Textbooks

All colleges within the Gelug monasteries follow the commentaries to these texts written by Tsongkhapa and his two main disciples, Gyaltsab Je (rGyal-tshab rJe Dar-ma rin-chen) (1364-1432) and Kedrub Je (mKhas-grub rJe dGe-legs dpal-bzang) (1385-1438). In addition, each follows one of several textbooks (yig-cha) that developed to explain the fine points. The textbooks differ in interpretation of many details.

The first set of textbooks to develop were written by Jetsunpa Chokyi Gyaltsen (rJe-btsun-pa Chos-kyi rgyal-mtshan) (1469-1544), called "the Jetsunpa textbooks" for short. Ganden Jangtse (dGa’-ldan Byang-rtse Grva-tshang), Sera Je (Se-ra Byes Grva-tshang), and Sera Ngagpa Colleges (Se-ra sNgags-pa Grva-tshang) follow them.

The next two sets were written by two disciples of Jetsunpa. According to popular tradition, Jetsunpa asked the two to write commentaries explaining some of the major texts slightly differently than he had, so that future disciples would be able to sharpen their intelligence by debating their discrepancies. One set was written by Kedrub Tendarwa (mKhas-grub dGe-‘dun bstan-pa dar-rgyas) (1493-1568). They are used by Sera Me College (Se-ra sMad Grva-tshang).

The other set was written by Panchen Sonam Dragpa (Pan-chen bSod-nams grags-pa) (1478-1554), called "the Panchen textbooks" for short. They are followed by Ganden Shartse (dGa’-ldan Shar-rtse Grva-tshang), Drepung Loseling (‘Bras-spungs Blo-gsal gling Grva-tshang), and Drepung Ngagpa Colleges (‘Bras-spungs sNgags-pa Grva-tshang).

A fourth set was written several centuries later by Kunkyen Jamyang Zhepa (the First), Ngawang Tsondru (Kun-mkhyen ‘Jam-dbyangs bzhad-pa Ngag-dbang brtson-‘grus) (1648-1721), called "the Kunkyen textbooks" for short. They are followed by Drepung Gomang (‘Bras-spungs sGo-mang Grva-tshang) and Drepung Deyang Colleges (‘Bras-spungs bDe-dyangs Grva-tshang). Labrang Monastery (Bla-brang dGon-pa) in far-eastern Amdo (founded by Jamyang-zheypa) and most monasteries in Inner and Outer Mongolia, Buryatia, Kalmykia, and Tuva also follow them.

Each of the textbook traditions includes several additional texts written by later scholars.

Source

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