Dharmapala Raksita

Dharmapala Raksita (Wylie: d+harma pA la rak Shi ta, 1268 – 24 December 1287) was the head of the Sakya school of Tibetan Buddhism, which was the most powerful school in Tibet under the Yuan dynasty from 1280-1282. He also held the title of Imperial Preceptor (Dishi), from 1282-1286.

The Mongols had interfered in the political affairs of Tibet since c. 1240, using the senior lamas of the Sakya monastery as middlemen. A Mongol administration was set up in 1268-69 and a census was taken. Central Tibet was divided into 13 trikor (Wylie: khri skor) or myriarchies. The temporal administrator of Mongolian Tibet was called dpon-chen (ponchen) and resided in Sakya since about 1264. The abbot-rulers of the Sakya see enjoyed a precedence position, based on their personal ties with the Mongol great khans. This was in particular the case with Drogön Chögyal Phagpa (1235-80), who also held the position of Imperial Preceptor (Dishi) at the Yuan court. The succeeding Imperial Preceptors always belonged to the clergymen of Sakya although they did not always belong to the line of ruling abbots, the Khon family. Neither the abbot-ruler or Dishi were, however, viceroys of Tibet as sometimes stated. Nevertheless the Dishi issued orders in the name of the supreme imperial authority which gave some of them great influence.

Dharmapala Raksita was born in 1268 as the posthumous son of Chakna Dorje (Wylie: phyag na rdo rje, 1239-1267), a brother of the Sakya lord Phagpa. Chakna was thoroughly Mongolized, dressed in Mongol clothing and was eventually appointed viceroy of the three cholkas (regions) of Tibet. He married Megadung, a daughter of the Mongol prince Godan Khan and great-granddaughter of Genghis Khan. His son Dharmapala was born from another consort, Khadrobum of Zhalu. Being fatherless at birth, his uncle Phagpa entrusted his upbringing to the lord of Zhalu.

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