Editing Mahamudra (section)

===Gelug tradition===
[[File:4th Panchen Lama.jpg|upright|thumb|The 4th Panchen Lama, [[Lobsang Chökyi Gyaltsen, 4th Panchen Lama|Lobsang Chökyi Gyaltsen]]]]
The Gelug school's mahamudra tradition is traditionally traced back to the school's founder [[Je Tsongkhapa]] (1357-1419), who was said to have received oral transmission from [[Manjushri]], and it is also traced to the Indian masters like Saraha through the [[Drikung]] Kagyu master Chennga Chokyi Gyalpo who transmitted Kagyu Mahamudra teachings (probably the five-fold Mahamudra) to Tsongkhapa.{{sfnp|Jackson|2001|p=155}} Jagchen Jampa Pal (1310-1391), a holder of the 'jag pa tradition of the Shangpa teachings, was also one of the teachers of Tsongkhapa.

However, a specifically "Gelug" Mahamudra system was only recorded at the time of [[Lobsang Chökyi Gyaltsen, 4th Panchen Lama]] (sometimes named the "1st Panchen Lama", 1570–1662), who wrote a root Mahamudra text on the "''Highway of the Conquerors: Root Verses for the Precious Geden [Gelug] Kagyu [Oral] Transmission of Mahāmudrā''" (''dGe-ldan bka'-brgyud rin-po-che'i phyag-chen rtsa-ba rgyal-ba'i gzhung-lam'') and its auto commentary (the ''Yang gsal sgron me, "Lamp re-illuminating Mahamudra"''), which is still widely taught and commented upon.{{sfnp|Jackson|2001|p=155}}{{sfnp|Panchen Lama|n.d.}}{{sfnp|Losang Chokyi Nyima|2009|p=620}} Before this work, Gelug writings on Mahamudra tended to follow orthodox Kagyu teachings.{{sfnp|Jackson|2001|p=155}} This text and its auto commentary have become a central work on Mahamudra in the Gelug school. The current [[14th Dalai Lama]] and Lama [[Thubten Yeshe]] are some of the modern Gelug figures which have written commentaries on this key Gelug Mahamudra text.{{sfnp|Yeshe|2018}}

The Panchen Lama [[Lobsang Chökyi Gyaltsen, 4th Panchen Lama|Chökyi Gyaltsen]], himself was influenced by Kagyu teachings, and wished to imitate great siddhas like [[Milarepa]] and Sabaripa.{{sfnp|Jackson|2001|p=155}}{{sfnp|Willis|1995|p=20}} He names various Mahamudra and Dzogchen lineages in his text, and comes to the conclusion that "their definitive meanings are all seen to come to the same intended point."{{sfnp|Lobsang Jampa|2013|p={{pn|date=January 2024}}}} Chökyi Gyaltsen also sides with the Kagyu school against Sakya, arguing that there is a sutra level of Mahamudra.{{sfnp|Jackson|2001|p=155}} However, in his account, sutra Mahamudra is particularly associated with a gradual path and his presentation of insight practice (''vipasyana'') is uniquely Gelug.{{sfnp|Jackson|2001|p=155}}

Yongdzin Yeshe Gyaltsen (also known as Khachen Yeshe Gyaltsen, tutor of the 8th Dalai Lama, 1713–1793) composed a commentary on [[Lobsang Chökyi Gyaltsen, 4th Panchen Lama|Chökyi Gyaltsen]]'s Mahamudra text, entitled "The Lamp of the Clear and Excellent Path of the Oral Tradition Lineage" (''Yongs-'dzin ye shes rgyal mtshan'').{{sfnp|Wallace|2005|p=239}} He also comments on Mahamudra in the context of Lama Chopa Guru Yoga.{{sfnp|Yeshe Gyaltsen|2019}}

Tibetan teacher Thubten Yeshe explains: "Mahāmudrā means absolute seal, totality, unchangeability. Sealing something implies that you cannot destroy it. Mahāmudrā was not created or invented by anybody; therefore it cannot be destroyed. It is absolute reality".{{sfnp|Yeshe|2003|p=[https://archive.org/details/becomingcompassi00thub/page/21 21]}}