Most special Guide ofall
gathered
here, there is no other like you.
Tarthang-Tulku-Mother-of-Knowledge-The-Enlightenment-of-Yeshe-Tsogyal
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With eleven of her close disciples and fifty of her other followers, mTsho-rgyal set out for the peak of Zab-bu. On the seventh day, half way up Zab-bu mountain, they came to a cave shaped like two praying hands. There they stayed while she gave twenty-five different technical instructions and turned the great wheel of the lama's teaching. All her students gathered in front of her, and mTsho-rgyal told them: "It is the nature of sentient beings to be impermanent and to be taught. "
Then bKra-shis spyi-'dren offered her a mandala ofgold and asked:
"Mother, kind mistress,
one mother of sentient beings of the three realms,
if you do not stay to guard your children,
those knowing how to put hand to mouth will survive, but many, not knowing, will die like hungry ghosts.
"You are like that great golden gem in the sky.
If you do not stay to clear away the darkness of beings, those with the eye of wisdom may reach the path,
but those with ordinary eyes will fall into the abyss.
"You are the Teacher's regent, the one auspiciously marked. If you do not stay to guard those who listen to the Dharma, the Arhats and the self-sufficient may succeed,
but who will guard the Sravakas,
the listeners who find it difficult to understand?
"You are the ~akini, the lovely Sarasvati.
If you do not stay to guard the people,
the lotsawas and scholars may succeed,
but who will guide ordinary limited beings?
"Kye Ma! Alas, Lady of auspicious marks,
stay to look upon your followers with compassion! This group of brothers and sisters gathered here pleads for the nectar of your words. "
bKra-shis spyi-'dren bowed many times, and mTsho-rgyal answered:
"Kye Ma! Listen, faithful Bhutan! girl, I myself, the Lady mTsho-rgyal,
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have not tired of benefitting beings.
But all Tibet is filled with the Dharma.
Many years, two hundred and eleven, have passed, and now my work of teaching is surely complete. There is no way I can stay, I cannot prolong it- like all sentient beings, I must go beyond.
Now I will give you a few last words of counsel.
"Sisters and brothers gathered here, try to listen to me. Though the black-headed beings are innumerable, those who follow the teachings can be easily counted. Those who have entered the Sangha are fewer still. And those who have achieved siddhi
are like stars in the daytime-
it is scarcely possible to become a Buddha.
Thus the meaning of the Dharma is most important. Some say there are eighty thousand Dharma doors, some say four thousand or a countless number.
But they can be summarized in nine vehicles.
"The nine vehicles are arranged in three stages, leading up to the Ati.
The meaning of the Ati is divided into
vision, meditation, action,
and fruit, which is the highest Dharma.
The vision is free from conceptualization as subject and object; the meditation is the natural continuity ofexperience;
the action is unwavering centeredness, free from any delusion. The fruit is the natural radiant creativity
and perfection of the Three Kayas.
"The foundations of the Dharma are indicated: Externally, follow the teachings of the Vinaya,
and you will naturally be respected by others-
there will be no contradiction between inside and outside. Internally, follow the Dharma practices of the Siitras,
and you will naturally accumulate the causes of virtue. 181
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Rely upon the basic Abhidharma philosophy,
learn the tenets of the different schools,
and you will end all doubts, exaggeration, and prejudice. These three are the foundation of the Dharma-
without these means, you cannot grasp the Teachings.
"Be heedful of Kriya teachings on pure behavior,
and you will cleanse the stain of habitual proclivities.
Be heedful of the Upaya teachings on purity of mind,
and you will naturally become accustomed to Dharma meditation. Be heedful of the Yoga teachings on vision and realization,
and blessings and compassion will naturally pervade your being.
"Enter the devotional practice of the Mahayoga,
and vision, meditation, and action will naturally arise. Enter the patterning and energy of the Anuyoga practice, and you will naturally bring forth powerful realization. The Ati itself purifies the snying-thig,
and instantly Buddhahood is achieved.
You need no other teaching.
Rely on the example of my life,
all you who follow after me, the Mother,
and you will find benefit for both yourselves and others, and achieve the fruit. "
Then the Bhutani girl Kalasiddhi bowed low and circumambulated mTsho-rgyal many times and asked:
"If you, the Mother, pass into the expanse of space, how can we in Tibet enter the Mantrayana?
