Anniversary of Sakya Pandita
The Great Choeje Sakya Pandita Kunga Gyeltsen
The anniversary of the Great Choeje Sakya Pandita Kunga Gyeltsen (Sakya Pandita) occurred on the 14th day of the 11th month in the Year of the Rat (28 December 2020). To commemorate this holy day, the monks at Ngor Monastery beautifully decorated the main shrine hall with a wonderful light display and made butter lamp offerings. The Sakya Pandita anniversary also coincided with the commencement of the annual Sakya Monlam.
Choeje Sakya Pandita Kunga Gyeltsen (1182 – 28 November 1251) was a Tibetan spiritual leader, Buddhist scholar and the 4th of the Five Sakya Forefathers (Sakya Gongma). Choeje Kunga Gyeltsen is generally known as ‘Sakya Pandita’, a title given to him in recognition of his scholarly achievements and knowledge of Sanskrit. He is held in the tradition to have been an emanation of Manjushri, the embodiment of the wisdom of all the Buddhas.
Sakya Pandita was renowned for his mastery of the Buddhadharma in Tibet, India, Mongolia and China. He was proficient in the five great sciences of Buddhist philosophy, medicine, grammar, dialectics and sacred Sanskrit literature as well as the minor sciences of rhetoric, synonymies, poetry, dancing and astrology. Sakya Pandita was the 6th Sakya Trizin and is one of the most important figures in the Sakya lineage.
The images below are a painting of Sakya Pandita depicted in debate posture, as well as butter lamps and a beautiful light display at Ngor Monastery in dedication to Sakya Pandita
