Geshe Tupten Pelsang and his Contribution to Proving the Authenticity of Lamrim Je Tsongkhapa

Loshchenkov Aleksei Vyacheslavovich ORCID: 0000-0002-2303-4903 PhD in History Researcher, Institute for Mongolian, Buddhist and Tibetan Studies of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences 670042, Russia, Republic of Buryatia, Ulan-Ude, Sakhyanova str., 6, office 306 loshchenkov@mail.ru Other publications by this author

There are various Buddhist texts that bring together the instructions transmitted by Shakyamuni Buddha. This article discusses such kind of genre as anthology/samuchchaya (tib. btus-pa). The samucchai outlines certain concepts that were established by the author based on the analysis of a huge array of teachings preached by the Buddha. For example, in the Abhidharma-samucchaya, Asanga (IV–V centuries) gives a detailed explanation of the Mahayana concept of abhidharma (the highest teaching). And in the Pramanasamucchai, Dignaga (V–VI centuries) expounds the theory of correct cognition.

One of the interpretations of samucchai is presented in the book of the Buddhist-Tibetologist A.A. Donets: "In samucchai, the author's creativity is reflected mainly in the thematic selection and bringing in a certain order of quotations from the teachings preached by the Buddha. Having established the general structure of the concept, the author presents it very concisely in the form of theses, justifying them with extensive citations" ^[3].

For the purpose of easier practical mastering of the sutras, texts in this genre were compiled. Among the authors who compiled these works corresponding to the structure of the text we are studying, there are famous masters: Nagarjuna, "Selected passages from different Sutras" (Skt. Sutrasamuchchaya, tib. mdo kun-las btus-pa) ^[3]; Shantideva, "Selected Passages from [explanations] of learning" (Skt. Shikshasamuchchaya, tib. bslab-pa kun-las btus-pa)^[10]; Atisha, "A large Anthology of Different Sutras" (Skt. Mahasutrasamucchaya, mdo kun-las btus-pa chen-po) ^[15].

In the Tibetan tradition of kadam-shunbava (bka'-gdams gzhung-pa-ba), a line of "followers of classical treatises", which inherited the tradition of the gradual path of the Indian Mahapandita Deepamkar Srijnana Atisha (982-1054), six main treatises were taught, explained in pairs: "The Steps of Bodhisattvas" (Skt. Bodhisattva-bhumi, tib. byang sa) ^[12] and "Decoration of Mahayana Sutras" (skt. Mahayana Sutra-alamkara, tib. mdo sde rgyan) Asangi/Maitreya ^[2]; "The Way of the Bodhisattva" (skt. Bodhicharya-avatar, tib. spyod 'jug) ^[9] and "Collection of Practices" (skt. Shikshasamuchchaya, tib. bslab btus) Shantideva; "Narratives of the Previous Births of Shakyamuni Buddha" (Skt. Jatakamala, tib. skyes rabs) Aryashura ^[1] and "General instructions" (skt. Udanavarga, tib. ched du brjod pa'i tshoms) ^[13]. Hence the tradition of studying pairs of texts related to the same topic. According to this tradition, "Bodhicharya-avatar" and "Shikshasamucchaya" are recommended to be studied together, since those topics that are summarized in the first book are explained in detail in the second, and vice versa. We can safely say that for the study of the "Big Lamrim" (lam-rim chen-mo) ^[7] Je Tsongkhapi, such a pair will be the text we are introducing into scientific circulation.

The text under study by geshe Tupten Pelsang (dge-bshes thub-bstan dpal bzang) continues the tradition of this genre. According to the Buddhist tradition, in the beginning it is necessary to provide information about the education of the author of the text in order to substantiate his competencies that allow him to compose Buddhist treatises. He is one of the most respected Tibetan Buddhist monks and yogi scholars of his generation. Geshe Tupten Pelsang was born in 1965 in Nepal in the village of Manang (Manang) in the Annapurna district, he is a Nepalese of Tibetan origin. At the age of ten he was brought to Dharamsala (India), where he took monastic vows. At the age of fifteen, he entered the Tibetan Buddhist monastery Drepung Loseling (‘bras-spungs blo-gsal-gling) in southern India for philosophical studies, where he studied until 1997, when he graduated from the Madhyamika class (the teachings of the middle view), receiving a geshe degree as a result. He received the gelong (fully ordained monk) vows from His Holiness the Dalai Lama XIV at the age of twenty. After a serious illness in his youth, Geshe devoted all his efforts to meditation and the study of the teaching on his own experience. Since 2000, he has been living in Dharamsala in the Tsechokling Monastery, becoming known as the Tsechokling Geshe.