How can we master the profound path?
Who will help us clear away obstacles
and bring forth the benefits of our own being?
Please stay and guard the land of Tibet with your compassion. "
mTsho-rgyal answered her:
"Kye Ma!
Listen, lineaged girl, Mantra-born youthful siddhi-ma,
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teacher of the virtuous Dharma to sentient beings.
You have an enlightened attitude and the conditions for growth. In the future those on the Mantra path will gather here. Whoever would practice the profound path-
first seek a teacher with the appropriate characteristics.
Ask the teacher with all the right signs
for empowerment and offer perfect commitment in return. Practice continuously until you bring
patterning and energy under your control.
Ask for the three empowerments, and purify your passions. Explore the meaning of the FourJoys for six months,
or until you perfect the auspicious bodily marks and signs. Mingle male and female energies,
and mix upper and lower energies in the proper manner.
"Let male aid female, and female aid male- let each penetrate the other as in weaving. Develop your potential,
increase and purify your creativity and bliss. If you do not merge emptiness with bliss,
it is senseless-not at all the Mantra path.
Practice the co-emergence of bliss and emptiness,
guard the yab and yum commitments as you would your eyes.
"Skillfully handle the five ritual implements; avoid the demon obstacles.
Do not let the vitality diminish
and explore perfect creativity.
If your understanding begins to lessen, strive to make it complete.
"Do not lose yourselfin ordinary physical agitation- that is for ordinary men and women.
Meditate upon me with the intensity of a deity. Visualize me in your four root cakras
as a central figure within a host of deities.
Strive for mantric energy in your speech-
without that energy, your practice is merely ordinary passion.
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"Spread the world of illusion before you
and pierce it to the marrow.
Search every part of it, drive into it with your mind. l. . ct vitality itself pervade your mind.
If you let the signs of vitality lessen,
it is like killing a Buddha.
"Bring whatever happens under your own power. Hold on to ecstasy and find its essence- otherwise the secret teachings are meaningless. Perfect the fruit of your passion, the Great Bliss.
"Carefully guard the naturalness of experience.
Protect your commitment as if it were your life and body- if you let it go, there is no expiation.
Take all this to heart; this is the teaching.
"Those who enter the door of the secret teaching
may develop great desire-control this.
Cast deceit and pride into the sea!
Burn desire, burn it with the fire of your mind's intensity. Throw profit, gain, and transgression to the winds.
I. . ct doubts and confusion disappear.
"Keep your secret behavior from others-
vow not to reveal the secret doors.
Ifyou succeed, if marks and signs of heat appear,
do not show them.
Do not let go of the three roots,
the lama, the yidam, the qakini, and rely upon your yidam. Do not stop the continuous cycle of practice.
Keep a compassionate enlightened mind and help others.
"Dedicate merit, and remain detached from its object. All this is appropriate general behavior.
Act thus for the heart of siddhi.
You and I are the same, one in essence-
we will manifest together in the future to benefit beings. " 184
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Then sBe Ye-shes snying-po asked:
"E Ma! Ye-shes mTsho-rgyal-ma!
For my benefit, and that of others like me, I ask for your oral instructions.
Stay and bless us with your compassion- please never part from us. "
mTsho-rgyal answered him:
"Kye Ho! Listen, Ye-shes snying-po!
Ask the Lord Lama for blessings,
ask the four <Jakinis how to act effectively.
Portents and signs will come when they are needed. Here is a simple explanation of how to act:
Listen once again, Ye-shes snying.
"Behave in a respectable manner,
following the basic Vinaya teachings;
this way you will easily guide the common people. But practice the Mantrayana energetically,
and you will quickly achieve realization.
"In your practice of the Dharma, earnestly follow the Siitras, so that the source teachings take root.
Do the practices of the yidam,
and you will attain siddhi and whatever you desire.
"Questions will clear up with study of the Abhidharma, and you will be freed from all doubts.
Integrate the practices of patterning, energy, and vitality, and as you perfect them, signs of warmth will quickly come.
"Practice the purifications of the Kriya teachings,
and soon all stains will be cleared away.
