Gedun Truppa, the First Dalai Lama

Gedun Truppa (1391-1474) occupies an important position in the history of Tibetan Buddhism. He founded the Zhaxilhunbo Monastery and became its first abbot. He wrote several books, including Commentary to the Sutra of Commandment, Collection of Primary and Secondary Causes, and Commentary to On Logic. One of his books is the textbook used by the Yellow Sect.
At the age of 15, Gedun Truppa became a monk, after taking his vows as a getsul before Dondrub Kedrup at the Nathang Monastery. On becoming a full ordained monk at age 20, he began to study On Logic. He had ability, and soon made his own contribution to Buddhist theory. At age 25, he traveled extensively in Central and Western Tibet. Whilst at the Dradrug Monastery, he studied Cause and logic and The Middle Way under the tutorship of Kunzanpa. At the time, Tsongkhapa had already achieved recognition as founder of the Yellow Sect (the Gelugpa Sect), and in 1414 Drappa Gyaltsen invited Tsongkhapa to teach in Drashi Dokha The Middle Way, Cause and Logic, The Order of Bodhi and Entry into Perfection, tenets of the Yellow Sect. In 1415 Tsongkhapa began giving sermons to monks and laymen in Drashi Dokha. Inspired by Tsongkhapa's sermons, Gedun Truppa began to study the doctrine of the Yellow Sect under his tutelage.
After the death of Tsongkhapa, Gedun Truppa continued his study of exoteric and esoteric Buddhism under Gyaltsub Je, the second abbot of Ganden, and proclaimed Gyaltsub Je as the best tutor he had khown on exoteric Buddhism. When, following the death of Gyaltsub Je, Khedrub Je (the first Panchen Lama) was unanimously chosen as Ganden's third abbot by its monks, Gedun Truppa became Khedrub Je's disciple, and studied many essential theories under his guidance. Later, when he returned to western Tibet, Gedun Truppa traveled widely to preach, and his disciples grew in number.
In 1447, Gedun Truppa founded the Zhaxilhunbo Monastery, the largest monastery of the Yellow Sect in the Xigaze area, and one of the four great monasteries of the Yellow Sect, the other three being Drepung, Ganden, and Sera. It initially had three sections for studying exoteric Buddhism, and a section or the study of exoteric Buddhism was later added. Monks at this monastery amounted to 3,800.
In 1474, Gedun Truppa died at the Zhaxilhunbo Monastery at the age of 84, after presiding over the monastery for more than 20 years. Later, he was posthumously given the title of the First Dalai Lama.

Welcoming Qamba Buddha, an important activity for the Grand Prayer Meeting of Jokhang Monastery.

Religious Rituals
The major religious activities in monasteries dedicated to Tibetan Buddhism are basically the same, any differences being due to their differing sizes and to different sects. In certain monasteries, there are particular additional details in regard to sutra chanting and sacrificial rituals.
For temples of Tibet, the most important religious ceremony is the grand prayer ceremony held from the third to the 25th day of the first month of the Tibetan calendar. It ranks first in scale, content and significance among all the prayer ceremonies within Tibetan Buddhism.
The 15th day of the 4th month is the Shaga Dawa Festival, commemorating the birth and nirvana of Sakyamuni.
The period from the 15th day of the sixth month to the 30th day of the seventh month is the Xodoin Festival, or the Xodoin Festival of Drepung Monastery. "Xo" means yogurt and "doin" means gathering in the Tibetan language. During that period, the three great monasteries conduct summer religious ceremonies, and on the 19th day of the seventh month the monks are supplied with yogurt, and Tibetan operas are performed, so it is also called the Yogurt Festival. Before 1913, Tibetan operas were performed only at the Drepung Monastery. Later, the 13th Dalai Lama ordered that Tibetan operas should also be performed in Norbu Linka.
The 25th day of the 10th month is Butter Lamp Festival, commemorating Tsongkhapa's attainment of Buddhahood.
The 29th day of the 12th month is the Exorcising Evil Festival. The Dance of the Devil is performed by lamas, with the aim of driving out evil spirits and praying for good luck in the coming year. As regards this festival, the activities at the Potala Palace are the most extensive of all monasteries.
However, religious festive activities in temples are not limited to those already mentioned. For instance, at the Labrang Monastery in Gansu Province, one of the six largest monasteries of the Yellow Sect, seven major prayer ceremonies are held annually, the grandest being those held in the first and seventh months.
The grand prayer ceremony of the first month is to commemorate Sakyamuni. It begins on the third day of the first month of the Tibetan claendar and ends on the 17th day. Within this ceremony, the first step is to chant sutras six times a day, and each chant has its name-"Dawn Meeting," "Morning Debate," "Noon Meeting," "Key Prayer," "Evening Tea Meeting," and "Night Debate."
The second item, held on the eighth day of the first month, is to set animals free as a sacrifice offered to the God of Wealth. The animals, horses or yaks, are tied with colorful silk or cloth ribbons and then released. These animals are considered sacred.
The third point is "Sunning the Buddha' on the 13th day of the first month. At Labrang Monastery, portraits of Sakyamuni, Maitreya and Tsongkhapa are hung over the terrace, and the monks chant sutras. Many monasteries participate in this activity, but the portraits of Buddha are different.
The fourth item is a religious dance, on the 14th day of the first month. In this dance, the God of Hell and his wife, escorted by envoys, suppress demons. According to Buddhist doctrines, dancers, musicians and members of the audience can all achieve happiness from this ritual.
On the evening of the 15th day of the first month, the Butter Sculpture Display is held, and on the following day is the ritual of carrying Maitreya in a circle around the temple. Maitreya represents the future, and the people people carrying the statue of Maitreya pray for future happiness and welcome the coming of the Future Buddha.
Ceremonies are held in the first, second, third, fourth, seventh and ninth months of the Tibetan calendar. In the third month is the Time-Wheel Vajra Prayer Ceremony, and in the fourth month the Niangnai Festival is held. It is said that the 15th day of the fourth month of the Tibetan calendar is when Sakyamuni was born, attained enlightenment and nirvana. This is a day of fasting. The prayer ceremony in the seventh month is to commemorate protectors of the Dharmas and the King ofj Dharma, and the main activities include religious debates and the "Mila Dharma Persuasion Meeting." In the ninth month, prayer ceremonies seeking to avert calamity are held, entailing the performance of sorcerers' dance. In the 10th month the Butter Lamp Festival is observed.
During the prayer ceremonies, especially in the first and seventh months, tens of thousands of Tibetan and Mongolian pilgrims gather in Labrang Monastery. At the same time, a large-scale trade fair is put on, the biggest in the locality.