Ganden Tripa: 1 definition
Introduction:
Ganden Tripa means something in Buddhism, Pali. If you want to know the exact meaning, history, etymology or English translation of this term then check out the descriptions on this page. Add your comment or reference to a book if you want to contribute to this summary article.
In Buddhism
Theravada (major branch of Buddhism)
Source: Buddhist Information: A Survey of Paramattha DhammasThe Ganden Tripa is the title of the spiritual leader of the Gelug (Dge lugs) school of Tibetan Buddhism, the school which controlled central Tibet from the mid-1600s until 1950s. He is identical with the respective abbot of Ganden Monastery. The Dalai Lama is the temporal head of the Gelug school, a position of greater political authority but of lower spiritual rank.
(or Gaden Tripa (tib. dGa"-ldan Khri pa) ("Holder of the Ganden Throne"))
The Ganden Tripa is an appointed office, not a reincarnation lineage. It is awarded on the basis of competitive examination. Since the position is not a life long one, there have been many more Ganden Tripas than Dalai Lamas to date (101 as against 14).
Theravāda is a major branch of Buddhism having the the Pali canon (tipitaka) as their canonical literature, which includes the vinaya-pitaka (monastic rules), the sutta-pitaka (Buddhist sermons) and the abhidhamma-pitaka (philosophy and psychology).
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