Strengthen the essences of vision, meditation, and action, and you will certainly reap future benefits.
"Meditating upon the fruit, the actionless Great Perfection, the Chos-zad transcends the subjective mind-
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this is the Great Perfection.
Your prayers for sentient beings will be boundless, without distinctions,
and you will do immeasurable good for all beings. "
Then rMa Rin-chen-mchog asked:
"Lama, Lady mTsho-rgyal-ma!
If you go to the land of Orgyan,
what will the brothers and sisters gathered here do? Who will give us blessings?
Is there no way for us to stay together-
must we be separated from you? "
As he finished, tears streamed down his face, and Ye-shes mTsho-rgyal answered him:
"Kye Ho! Listen, yogi!
You have achieved the mantric siddhis;
you have an excellent mind and can benefit beings.
I, the Lady Ye-shes mTsho-rgyal,
by the compassionate blessings of the Guru,
now have achieved the fruit, complete creativity and perfection. Tomorrow I go to the land of Orgyan.
Brothers and sisters gathered here, ask and blessings will come. Hold fast to the supreme Dharma for your own good,
and help others without arrogance or pride.
Through vision, meditation, and action you will be freed.
"Rely on my words which you have asked for; draw reverence and humility from your very bones. Meditate only on the brilliance
of the Lama's pure awareness; visualize the Lama; let the visualization penetrate you,
so that you and the lama become one.
Whatever experiences arise, just let them be.
"I am the master of all samsara and nirvana. If you know Ye-shes mTsho-rgyal-
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you know she resides in the hearts ofall beings, and manifests in all realms and all sense fields, and incarnates again and again
in all the twelve links of dependent origination. You know that we are inseparable;
we always have been and always will be together.
But if you do not know me, you are tied to outside appearances.
"If you cut away the root, the one mind-itself will arise from within and pervade all the 'outside' with great Pristine Awareness.
Innate bliss will whirl like the ocean,
and insight will penetrate like the golden eye of the great fish.
"Use and guard this deep experience and bliss; leap beyond and through to perfect creativity; run and roll through the fields ofappearance; disappear and fly up into space.
In the broad expanse ofgreat Pristine Awareness merge into the ocean of the nectar of Great Bliss. Amid vivid symbols and dancing forms,
amid letters of flashing light,
the Chos-nyid mngon-gsum
and the Nyams-snang-gong will expand.
The Rig-pa-tshad will mightily take hold until it dissolves into the primordial expanse of the Chos-nyid zad-tshad.
Use this means, and we will never be parted. "
Thus she spoke. Then '0-bran gZhon-nu-dpal asked:
"Kye Ma! Ye-shes mTsho-rgyal-ma!
If you go to the land of Orgyan,
how can ordinary apathetic uninspired people like me produce vision, meditation, and action?
Would you give me a few more words ofinstruction? "
Thus he asked, and she answered him:
"E Ma Ho! Listen, faithful gZhon-nu-dpal! Until you perfect the skills of the six vehicles,
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I will not see you flying with joy and ease, like birds that nest upon the cliffs.
But by the powerful beating of the wings of creativity and perfection,
you can cut through the razor-like winds and go or stay wherever you desire.
"I myself as well, the Lady mTsho-rgyal,
when first I practiced, had not perfected my creativity and skill, and though I wished for enlightenment,
my body was slow to respond.
"But when I had perfected that creativity
through the Developing and Perfecting Stages, through the Great Perfection,
my heavy corporeal body was transformed into light.
"Soon I will stand before the Orgyan Guru,
so I give you a few last words.
Vision is the general defining characteristic of the Dharma. What does this mean?
Your practice is not just emptiness-
clear-seeing radiance and pure awareness are present.
But as nothing is established as eternal,
this presentation is naturally empty.
The essential nature of experience is called vision.
With regards to vision, how does it work?
When you do the visualizations of the Developing Stage, this is the transformation of yourself into deity.
When the visualization reaches out to all sentient beings and returns, this is responsive compassion.
When Perfection is attained, this is Mahamudra.
The essential nature of vision is free
from either the eternal or the transitory.
This vision is self-realized, seeing itself.
It is not a looking upon the realization, the seeing,
but that very seeing awareness.
