" They were confident mTsho-rgyal was one with Guru Rinpoche and crowded about her so thickly that she could
scarcely
walk.
Tarthang-Tulku-Mother-of-Knowledge-The-Enlightenment-of-Yeshe-Tsogyal
For approximately two hundred years, you will retain a physical body and benefit beings.
Then you will meet me at rNga-yab l)akini Island in the Great Pristine Awareness.
You will benefit beings without discrimination and become a Buddha.
"
After making this prediction, Padmasambhava rose upon a ray of light and prepared to leave. mTsho-rgyal, weeping, bowed before her teacher and cried desperately:
"Kye Ma Kyi Hud! Orgyan Lord! Now you're here, now you're gone. Must there be this birth and death? How can birth and death be changed?
"Kye Ma Kyi Hud! Orgyan Lord!
For a time we were inseparable:
Now, suddenly we part.
Must there be this meeting and parting?
Is there no way for friends to remain together?
"Kye Ma Kyi Hud! Orgyan Lord!
For a time all Tibet was filled with your blessings; now only your footprints remain.
Must there be this impermanence?
Is there no way to reverse the winds of karma?
"Kye Ma Kyi Hud! Orgyan Lord!
For a time Tibet was protected by your teachings; now they are but a story once told.
Must there be this change?
Is there no way for you to stay?
"Kye Ma Kyi Hud! Orgyan Lord!
Until now, you and I have been inseparable; now you leave me for the sky.
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This woman is stricken with evil karma;
who will give me empowerments and blessings?
"Kye Ma Kyi Hud! Orgyan Lord!
Though you have given me many profound teachings, now you go into deathless space.
This lady is wretched;
who will clear away obstacles now?
"Kye Ma Kyi Hud! Orgyan Lord!
Now, please-give me your promise:
Forever gaze upon me with compassion, forever look upon Tibet with eyes of blessing. "
Then mTsho-rgyal threw thirteen handfuls of gold over the Guru and recited his mantra. Mounted on the ray of light not far away, Padmasambhava answered her:
"Kye Ma! Listen, lady, Lake of Good Qualities, Padmasambhava is leaving to overcome the cannibals. The activity of the Three Kayas
is perfect, powerful, and creative,
not at all the scattered froth of ordinary beings.
If you fear birth and death, hold tight to the Dharma; practice the Developing and Perfecting Stages,
bring patterning and energy under your control-
this is the means to reverse birth and death.
"Kye Ma! Listen, faithful and virtuous lady,
Padmasambhava is departing to benefit beings.
Undiscriminating compassion pervades everything,
not at all like the bewildered confusion of ordinary beings.
Make the meditation on the Guru Yoga your inseparable friend- everything that arises is the pure manifestation of the Teacher. This is the best teaching:
that meeting and parting do not exist.
"Kye Ma! Listen and look closely, irresistible lady! Padmasambhava is departing to teach and train others.
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? This supreme and indestructible body destroys destruction, not at all like the evil karma that pursues ordinary people. All ofTibet is filled with my children, my siddha disciples. Meditate on the Mahamudra as you watch impermanence, for samsara and nirvana are inherently free-
there is no better way to reverse the winds of karma.
"Kye Ma! listen, faithful young lady,
Padmasambhava is departing to turn the Dharma Wheel in the land of savages.
This is an unchanging, supreme Vajra Body,
not at all like the sick, suffering body of ordinary beings. The Dharma fills Tibet from top to bottom:
If you study and practice,
you will never lack the wealth of the Dharma.
By listening, examining, and meditating,
you protect the Buddha's teachings;
both you and others become perfectly realized. There is no more profound way to reverse change.
"Kye Ma! listen, faithful daughter of mKhar-chen bza', Padmasambhava is departing for the Lotus Light.
The Tathagatas of the three times have asked me to do so. This is not at all like ordinary beings
driven on by the Lord of Death.
Lady, you have a wondrous body, a siddha's body;
ask the Lord, your own mind, for blessings and empowerment. There is no other regent of the Lotus Guru.
"Kye Ma! listen, Ye-shes mTsho-rgyal-ma, Padmasambhava is going to the place of Great Bliss.
I will reside in the Dharmakaya, the deathless divine state. This is not at all like the parting of mind and body
which afflicts ordinary beings.
Already, mTsho-rgyal, you have been liberated
by the profound teachings.
Meditate on the Great Perfection of the Ati
which destroys corporeality;
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? ? ? meditate, pray, practice, and clear away obstacles.
The compassion of the Lama clears away all hindrances.
"Kye Ma! Listen, auspiciously marked Radiant Blue Light- many times I have given you oral instructions.
Practice the Guru Yoga and understand the meaning
of collection and cessation.
Let your head be anointed with rainbow light-
visualize there the moon and lotus,
and Padmasambhava himself, teacher of beings:
having one face and two hands, holding a vajra and skull cup, wearing layers of multicolored robes, religious garments
that symbolize the complete perfection of the vehicles. His hat is a snyan-shu with an eagle feather on top; earrings and necklace are his ornaments.
He is seated in the lotus posture.
Endowed with radiant light, the auspicious signs and marks, qakinis of the five rainbow colors surround him,
and brilliant lights flash back and forth.
Continue to meditate
until the radiance of this image pervades your mind.
When that clarity comes, absorb its power with equanimity, and until that radiance appears, practice with great effort. Repeat the Vajra Guru Mantra:
the essence of the essence of the Guru.
Finally, merge your own three gates with mine,
and receive the Lama's blessing and dedication.
Rest within the actionless creativity of the Great Perfection. mTsho-rgyal-ma, there is nothing more sublime.
"Padmasambhava's compassion does not rise and fall;
the light of my compassion will never cease to brighten Tibet. One need only ask, and Padmasambhava will appear before him. I am never far from those with faith;
or even far from those without it,
though they do not see me.
My children will always be protected by my compassion.
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"Thus, in the future, on the tenth day of the month, Padmasambhava will appear on the sun's rays.
As the four seasons change, so shall I,
from peaceful to wrathful forms,
and I will give my children the siddhis they desire. It is especially important to practice
on the tenth day of the month
when all the siddhis of the wrathful deities
and empowerment can be attained.
"On the fifteenth day, I will come on moon rays,
with blessings and compassion, shaking the world;
I will empty all the lower realms,
benefitting all beings with my perfect charismatic action.
"On the eighth day, night and daybreak, dawn and dusk, mounted on the magical horse Cang-shes,
I will wander the world giving aid and strength to beings. In the country of demons, I will turn the Dharma Wheel. In twenty-one distant lands across the sea,
and in thirty even more distant,
I will manifest without distinction
in peaceful and wrathful forms,
as fire, water, air, space, and rainbows- my vibrations passing everywhere,
my many manifestations leading to bliss.
"For the same reason, girl, to benefit countless beings, you must remain in the land of Tibet
for more than a hundred years yet to come,
to lead beings to bliss.
In one hundred and one years, come to rNga-yab Island,
and together we will protect and educate, as one.
You will be called Knowledge-holder, Radiant Blue Light.
Until then, you will remain one with my body, speech, and mind. You have cut the stream of birth and death,
you have stopped the winds of karma.
In the future you will manifest only to benefit beings.
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"We two will continue to manifest in Tibet-
without weariness or restraint we will help beings.
W e are now the same, mTsho-rgyal,
not for an instant will we ever really part-
only for a little while, only in a relative sense,
so be happy!
