Atiśa

Atiśa Dīpaṃkara Śrījñāna

Atiśa Dīpaṃkara Śrījñāna (c. 982–1054 CE) was a highly influential Buddhist religious teacher and leader originating from Bengal. He is widely recognized for his pivotal role in the dissemination of 11th-century Mahayana and Vajrayana Buddhism across Asia, undertaking significant journeys to Sumatra and Tibet. Atiśa, in collaboration with his principal disciple Dromtön, is credited as the founder of the Kadam school, a foundational lineage within Tibetan Buddhism that later influenced the Gelug tradition.

Life and Historical Context

Born as Candragarbha around 982 CE, Atiśa was the second son of a ruling family in Bengal, likely in the village of Vajrayogini within Vikrampura, a former capital of the Pala Empire. His early life followed the patterns of nobility, including training in various arts. As a young man, he began his deep study of tantra in present-day Rajgir, tutored by the monk Rāhulaguhyavajra, who initiated him into Hevajra and taught him specific meditation practices. He then dedicated seven years to studying yoga and participating in tantric feasts under the master Avadhūtipā.

Tibetan historical accounts state that Atiśa was ordained into the Mahāsāṃghika lineage at the age of twenty-eight in Bodh Gaya and pursued comprehensive studies across Buddhist and non-Buddhist philosophical schools, including Vaishnavism, Shaivism, and Tantric Hinduism. He also mastered sixty-four arts, music, and logic by the age of twenty-two. Among the many Buddhist lineages he engaged with, he transmitted the Lineage of the Profound Action (via Asaṅga and Vasubandhu), the Lineage of Profound View (via Nagarjuna and Candrakīrti), and the Lineage of Profound Experience (via Tilopa and Naropa). During this formative period, Atiśa studied with numerous notable teachers, including Ratnākaraśānti, Naropa, Jitari, and Dharmarakṣita at the monastery of Odantapuri.

Scholarly Career and Travels

Atiśa rose to prominence as a senior scholar at Vikramaśīla Monastery, distinguishing himself through his strict adherence to Mahayana Buddhist ethics. During this time, the King of Guge in Tibet, Lha bla ma Ye shes 'od, began dispatching missions to Vikramaśīla to invite scholars to teach a "pure form of Buddhism" in his homeland. Atiśa eventually departed Vikramaśīla in 1040 CE, with the abbot's permission conditional on his return within three years.

Tibetan sources indicate that Atiśa spent twelve years in Sumatra, a part of the Srivijaya empire, returning to India in 1025 CE. Upon his return, his profound teachings and formidable skills in debate and philosophy garnered significant attention. He was thrice acclaimed for defeating non-Buddhist opponents in debate. When encountering what he perceived as a corrupted or declining form of Buddhism, Atiśa effectively implemented reforms. He was subsequently appointed steward, or abbot, at Vikramaśīla, and is also credited with nurturing Odantapuri Monastery. His return from Suvarnabhumi, where he studied with Dharmakīrtiśrī, and his subsequent rise in India coincided with a flourishing of Buddhist culture, to which Atiśa's influence significantly contributed.

Following a request from the Tibetan King Yeshe-Ö, Atiśa traveled to Tibet with Naktso and Gya Lōtsawa, journeying through Nepal. He spent three years in Tolung, the capital of the Purang Kingdom, where he compiled his most influential work, Bodhipathapradīpa (Lamp for the Path to Enlightenment). This text, structured in sixty-seven verses, delineates the entire Buddhist path across the Hīnayāna, Mahāyāna, and Vajrayāna vehicles, establishing a model for subsequent Lamrim texts, most notably Tsongkhapa's writings.

Legacy

Atiśa's teachings and the Kadam school he co-founded had a lasting impact on the development of Tibetan Buddhism. In 2004, Atiśa was recognized for his historical significance, ranking 18th in the BBC's poll of the greatest Bengalis of all time.

Notable Works

Atiśa authored numerous significant texts, including:

• Bodhipathapradīpa (Lamp for the Path to Enlightenment)
• Bodhipathapradipapanjikanama (his commentary on Bodhipathapradīpa)
• Charyasamgrahapradipa (containing kirtan verses)
• Satyadvayavatara
• Bodhisattvamanyavali
• Madhyamakaratnapradipa
• Mahayanapathasadhanasangraha
• Shiksasamuccaya Abhisamya
• Prajnaparamitapindarthapradipa
• Ekavirasadhana
• Vimalaratnalekha (a Sanskrit letter to Nayapala, king of Gauda)