Tsechokling is a Tibetan Buddhist monastery of the Gelug school. The monastery is located on a steep slope about 1,830 meters above sea level just below McLeod Ganj or Upper Dharamsala, the current residence of the Dalai Lama XIV in the Indian state of Himachal Pradesh. It was founded in 1979 on the territory belonging to a small village. In 1984, new monastery buildings were built on a small plot of land on a hillside deep in the forest. Currently, about 50 monks live in Tsechokling, 30 of them are always present. More than half of them are teenagers and children. All the others spend many months together with other monks to study for the geshe degree at the Tibetan Sera Je Monastery in southern India. Geshe helps the younger generation of monks of this monastery to master the complex aspects of Buddhist teaching in the learning process, becoming a spiritual mentor for many.

In 2010 His Holiness, during the teachings he gave at the Tibetan Children's Village School (TCV, India), asked Thamhog Rinpoche, the abbot of Namgyal Monastery, to organize a project to collect materials on Buddhist science and philosophy and present them in several volumes. In this project, 70 geshe scholars were involved in reading and collecting references from 108 volumes of Kangyur (the Word of the Buddha) and 225 volumes of Tengyur (a set of commentaries by Indian teachers). In order to summarize and structure the results of the work, a small group of ten scientists was selected. Thamhog Rinpoche, with the assistance of Yanten Rinpoche and Geshe Tupten Pelsang, led this work. At the moment, five volumes have been published in Tibetan, the first two of which have been translated and published in English. All this characterizes Tupten Pelsang as a great connoisseur of Buddhist literature. Geshe demonstrates a deep knowledge and understanding of Buddhist philosophy, which he incorporates into his practice. He is a recognized master by virtue of his skillful teaching, which deeply touches and inspires many people, as well as refined reasoning in debates. The main themes of his teachings are lamrim ("the gradual path [to Enlightenment]"), the four noble truths, Bodhichitta and selflessness. In January 2012, after the end of the Teachings for Russian Buddhists in India, on the recommendation of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, Geshe Tupten Pelsang gave a brief comment on the transmitted instructions, and answered the questions of pilgrims from Russia ^[14].

According to the written and oral instructions on lamrim, Tibetan masters explain that the true source of the Lamrim teaching is Shakyamuni Buddha, for lamrim is nothing but the quintessence of the entire Word of the Buddha ^{[4, 5, 6, pp. 33-34]}. It should be said here that when the Buddha transmitted the teachings, at different times and in different places he was surrounded by disciples with different levels of consciousness and inclinations. Depending on this, the topic and depth of the presentation of the teaching varied significantly. Later these teachings were written down in Pali and Sanskrit and entered into Tripitaka. The Tibetan set of canonical texts relating to the Word of the Buddha – Kangyur (bka’-‘gyur) is the most complete and, as established by experts, the most accurate translation of the Word of the Buddha.