May my blessings and compassion rain upon all Tibet! "
As he finished, the sky was filled with light, and with hosts of qakas and qakin'is; music poured forth, unimaginably wonderful sounds from shells and drums and damarus, from horns and harps and violins, from gongs and cymbals and drums, and more.
Flags and banners appeared, streamers and ribbons, parasols, victory banners, standards, colored powders, medicinal powders, musical in- struments, fans of all kinds, canopies, curtains, cymbals, conch shells, thigh bone trumpets, hand drums, large drums, lutes, wind bells, and more, all in the midst of great, truly inconceivable clouds of offerings. Brilliant lights flashed back and forth, passing overhead. Gradually, the Guru and his retinue disappeared into the southwest.
As Ye-shes mTsho-rgyallater explained, she was utterly desolate and called out:
"Guru Rinpoche!
You are the one Buddha-teacher;
you are the one father of beings;
you are Tibet's only eyes;
you are my only heart . . .
0 what little compassion you have!
0 what a terrible thing you have done! Kye Hud, Kye Hud! "
Thus she cried and fell down in full prostration. Once more Guru Rinpoche looked back and gave his first testament. And again, music played and lights blazed and darted. In the midst of this light, mTsho-rgyal could faintly see the host in the distance, disappearing into the southwest, and then they were gone.
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Again she threw herself down and pulled at her hair, scratching her face, beating her body, and cried:
"Kye Ma Ho! Kye Ma Hud! Orgyan Lord!
Has the land of Tibet been left empty?
Has the light of compassion gone out?
Are the Buddha's teachings abandoned?
Have the Tibetans been left with no conscience? Has mTsho-rgyal been left with no refuge?
Look upon us with compassion. Look now! "
Loudly she cried, and in reply, a clear, sonorous, and majestic voice gave a last call, though no one could be seen. And so he gave his second testament. Suddenly, the sky blazed forth with light which spread to all four corners of the world; briefly, qakinis could be seen darting back and forth through a radiant net of light. Then darkness fell again, and
all disappeared.
Again, she collapsed onto the stones. Bleeding and aching all over, she called out to the Guru in her terrible pain:
"Kye Hud! Sphere of Compassion!
Your charismatic deeds are equal to all space-
but today your life in Tibet has ended.
Though each of the black-headed ones has his own destiny, today the fate of Tibet has been sealed.
All beings experience both pleasure and pain-
now is my turn to feel pain.
Alas! Look quickly upon me with compassion! "
And as she called out, an invisible voice spoke: "mTsho-rgyal, look here! " As she looked up, there appeared before her in space a ball of light the size of her head, inside of which was the first of Padma's bequests. Lights filled all Tibet and then coming together, rushed into the southwest and disappeared.
mTsho-rgyal was inconsolable. She cried out: "Orgyan Lord, Com- passionate One, don't leave me! Look at me. How can we part? " There came the same sounds as before, and in front of her appeared a ball of
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light the size ofher hand. Within it was a box containing the second of the Guru's bequests. A light bright as the sun blazed briefly, and then closing into itself, dissolved into the southwest, leaving a darkness deep as midnight. The Guru and his retinue of qakinis had completely disappeared. It seemed as if she had awakened from last night's dream.
mTsho-rgyal was greatly distressed and sat crying as she thought upon her Guru. Through her tears, she sang this song:
"Kye Ma! Jetsun Orgyan Rinpoche!
You are the one father who protects Tibet. Now you have gone to the Isle ofl)akinis, and Tibet has become a lost and empty place. Where has the finest of treasures gone?
Even though nothing ultimately goes or stays, today you have gone to the realm of Orgyan.
"That sun which warmed the land ofTibet, shining over both gods and men, has set.
Now who will warm us, who are totally naked? The luckless Tibetans have lost their eyes.
Now who will lead us, who are blind and alone? Our hearts have been torn from our breasts. Now who will guide these mindless corpses? You came here to benefit beings.
Why couldn't you stay just a little while longer?
"Kye Hud! Orgyan Rinpoche!
A time of thick darkness has come to Tibet:
a time when hermitages are empty;
a time when the Dharma throne is vacant;
a time when vase initiations are no more.
Now we can only guess as to the nature of things; now we must look to books for teachings;
now we can only visualize the lama;
now we must use images as his substitute;
now we must rely on dreams and visions;
now a grievous time has come!
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Alas! Jetsun Orgyan Lord!
Look upon me with compassion! "
And as she prayed, from the southwest a light radiated forth and halted right before her. Within the tip of the light ray was a box about an inch long. This was the third bequest of the Guru. Its arrival created a profound confidence in her heart-all inner insecurities and emo- tional instability were cleared away. She realized how meaningless is the concept of being together with or apart from the Teacher. W ith great respect, she opened the mandala of the Bla-ma gsang-ba 'dus-pa and practiced for three months. Six times during the days and nights of this period, Guru Rinpoche appeared before her, giving advice, teachings, and predictions.
Feeling filled with the Guru's blessings, mTsho-rgyal then went on to practice the Yang phur Sadhanas, together with their related prayers and expiations. She cleared away all the obstacles which plague the advanced teachings, and practiced the rDo-rje gzhon-nu Sadhanas Padmasambhava had given her. When she was done, she gave these teachings to bDe-ba-mo and to others blessed with faith. mTsho-rgyal left both the oral and treasure lineages at that place.
After this, mTsho-rgyal went to Mang-yul, to the great joy of all those with faith, especially those who had previously been her students there. They presented her with many offerings and asked her to remain with them always. But she stayed only one month, clearing away her students' obstacles, developing their potential to the utmost, and spreading many instructions on reaching enlightenment. Then she took the road to gTsang.
For a time, mTsho-rgyal wandered through the borderlands between gTsang and Mang-yul and all the people there welcomed her, saying: "The Guru has gone to the Demon Land, but the Lady is with us!
" They were confident mTsho-rgyal was one with Guru Rinpoche and crowded about her so thickly that she could scarcely walk. She gave them all instructions and benefitted them greatly.
Then she went to the region of Zur and remained for one year, teaching gNyan dPal-dbyangs, sBe Ye-shes snying-po, La-gsum rGyal-
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ba byang-chub, '0-bran dPal-gyi gzhon-nu (the later one), Lang-lab Byang-chub rdo-rje, and 'Da' Cha-ru-pa rdo-rje, a seven-year-old boy who showed great promise. Seeing them to be worthy vessels, she gave them the maturation and liberation teachings.
mTsho-rgyal went on to Shang and stayed in the caves of sPa-rna gang for three years, doing much to benefit beings. After that she visited Zab-bu, where she remained one year in a meditation of the effortless Ati vehicle, experiencing the ever-growing compassion and extreme joy which comes with higher realization. She hid thirty great gter-kha there.
She went on to gZho-yi Ti-sgro, remaining there for six years; she experienced the Rig-pa-tshad, the third realization of the Ati, impress- ing the Great Perfection on her mind. She benefitted many qakinis and visited sixty-two heaven realms. This account, however, is found in other texts.
At this time, mTsho-rgyal took upon herselfthe sufferings ofothers. For example, the evil minister Santi-pa, who had caused mTsho-rgyal such great suffering earlier in her life, had been reborn in one of the hot hells. By great effort and the power of her compassion, she drew him out of hell. Without making distinctions, she freed many other hell- beings as well. But you must look elsewhere for that story.
She gave her body to wild animals, clothing to those who were cold, and food to the hungry. To the sick she gave medicine; to the poor, riches. To the powerless, she gave protection, and to those with great desire, she gave her own body. She gave of her body and life in whatever manner would be of use to other beings. Without regard for herself, she even gave her own sense organs where they could be of use. Sakra and the naga king Nanda both kept watch over her.
