Yeshe O

Yeshe O (c. 947–1024) was a Tibetan king who played a crucial role in the second diffusion of Buddhism in Tibet.

Background

Yeshe O was a descendant of the royal line of the Tibetan empire (through Kyide Nyimagon, son of Ösung and grandson of Langdarma) and ruled the kingdom of Guge in western Tibet. During a period when Buddhism had declined in central Tibet after the persecution under Langdarma, he worked to restore the faith in his western domains.

Spiritual Contribution

Yeshe O sent young Tibetans to India to study Buddhism and invited Indian scholars to Tibet. He dispatched the translator Rinchen Zangpo to study in India and Kashmir, where he trained with the great masters of the day. This diplomatic and scholarly activity directly led to Atisha’s historic journey to Tibet in 1042 CE.

Legacy and Impact

His initiative to reconnect Tibet with Indian Buddhism is credited with starting the Phyi dar (Later Diffusion) of Buddhism in Tibet. Without his efforts, Atisha’s journey might never have occurred, and the renaissance of Tibetan Buddhism would have taken a very different course.

Verification Notes

• Approximately 10th–11th century
• King of Guge in western Tibet