Jamphel Gyatso (8th Dalai Lama)

From Buddhist Encyclopedia

Jamphel Gyatso (1758 – 1804) was the 8th Dalai Lama of Tibet.

Born in 1758 at Lhari Gang in the Tsang region of southwestern Tibet his father, Sonam Dhargye, and mother, Phuntsok Wangmo, were originally from Kham. They were distant descendants of Dhrala Tsegyal, who was one of the major heroes of the Gesar epic.

History

When Jamphel Gyatso was conceived, the village was given a major harvest with each stalk of barley bearing three, four and five ears, which has never been seen before throughout Tibet. When Jamphel's mother, Phuntosk Wangmo and a relative were having their supper in the garden, a giant rainbow appeared, one end of which touched the mother's shoulder. This is a key sign associated with the birth of a holy being.

Soon after birth, the holy baby often attempted to sit in a meditative posture looking up to the heavens. When Palden Yeshi, the Sixth Panchen Lama, heard about this boy, he pronounced that he was indeed the authentic reincarnation of the Dalai Lama.

At the age two and a half years old, Jamphel was taken under a large contingent of lamas and officials to Tashilhunpo Monastery in Shigatse, and was given a ceremony as the reborn Dalai Lama. The Panchen Lama gave the boy the name Jamphel Gyatso.

In 1762, the boy was escorted to Lhasa and enthroned in the Potala Palace and was fully ordained in 1777.

It was the Eighth Dalai Lama who built the faded Norub Lingka Park and Summer Palace on the outskirts of Lhasa.

He died in 1804 at the age of 47.

References

• http://www.dalailama.com/page.51.htm