The 6th Dalai Lama: A Journey of Poetry, Rebellion, and Tragedy

 

Image courtesy- Rediff.com

The life story of the 6th Dalai Lama, Tsangyang Gyatso, was ordained by many as the most powerful lama in Tibet, who eventually abandoned monastic life. In his early adulthood, he frequented taverns with friends and engaged in romantic relationships with women, earning him the nickname of the "playboy" Dalai Lama.

However, a deeper examination reveals a young, sensitive, and intelligent man lacking discipline. After spending his childhood confined in a remote monastery with carefully selected tutors, his desire for independence is understandable. The violent conclusion to his life transforms his narrative from a mere jest into a poignant tragedy.

Introduction

The story of the 6th Dalai Lama begins with his predecessor, His Holiness Ngawang Lobsang Gyatso, the 5th Dalai Lama. Known as the "Great Fifth," he navigated a period of significant political turmoil and succeeded in unifying Tibet, becoming the first Dalai Lama to hold both political and spiritual leadership over the region.

The Sixth Dalai Lama, Tsangyang Gyatso, choose a life of alcohol, archery, and women over monastic duties. His troubled childhood and early death contribute to the enduring popularity of his poems in Tibet.

Dalai Lamas have always faced external threats, primarily from China and the Mongols. Tsangyang Gyatso (1683-1706) was selected as the reincarnation of the powerful Fifth Dalai Lama. However, the Fifth Dalai Lama's death was kept a secret, and Tsangyang grew up hidden from the public, effectively imprisoned. When he was finally revealed, he made it clear that he did not wish to be a Dalai Lama; instead, he wanted to enjoy a life of pleasure. Despite his unconventional behaviour, as a bodhisattva—a compassionate incarnation—he was allowed considerable freedom. His unique lifestyle did not diminish his charm, and his poems remain among the most beloved in Tibetan literature.

Image courtesy- Tawang Tourism

The Rebel

Extraordinary as a lover of wine and women, melodious as a singer of love songs, and tragically a national hero reduced to a pawn by Qosot Lhazang Khan, the Sixth Dalai Lama became a legend within his short lifetime. Revered and adored by the Tibetan people with unwavering faith, Tsangyang Gyatso's songs gained widespread fame, captivating the hearts of many with their simple yet profound folk poetry.

"White crane!

Lend me your wings

I will not fly far

From Lithang, I shall return"

In 1706, as he was being forcibly taken to China by the Mongol soldiers of Qosot Lhazang Khan, a desolate and lonely Tsangyang Gyatso (whose name means 'Ocean of Melodious Songs'), the Sixth Dalai Lama of Tibet, wrote to a lady friend in Shol town. Taken away from his people and the Potala Palace, no one understood the hidden meaning in his song, nor did they suspect that the young Dalai Lama had decided to end his earthly manifestation, passing the Tibetan spiritual and temporal realm to the care of the next Dalai Lama.

That very year, when the sad and shocking news of Tsangyang Gyatso's 'disappearance'—or more likely, his 'murder'—at Gunga-Nor Lake spread across Tibet, the secret meaning of his last song became clear to the grief-stricken and bewildered masses. Longing for his presence during this turbulent time, they anxiously looked towards Lithang for his next incarnation. It is perhaps more accurate to state that some of his verses indirectly reveal his deep knowledge and practice of tantra, as evident from one particular song in which he claims:

"Never have I slept without a sweetheart

Nor have I spent a single drop of sperm"

Tsangyang Gyatso's declaration of control over his flow of sperm openly demonstrated his mastery of tantric practices. A particularly fascinating aspect of his story involves three sandalwood trees he planted close to each other in Tawang before leaving. He prophesied that the trees would grow to be identical on the day he would return to Tawang. In 1959, the local people were astonished to see that the three sandalwood trees had indeed grown to equal size and identical shape. However, the trees later caught fire, causing anxiety and dismay among the locals. Shortly after, they learned of the unrest in Tibet due to the Chinese invasion. Following a week of intense activity with crowds of foreign and Indian journalists, security personnel, and heightened suspense, they witnessed the Dalai Lama returning to Tawang once again—this time as the Great Fourteenth—on his way to exile in India.