Once, when she was at Ti-sgro, three men approached her carrying a cripple. She asked them what had happened, and they explained: "We have come from 'On-phu in Tibet. The king ordered this man pun- ished by having his kneecaps removed. A great and learned Tibetan told us that only the kneecaps of a woman could help him, otherwise there is no hope. Lady, it is said that you will give anything to those
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who have need. Thus, we have come to you. Could you possibly give us what we ask for? "
Looking at the cripple, mTsho-rgyal saw the long oblong scars on his legs and felt great compassion arise within her heart. "You may take from me whatever you need," she told them, "for I promised my teacher always to act for the benefit of beings by my body, speech, and mind. "
So they took up a knife. "We need to make great incisions in your body. It will be very painful . . . can you stand it? " "Whatever must happen, let it happen," she replied.
First, they cut across the top of the knees and then pulled out the knee caps with a loud popping noise. When they set the red objects down in front of mTsho-rgyal, for a moment she lost her breath. But she recovered and told the men to take them. They rejoiced and left. After a time, her knees healed.
Another man came to her, a leper in a terrible state-his body de- composing, blood and pus spewing forth, his nose and mouth noth- ing but a deep wound. He reeked with the odor of decay, and he was weepmg.
"Why are you crying? " asked mTsho-rgyal. "This is your karma; it is useless to cry. It would help you more to do some spiritual practices. "
"Yes, illness is everywhere in this world," he answered. "But this sickness is not my only problem. "
"What is the trouble? " she asked.
"This illness came upon me all of a sudden, and very strongly. I had a beautiful wife like you; she looked like a goddess. When I caught this terrible disease, she would not stay with me, but ran off and took another husband. I have heard that you live only to help living beings, and so I came here to ask you to be my woman. Do you think you could stand it? "
Again, mTsho-rgyal felt great compassion, and she answered: "Do not weep. Whatever you say, I will try to do. " And so she served him.
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In like manner, mTsho-rgyal sacrificed herself many times. Once seven Bon-pos came, saying: "We need your skin for a ransom cere- mony. " So she gave her skin to them. Similarly she was asked many times for her eyes, head, arms and legs, tongue, and so forth. Many beggars came to her, and she always gave, joyfully and with blessings.
Then Indra came and offered her the wealth of the gods: the five kinds of heavenly garments, the vessel full of the nectar of immortality, and the seven kinds of heavenly jewels. Praising her, he said:
"Amazing Lady, adorned with auspicious marks,
your deeds are those of the great Bodhisattvas of the past. Without regard for body or life, you devote yourself to others. Heroine, Queen of Compassion, I take refuge in you.
"Wondrous and supreme, I praise you above all others- I will stand by you from now until the kalpa ends. Please, Lady of Initiation,
stay and tum the Wheel of the Dharma-
I exhort you, stay and teach sentient beings! "
Thus Indra spoke and then disappeared. At the same time, all of mTsho-rgyal's infirmities were cured, and she was quite as before.
Then the leper turned into the naga lord, Nanda, and heaped im- measurable naga wealth in front of mTsho-rgyal. Clasping his hands in faith, his eyes filled with tears, he said to her:
"Kye Ma! Guru Ye-shes mTsho-rgyal-ma!
You are the secret key of Padmasambhava.
In your compassion, you take up others' sufferings.
You neither judge nor grasp at clean or unclean;
you care only for the benefit of others,
and conceal any love you might feel for yourself. Buddha Consort, Queen of the Teaching, to you I bow.
"Padma Thod-phreng was our teacher.
0 Dharma Sister,look upon me with compassion. In you lies the ocean ofsecret Dharma teachings!
1~9
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You hold the profound meaning
of the treasures of the Lotus teachings.
Because of your comprehension,
his teachings do not decline but continue to spread.
"As long as you remain, as long as I live,
I will follow you, protect you, and guard you.
May the good succeed, and the wrong be overturned! "
Thus he spoke and disappeared.
When Khri-srong lde'u-btsan's son heard that mTsho-rgyal was at Ti-sgro, he sent her an invitation. And so she went to bSam-yas and stayed at mChims-phu for six years. The great Dharma King Mu-khri btsan-po, the principallotsawas, the ministers-of-state, the nobles and queens, as well as the Tibetan people, all treated her with great honor and respect and requested her blessings.
The practitioners who had first practiced at mChims-phu had long since accomplished their own good, achieved their purpose, and dis- persed to benefit others. Some had since passed into nirvana, some had grown old, and only a few remained. But again, new monks were being ordained by order of the Dharma King: Fifteen hundred were or- dained at one time, and the learned KamalaSila came from India to become abbot. mTsho-rgyal continued to meditate at mChims-phu, giving teachings and helping students to develop siddhi and mature in their practice.
At this time, a dispute was going on over the validity of the stan- min view versus the rtsad-min view. A monk called Hva-shang, teacher of the ston-min, had been propounding wrong views; these were re- futed, and the defeated group declined. The debate between the two philosophies had been held at bSam-yas with the teacher KamalaSila defending the nsad-min at the temple of Hayagriva, and the Hva- shang arguing his position from the temple of Maitreya.
As mTsho-rgyal explained later, she came down from mChims-phu with one hundred followers in hopes of reconciling the dispute, but no one would listen to her. Through demonstrating siddhis and miracu-
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lous manifestations, she tried to bring the followers of ston-min and those of rtsad-min together by a show of faith. But this failed, and the Dharma teachings and the tenets of the teacher Kamalasila were established as being correct. Hva-shang and his followers were given gold and escorted to the boundaries of their own country, China.
After that, under the influence of the great Dharma King, the Dharma centers at lHa-sa, bSam-yas, Khra-'brug, and elsewhere con- tinued to expand. Thirteen thousand novices entered the Sangha.
mTsho-rgyal then spent some time at mChims-phu and mNga'-ris, Mang-yul and Pu-rang, Mon and gTsang, Byar and Lo-ro, the four parts of dBus and gTsang, the four of Byang-kha, the six mountain ranges of mDo-khams, in rGya, Jang, Hor, and Me-nyag, and so forth, all the places where previously Guru Rinpoche had given teachings and ordained students. The Lady mTsho-rgyal did likewise, teaching old students and newly ordained monks, and anyone who came with faith in Guru Rinpoche. She benefitted beings immeasurably, and her lineage filled all the land.
In order to fulfill her duties concerning the Dharma treasures, and to help all beings without distinction, mTsho-rgyal visited many small holy places and secret shelters. She explained in her own words how she travelled about and hid the Dharma treasures:
"I did my best to benefit the teachings and to benefit beings. According to the Guru's predictions, half my lifetime was over. I had achieved the Rig-pa yang-tshad realization, achieving the sPyod-pa yang-tshad. I then decided to go to all the places which Guru Rinpoche had himself blessed, and in these places to put Dharma treasures and add my blessings and do practices.
"First, I went to Ti-sgro where I remained for one year and seven months. There I concealed ten gter-kha and practiced and prayed for the benefit of beings. Then I went to the border regions and hid five
gter-kha in the crystal cave at Yar-lung. I remained there in meditation for thirteen months. Having blessed that place, I went on to Yang rdzong where I remained for one year and concealed thirteen gter-kha. At Yer-pa I stayed one month and hid ten complete kha-gter.
