On the path to spiritual liberation, we often face two dilemmas: either being overwhelmed by esoteric terminology, not knowing where to begin; or being drawn to simplistic promises, yet finding no door to deepen our practice. Over six hundred years ago, the Gelug school founded by Je Tsongkhapa on the Tibetan Plateau was a response to precisely this dilemma. It is not like a sudden storm of inspiration but rather like a meticulously designed academic hall with clear stairways, inviting every earnest seeker to start from the entrance and advance step by step until reaching the summit of wisdom.

The name of this hall, "Gelug," means "The Virtuous Tradition." It does not offer spiritual shortcuts but provides the most reliable map, the most rigorous curriculum, and the most systematic training.

Lesson One: The Lamrim (Stages of the Path)—An Evolutionary Psychology from "Seeking Survival" to "Benefiting Others"

Imagine you are about to climb a perilous peak called "Awakening." The Gelug school gives you not a helicopter but a detailed mountaineering manual—The Great Treatise on the Stages of the Path to Enlightenment. The core of this manual is the climbing route map known as the "Three Scopes of the Path."

• The Initial Scope: Learning to Stand Firm at the Cliff's Edge
  The goal at this stage is realistic and simple: avoid falling and seek stability. Practitioners are guided to genuinely "contemplate death and impermanence," recognizing that life is not a place of constant pleasure but a fragile journey. From this arises true reverence and caution—taking refuge in the Three Jewels, finding life's ultimate reliance; and meticulously "discriminating between actions and their effects," taking responsibility for one's behavior. This is not cowardice but foresight—preparing a solid starting point for the long spiritual climb.
• The Intermediate Scope: Seeing the Entire Cliff Beneath Your Feet
  Once you stand firm, the guide will have you look around: beneath you is not just a patch of mud but the entire cliff face of cyclic existence, with no truly safe place. This is "contemplating the truths of suffering," giving rise to a strong "renunciation mind"—a determination not merely to avoid immediate pain but to completely leave this entire dangerous system. This is the critical turning point from "improving life" to "transcending life and death."
• The Great Scope: Vowing to Build Safe Stairs for All
  The highest scope arises from a complete expansion of perspective. As you yourself yearn to escape the cliff, you see countless others still struggling at its edge. Thus, a greater intention spontaneously arises—bodhicitta: not for one's own enlightenment alone, but "to attain Buddhahood for the benefit of all beings." From this, practice transforms into altruistic action through the "six perfections and four means of attraction." Now, climbing is no longer a personal adventure but a grand project to build a safe passage for the welfare of all.

These three are not choices but advancements. The wisdom of the Gelug school lies in pointing out that a true altruist (practitioner of the great scope) must deeply understand the suffering of the world (intermediate scope) and cherish the value of human life (initial scope). This is a psychological education curriculum that aligns with the laws of mental development and cannot be skipped.

Lesson Two: The Prasangika-Madhyamaka View—Using the Scalpel of Logic to Dissect the Illusion of "Self"

With the determination to climb, correct cognitive tools are also needed to clear the most fundamental obstacle on the path—the stubborn delusion of a solid "self" and "things." The Gelug school inherits the sharpest philosophical weapon in Buddhism: the Prasangika-Madhyamaka view.

It does not appeal to faith but initiates a logical interrogation:

• Core Tenet: "Dependent arising and emptiness." Any phenomenon, including "you" and "your afflictions," is merely a temporary gathering of countless conditions (dependent arising); within it, no independent, eternal, autonomous core can be found (emptiness).
• Ultimate Conclusion: "All phenomena are merely imputed by name." What we cling to—"self," "success," "failure"—are merely conceptual labels applied for convenience of communication, just as a "convoy" is merely a temporary collection of many vehicles, with no substantial "convoy" existing.

In the Gelug debate courtyards, you can witness this thinking in实战. Monks employ "consequentialist reasoning"—a reductio ad absurdum method. Through rigorous logical deduction, they lead their opponents to discover contradictions in their own positions, causing them to collapse. This is not for winning but a collective exercise in mental yoga, aiming to burn away the dry tinder of ignorance with the flame of reason.

For modern people, this is an immensely appealing approach: it allows you, even encourages you, to bring skepticism and reason to examine, even "attack," your deepest attachments, until you personally touch the truth of "emptiness" at the end of logic.

Lesson Three: The Tantric Path and the Five Great Treatises—A Complete Educational System from General Studies to Specialized Training

The Gelug school深知 that view and motivation alone are insufficient; concrete practical techniques and a broad knowledge system are needed. Therefore, it established a study and practice system comparable to a top modern university.

• The Integrated Path of Sutra and Tantra: The Gelug school insists on "Sutra first, Tantra later." The aforementioned bodhicitta and view of emptiness are the prerequisites for studying any Tantra. Only with a stable foundation can one enter the more direct and rapid Tantric path—transforming theory into physical and mental experience through deity visualization and working with the subtle energies (such as practicing Guhyasamaja, Chakrasamvara, etc.). This is the perfect integration of "theory" and "practice," "learning" and "skill."
• The Academic Crucible of the Five Great Treatises: To qualify for the climb, one must undergo rigorous academic training. This is the renowned curriculum of the "Five Great Treatises," a program of Buddhist general and specialized education that typically takes 15 to 25 years to complete:Pramana (The Treatise on Valid Cognition): Logic and epistemology. Teaches how to think correctly and discern truth from falsehood.Abhisamayalankara (The Ornament of Clear Realization): The Perfection of Wisdom literature. Details the complete blueprint from ordinary being to Buddhahood.Madhyamakavatara (Entering the Middle Way): Madhyamaka philosophy. Enters the hall of emptiness wisdom.Abhidharmakosha (Treasury of Abhidharma): Psychology and cosmology. Analyzes the workings of the mind and the world.Vinaya (The Treatise on Discipline): Behavioral ethics. Establishes the foundation for pure ethical conduct.

Those who complete this vast course of study and pass intense debate examinations can earn the Geshe degree, with the highest rank, "Lharampa Geshe," being as rigorous and honorable as any world-class doctoral degree. This ensures the purity, depth, and verifiability of the Gelug transmission.

Conclusion: Choosing a Path of Conviction, Not Blind Faith

In an age of prevalent spiritual consumerism, the Gelug school offers an ancient and precious alternative: Awakening is not an emotional leap but a rational, systematic project.

It does not cater to your desire for miracles but delivers a map you must measure yourself. It does not eliminate your doubts but gives you tools to resolve them yourself. It is like a strict yet reliable mentor who tells you: "If you truly wish to arrive, then start here. Step one, step two... each step is clearly discernible, each step can withstand rational inquiry."

For modern seekers weary of hollow slogans, yearning for clear guidance, tangible progress, and intellectual satisfaction on the spiritual path, the Gelug school—this "University of Awakening" built on the snow plateau—might just be the pilgrimage path of conviction, not blind faith, you have been searching for. Here, the vow to attain Buddhahood is ultimately forged into indestructible wisdom and compassion through each day of hearing, contemplating, and meditating, and through every rigorous debate.