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Tsong-kha-pa
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Tsong-kha-pa

Tibetan lama
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Article History
Quick Facts
Born:
1357
Died:
1419 (aged 62)

Tsong-kha-pa (born 1357—died 1419) was a Tibetan lama who founded a new Tibetan Buddhist sect known as the Dge-lugs-pa (q.v.), literally “Model of Virtue” but more commonly referred to as the Yellow Hat sect to distinguish it from the older Red Hat sect. Hoping to restore monastic discipline, Tsong-kha-pa enforced celibacy, required the wearing of yellow robes, and insisted on adherence to a rigorous routine. The sect eventually gained considerable influence in Mongolia; with Mongol aid, Tsong-kha-pa’s successors were eventually (1642) installed as the rulers of Tibet with the title Dalai Lama.

This article was most recently revised and updated by Encyclopaedia Britannica.