| Tibet is a vast country in central Asia with a history
of over two thousand years. Ancient Tibet was ruled by a line of great kings belonging
to the Yarlung dynasty. The name of the first king was Nyatri Tsenpo who came
around 127 B.C. At that time of history, Tibetans followed a religion called 'Bon'.
Twenty-seven kings after Nyatri Tsenpo, the first Buddhist missionaries arrived
in Tibet from Nepal.
The most important phase of Tibet's history began during the
7th century under the great king Songtsen Gampo (37th in
line of ancient kings). He united the whole country and turned it into one of
the mightiest kingdoms in central Asia. He established a politico-religious tradition
and brought about cultural transformation.
Songtsen conquered many neighboring countries and ruled over
them. He patronized Buddhism and sent students to India to help create a Tibetan
writing script. He was followed by three other great kings during which Tibet
saw development of a vibrant culture, education and religious tradition. This
period was termed as the golden period of Tibetan history.
In 842 A.D., a king named Lang Darma
Tsenpo ruled over Tibet. He was a follower of Bon religion and tried to restore
ancient Bon traditions by discouraging Buddhist teachings and by persecuting its
followers. But before long, Lang Darma fell at the hands of a Buddhist monk. The
Tibetan royal dynasty slowly came to an end with the death of Lang Darma.
Tibet disintegrated into small principalities
and fiefdoms. For over 300 years the country was without a ruler. During this
period, four religious sects were founded, namely Nyingmapa, Kargyupa, Sakyapa
and Gelukpa. The Gelukpa was the newest sect founded by a monk named Tsongkhapa.
One of his disciples was a scholar named Gedun Drupa who was also considered the
first Dalai Lama.
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