The University of Nalanda c14.37

c14.37

Any doubts that may be entertained about the historicity of Atīśa and his famous visit to Tibet, are now dispelled by the historical documents that have been obtained from Tibet by Mr. Francke. Among the documents are two inscriptions discovered in the Tabo monastery of Spiti. One of the inscriptions speaks of King Byang-chub-'od of Guge, the very ruler who invited Atīśa to Tibet. "The principal hall of the Tabo monastery," says the author of the article, "seems to have remained almost unchanged since the days of Atīśa......"2 But the thing most important for our purpose is that the inscription contains names of the two most important lāmās of the period, *viz.*, Rinchen bzang-po and Atīśa, the latter being called Phul-byung in Tibetan. "The inscription further says that Rinchen bzang-po was made a 'light of wisdom' through the agency of Atīśa." "This is," says the author, "apparently a reference to the controversy between the two lāmās which ended with Rinchen bzang-po acknowledging Atīśa's superiority."3