ABSTRACT
The work of Rin-chen bzang-po and of Atisha laid the foundation for the further religious development of Tibet. The Sa-skya Lamas established that idea of a priestly monarchy, which was later so successfully adopted by the Great Lamas of the Yellow Church, though as upholders of strict religious celibacy these latter had no natural line of succession. The journey of ’Phags-pa to the Mongol capital brought the Grand Lama so many presents from the Emperor himself and from the faithful, that ’Phags-pa was able not only to decorate his own monastery very richly, but also to present religious objects to other holy places, for example, Mahabodhi in India. The Tibetan who was privileged to prepare a permanent resting place in his homeland for the mystic revelations of Ti-lo and Naro, and thus found the school of the bKa-rgyud-pa, was Mar-pa of Lho-brag. The work of Rin-chen bzang-po and of Atisha laid the foundation for the further religious development of Tibet.
