Toh 1171Praise of the Great Scholar Jetsun Drakpa Gyaltsen

Exposition: Homage to the Great Scholar Jetsun Drakpa Gyaltsen

Context

In the Tibetan Buddhist tradition, especially the Sa-skya monastery founded in the eleventh century, composing homages to great masters is not only an expression of respect, but also a form of preserving the instructions and merit of those who have upheld the Dharma. Jetsun Drakpa Gyaltsen (1147-1216), known by the title "Mkhas pa chen po" (Great Scholar), was one of the most eminent learned masters of the Sa-skya tradition.

This homage is recorded in the Tengyur (Bstan 'gyur), the Treatise Collection of Tibetan Buddhism, a vast collection of more than two hundred volumes containing commentaries, treatises, and works by Buddhist masters. Toh 1171 is one of these works, representing the veneration of those who, though they attained profound understanding of the Dharma, still fully maintained the vow to liberate sentient beings in Mahayana Buddhism.

Main Content

The homage commemorates Jetsun Drakpa Gyaltsen as an embodiment of wisdom (prajna) and compassion (karuna) in the Tibetan tradition. This great scholar devoted his life to the study of scriptures, the composition of incisive commentaries on Madhyamaka, the school of the Middle Way, and the guidance of countless disciples onto the correct path of practice.

In the context of Mahayana Buddhism, especially the Tibetan tradition with its combination of profound learning and the practice of Highest Yoga Tantra, Drakpa Gyaltsen represents the perfection of two paths: bodhisattva conduct (bodhisattva-carya) through mastery of the Dharma, and secret practice (mantra-yana) with clear understanding. The humble homage praises the sharpness of the master’s intellect, his gift for instruction, and his compassionate virtue, elements that, according to Tibetan Buddhism, cannot be separated.