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"Gradually I travelled on to the Tsa-ri snow mountains in the east where I stayed one year and four months and hid thirty great kha-gter. After that I went on to the land of Kong-po and hid one hundred and fifty kha-gter. I went to the great mountains of Nepal to the south where I remained for thirteen months and hid thirty-five kha-gter. Then I went to the great mountains and passes of the western border, staying four months and seven days, and hiding eight gter-kha. I went to the great mountains in the demon lands near the northern border and stayed three months and five days, hiding three gter-kha.
"I went to the Valley of the Kings in the southeast mountains where I stayed one year and fifteen days and hid ten gter-kha. I travelled to the Gra-phu valley in the southwest, stayed five months and ten days, and hid seven gter-kha. Then I went to the Jag-rna valley in the northwest, stayed one year and five months, and hid nine great gter-kha. Then in the Gro-ma valley in the northeast, where I stayed eleven months, I hid five kha-gter. I spent one month and ten days at the snow moun- tain of Yar-bu and hid three kha-gter. I spent a year at the great snow mountains of gSal-rje and hid ten gter-kha. In the mountains and val- leys of gYu, I stayed for three months and hid three gter-kha. In the
mountains and valleys of 'Brong-rje, I stayed ten days and hid three gter-kha. In the mountains and valleys ofgYul I stayed three months and hid four gter-kha.
"At the great mountains and valleys ofJo-mo, I spent five months and hid ten gter-kha. In those of sNye-bo I stayed five months and hid four gter-kha. At rDza-yul mountain I stayed twenty-one days and hid one gter-kha. At the mountains of sNa-nam I spent seven months and hid five gter-kha. In the lHo-rong mountains I stayed three months and seven days and hid thirteen gter-kha. In the mountains of Rong- btsan I spent seven months and hid fifteen gter-kha. In the mountains of Shel-dbrang I spent two months and ten days and hid five gter-kha. In the mountains of sGam-po I spent one year and one month and one day, and hid twenty gter-kha.
"At the mountains of Bye-phu I spent one month and hid four- teen gter-kha. In the mountains of Bu-'bol I stayed twenty-one days and hid three gter-kha. In the mountains ofSeng-phrom I stayed seven
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days and hid two gter-kha. In the mountains of mTsho-nag I stayed twenty-four days and hid one gter-kha.
"Similarly, in the valley of Ma-kung in the east, I spent one month and hid thineen gter-kha. And at rBa-lcags-sri in the south I spent one year and hid seven gter-kha. In the valley of sBrang-sman in the west I remained one month and hid three gter-kha. At Se-mo-do in the north I stayed three months and hid four gter-kha.
"I placed gter-kha in other places as well: in the upper Tsa-ri rdzong and the middle Kha-rag rdzong and the lower Ge-re rdzong, at Phag-ri rdzong in Bhutan and the Bu-chu rdzong in Kong-po, and Bag-yul rdzong in sPu-bo. At the lDan-gyi rdo-rje rdzong and the Phyams-kyi Na-bun rdzong, and at the Ne-ring Seng-ge rdzong, and the gYa'-ri Brag-dmar rdzong, the Ka-ling sPin-po rdzong, the lHa-ri gYu-ru rdzong, the lTo-la'i dPal-'bar rdzong, the Re-kha'i Bu-mo rdzong, the Brag-dmar rdzong in Gling, the lHa-brag rdzong in 'Bri, the Brag-dkar rdzong in lower Kong-po, and so forth, I remained for a month and a day, giving teachings and concealing gter-kha.
"And at the e~ght great repositories: 'Bras-mo gshongs in Nepal, Padma-bkod in Klo-yul, Zab-bu valley in Shangs, mGo-bo ljongs in sMad, rGyal-mo rMu-rdo ljongs, lHa-mo dngul-khang ljongs, rGyal- lung 'jog-po valley, and the Bu-ldum valley in Bhutan, I stayed for one year giving teachings, making preparations, and concealing many gter-kha.
"At twenty-five great snow mountains and four places of blessing, at the eighteen great fortresses, and at one hundred and eight power places of Guru Rinpoche, I practiced for one year, one month, and one day, hid gter, and prayed for the well-being of the region.
"In particular, in the border regions of mDo-khams, at the eight places of the eight signs of the Guru's blessing, at the five places of the five classes of Thod-phreng-rtsal, at the twelve places of wonderful charismatic deeds, at the three places of the blessings of the oral teachings, and so forth, in the regions where the Guru's pure teaching extended, I gave blessings and hid gter-kha. "
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And beyond that, throughout Tibet, at the 105 great sacred places and the 1070 smaller sacred places, at many millions of other locations, mTsho-rgyal practiced and prayed and hid gter-kha. But these names are not included here for fear of making the text too long. In the outer reaches of Tibet as well as the central locations, bSam-yas, lHa-sa, Khra-'brug, and so forth, she hid gter-kha, but one should look in the various gTer-kha-byang and the life story ofGuru Rinpoche for further details.
This Concludes the Seventh Chapter Concerning Ye-shes mTsho-rgyal's Deeds For the Benefit of Sentient Beings.
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? How Ye-shes mTsho-rgyal Reached Her Goal, Achieved Buddhahood, and Entered
the Expanse of All That Is
T hus mTsho-rgyal blessed important sacred places throughout the . 1L land and concealed many gter-kha, as has been explained. She then returned to dBus province in central Tibet and stayed some time at the sanctuary of the Tibetan sovereign at mChims-phu. She continued to aid and protect sentient beings, even surpassing what she had accom- plished before. In the temple of sKar-chung rdor-dbyings, she gave
many extensive, profound, and supreme Dharma teachings for matu? ration and liberation to seven worthy vessels, including the Dharma King Mu-khri btsan-po, Prince Mu-rum btsan-po, and Ngang-chung
dPal-gyi rgyal-mo.
In particular, mTsho-rgyal revealed the Bla-ma bka' gsang 'dus-pa, the Lama's Oral Teaching of the Guhyasamaja, the Yi-dam dgongs-pa 'dus-pa, the rDzogs-chen Ati 'dus-pa, and so forth, and set forth the maturation and liberation practices related to them. Then she opened the mandala of the Bla-ma gsang 'dus-pa and practiced.
. At dawn on the seventh day, after beginning the service, she invited the Guru:
"In the northwestern land of Orgyan, within the flower of the lotus,
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the renowned Padmasambhava,
the Lotus-born One endowed with wondrous realization, appeared amidst a host of qakinis.
So that I, following your example, may perfect my practice, please approach and grant me your blessings. "
When these verses were spoken, Guru Rinpoche and his retinue were seen approaching from the southwest surrounded by music, clouds of sweet-smelling incense, and a host of qakinis dancing in the sky. In the midst of brilliant light, Guru Rinpoche himself appeared, seated in the middle of the mandala. And the king thought: "As I am the great Dharma King, I must prepare a throne for the Guru. " But he was so overwhelmed by devotion and love that he was unable to pre- pare the throne.
Guru Rinpoche declared: "Before too long, quite soon, this king will have a grandson, a malevolent man, who will, for a short time, occupy the throne of his ancestors, the Great Dharma Kings. But the faith of this Dharma King here and now is so great that he need no longer occupy a body compelled by karma. He will manifest only for the benefit of beings. Simultaneously, he will achieve realization and liberation. "
Prince Mu-rum prepared many cushions and asked the Guru to be seated. King Mu-khri then gave Guru Rinpoche one hundred man- dalas ofgold and turquoise, bowed to his teacher, and asked:
"EMaHo!
0 manifestation ofJetsun Orgyan Padma!
One father of all beings in the land of Tibet!
Bad karma is a great burden pressing down upon me- carrying it, I seem to flounder in a swamp of mud.
