Uniting Dge lugs and Rnying ma Views: The ris med Philosophy of Blo bzang mdo sngags Chos kyi rgya mtsho (1903–1957)
In: Nonsectarianism (ris med) in 19th- and 20th-Century Eastern TibetPurchase instant access (PDF download and unlimited online access):
Abstract
Mdo sngags Chos kyi rgya mtsho (1903–1957) was a scholar from Mgo log in Eastern Tibet who proposed a synthesis of Dge lugs and Rnying ma philosophy and practice. This chapter examines that synthesis by focusing on his Gsang sngags gsar rnying gi lta ba gcig tu sgrub pa dag snang nor bu'i me long, which claims that Dge lugs doctrine is compatible with early Rnying ma sources, especially writings by Klong chen rab 'byams (1308–1364) and Rong zom Chos kyi bzang po (1012–1088), and Phyag rdzogs gdams pa'i skor gyi brjed tho, which recommends the gradualism of lam rim while also recognising the importance of Rdzogs chen and Mahāmudrā. Such syncretism involves a notable elision of 'Ju Mi pham’s (1846–1912) transformation of Rnying ma scholasticism and represents an unusual form of nonsectarianism (ris med) quite unlike that which was advocated by Kong sprul (1813–1899) and Mkhyen brtse'i dbang po (1820–1892).