Je Tsongkhapa studied both works from Kangyur and Tengyur before writing the "Big Lamrim" related to the Kadam-shunbava tradition. He also received all three lines of transmission of the Kadam tradition (shunbava, lamrimpa and menagpa), and then compiled three texts that correspond to the three ways of studying Lamrim in the Kadam tradition. Thus, he studied the Word of the Buddha, the works of Indian teachers, the commentaries of Tibetan authors, including texts containing recordings of particularly valuable oral instructions of Kadampa teachers. To all this he added the experience gained in personal practice. He included all his deep spiritual achievements in the "Big Lamrim". In Tibetan literature and the oral tradition of Buddhism, it is believed that this work was written after Je Tsongkhapa saw Shakyamuni Buddha, Manjushri and Atisha, and the latter prompted him to write a text that should bring great benefits to living beings. That is why in the introduction to the "Big Lamrim" it is said: "Prompted by the Buddha and his Sons ...". Thanks to all of the above, the "Big Lamrim" has become, as explained in the Tibetan oral tradition, not another scientific treatise, but an outstanding work that can bring practical benefits. Based on the study of its content and oral comments on it given by modern Tibetan lamas, it can be argued that this lamrim text has exceptional qualities: in each chapter, the author quotes from the Word of the Buddha, the works of authoritative Indian commentators or mentors of the Kadam school; all chapters are accompanied by summing up, offering his own commentary. The "Big Lamrim" is composed in such a way that each chapter carries the essence of the Word of the Buddha. Tibetans attach key importance to the classical Indian shastras that make up the second Tibetan canonical code of Tengyur: they serve as the key to understanding Kangyur, because it is extremely difficult to fully comprehend the meaning contained in the sutras without the comments of great Indian scientists. That is why, as we believe, Je Tsongkhapa paid so much attention to quotations from Tengyur when justifying the provisions of Lamrim.

Tupten Pelsang for ten years, while still a student of the Drepung Faculty of Philosophy, despite the difficulties, carefully read thirty volumes of the Sutra section (mdo), six volumes of the Pelchen section (phal-chen), six volumes of the Ratnakut section (dkon-brtsegs), two volumes of the Nirvana section (myang-'das), twenty thousandth Prajnaparamita (nyi-khri) and other sections of Kangyur, and then the most important essential provisions of the sutras combined with the themes of the "Big Lamrim". Geshe for the first time collected a Rome (extra-sectarian) lamrim based solely on excerpts from the Words of the Buddha under the title "Compilation of Sutras for the anthology of the Path to Enlightenment with reference to the topics set forth in the "Big Lamrim" of Je Tsongkhapa" (Lam-rim chen-mo'i sa-bcad-kyi zur-rgyan mdo btus lam-sgrig) (Compilation of Sutras for Synthesizing the Path to Enlightenment with Reference to the Topics as Outlined in Lama Tsonkhapa's "The Great Treat on the Stages of the Path to Enlightenment") ^[11]. The book was published in 2005 with a circulation of 1,500 copies, and was distributed free of charge on the teachings of His Holiness the Dalai Lama XIV. On the last page there is a list of seventeen persons who have contributed money for the publication of the book in the total amount of 97.200 rupees. Among them are four geshe, six monks and seven secular persons.

In accordance with tradition, before the very presentation of the stages of the path of perfection of the three types of personality (small, medium and great), there is a description of special characteristics called "four greatness" and "three unique properties" of the Lamrim teaching. This makes it possible to single out lamrim in a special position that distinguishes it from other classical Buddhist teachings that explain one or more functional aspects of the Buddha's teaching. To solve the problem of substantiating the contribution of Geshe Tupten Pelsang, it is necessary first of all to give a clear idea of the four greatnesses of the Lamrim teaching ^{[5, pp. 46-55]}.

1) The greatness of understanding all the teachings of the Buddha as not contradicting each other.

Currently, there are translations into European languages of a large number of sutras in which, at first glance, instructions that do not fit together may occur. It is also extremely difficult to single out the key provisions (phrases) even in a single sutra. Without an accurate understanding of the structure of the path presented by Lamrim, the instructions from the sutras corresponding to the practices for the average personality will come into apparent contradiction with the practices for the small personality.

2) The greatness of explaining that the entire Word of the Buddha is a direct guide for one's own practice.

The instructions of the initial, intermediate and higher levels serve as a guide to action and are intended to advance the same practicing person along the spiritual path.

3) Greatness, which consists in the fact that lamrim facilitates the comprehension of the essential view of the Buddha.