Without your compassion at this time, how can I ever escape? Today through your great kindness you came here.
Please say you will stay with us always
and continue to turn the pure Wheel of the Dharma. "
Thus he asked, and Padmasambhava answered: 168
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After making this prediction, Padmasambhava rose upon a ray of light and prepared to leave. mTsho-rgyal, weeping, bowed before her teacher and cried desperately:
"Kye Ma Kyi Hud! Orgyan Lord! Now you're here, now you're gone. Must there be this birth and death? How can birth and death be changed?
"Kye Ma Kyi Hud! Orgyan Lord!
For a time we were inseparable:
Now, suddenly we part.
Must there be this meeting and parting?
Is there no way for friends to remain together?
"Kye Ma Kyi Hud! Orgyan Lord!
For a time all Tibet was filled with your blessings; now only your footprints remain.
Must there be this impermanence?
Is there no way to reverse the winds of karma?
"Kye Ma Kyi Hud! Orgyan Lord!
For a time Tibet was protected by your teachings; now they are but a story once told.
Must there be this change?
Is there no way for you to stay?
"Kye Ma Kyi Hud! Orgyan Lord!
Until now, you and I have been inseparable; now you leave me for the sky.
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This woman is stricken with evil karma;
who will give me empowerments and blessings?
"Kye Ma Kyi Hud! Orgyan Lord!
Though you have given me many profound teachings, now you go into deathless space.
This lady is wretched;
who will clear away obstacles now?
"Kye Ma Kyi Hud! Orgyan Lord!
Now, please-give me your promise:
Forever gaze upon me with compassion, forever look upon Tibet with eyes of blessing. "
Then mTsho-rgyal threw thirteen handfuls of gold over the Guru and recited his mantra. Mounted on the ray of light not far away, Padmasambhava answered her:
"Kye Ma! Listen, lady, Lake of Good Qualities, Padmasambhava is leaving to overcome the cannibals. The activity of the Three Kayas
is perfect, powerful, and creative,
not at all the scattered froth of ordinary beings.
If you fear birth and death, hold tight to the Dharma; practice the Developing and Perfecting Stages,
bring patterning and energy under your control-
this is the means to reverse birth and death.
"Kye Ma! Listen, faithful and virtuous lady,
Padmasambhava is departing to benefit beings.
Undiscriminating compassion pervades everything,
not at all like the bewildered confusion of ordinary beings.
Make the meditation on the Guru Yoga your inseparable friend- everything that arises is the pure manifestation of the Teacher. This is the best teaching:
that meeting and parting do not exist.
"Kye Ma! Listen and look closely, irresistible lady! Padmasambhava is departing to teach and train others.
149
? This supreme and indestructible body destroys destruction, not at all like the evil karma that pursues ordinary people. All ofTibet is filled with my children, my siddha disciples. Meditate on the Mahamudra as you watch impermanence, for samsara and nirvana are inherently free-
there is no better way to reverse the winds of karma.
"Kye Ma! listen, faithful young lady,
Padmasambhava is departing to turn the Dharma Wheel in the land of savages.
This is an unchanging, supreme Vajra Body,
not at all like the sick, suffering body of ordinary beings. The Dharma fills Tibet from top to bottom:
If you study and practice,
you will never lack the wealth of the Dharma.
By listening, examining, and meditating,
you protect the Buddha's teachings;
both you and others become perfectly realized. There is no more profound way to reverse change.
"Kye Ma! listen, faithful daughter of mKhar-chen bza', Padmasambhava is departing for the Lotus Light.
The Tathagatas of the three times have asked me to do so. This is not at all like ordinary beings
driven on by the Lord of Death.
Lady, you have a wondrous body, a siddha's body;
ask the Lord, your own mind, for blessings and empowerment. There is no other regent of the Lotus Guru.
"Kye Ma! listen, Ye-shes mTsho-rgyal-ma, Padmasambhava is going to the place of Great Bliss.
I will reside in the Dharmakaya, the deathless divine state. This is not at all like the parting of mind and body
which afflicts ordinary beings.
Already, mTsho-rgyal, you have been liberated
by the profound teachings.
Meditate on the Great Perfection of the Ati
which destroys corporeality;
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? ? ? meditate, pray, practice, and clear away obstacles.
The compassion of the Lama clears away all hindrances.
"Kye Ma! Listen, auspiciously marked Radiant Blue Light- many times I have given you oral instructions.
Practice the Guru Yoga and understand the meaning
of collection and cessation.
Let your head be anointed with rainbow light-
visualize there the moon and lotus,
and Padmasambhava himself, teacher of beings:
having one face and two hands, holding a vajra and skull cup, wearing layers of multicolored robes, religious garments
that symbolize the complete perfection of the vehicles. His hat is a snyan-shu with an eagle feather on top; earrings and necklace are his ornaments.
He is seated in the lotus posture.
Endowed with radiant light, the auspicious signs and marks, qakinis of the five rainbow colors surround him,
and brilliant lights flash back and forth.
Continue to meditate
until the radiance of this image pervades your mind.
When that clarity comes, absorb its power with equanimity, and until that radiance appears, practice with great effort. Repeat the Vajra Guru Mantra:
the essence of the essence of the Guru.
Finally, merge your own three gates with mine,
and receive the Lama's blessing and dedication.
Rest within the actionless creativity of the Great Perfection. mTsho-rgyal-ma, there is nothing more sublime.
"Padmasambhava's compassion does not rise and fall;
the light of my compassion will never cease to brighten Tibet. One need only ask, and Padmasambhava will appear before him. I am never far from those with faith;
or even far from those without it,
though they do not see me.
My children will always be protected by my compassion.
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"Thus, in the future, on the tenth day of the month, Padmasambhava will appear on the sun's rays.
As the four seasons change, so shall I,
from peaceful to wrathful forms,
and I will give my children the siddhis they desire. It is especially important to practice
on the tenth day of the month
when all the siddhis of the wrathful deities
and empowerment can be attained.
"On the fifteenth day, I will come on moon rays,
with blessings and compassion, shaking the world;
I will empty all the lower realms,
benefitting all beings with my perfect charismatic action.
"On the eighth day, night and daybreak, dawn and dusk, mounted on the magical horse Cang-shes,
I will wander the world giving aid and strength to beings. In the country of demons, I will turn the Dharma Wheel. In twenty-one distant lands across the sea,
and in thirty even more distant,
I will manifest without distinction
in peaceful and wrathful forms,
as fire, water, air, space, and rainbows- my vibrations passing everywhere,
my many manifestations leading to bliss.
"For the same reason, girl, to benefit countless beings, you must remain in the land of Tibet
for more than a hundred years yet to come,
to lead beings to bliss.
In one hundred and one years, come to rNga-yab Island,
and together we will protect and educate, as one.
You will be called Knowledge-holder, Radiant Blue Light.
Until then, you will remain one with my body, speech, and mind. You have cut the stream of birth and death,
you have stopped the winds of karma.
In the future you will manifest only to benefit beings.
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"We two will continue to manifest in Tibet-
without weariness or restraint we will help beings.
W e are now the same, mTsho-rgyal,
not for an instant will we ever really part-
only for a little while, only in a relative sense,
so be happy!
May my blessings and compassion rain upon all Tibet! "
As he finished, the sky was filled with light, and with hosts of qakas and qakin'is; music poured forth, unimaginably wonderful sounds from shells and drums and damarus, from horns and harps and violins, from gongs and cymbals and drums, and more.
