Baso Chokyi Gyeltsen

Baso Chokyi Gyeltsen (ba so chos kyi rgyal mtshan) was born in 1402 in Lato (la stod), the younger brother of Tsongkhapa Lobzang Drakpa's ((tsong kha pa blo bzang grags pa, 1357-1419) disciple Kedrubje Gelek Pelzang (mkhas grub rje dge legs dpal bzang, 1385-1438). His father was a nobleman, Tashi Peltsang (bkra shis dpal bzang) and his mother was Budren Gyelmo (bu 'dren rgyal mo). He ordained young, and soon came under the tutelage of Yongdzin Kedrub (yongs 'dzin mkhas grub), as well as his esteemed elder brother.

Chokyi Gyeltsen next studied with Jampel Gyatso ('jam dpal rgya mtsho, 1356-1428), who gave him initiations in Guhyasamāja, Cakrasaṃvara, Vajrabhairava, and Chod, and the transmission of the Ganden Mahāmudrā (dga' ldan phyag chen), together with the root text of the transmission, the Trulpai Legbam Chenmo (sprul pa'i glegs bam chen mo).

Chokyi Gyeltsen traveled to Tsang, where he either founded or took over the monastery of Baso Lhundrub Dechen (ba so lhun grub bde chen dgon), earning himself the epithet Baso Choje (ba so chos rje). He founded a hermitage nearby, Wenne Dechen Puk (dben gnas bde chen phug) near Senggetse (seng ge rtse) in Tsang Shabto (gtsang shab stod) where he taught to many disciples.

Intent on removing himself to yet more isolated territory, Chokyi Gyeltsen was preparing to go to Kashmir when he was ordered to assume the throne of Ganden Monastery. According to hagiographies, it was Tsongkhapa himself who appeared in a dream and charged him with the duty, although the actual call came from the previous throne holder, Choje Lodro Chokyong (chos rje blo gros chos skyong) and Gendun Drub (dge 'dun grub), who was then residing at Tashilhunpo (bkra shis lhun po) in Zhigatse. Lodro Chokyong had asked Gendun Drub, who declined, recommending Chokyi Gyeltsen in his stead.

Chokyi Gyeltsen assumed the throne of Ganden in 1463 and remained until his death in 1473. There, among other accomplishments, he is credited with transforming the main chapel of Ganden into a large temple, and installing the gold gilt image of a form of Mañjuśrī known as Sanggye Sengge Ngaro (sangs rgyas sengge nga ro) which is behind the golden throne.

Chokyi Gyeltsen had three principle disciples, known collectively as the “Three Dorje Brothers” (rdo rje mched gsum): Chokyi Dorje (chos kyi rdo rje, b. 1457), Pelden Dorje (dpal ldan rdo rje) from Tolung, and Dorje Pelwa (rdo rje dpal ba), from Kham. Little is known of the latter two.

With the discovery of his reincarnation, Wonpo Lhakyab (dbon po lha skyabs), the Tatsag (rta tshag) line of incarnations was instituted, with Chokyi Gyeltsen being identified posthumously as the first.

Sources

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Willis, Janice D. 1985. “Preliminary Remarks on the Nature of rNam-thar: Early dGe-lugs-pa Siddha Biographies.” In Soundings in Tibetan Civilizations. Barbara Aziz and Matthew Kapstein, eds. Delhi: Manohar, pp. 304-319.

Alexander Gardner
December 2009