Trisong Detsen

Thrisong Detsen ( Tib: khri srong lde btsan, Tibetan: ཁྲི་སྲོང་ལྡེ་བཙན; * 742, † 796 ) was King of Tibet between 756 and 796 Under him it came to the official and definitive introduction of Buddhism in Tibet, while the kingdom was at the height of its power.

Life

Thrisong Detsen was the son of the king Thride Tsugten ( Tib: khri lde gtsug brtan; reg 704-754. ) And a Chinese princess named Jinshing ( Tib: gyim shing kong jo; † 739 ). The marriage was arranged in the spring of 707, the Tang emperor Zhongzong (r. 705-710 ), however blazes no legitimate daughter.

Using the well-traveled Buddhist masters Padmasambhava and Shantarakshita from Nalanda Thrisong Detsen made ​​about 779 Buddhism officially the state religion of Tibet. This meant a limitation of the power of several large families (eg the Prime Minister ), the privileges of followers of the Bon religion were supported. Padmasambhava began with the training of Buddhist monks and the building of the Samye Monastery, the first Buddhist monastery in Tibet. Nevertheless, the resistance remained the Bon followers, which included the first wife of the king, against Buddhism greatly. Thrisong Detsen himself became a disciple of Padmasambhava, who initiated him among others in the Vajrakilaya practice cycle, as Yeshe Tshogyel. His daughter, Princess Pemasel received important initiations of Padmasambhava, having been, resurrected by him on the plea Thrisong out Detsen, according to tradition to life. Pemasel received as a result of, inter alia, the interest held by Padmasambhava Dzogchen line, which is also called Khandro Nyingtig.

Foreign Policy

In foreign policy, Tibet benefited from the weakness of the Tang dynasty in China, caused by the rebellion of An Lushan ( 755-763 ). A success of the king Thrisong Detsen is often mentioned: When the Tang Dynasty under Emperor Suzong (reigned 756-762 ) hired agreed to pay tribute, occupied the Tibetans 763 briefly the Chinese capital Chang -An, however, were with the help of the Uyghur after a few weeks sold again. Another success was an alliance with the Kingdom of Nanzhao, which eindrückte the Chinese southern border and Nanzhao made ​​a vassal state of Tibet until King Yimouxun (r. 778-808 ) to 794 put an end to this domination.

Council of Lhasa

Thrisong Detsen is also known by a council of the years 792-794, the Council of Lhasa, which should clarify the discrepancies between the different doctrines of the Indian and Chinese Buddhists on the way to enlightenment, and held at Samye Monastery, which is why it also as a council is referred to Samye. In concrete terms, inter alia, the question of whether one can suddenly or gradually merely be enlightened, and what influence have good and bad deeds that. The Indian school of thought, represented by the monk Kamalashila, prevailed, the Chinese left Tibet.

In the iconography Thrisong Detsen is often depicted with the attributes Manjusris.