Flags and banners appeared, streamers and ribbons, parasols, victory banners, standards, colored powders, medicinal powders, musical in- struments, fans of all kinds, canopies, curtains, cymbals, conch shells, thigh bone trumpets, hand drums, large drums, lutes, wind bells, and more, all in the midst of great, truly inconceivable clouds of offerings. Brilliant lights flashed back and forth, passing overhead. Gradually, the Guru and his retinue disappeared into the southwest.
As Ye-shes mTsho-rgyallater explained, she was utterly desolate and called out:
"Guru Rinpoche!
You are the one Buddha-teacher;
you are the one father of beings;
you are Tibet's only eyes;
you are my only heart . . .
0 what little compassion you have!
0 what a terrible thing you have done! Kye Hud, Kye Hud! "
Thus she cried and fell down in full prostration. Once more Guru Rinpoche looked back and gave his first testament. And again, music played and lights blazed and darted. In the midst of this light, mTsho-rgyal could faintly see the host in the distance, disappearing into the southwest, and then they were gone.
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Again she threw herself down and pulled at her hair, scratching her face, beating her body, and cried:
"Kye Ma Ho! Kye Ma Hud! Orgyan Lord!
Has the land of Tibet been left empty?
Has the light of compassion gone out?
Are the Buddha's teachings abandoned?
Have the Tibetans been left with no conscience? Has mTsho-rgyal been left with no refuge?
Look upon us with compassion. Look now! "
Loudly she cried, and in reply, a clear, sonorous, and majestic voice gave a last call, though no one could be seen. And so he gave his second testament. Suddenly, the sky blazed forth with light which spread to all four corners of the world; briefly, qakinis could be seen darting back and forth through a radiant net of light. Then darkness fell again, and
all disappeared.
Again, she collapsed onto the stones. Bleeding and aching all over, she called out to the Guru in her terrible pain:
"Kye Hud! Sphere of Compassion!
Your charismatic deeds are equal to all space-
but today your life in Tibet has ended.
Though each of the black-headed ones has his own destiny, today the fate of Tibet has been sealed.
All beings experience both pleasure and pain-
now is my turn to feel pain.
Alas! Look quickly upon me with compassion! "
And as she called out, an invisible voice spoke: "mTsho-rgyal, look here! " As she looked up, there appeared before her in space a ball of light the size of her head, inside of which was the first of Padma's bequests. Lights filled all Tibet and then coming together, rushed into the southwest and disappeared.
mTsho-rgyal was inconsolable. She cried out: "Orgyan Lord, Com- passionate One, don't leave me! Look at me. How can we part? " There came the same sounds as before, and in front of her appeared a ball of
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light the size ofher hand. Within it was a box containing the second of the Guru's bequests. A light bright as the sun blazed briefly, and then closing into itself, dissolved into the southwest, leaving a darkness deep as midnight. The Guru and his retinue of qakinis had completely disappeared. It seemed as if she had awakened from last night's dream.
mTsho-rgyal was greatly distressed and sat crying as she thought upon her Guru. Through her tears, she sang this song:
"Kye Ma! Jetsun Orgyan Rinpoche!
You are the one father who protects Tibet. Now you have gone to the Isle ofl)akinis, and Tibet has become a lost and empty place. Where has the finest of treasures gone?
Even though nothing ultimately goes or stays, today you have gone to the realm of Orgyan.
"That sun which warmed the land ofTibet, shining over both gods and men, has set.
Now who will warm us, who are totally naked? The luckless Tibetans have lost their eyes.
Now who will lead us, who are blind and alone? Our hearts have been torn from our breasts. Now who will guide these mindless corpses? You came here to benefit beings.
Why couldn't you stay just a little while longer?
"Kye Hud! Orgyan Rinpoche!
A time of thick darkness has come to Tibet:
a time when hermitages are empty;
a time when the Dharma throne is vacant;
a time when vase initiations are no more.
Now we can only guess as to the nature of things; now we must look to books for teachings;
now we can only visualize the lama;
now we must use images as his substitute;
now we must rely on dreams and visions;
now a grievous time has come!
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Alas! Jetsun Orgyan Lord!
Look upon me with compassion! "
And as she prayed, from the southwest a light radiated forth and halted right before her. Within the tip of the light ray was a box about an inch long. This was the third bequest of the Guru. Its arrival created a profound confidence in her heart-all inner insecurities and emo- tional instability were cleared away. She realized how meaningless is the concept of being together with or apart from the Teacher. W ith great respect, she opened the mandala of the Bla-ma gsang-ba 'dus-pa and practiced for three months. Six times during the days and nights of this period, Guru Rinpoche appeared before her, giving advice, teachings, and predictions.
Feeling filled with the Guru's blessings, mTsho-rgyal then went on to practice the Yang phur Sadhanas, together with their related prayers and expiations. She cleared away all the obstacles which plague the advanced teachings, and practiced the rDo-rje gzhon-nu Sadhanas Padmasambhava had given her. When she was done, she gave these teachings to bDe-ba-mo and to others blessed with faith. mTsho-rgyal left both the oral and treasure lineages at that place.
After this, mTsho-rgyal went to Mang-yul, to the great joy of all those with faith, especially those who had previously been her students there. They presented her with many offerings and asked her to remain with them always. But she stayed only one month, clearing away her students' obstacles, developing their potential to the utmost, and spreading many instructions on reaching enlightenment. Then she took the road to gTsang.
For a time, mTsho-rgyal wandered through the borderlands between gTsang and Mang-yul and all the people there welcomed her, saying: "The Guru has gone to the Demon Land, but the Lady is with us!
" They were confident mTsho-rgyal was one with Guru Rinpoche and crowded about her so thickly that she could scarcely walk. She gave them all instructions and benefitted them greatly.
Then she went to the region of Zur and remained for one year, teaching gNyan dPal-dbyangs, sBe Ye-shes snying-po, La-gsum rGyal-
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ba byang-chub, '0-bran dPal-gyi gzhon-nu (the later one), Lang-lab Byang-chub rdo-rje, and 'Da' Cha-ru-pa rdo-rje, a seven-year-old boy who showed great promise. Seeing them to be worthy vessels, she gave them the maturation and liberation teachings.
mTsho-rgyal went on to Shang and stayed in the caves of sPa-rna gang for three years, doing much to benefit beings. After that she visited Zab-bu, where she remained one year in a meditation of the effortless Ati vehicle, experiencing the ever-growing compassion and extreme joy which comes with higher realization. She hid thirty great gter-kha there.
She went on to gZho-yi Ti-sgro, remaining there for six years; she experienced the Rig-pa-tshad, the third realization of the Ati, impress- ing the Great Perfection on her mind. She benefitted many qakinis and visited sixty-two heaven realms. This account, however, is found in other texts.
At this time, mTsho-rgyal took upon herselfthe sufferings ofothers. For example, the evil minister Santi-pa, who had caused mTsho-rgyal such great suffering earlier in her life, had been reborn in one of the hot hells. By great effort and the power of her compassion, she drew him out of hell. Without making distinctions, she freed many other hell- beings as well. But you must look elsewhere for that story.
She gave her body to wild animals, clothing to those who were cold, and food to the hungry. To the sick she gave medicine; to the poor, riches. To the powerless, she gave protection, and to those with great desire, she gave her own body. She gave of her body and life in whatever manner would be of use to other beings. Without regard for herself, she even gave her own sense organs where they could be of use. Sakra and the naga king Nanda both kept watch over her.