The Lyric Poems of the Sixth Dalai Lama

Selected, translated, edited, and by

The Buddhist Yogi C. M. Chen

When the fortune God smiles at me,

I hoist a fortune-bringing flag.

Then I am invited to the feast,

By a girl with beautiful leg.

The girl of the marketplace

And I made that "True Love Knot."

I did not try to untie it,

It untied of its own accord.

This month passes away,

The next month does come.

I will visit you in

The light half of the moon.

I have asked many times, for

A couple of Husband and Wife.

Or we will see or meet earlier,

During our childhood in the next life.

You parrot the speaker,

Please hold your skilled tongue.

She is in the willow,

I love my sweet singer!

What people say about me and you

I do admit it to be true.

She and I with my graceful steps

Have been to that house--a nice Stew.

If a man does not think of Death

Even if he is so clever,

He is like a fool in a sense.

In the first place, it is best, if your didn't see;

No chance to fall when you don't know who is she;

In the second place it is best not to love,

Then she will not be forlorn when she misses me!

The oath-bound great Buddha's Protector,

Who lives in the realm of the "Tenth Stage,"

If you have supernatural powers,

Then please kill the enemies of the Sage.

The season of flowers has passed.

And the prepared bee does not moan;

When fate parted me from my love,

Should not be sad as something wrong!

Black seal printed with a stamp,

Does not know how to say.

Please stamp the seal of Faith,

On our hearts, don't keep away.

Though those words written with black ink,

Have been effaced by water drop,

Yet unwritten designs in the mind,

Even erase, never corrupt.

When the cuckoo comes from the County Mon,

Then good season of the soil also comes.

Since I have met my wise and pretty love,

My body and mind have relaxed become.

If the one in whom I have lost heart,

Wanted to go in for the great God,

Neither I, the youth, will remain here,

But go to the cave and pray a lot.

The king of mountains in the middle

Does firmly stand there--does not run.

Sun and moon have no wish to go astray

In their good course of revolving around.

If one's mind is so inclined,

Toward the Sublime Doctrine,

He could with this very body,

Obtain Buddhahood this life in!

Final Thoughts

The life of the 6th Dalai Lama, Tsangyang Gyatso, stands as a testament to the complex interplay between duty and desire, spiritual leadership and personal freedom. His unconventional choices and rebellious spirit carved a unique place for him in Tibetan history, distinguishing him from his predecessors and successors. Despite his apparent departure from monastic discipline, his life and poetry resonate deeply with the Tibetan people, capturing their imagination and reflecting their own struggles and aspirations.

Tsangyang Gyatso's tragic end at the hands of the Mongol soldiers, orchestrated by Qosot Lhazang Khan, only adds to the mystique surrounding his life. His poetic lamentations, written on the eve of his forced departure, encapsulate a profound sadness and a yearning for freedom that transcended his earthly existence. The prophecy he left behind, symbolised by the three sandalwood trees in Tawang, and its fulfillment during the 14th Dalai Lama's exile, underscores the enduring spiritual legacy he bequeathed to Tibet.

In the end, Tsangyang Gyatso's story is not merely one of a "playboy" Dalai Lama, but rather a poignant narrative of a young man who sought to balance his innate human desires with his ordained spiritual responsibilities. His life, though brief and tumultuous, continues to inspire and evoke a deep sense of empathy and reverence. His legacy lives on through his beloved poems and the enduring belief in his spiritual mastery, serving as a reminder of the timeless struggle between worldly temptations and spiritual duties.

Here’s a YouTube link to a contemporary song composed by MayLula that celebrates the poetic verses of the 6th Dalai Lama.