Kamilla Eva Mojzes

The fourth Zhwa-dmar-pa incarnate Chos-grags ye-shes dpal bzang-po (1453 - 1524), the second highest eminence of the Tibetan Buddhist Karma bka-brgyud lineage, was an influential scholar and meditation master, who played a central role in the historical events of 15th- to 16th-century Tibet. Although he was a charismatic leader and a prolific writer at the focal point of a rich and remarkably sectarian-unbiased environment, arguably, his main sponsor, Don-yod rdo-rje (1463-1512), the most powerful Rin-spungs-pa prince dominated and restricted his religious activity. This PhD thesis examines how the fourth Zhwa-dmar-pa’s political involvement influenced and eventually came to the detriment of his religious role.