Langdarma

Darma U Dum Tsen , better known as Langdarma (, "Mature Bull" or "Darma the Bull"), was the last king of the Tibetan Empire who in 838 killed his brother, Tritsuk Detsen, then reigned from 841 until his assassination in 842. His reign led to the dissolution of the Tibetan Empire, which had extended beyond the Tibetan Plateau to include the Silk Roads with the Tibetan manuscript center at Sachu (Dunhuang), and neighbouring regions in China, Afghanistan, and India. He was assassinated by a Buddhist monk Lhalung Pelgyi Dorje.

History Earlier in his life as a Tibetan prince, Langdarma was Buddhist, but under the influence of Wégyel Toré , he became a follower of Bon, after which he assassinated his brother King Ralpachen, which were those of the Nyingma school, the only school of Tibetan Buddhism at that time.

Langdarma only reigned for a year to a year and a half, A Buddhist hermit or monk named Lhalung Pelgyi Dorje is often credited with assassinating Langdarma in 842, but other sources credit Nyingma master Nubchen Sangye Yeshe with frightening him to death His death was followed by civil war and the dissolution of the Tibetan empire, leading to the Era of Fragmentation. They apparently competed for power, the former ruling over the central kingdom of Ü, and the other ruling over the "left wing", probably the eastern territories. Shey, just 15 km east of modern Leh, was the ancient seat of the Ladakhi kings.

Following his persecution of Tibetan Buddhism, Atiśa was called from Sumatra to restore Buddhism to Tibet.

The anti-Buddhist portrayal of this king is well documented in primary and secondary Tibetan sources, but reinterpretations have been published from two historians, most prominently Zuiho Yamaguchi.

In Tibetan Buddhist culture, Darma U Dum Tsen was said to be the incarnation of Gośīrṣa, the Ox-Head and Horse-Face guardian of hell, thus he got the nickname, Langdarma, literally, "Darma, the bull".

Langdarma was said to have had "a black tongue", and a common gesture of Tibetans briefly sticking out their tongues is interpreted to show agreement, and as a sign of respect. When they demonstrate that they do not have black tongues, they show they are not guilty of evil deeds, and that they are not incarnations of the malevolent king.