Once, when she was at Ti-sgro, three men approached her carrying a cripple. She asked them what had happened, and they explained: "We have come from 'On-phu in Tibet. The king ordered this man pun- ished by having his kneecaps removed. A great and learned Tibetan told us that only the kneecaps of a woman could help him, otherwise there is no hope. Lady, it is said that you will give anything to those
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who have need. Thus, we have come to you. Could you possibly give us what we ask for? "
Looking at the cripple, mTsho-rgyal saw the long oblong scars on his legs and felt great compassion arise within her heart. "You may take from me whatever you need," she told them, "for I promised my teacher always to act for the benefit of beings by my body, speech, and mind. "
So they took up a knife. "We need to make great incisions in your body. It will be very painful . . . can you stand it? " "Whatever must happen, let it happen," she replied.
First, they cut across the top of the knees and then pulled out the knee caps with a loud popping noise. When they set the red objects down in front of mTsho-rgyal, for a moment she lost her breath. But she recovered and told the men to take them. They rejoiced and left. After a time, her knees healed.
Another man came to her, a leper in a terrible state-his body de- composing, blood and pus spewing forth, his nose and mouth noth- ing but a deep wound. He reeked with the odor of decay, and he was weepmg.
"Why are you crying? " asked mTsho-rgyal. "This is your karma; it is useless to cry. It would help you more to do some spiritual practices. "
"Yes, illness is everywhere in this world," he answered. "But this sickness is not my only problem. "
"What is the trouble? " she asked.
"This illness came upon me all of a sudden, and very strongly. I had a beautiful wife like you; she looked like a goddess. When I caught this terrible disease, she would not stay with me, but ran off and took another husband. I have heard that you live only to help living beings, and so I came here to ask you to be my woman. Do you think you could stand it? "
Again, mTsho-rgyal felt great compassion, and she answered: "Do not weep. Whatever you say, I will try to do. " And so she served him.
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In like manner, mTsho-rgyal sacrificed herself many times. Once seven Bon-pos came, saying: "We need your skin for a ransom cere- mony. " So she gave her skin to them. Similarly she was asked many times for her eyes, head, arms and legs, tongue, and so forth. Many beggars came to her, and she always gave, joyfully and with blessings.
Then Indra came and offered her the wealth of the gods: the five kinds of heavenly garments, the vessel full of the nectar of immortality, and the seven kinds of heavenly jewels. Praising her, he said:
"Amazing Lady, adorned with auspicious marks,
your deeds are those of the great Bodhisattvas of the past. Without regard for body or life, you devote yourself to others. Heroine, Queen of Compassion, I take refuge in you.
"Wondrous and supreme, I praise you above all others- I will stand by you from now until the kalpa ends. Please, Lady of Initiation,
stay and tum the Wheel of the Dharma-
I exhort you, stay and teach sentient beings! "
Thus Indra spoke and then disappeared. At the same time, all of mTsho-rgyal's infirmities were cured, and she was quite as before.
Then the leper turned into the naga lord, Nanda, and heaped im- measurable naga wealth in front of mTsho-rgyal. Clasping his hands in faith, his eyes filled with tears, he said to her:
"Kye Ma! Guru Ye-shes mTsho-rgyal-ma!
You are the secret key of Padmasambhava.
In your compassion, you take up others' sufferings.
You neither judge nor grasp at clean or unclean;
you care only for the benefit of others,
and conceal any love you might feel for yourself. Buddha Consort, Queen of the Teaching, to you I bow.
"Padma Thod-phreng was our teacher.
0 Dharma Sister,look upon me with compassion. In you lies the ocean ofsecret Dharma teachings!
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You hold the profound meaning
of the treasures of the Lotus teachings.
Because of your comprehension,
his teachings do not decline but continue to spread.
"As long as you remain, as long as I live,
I will follow you, protect you, and guard you.
May the good succeed, and the wrong be overturned! "
Thus he spoke and disappeared.
When Khri-srong lde'u-btsan's son heard that mTsho-rgyal was at Ti-sgro, he sent her an invitation. And so she went to bSam-yas and stayed at mChims-phu for six years. The great Dharma King Mu-khri btsan-po, the principallotsawas, the ministers-of-state, the nobles and queens, as well as the Tibetan people, all treated her with great honor and respect and requested her blessings.
The practitioners who had first practiced at mChims-phu had long since accomplished their own good, achieved their purpose, and dis- persed to benefit others. Some had since passed into nirvana, some had grown old, and only a few remained. But again, new monks were being ordained by order of the Dharma King: Fifteen hundred were or- dained at one time, and the learned KamalaSila came from India to become abbot. mTsho-rgyal continued to meditate at mChims-phu, giving teachings and helping students to develop siddhi and mature in their practice.
At this time, a dispute was going on over the validity of the stan- min view versus the rtsad-min view. A monk called Hva-shang, teacher of the ston-min, had been propounding wrong views; these were re- futed, and the defeated group declined. The debate between the two philosophies had been held at bSam-yas with the teacher KamalaSila defending the nsad-min at the temple of Hayagriva, and the Hva- shang arguing his position from the temple of Maitreya.
As mTsho-rgyal explained later, she came down from mChims-phu with one hundred followers in hopes of reconciling the dispute, but no one would listen to her. Through demonstrating siddhis and miracu-
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lous manifestations, she tried to bring the followers of ston-min and those of rtsad-min together by a show of faith. But this failed, and the Dharma teachings and the tenets of the teacher Kamalasila were established as being correct. Hva-shang and his followers were given gold and escorted to the boundaries of their own country, China.
After that, under the influence of the great Dharma King, the Dharma centers at lHa-sa, bSam-yas, Khra-'brug, and elsewhere con- tinued to expand. Thirteen thousand novices entered the Sangha.
mTsho-rgyal then spent some time at mChims-phu and mNga'-ris, Mang-yul and Pu-rang, Mon and gTsang, Byar and Lo-ro, the four parts of dBus and gTsang, the four of Byang-kha, the six mountain ranges of mDo-khams, in rGya, Jang, Hor, and Me-nyag, and so forth, all the places where previously Guru Rinpoche had given teachings and ordained students. The Lady mTsho-rgyal did likewise, teaching old students and newly ordained monks, and anyone who came with faith in Guru Rinpoche. She benefitted beings immeasurably, and her lineage filled all the land.
In order to fulfill her duties concerning the Dharma treasures, and to help all beings without distinction, mTsho-rgyal visited many small holy places and secret shelters. She explained in her own words how she travelled about and hid the Dharma treasures:
"I did my best to benefit the teachings and to benefit beings. According to the Guru's predictions, half my lifetime was over. I had achieved the Rig-pa yang-tshad realization, achieving the sPyod-pa yang-tshad. I then decided to go to all the places which Guru Rinpoche had himself blessed, and in these places to put Dharma treasures and add my blessings and do practices.
"First, I went to Ti-sgro where I remained for one year and seven months. There I concealed ten gter-kha and practiced and prayed for the benefit of beings. Then I went to the border regions and hid five
gter-kha in the crystal cave at Yar-lung. I remained there in meditation for thirteen months. Having blessed that place, I went on to Yang rdzong where I remained for one year and concealed thirteen gter-kha. At Yer-pa I stayed one month and hid ten complete kha-gter.
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"Gradually I travelled on to the Tsa-ri snow mountains in the east where I stayed one year and four months and hid thirty great kha-gter. After that I went on to the land of Kong-po and hid one hundred and fifty kha-gter. I went to the great mountains of Nepal to the south where I remained for thirteen months and hid thirty-five kha-gter. Then I went to the great mountains and passes of the western border, staying four months and seven days, and hiding eight gter-kha. I went to the great mountains in the demon lands near the northern border and stayed three months and five days, hiding three gter-kha.
