|
Year
|
Major
Events in Tibetan Buddhism
|
| c200
C.E.
|
•
Buddhism begins to percolate into Tibetan region and teachings
affect Bon religion in kingdom of Shang-Shung (South Tibet). |
| 3rd
century |
•
Buddhist scriptures begin to reach early Tibetan Kingdoms
(North Tibet) during reign of King Lhatotori Nyentsen. |
| 641 |
•
King Songtsen Gampo unifies Tibet and marries Chinese princess
Wen Cheng and Nepalese Princess Bhrkuti who bring Buddha
images. |
| 641-650 |
•
Construction of Potala Palace, and Jokang and Ramoche temples
to house Buddha images. |
| 773?
|
•
King Trisong Detsen (r.755-797) invites Shantarakshita
to Tibet.
|
| 774 |
•
King Trisong Detsen invites Padmasambhava, yogin of Swat,
to Tibet, and construction of Samye begins (775). |
| c785 |
• Samye, Tibet's first monastery, built by Trisong
Detsen and Padmasambhava. •
Great Convocation, 3000 monks ordained. • Translating
begins. • Padmasambhava founds Nyingma order. |
| 792
|
•
Exponents of Indian Buddhism prevail in debate with Chinese
at Samye. |
| 840 |
•
Persecution of Tibetan Buddhism under King Lang Darma, period
of conflict and civil strife begins. |
| 877 |
•
Destruction of Tibetan Dynasties. • Buddhism almost
completely wiped out in Tibet. |
| 978 |
•
Commencement of second Buddhist period in Tibet. •
Atisha (982-1054). |
| 1038 |
•
Atisha comes to
Tibet and founds the Kadampa school (which later becomes
the Gelugpa order). |
| c1039 |
•
Marpa the translator (1012-1099) founder of the Kargyu school,
travels to India, studies under Naropa.
• Gampopa (1079-1153) is responsible for the actual
founding of the Kagyu school on the basis of Kadampa, later
to be known as Gelugpa. Monastic practice and education
system, with the Tantric practices of Naropa, Marpa and
Milarepa. |
| 1040
|
• Birth of Milarepa, 2nd
hierarch of Kagyu order and a
renowned poet. |
| 1055 |
•
Birth of Marchik Labdron (1055-1153) founder of the Chod
lineage, the main lineage founded by a woman. |
| 1060 |
•
Founding of the Sakya Lineage by Brogmi (992-1072). •
Gonchok Guelpo (1034-1102) establishes the first monastery
of the Sakya monastic order.
|
| 1247 |
• Sakya Pandita submits to Godan Khan; beginning of
the first priest/patron relationship between a Tibetan Lama
and a Mongol Khan. |
| 1261
|
•
Tibet is reunited with Sakya Pandita, Grand Lama of Sakya,
as king. |
| 1350 |
• King Changchub Gyaltsen defeats Sakya and founds
a secular dynasty. |
| 1409
|
•
Ganden, first Gelug monastery,
built by monastic reformer Tsongkhapa
(1357-1419). |
| 1435-81 |
• In prolonged warfare, Karmapa supporters gain control
of royal court. |
| 1578
|
•
Gelug-pa leader gets the title of Dalai ("Ocean")
from Altan Khan. |
| 1642 |
• Gushri Khan enthrones the 5th Dalai Lama as temporal
ruler of Tibet. |
| 1653 |
• "Great Fifth" Dalai Lama meets Qing Emperor
Shunzhi near Beijing. |
| 1682 |
• Fifth Dalai Lama dies; regent conceals death for
the next 14 years. |
| 1716-21
|
•
Italian Jesuit priest, Ippolito Desideri studies and teaches
in Lhasa. |
| 1717 |
• Dzungar Mongols invade Tibet and sack Lhasa. •
Fifth DL's tomb looted. |
| 1720
|
•
Dzungars driven out, Qing (Chinese) forces install Kesang
Gyatso as the 7th Dalai Lama. |
| 1721
|
•
The position of Amban is created by a 13-point Qing decree
on Tibet. 29-point Qing decree prescribes "golden urn"
lottery for picking DL and PL, bans visits by non-Chinese,
and increases Amban's powers. |
| 1904 |
• British troops under Colonel Younghusband enter Tibet
and occupy Lhasa. |
| 1910-12
|
•
Chinese troops occupy Tibet, shoot at unarmed crowds on
entering Lhasa. |
| 1911
|
•
Bogh Haan, the Urga "Living Buddha," proclaims
Mongolia independent. |
| 1913 |
• 13th Dalai Lama proclaims Tibet a "religious
and independent nation". |
| 1924-25 |
• Pressure from monks causes Dalai Lama to dismiss
his British-trained officers. |
| 1933
|
•
Truce ends. China and Tibet fighting; the 13th Dalai Lama
dies at age 58. |
| 1934
|
•
Reting Rimpoche named regent. • China permitted to
open Lhasa mission. |
| 1940
|
•
The five-year-old Tenzin Gyatso is enthroned as the 14th
Dalai Lama. |
| 1941 |
• Unable to keep celibacy vow, Reting is replaced as
regent by Taktra. |
| 1945
|
•
Newly opened English-language school is closed after monks
protest. |
| 1950 |
• Red China invades Tibet; Tibetan army destroyed in
battle at Chamdo. |
| 1951
|
•
17-point agreement between China and Tibet; Chinese occupy
Lhasa. |
| 1956
|
•
Tibetans in Kham and Amdo (Qinghai) begin revolt against
Chinese ruler.
• Dalai Lama visits India for 2,500th anniversary of
the Buddha's birth. |
| 1959 |
• Dalai Lama flees to India.
87,000 Tibetans die in anti-Chinese revolt. |
| 1960 |
• International Commission of Jurists: "acts of
genocide [have] been committed... to destroy the Tibetans
as a religious group." |
| 1963
|
•
Dalai Lama approves a democratic constitution for the Tibetan
exile community. |
| 1964
|
•
The Panchen Lama is arrested
after calling for Tibetan independence. |
| 1978
|
•
Visitors find only 8 temples left in TAR, down from 2,700
in 1959. |
| 1979-80 |
• China allows a series of three delegations from Dalai
Lama to visit Tibet. |
| 1989 |
• Dalai Lama receives the Nobel Peace Prize. |
| 1995
|
•
Dalai Lama recognizes six-year-old Gedhun Choekyi Nyima
as 11th Panchen Lama. China denounces the Dalai Lama's choice.
|
| 1999 |
• The Karmapa (Urgyen Trinley Dorje) flees Tibet to
join the Dalai Lama in exile. |
