A brief biography

In the successive occurrence of kings, it is universally known that Tori Nyenshel, an emanation of bodhisattva Samantabhadra, instigated the sacred Dharma. Songtsen Gampo, Avalokiteshvara in person, established its tradition. Finally, the great Dharma ruler, King Trisong Deutsen, the emanation body of noble Manjushri, made it spread and flourish. In order that sacred Dharma flourish, this latter Dharma king invited from the Noble Land of India one hundred and eight great panditas such as the great scholar Shantarakshita, Vimalamitra, who possessed the vajra body, and in particular Padmakara, the great vidyadhara of immortality. He let the subjects with devotion be ordained and learn translation. He erected temples, established the sangha and founded the tradition for translating, expounding and practicing the sacred Dharma. Thus his deeds in initially spreading the Buddha’s teachings will never disappear, not even at the end of existence, and the signature and fame of this demonstrate the exaltedness of the patron of the teachings.

by Jamgon Kongtrul the Great, from Light of Wisdom, Vol. 1

During the reign of King Trisong Deutsen, Buddhism was spread with great zeal after he had invited the Abbot Shantarakshita and Acharya Padmasambhava to Tibet. The task of translating Buddha's teachings was carried out with great vigour and enthusiasm. It is said that altogether one hundred and eight Indian scholars were engaged with Tibetan translators in the work of translating Buddhist literature into Tibetan. They also took part in establishing monasteries.

Trisong Deutsen (khri srong de'u btsan). (790-844) The second great Dharma king of Tibet who invited Guru Rinpoche, Shantarakshita, Vimalamitra, and many other Buddhist teachers including Jinamitra and Danashila. In The Precious Garland of Lapis Lazuli, Jamgon Kongtrul dates Trisong Deutsen as being born on the eighth day of the third month of spring in the year of the Male Water Horse (802). Other sources state that year as his enthronement upon the death of his father. Until the age of seventeen he was chiefly engaged in ruling the kingdom. He built Samye, the great monastery and teaching center modeled after Odantapuri, established Buddhism as the state religion of Tibet, and during his reign the first monks were ordained. He arranged for panditas and lotsawas to translate innumerable sacred texts, and he established a large number of centers for teaching and practice. Among his later incarnations are Nyang Ral Nyima Özer (1124-1192), Guru Chowang (1212-1270), Jigmey Lingpa (1729-1798), and Jamyang Khyentse Wangpo (1820-1892).