Sakya literally means “pale earth,” as the earth in the area is noted for its pale gray color. The second case is more common, as there are only a couple families that pass on the title at birth, the Sakya Khon family and the Nyingma Mindroling Trichen family.Ĭan you share a little about the Sakya Khon family and what’s unique about the Sakya jetsunmas? The Sakyas are a spiritual family that began in the 11th century in a place in Tibet that is now known as Sakya. What is a jetsunma, and how does someone receive the title? Jetsunma is the feminine form of the word jetsun, and it means “one worthy of worship” or “venerable woman.” There are very few women who have this title, and there are two ways to receive it: either someone is born into a particular family and is given the title at birth, or a community or a lama recognizes them as a great practitioner and confers the title. Tricycle sat down with Benard to discuss the extraordinary lives of these women, including two contemporary jetsunmas who are still practicing today how the jetsunmas have grappled with histories of persecution and exile and how they’re shaping the future of the tradition. This multigenerational collection of biographies is the first book written in English about the Sakya jetsunmas, and it draws extensively from archival research, oral histories, and interviews with living members of the Khon family. In the new book The Sakya Jetsunmas: The Hidden World of Tibetan Female Lamas, scholar Elisabeth Benard brings the stories of these women to light. They have played a pivotal role in the development of the Sakya tradition within Tibetan Buddhism, and yet they often remain nameless in historical accounts of the Khon family lineage. Known as jetsunmas (venerable women), these women begin studying Tibetan at the age of six and train with the highest lamas of their time. Though many of the men within the Khon family are well known, the stories of female adepts are rarely shared. ![]() The area around the house has recently been completely renovated in a sympathetic style and is now one of the more attractive urban neighbourhoods in all of the Tibetan regions.For over a thousand years, the Sakya Khon family has trained both its sons and daughters as great spiritual teachers. Gyatso's descendants still live in the house next door and it's likely that it will be one of them who shows you around. Tibetan Buddhist or not, a visit here can be a deeply powerful experience, especially if there are many other pilgrims present. There is a small footprint visible in the rock, plus a number of other auspicious signs and markings. If you ask, the guardian will show you the exact spot where Gyatso was born. The main house is a series of rooms crowded with devotees lost in prayer, and displays of sacred relics of the Dalai Lama and the 13 other lamas born here. Mongol uprisings, rebellions and several coups later, the Dalai Lama gained the support of the clergy and the people. Qing Emperor Kangxi issued a proclamation affirming his identity, and in 1720 sent his son and troops to install the Dalai Lama to power in Lhasa. ![]() Not all Tibetans shared the belief Gyatso was the reincarnate to escape the ongoing civil war, the Dalai Lama was raised and educated largely in exile. Chinese tourists are normally forbidden from entering inside the building. While the building is officially open from 9.30am to 5pm, in practice the hours are erratic. He eventually grew into a visionary leader, and under his rule Tibet established a national archive, instituted civil-service training programmes and formalised the Tibetan government structure. Kelzang Gyatso (1708–57), the seventh Dalai Lama, was born in a cold, dark, cave-like room in the basement of this house during a period of intense political struggle.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |