402 klaus sagaster
the grandson of Altan Khan, Yon-tan-rgya-mtsho, who was born in
1589 as the reincarnation of bSod-nams-rgya-mtsho.^111 He became
the fourth Dalai Lama and the only Mongol to serve in this function
(1589–1616).^112
Proceeding with this choice was in no way in accordance with the
prescripts. The decision whether the selected child is real or not cannot
be made by monks in the province, but has to be done by the central
authority in Lhasa. This is the reason why in 1592 an examination
commission was sent to the Tümed region. They came to a positive
result and, upon their return to Lhasa, reported the news to the abbots
of the three authorised monasteries: dGa’-ldan, Se-ra, and ’Bras-spungs
(Drepung). After a long deliberation, the choice was con rmed.^113 Later,
reincarnations of high Lamas were determined according to political
points of view.
The choice of a Mongolian Dalai Lama de nitely had an important
impact on the further destiny of Buddhism in Mongolia, and, more
particularly, on the further destiny of the Yellow Doctrine. The latter
was not in uenced by the fact that Yon-tan-rgya-mtsho did not per-
sonally work in Mongolia. In 1602, at the age of twelve, the boy was
brought to Tibet, and in 1603 he was enthroned as the fourth Dalai
Lama in the Rva-sgreng monastery, north of Lhasa.^114 Thereafter he
lived in the ’Bras-spungs monastery in the neighbourhood of Lhasa.
Up to the present day this is the most favoured study centre in Central
Tibet for Mongolian monks. In 1607 he took the vow as a novice with
Blo-bzang-chos-kyi-rgyal-mtshan (1570–1662)––the rst Pa-chen Rin-
po-che (“Precious Great Paita”)––abbot of the bKra-shis-lhun-po
monastery in Western Central Tibet. The Dalai Lama Yon-tan-rgya-
mtsho did not live a long life. He died in the ’Bras-spungs monastery
already in 1616. A Tibetan of Central Tibet was recognised as his
reincarnation, the fth Dalai Lama Ngag-dbang-blo-bzang-rgya-mtsho
(1617–1682), the “Great Fifth”. His political fate was, if in a different
way, as closely linked to the events in Mongolia as it had been for the
third and fourth Dalai Lamas.
(^111) He should not be confused with the earlier mentioned Duyingqor (Dus-’khor)
Qutu 112 tu Yon-tan-rgya-mtsho, the appointed representative to Altan Khan.
See Úiral 1996, pp. 162–163.
(^113) About his life, see Ya 1991, pp. 27–28; Úiral 1996, p. 163.
(^114) According to Úiral 1996, p. 163, the Fourth Dalai Lama was enthroned in the
sNar-thang monastery.