"I went to the Valley of the Kings in the southeast mountains where I stayed one year and fifteen days and hid ten gter-kha. I travelled to the Gra-phu valley in the southwest, stayed five months and ten days, and hid seven gter-kha. Then I went to the Jag-rna valley in the northwest, stayed one year and five months, and hid nine great gter-kha. Then in the Gro-ma valley in the northeast, where I stayed eleven months, I hid five kha-gter. I spent one month and ten days at the snow moun- tain of Yar-bu and hid three kha-gter. I spent a year at the great snow mountains of gSal-rje and hid ten gter-kha. In the mountains and val- leys of gYu, I stayed for three months and hid three gter-kha. In the
mountains and valleys of 'Brong-rje, I stayed ten days and hid three gter-kha. In the mountains and valleys ofgYul I stayed three months and hid four gter-kha.
"At the great mountains and valleys ofJo-mo, I spent five months and hid ten gter-kha. In those of sNye-bo I stayed five months and hid four gter-kha. At rDza-yul mountain I stayed twenty-one days and hid one gter-kha. At the mountains of sNa-nam I spent seven months and hid five gter-kha. In the lHo-rong mountains I stayed three months and seven days and hid thirteen gter-kha. In the mountains of Rong- btsan I spent seven months and hid fifteen gter-kha. In the mountains of Shel-dbrang I spent two months and ten days and hid five gter-kha. In the mountains of sGam-po I spent one year and one month and one day, and hid twenty gter-kha.
"At the mountains of Bye-phu I spent one month and hid four- teen gter-kha. In the mountains of Bu-'bol I stayed twenty-one days and hid three gter-kha. In the mountains ofSeng-phrom I stayed seven
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days and hid two gter-kha. In the mountains of mTsho-nag I stayed twenty-four days and hid one gter-kha.
"Similarly, in the valley of Ma-kung in the east, I spent one month and hid thineen gter-kha. And at rBa-lcags-sri in the south I spent one year and hid seven gter-kha. In the valley of sBrang-sman in the west I remained one month and hid three gter-kha. At Se-mo-do in the north I stayed three months and hid four gter-kha.
"I placed gter-kha in other places as well: in the upper Tsa-ri rdzong and the middle Kha-rag rdzong and the lower Ge-re rdzong, at Phag-ri rdzong in Bhutan and the Bu-chu rdzong in Kong-po, and Bag-yul rdzong in sPu-bo. At the lDan-gyi rdo-rje rdzong and the Phyams-kyi Na-bun rdzong, and at the Ne-ring Seng-ge rdzong, and the gYa'-ri Brag-dmar rdzong, the Ka-ling sPin-po rdzong, the lHa-ri gYu-ru rdzong, the lTo-la'i dPal-'bar rdzong, the Re-kha'i Bu-mo rdzong, the Brag-dmar rdzong in Gling, the lHa-brag rdzong in 'Bri, the Brag-dkar rdzong in lower Kong-po, and so forth, I remained for a month and a day, giving teachings and concealing gter-kha.
"And at the e~ght great repositories: 'Bras-mo gshongs in Nepal, Padma-bkod in Klo-yul, Zab-bu valley in Shangs, mGo-bo ljongs in sMad, rGyal-mo rMu-rdo ljongs, lHa-mo dngul-khang ljongs, rGyal- lung 'jog-po valley, and the Bu-ldum valley in Bhutan, I stayed for one year giving teachings, making preparations, and concealing many gter-kha.
"At twenty-five great snow mountains and four places of blessing, at the eighteen great fortresses, and at one hundred and eight power places of Guru Rinpoche, I practiced for one year, one month, and one day, hid gter, and prayed for the well-being of the region.
"In particular, in the border regions of mDo-khams, at the eight places of the eight signs of the Guru's blessing, at the five places of the five classes of Thod-phreng-rtsal, at the twelve places of wonderful charismatic deeds, at the three places of the blessings of the oral teachings, and so forth, in the regions where the Guru's pure teaching extended, I gave blessings and hid gter-kha. "
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And beyond that, throughout Tibet, at the 105 great sacred places and the 1070 smaller sacred places, at many millions of other locations, mTsho-rgyal practiced and prayed and hid gter-kha. But these names are not included here for fear of making the text too long. In the outer reaches of Tibet as well as the central locations, bSam-yas, lHa-sa, Khra-'brug, and so forth, she hid gter-kha, but one should look in the various gTer-kha-byang and the life story ofGuru Rinpoche for further details.
This Concludes the Seventh Chapter Concerning Ye-shes mTsho-rgyal's Deeds For the Benefit of Sentient Beings.
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? How Ye-shes mTsho-rgyal Reached Her Goal, Achieved Buddhahood, and Entered
the Expanse of All That Is
T hus mTsho-rgyal blessed important sacred places throughout the . 1L land and concealed many gter-kha, as has been explained. She then returned to dBus province in central Tibet and stayed some time at the sanctuary of the Tibetan sovereign at mChims-phu. She continued to aid and protect sentient beings, even surpassing what she had accom- plished before. In the temple of sKar-chung rdor-dbyings, she gave
many extensive, profound, and supreme Dharma teachings for matu? ration and liberation to seven worthy vessels, including the Dharma King Mu-khri btsan-po, Prince Mu-rum btsan-po, and Ngang-chung
dPal-gyi rgyal-mo.
In particular, mTsho-rgyal revealed the Bla-ma bka' gsang 'dus-pa, the Lama's Oral Teaching of the Guhyasamaja, the Yi-dam dgongs-pa 'dus-pa, the rDzogs-chen Ati 'dus-pa, and so forth, and set forth the maturation and liberation practices related to them. Then she opened the mandala of the Bla-ma gsang 'dus-pa and practiced.
. At dawn on the seventh day, after beginning the service, she invited the Guru:
"In the northwestern land of Orgyan, within the flower of the lotus,
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the renowned Padmasambhava,
the Lotus-born One endowed with wondrous realization, appeared amidst a host of qakinis.
So that I, following your example, may perfect my practice, please approach and grant me your blessings. "
When these verses were spoken, Guru Rinpoche and his retinue were seen approaching from the southwest surrounded by music, clouds of sweet-smelling incense, and a host of qakinis dancing in the sky. In the midst of brilliant light, Guru Rinpoche himself appeared, seated in the middle of the mandala. And the king thought: "As I am the great Dharma King, I must prepare a throne for the Guru. " But he was so overwhelmed by devotion and love that he was unable to pre- pare the throne.
Guru Rinpoche declared: "Before too long, quite soon, this king will have a grandson, a malevolent man, who will, for a short time, occupy the throne of his ancestors, the Great Dharma Kings. But the faith of this Dharma King here and now is so great that he need no longer occupy a body compelled by karma. He will manifest only for the benefit of beings. Simultaneously, he will achieve realization and liberation. "
Prince Mu-rum prepared many cushions and asked the Guru to be seated. King Mu-khri then gave Guru Rinpoche one hundred man- dalas ofgold and turquoise, bowed to his teacher, and asked:
"EMaHo!
0 manifestation ofJetsun Orgyan Padma!
One father of all beings in the land of Tibet!
Bad karma is a great burden pressing down upon me- carrying it, I seem to flounder in a swamp of mud.
Without your compassion at this time, how can I ever escape? Today through your great kindness you came here.
Please say you will stay with us always
and continue to turn the pure Wheel of the Dharma. "
Thus he asked, and Padmasambhava answered: 168
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