') for the latter's interlinear commentaries to the thirteen major Indian treatises came to form an important part of the curriculum at the monastic university at Dzongsar Monastery.monastic university at Dzongsar Monastery.)
Candrakīrti + (An important Madhyamaka master and comment … An important Madhyamaka master and commentator on the works of Nāgārjuna and Āryadeva, associated especially with what would later be known as the Prāsaṅgika branch of Madhyamaka. Very little is known about his life; according to Tibetan sources, he was from south India and a student of Kamalabuddhi. He may have been a monk of Nālandā. He wrote commentaries on Nāgārjuna’s ''Yuktiṣaṣṭikā'' and ''Śūnyatāsaptati'' as well as Āryadeva's ''Catuḥśataka''. His two most famous and influential works, however, are his ''Prasannapadā'' (''Clear Words''), which is a commentary on Nāgārjuna's ''Mūlamadhyamakakārikā'', and his ''Madhyamakāvatāra'' (''Entrance to the Middle Way''). (Source: "Candrakīrti." In ''The Princeton Dictionary of Buddhism'', 165. Princeton University Press, 2014. http://www.jstor.org/stable/j.ctt46n41q.27.)tp://www.jstor.org/stable/j.ctt46n41q.27.))
Karma Trinlepa + (An important master of the Dakpo Kagyu tra … An important master of the Dakpo Kagyu tradition. He was a student of the Seventh Karmapa and a teacher to the Eighth Karmapa and the Second Pawo Rinpoche. An immanent scholar, he wrote works on both sūtra and tantra, as well as an acclaimed commentary on the three cycles of ''doha'' of the famed Indian master Saraha.'doha'' of the famed Indian master Saraha.)
Aśvaghoṣa + (Aśvaghoṣa was a Sarvāstivāda Buddhist phil … Aśvaghoṣa was a Sarvāstivāda Buddhist philosopher, dramatist, poet and orator from India. He was born in Saketa in northern India. He is believed to have been the first Sanskrit dramatist, and is considered the greatest Indian poet prior to Kālidāsa. He was the most famous in a group of Buddhist court writers, whose epics rivaled the contemporary Ramayana. Whereas much of Buddhist literature prior to the time of Aśvaghoṣa had been composed in Pāli and Prakrit, Aśvaghoṣa wrote in Classical Sanskrit. . . . He was previously believed to have been the author of the influential Buddhist text ''Awakening of Mahayana Faith'', but modern scholars agree that the text was composed in China. ([https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A%C5%9Bvagho%E1%B9%A3a Source Accessed July 22, 2020])ed July 22, 2020]))
Roger Corless + (Born in Merseyside, England, in 1938, [Rog … Born in Merseyside, England, in 1938, [Roger Jonathan Corless] began studying religion at the age of sixteen, understanding himself as being Buddhist, though attending Christian churches. He studied theology at King’s College at the University of London, receiving a Bachelor of Divinity in 1961. In wrestling with the Hebrew and Greek texts of the Bible, and particularly in the sacrament of the Eucharist, Roger experienced God’s presence. He was baptized into the Roman Catholic church in 1964 after coming to the United States to pursue a PhD in Buddhist Studies at the University of Wisconsin–Madison, from which he received that degree in 1973. From there, he joined the Department of Religion at Duke University and remained there until his retirement in 2000. In 1980, Roger took refuge as a Gelugpa Buddhist under Geshela Lhundup Sopa, having first obtained permission from his Catholic spiritual director and having explained to Geshela what he was doing. His refuge or dharma name was Lhundup Tashi, ‘‘spontaneous fortune’’ or ‘‘luck.’’ Later, Roger also became a Benedictine oblate, taking Gregory as his Oblate name after Pope Gregory, whose instruction to Augustine of Canterbury was not to destroy the pagan temples, but to bring them into the church by trying to find what was good and preparatory to the Gospel. Roger understood himself as a dual practitioner, but did not seek to blend the two practices or traditions. Rather, he sought to be present to each in their own irreconcilable differences and deep riches. Roger was always reflecting and writing on something, wanting to be open to the insights emerging from his studies and practices. His works are prolific. Over the past thirty years, he published three monographs (''The Art of Christian Alchemy: Transfiguring the Ordinary through Holistic Meditation'' [Paulist Press, 1981]; ''I Am Food: The Mass in Planetary Perspective'' [Crossroad, 1981, and Wipf and Stock, 2004]; and ''The Vision of Buddhism: The Space under the Tree'' [Paragon House, 1989]), one edited volume (with Paul Knitter, ''Buddhist Emptiness and Christian Trinity: Essays and Explorations'' [Paulist Press, 1990]), essays in thirty-one books, thirty-seven articles in twenty journals, articles in six encyclopedias, and twenty-seven papers. Before his death, he had also completed six additional essays, forthcoming in edited volumes, and a draft of another monograph, ''Where Do We Go from Here? The Many Religions and the Next Step''. Over the years, his works examined Buddhist teachings and practices, Christian teachings and practices, Buddhist-Christian dialogue, and interreligious dialogue; more recently his focus had turned to queer dharma topics and same-sex issues. ([https://muse.jhu.edu/article/220092/pdf Adapted from Source Jul 21, 2020]))
Chöying Tobden Dorje + (Choying Tobden Dorje was a brilliant Vajra … Choying Tobden Dorje was a brilliant Vajrayana master of eastern Tibet. His masterwork, ''The Complete Nyingma Tradition from Sutra to Tantra'', remains the main text studied by Tibet’s Ngakpa lineages of lay Buddhist yogi-practitioners. ([https://www.shambhala.com/authors/a-f/choying-tobden-dorje.html Source Accessed Feb 14, 2020])-dorje.html Source Accessed Feb 14, 2020]))
Yamāri + (Circa 11th century Indian author known for his commentary on his teacher Prajñākaragupta's ''Pramāṇavārttikālaṃkāra''.)
Dakpo Tashi Namgyal + (Dakpo Tashi Namgyal (Dakpo Paṇchen Tashi N … Dakpo Tashi Namgyal (Dakpo Paṇchen Tashi Namgyel, Wylie: dwags po paN chen bkra shis rnam rgyal) (1513–1587) was a lineage holder of the Dagpo Kagyu lineage of Tibetan Buddhism. He was also trained in the Sakya lineage and was renowned as a scholar and yogi.He should not be confused with his namesake, also known as Kunkyen Tashi Namgyal, (1399–1458), who helped establish Penpo Nalendra Monastery in 1425 with Sakya master Rongton Sheja Kunrig (1367–1449). Later in life he served as chief abbot of the Kagyu Daklha Gampo Monastery in southern Tibet.His most famous works were two Mahamudra texts, ''Moonbeams of Mahamudra'' and ''Clarifying the Natural State.'' ([https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dagpo_Tashi_Namgyal Source Accessed Feb 28, 2020])shi_Namgyal Source Accessed Feb 28, 2020]))
Dan Lusthaus + (Dan Lusthaus is an American writer on Budd … Dan Lusthaus is an American writer on Buddhism. He is a graduate of Temple University's Department of Religion, and is a specialist in Yogācāra. The author of several articles and books on the topic, Lusthaus has taught at UCLA, Florida State University, the University of Missouri, and in the Spring of 2005 he was a professor at Boston University.Lusthaus also collaborated with Heng-ching Shih in the translation of Kuiji's (K'uei-chi) commentary on the Heart Sutra with the Numata translation project. Lusthaus is an editor for the Digital Dictionary of Buddhism, in the area of Indian/East Asian Yogācāra/Tathāgatagarbha. He contributed the contents of his catalogue of the major Yogācāra translations of Xuanzang to the DDB, as well as a number of other terms related to the Cheng Weishi Lun and Yogācārabhūmi-śāstra. ([https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dan_Lusthaus Source Accessed July 22, 2020])n_Lusthaus Source Accessed July 22, 2020]))
Devacandra + (Devacandra was an Indian paṇḍita who trave … Devacandra was an Indian paṇḍita who traveled to Samye in the Tibetan Empire to participate in translations, during the reign of Trisong Detsen in the sixth century AD. Together with Jinamitra and Jñānagarbha, he translated the ''Mahāyāna mahāparanirvāṇa sūtra'' from Sanskrit into Tibetan. ([https://no.wikipedia.org/wiki/Devacandra Source Accessed Aug 19, 2020])/Devacandra Source Accessed Aug 19, 2020]))