Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia -- A significant milestone was reached in the Malaysian Vajrayana scene when all 18 centres and groups from the Gelugpa Tradition came together to jointly organize an event to commemorate the 600th year of Lama Tsongkapa.

The event, to be held at the Chempaka Buddhist Lodge in Petaling Jaya on the 23rd and 24th of November 2019, will also be celebrated in conjunction with the International Year of Tsongkapa 2019.

The event holds special significance for followers of the Gelugpa school as His Holiness the 104th Ganden Tripa Lobsang Tenzin Rinpoche will be present to give teachings and initiations.

The 104th Ganden Tripa Lobsang Tenzin Rinpoche was born in Tibet in 1935 and ordained as a monk at the age of 10. Rinpoche, currently 84 years old, continues to devote and render his spiritual services, teachings, initiations and transmissions to devotees, particularly to monastic monks. His students come from India, Asia and the west.

At a briefing session held for the joint committee and event volunteers on 17th November 2019, Shartse Kensur Jangchup Choeden, the private secretary to HH Ganden Rinponche from the Gelugpa International Foundation said that it was an unprecedented opportunity for 18 organizations to support and organise the event.

He said that the aim of the gathering was to primarily attract more people to the teachings of Lama Tsongkapa. "Through initiations, prayers and lectures, we hope to bring the vision and guidance of Lama Tsongkapa to more and more people. The goal is to inspire deeper learning and open the door for deeper teachings to those who are interested and ready," he adds.

He opined that through the joint collaboration effort, this would make it easier for Malaysians to have access to the main Gelugpa monasteries such as Gyuto, Tashi Lhunpo, Sara Mey etc.

The first day of the event on 23rd November is expected to have the participation of more than 400 people.

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Tsongkhapa was a famous teacher of Tibetan Buddhism who led the formation of the Gelug school of Tibetan Buddhism. Tsongkhapa, which literally means "the man from Tsongkha" born in Amdo, in 1357. He is also known by his ordained name Losang Drakpa or simply as "Je Rinpoche". He was the son of a Tibetan Longben Tribal leader who also once served as an official of the Yuan Dynasty of China.

Regarded as a prodigy, Tsongkhapa was acquainted with all Tibetan Buddhist traditions of his time, and received lineages transmitted in the major schools. He mastered many difficult texts and studied under Sakya and Kagyu teachers. Apart from studies, he also engaged in extensive meditation retreats. He is reputed to have performed millions of prostrations, mandala offerings and other forms of purification practice. Tsongkhapa often had visions of iṣṭadevatās, especially of Manjusri, with whom he would communicate directly to clarify difficult points of the scriptures.

In his two main treatises, the Lamrim Chenmo and Ngakrim Chenmo, Tsongkhapa meticulously sets forth this graduated way and how one establishes oneself in the paths of sutra and tantra. Tsongkhapa was one of the foremost authorities of Tibetan Buddhism at the time. He composed a devotional prayer called the Migtsema Prayer to his Sakya master Rendawa, which was offered back to Tsongkhapa, with the note of his master saying that these verses were more applicable to Tsongkhapa than to himself.

Tsongkhapa died in 1419 at the age of sixty-two. This year marks the 600th anniversary of his passing.