This is what is designated vision.
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"Meditation is the ground of the Dharma.
What does this mean? In the flow of your practice,
through continually and steadily inspecting
the essential nature of vision,
you create a meditation completely unbounded.
This is called evenness and composure.
How does this meditation work?
Whether you are practicing the Developing or Perfecting Stages, the experience is significant and yet unconceptualized.
Whatever happens, happens within continuing concentration.
A meditation ofeither the Developing or Perfecting Stages
must be free from three conditions:
instability, cloudiness, and dullness.
Hold the experience without distraction and without concepts- such evenness and composure is meditation.
"Action is the activity of the Dharma.
What does this mean? In the flow of your practice,
when you reach the meditation endowed with the depth of vision, you will see all the various kinds of action,
all characterized by continuity and nondistraction.
How does this action work?
The exact manifesting of action is not specific;
whatever happens, you remain continuously
and incontrovertibly with the experience,
using the experience for spiritual advancement.
"In truth, whether walking, moving, sleeping, eating, or sitting, on all the paths ofaction, remain in contact with your practice, be it the Developing or Perfecting practice,
the Great Perfection practice, or some other.
Never allow yourself to be separated from your practice.
By such action you are endowed with the very epitome of action.
"This is my final spoken instruction,
and now I am going to rNga-yab Island.
Fill all Tibet with these teachings,
and all who are filled with devotion will be blessed. "
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Thus she spoke. Then Shel-dkar-bza' rDo-rje-mtsho asked:
"Kye Ma! Mother ofall Tibet!
Most special Guide ofall gathered here, there is no other like you. Please don't take your compassion from me!
Please take me with you to Padma-'od.
But if my evil karma is so heavy that I cannot follow you,
please give many more teachings and instructions. "
Choked with tears, she was barely able to speak and collapsed on the ground. When she had come to herself, mTsho-rgyal answered her:
"E Ma Ho! listen, faithful daughter of Shel-dkar-bza'! Wisdom I;>ikini, Vajra Ocean!
This body, formed of flesh and blood, is a fetter,
and being inferior, oppresses you.
But ifyou meditate using the patterning and energy practices, you will have the means to wander through space.
"Ifyou bring energy and mind under your own power,
you will truly achieve what is called siddhi.
Though your mind is deceitful and fraught with the five poisons, though your life stream is naturally unsettled
and your communication bound by ordinary conceptualization, they can be purified.
"If you want to achieve Buddhahood,
meditate upon the Mahamudr:i.
liberation-the unity of openness and Pristine Awareness- is not different from Buddhahood.
"The transitory aggregates are deeply deceitful,
the ground ofall good and evil.
Cut them off. Ifyou want to obtain the Rainbow Body, meditate upon the Great Perfection Ati.
"If you employ the Chos-nyid zad-sa,
you will be truly spontaneous and free from karmic action. Then you have the means to move freely through space.
For a little while only, until enlightenment, your body is coarse.
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"Ifyou want to know the way to Padma-'od
listen to this teaching.
Do not for an instant lose contact with your own root lama. Visualize him, honor him, respect and have faith in him;
pray and ask for the four empowerments and blessings. Meditate upon him as a burning light always within your heart, and visualize merging with his three gates
until you become one and inseparable.
"Meditate thus upon the Mahamudri.
Follow the path, gain understanding, and guard your insight, draw forth your wisdom, and carefully cultivate
creativity, openness, and bliss.
Bring dualistic and obsessing objects into the path.
Purify them profoundly in the Great Perfection,
and enter the ground of the final Ati.
You will have eleven more births,
aiding beings ofTibet with your skillful means.
Then come to Padma-'od.
"Your manifestation will be known as
rDo-rje bde-chen Padma-mtsho.
You and the disciple Nam-mkha'i snying-po
will merge skillful means and discriminating wisdom.
Together you will scatter tens of millions of teachings
in the barbarous border countries of cannibals,
and benefit beings with meaning, not just words.
You will be the body consort of the one named Nam-mkha'i snying-po. You will remain for thirty thousand years, as men count them,
and then you will come to Padma-'od, never again parting from the Lord Guru. "
Thus mTsho-rgyal prophesied and gave many instructions.
