The Gelug is the newest of the four major schools of Tibetan Buddhism. It was founded by Je Tsongkhapa (1357–1419), a Tibetan philosopher, tantric yogi and lama and further expanded and developed by his disciples.
An illustration of Je Tsongkhapa, the founder, and his two principal students (Kédrup and Gyeltsap) on his left and right with other lineage teachers and protectors of the Gelug tradition.
The 14th Dalai Lama (center), the most influential figure of the contemporary Gelug tradition, at the 2003 Kalachakra ceremony, Bodhgaya (India).
Khedrup Gelek Pelzang, 1st Panchen Lama (1385–1438 CE), the main leader of the Gelug school after Tsongkhapa's death.
Gendun Drup, founder of Tashilhunpo Monastery, and the First Dalai Lama
Tibetan Buddhism is a form of Buddhism practiced in Tibet, Bhutan and Mongolia. It also has a sizable number of adherents in the areas surrounding the Himalayas, including the Indian regions of Ladakh, Sikkim, and Arunachal Pradesh, as well as in Nepal. Smaller groups of practitioners can be found in Central Asia, Xinjiang, Inner Mongolia, and some regions of Russia, such as Tuva, Buryatia, and Kalmykia.
Inside of a Tibetan Buddhist monastery
Samye was the first gompa (Buddhist monastery) built in Tibet (775–779).
The Indian master Atiśa
The Tibetan householder and translator Marpa (1012–1097)