Without relying on texts related to the stages of the path to enlightenment, especially without studying the "Big Lamrim" of Je Tsongkhapa, it is extremely difficult to gain an understanding of the Word of the Buddha, and the understanding itself can take an extremely long time. In this context, the view is understood as the realization of the three foundations of the path: renunciation, Bodhichitta and the wisdom of comprehending emptiness, into which the whole practice is reduced.

4) Greatness, which consists in the fact that thanks to lamrim, great negative deeds stop by themselves.

These actions are connected with the idea of some necessary and unnecessary instructions of the Buddha for direct practice, which can create a danger of discarding the Dharma. As it is said in one sutra: "The murder of an arhat (a being completely free from obscurations) this is an immensely difficult act. But if you reject the teaching of the Buddha, saying that you do not need such and such a teaching, it is an even more serious crime than killing many arhats." Thus, quoting from the Word of the Buddha demonstrates not only the authenticity of Lamrim, but also helps to discard false ideas that certain sutras are intended for people with low mental abilities.

Taking as the basis of his work the structure of the "Big Lamrim" of Je Tsongkhapa, where each topic was revealed by a quote from the indigenous texts-shastras (Tengyur) of the Indian masters of the Nalanda monastery tradition, Tupten Pelsang identified them based on the Word of the Buddha. In order to easily find the quoted fragment and make it easier to read, the author gives the title of the section, the alphabetical index of the volume, the name of the sutra and the page number indicating the front or back of the sheet according to the publication of the Tibetan monasteries of Nartang (snar-thang) or Derge (sde-dge). As a result, this is demonstrated as follows. For example, the lamrim theme: "Thinking about the advantages and disadvantages from the section – training in the concentration paramite." "Advantages". Reference: mdo (section of Sutras, Kangyur), ta (volume 55), ting-'dzin rgyal-po ("Samadhiraja Sutra"), 143 (page), Ga (reverse side of the Tibetan leaf) ^{[11, p. 804]}. Next, an excerpt from the text on this topic is given. We give it according to the transliteration by Wiley.

gzhon nu byang chub sems dpa' sems dpa' chen po bsam gtan la mos pa'i phan yon ni 'di bcu ste/ /bcu gang zhe na/ 'di lta ste / spyod pa la gnas pa dang spyod yul la spyod pa dang yongs su gdung ba med par gnas pa dang dbang po sbas par 'gyur ba dang / /dga' ba myong ba dang 'dod pa las dben pa dang bsam gtan gsog gis tshim pa med pa ma yin pa dang bdud kyi yul las thar ba dang sangs rgyas kyi yul la rab tu gnas pa dang / rnam par grol ba rab tu smin par byed pa ste / gzhon nu bcu po 'di dag ni byang chub sems dpa' sems dpa' chen po bsam gtan la mos pa'i phan yon no.

Translation of this passage from the text of the Samadhiraja Sutra, Chapter 29 "On the Ten Advantages":

"Young man, there are ten benefits for bodhisattvas-mahasattvas from devoting themselves to meditation. What are the ten advantages? Here they are: (1) preserve the behavior of a bodhisattva; (2) they act in the sphere of the objects of this behavior; (3) they live without suffering; (4) their senses are protected; (5) they experience pleasure; (6) they are separated from desire; (7) they have insatiability in meditation; (8) they are free from the kingdom of Mara; (9) they are established in the Lands of the Buddha; and (10) they are maturing for a state of complete liberation.

"Young man, these are the ten benefits for bodhisattvas-mahasattvas of devoting themselves to meditation."

The following are quotations on this provision from the sutras "Ratnakuta" and "Parinirvana Sutra", which reveal the content of the above advantages. It is noteworthy that neither this information nor even the named sutras are mentioned in this section of the "Big Lamrim" ^{[8, p. 3-5]}. The text of Tupten Pelsang not only expands the source base for analysis, but also provides versatile material that simultaneously confirms the provisions of Lamrim and deepens its understanding. This situation is typical for most sections of the entire lamrim, which allows us to conclude that such a source is unique. Thus, the researcher has a full link to the text and the opportunity to read the passage itself without the need for a laborious search in the Buddhist canon. Due to its importance for research, this work is planned to be translated into English in India in the future, which will greatly facilitate its translation into other languages.