Then La-gsum rGyal-ba byang-chub bowed before mTsho-rgyal and circumambulated her many times. He presented mTsho-rgyal with a mandala of seven turquoises, the principal one radiating a thousand shining blue lights, and asked:
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"E Ma Ho! Wonderful Lady who never forgets!
Master of the secret teachings of Padmasambhava,
Sarasvati, Mistress of Great Bliss and the most profound wisdom, mTsho-rgyal-ma, sole sun in the dark land of Tibet!
"Now, before you go to the southwest once and for all, please give me, as a great blessing,
a few more words of instruction.
Let them be complete, essential, profound,
sharp and quick to succeed.
"I ask for the teaching that brings Buddhahood in one lifetime. And I ask also, please, how many times will I be reborn,
and when will I meet with you again, <Jakini?
Please, do not part from us yet-
protect us with your compassion. "
When he asked for these teachings, Ye-shes mTsho-rgyal gave to him: the mKha'-spyod sprul-sku'i snying-thig, the Phyi-mdo dang bstun-pa mkha'-'gro sku-gsum rkang-sgrub, and the sPyod-yul 'dul-ba dkar-po, the Thog-'beb drag-spyod mam-gsum, the Bla-ma sku-gsum rkyang- sgrub, the Byin-rlabs dbang-gi sgo-mo, and the gZer-'joms lta-ba cig chod, the rTags-tshad so-ba dgu 'dres, the gNad-kyi me-btsa' mam- gsum, the rDzas sngags dmigs-yul brgya-rtsa, the rJes-gcod lcam-bu gzer-them sogs spyi tshan-bcu, the Nang gsang-sngags dang bstun-pa bla-ma mkha'-'gro zung-'jug-tu bsgrub-thabs, the bsGom-pa sgyu-ma 'phrul-'gros, the rTsa-rlung 'gag don bcu-pa, and the Man-ngag gcig chog zab-mo, the bsGyur-sbyang sbel-ba mam-gsum, the mKa'-'gro'i bang mdzod mig gcig, the mKha'-'gro'i dmar-pa snying-gcig, the mKha'-'gro gnyen-po srog gcig, the Man-ngag sngags-kha sum-sbrel, the 'Od-zer zhabs-pa mam-gsum, the dPa'-bo gyad stobs mam-gsum spyi tshan bcu-gcig, the gSang-ba man-ngag ltar bla-ma mkha'-'gro
rang Ius dbyer-med-du bsgrub-thabs, the lTa-ba phyag-rgya chen-po, the 'Bras-bu rdzogs-chen chig-chod, the Man-ngag gtum-mo sum- sbrel, the gDams-ngag thos chog mam-gsum, the Nyams-len bsgom- pa mam-gsum, the gCig chog mun chos mam-gsum, the Las-phran dgos-pa mam-gsum, the rTen-'brel me-long mam-gsum, the rGyab chos dgos-pa mam-gsum, the bKa'-srung myur mgyogs mam-gsum,
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and the Drag sngags gnad-kha rnam-gsum, and so on, and twelve various final teachings.
rGyal-ba byang-chub and seven other disciples, having received these teachings, reached the liberation of the highest radiant light and were freed.
Then Ye-shes mTsho-rgyal made these prophecies:
"E Ma Ho! Listen attentively, rGyal-ba byang-chub-pa.
Listen well, Lord Dharma Protector.
You were Arya Sa-le, my heroic consort of skillful means.
In a former time, the time of Sa-le, when you were that Acarya, you and I merged skillful means and wisdom.
Together we practiced profound and secret teachings,
and because of those blessings,
I achieved liberation in this life.
And yet, though you and I were intimate friends then, still sometimes you had doubts, you wavered, you scoffed.
"Thus, you will continue to undergo future rebirths, and though you will be a great siddha,
you will meet with obstacles.
You will be troubled by gossip,
exaggerated praise and blame, abuse and evil counsel.
Your benefit to beings will be counteracted by hindrances.
But whatever happens, remember, this is due to previous actions. Finally, you will become one with Padmasambhava and mTsho-rgyal.
"For thirteen future births, you will aid beings: In the future, toward the end of that time,
you will manifest to the west of this Mount Meru as a most wrathful being.
