Songtsen Gampo

Songtsen Gampo (srong btsan sgam po). (569-650) or (617-650).

• The king of Tibet in the seventh century Tibetan who prepared the way for transmission of the teachings. He is regarded as an incarnation of Avalokiteshvara. He married Bhrikuti of Nepal and Wen Cheng of China who each brought a sacred statue of Buddha Shakyamuni to Lhasa. Songtsen Gampo built the first Buddhist temples in Tibet, established a code of laws based on Dharma principles, and had his minister Thönmi Sambhota develop the Tibetan script. During his reign the translation of Buddhist texts into Tibetan began. [RY]

• Songtsen Gampo / Srong btsan sgam po - Seventh century Tibetan Dharma king who prepared the way for transmission of the teachings; regarded as an incarnation of Avalokiteshvara.

• Songtsen Gampo / Srong btsan sgom po (7th century) first great Dharma King, who united the Tibetan Kingdom. He married two Buddhist princesses, Bhrikuti of Nepal and Wen ch'eng of China. He built the first Buddhist temples, established a code of laws based on Dharma principles, developed the Tibetan script with the help of his minister Thonmi Sambhota and also began the translation of Buddhist texts into Tibetan. Srong btsan sgam po was succeeded by: gung srong, mang srong, 'dus srong, and khri lde gtsug btsan (mes ag tshoms) [Tarthang Tulku]