You will have the name of Nam-mkha'
and the form of a fierce Vajra l)aka.
Three births more and you will be called sTag-shams,
and you will stop the winds of karma and come to Padma-'od. Then you and I will part no more.
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"That will be a time to meditate,
developing the profound power of altruistic prayer;
a time to expand, with the essences of many profound secret teachings; a time to mature, as the result of profound meditation;
a time to develop, stirring up the creativity
of the profound Developing and Perfecting Stages;
a time to be born,
as the good result of profound transformative karma;
a time to move, like the great clouds of profound blessing;
a time to make fall the rain
from the expanse of profound compassion.
You will achieve your goal, Arya Sa-le-ba.
The power of truth will come, rGyal-ba byang-chub-pa.
For now, take this carefully to heart and practice. "
Then night fell on the evening of the eighth day.
Then, it is said, there came flying from the I;>akini Island ofOrgyan, the twelve types of nyul-le spirits and one hundred rwenty million different qakinis. At midnight the life-lords arrived with the breath- takers, the flesh-eaters and blood-drinkers, the bone-chewers, and the like, the rwelve types of qakinis who devour parts of a human being. They numbered fifty million and five thousand and five hundred, so it is said. Then came beasts of prey from the regions of the land and sky. When half had passed by, one hundred twenty million and one hun- dred twenty thousand qakinis of the world and of the twelve times of day rose up and mounted upon the backs of the animals.
Some rode upon the various carnivorous beasts, like the lions; others rode upon the various kinds of winged creatures, like the garudas. Some rode upon the various powerful animals, like the elephants; others rode the various game animals, like the antelopes. The whole region was filled with all sorts of creatures of varied forms, fearful ap- paritions, as well as men of all sorts, and other kinds of beings.
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At dawn, <Jakinis came from the four regions of Orgyan and the twelve islands. Some were pure white, others were varied colors-red, green, blue, and so forth. Some were light yellow or reddish, light green or blue or brown, as well as white; others were red and white, or yellow and white, or green and white, or deep blue and white. Some were half white and half red, blue, yellow, or green.
In their hands the <Jakinis held various signs of their lineages: vari- ous types of ritual implements, daggers, and such. They wore silk robes, bone garlands and diadems, scarves and swirling skirts and veils. They carried musical instruments-thighbone trumpets, skull drums, and such like, too many to enumerate . . . but it is said there were fifty mil- lion and two hundred thousand of them.
From the break of dawn until sunrise, the <Jakinis danced in sixty- eight mandalas around strikingly beautiful female figures of great power and skill who, themselves, danced upon lotuses. Rainbows criss- crossed the sky, all the earth was filled with the smell of incense, and all of space was filled with <Jakinis.
During the time between midday and dusk, it is said the <Jakinis came from thirty-two holy places, ten dwellings of the Herukas, the eight great cemeteries, and two hot springs, each demonstrating her special skills.
They did various dances and showed various gestures, made various different kinds of music, sang many different songs, and performed many dances. They demonstrated their great dexterity, and then made various offerings accompanied by various different kinds of glances, praising mTsho-rgyal and honoring her. Then all together, they stopped and seated themselves upon the ground.
mTsho-rgyal circled the great assembly and magically distributed the offering sweets to all the men and women who were gathered there; to the <Jakinis, she gave even more wondrous things. Then each drank a skull cup of beer and, totally satisfied, sat down to listen to mTsho-rgyal.
mTsho-rgyal spoke the symbolic initiations of the secret <Jakinis to all the beings gathered there. l)akinis and ordinary people mingled
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together, and all were established on the level of Non-turning-back, soon to reach liberation.
At dusk of the ninth day, they went from the heart cave on the side of the mountain of Zab-bu, to the mountain peak of the Copper- colored Mountain. At first light, mTsho-rgyal opened the mandala of one letter, the blessing of the lama's heart. At the same time, there came spirits and demons of all kinds beyond measure, uncountable, innumerable, incomparable beings. Some had three heads, some one head, some no head, some five heads, some nine heads, some one hundred heads, and so on. Some had one leg, some up to one hundred thousand, and some even more.
In the midst of a radiant blue light, the queen of demonesses ap- peared, sent by the Lotus Guru with an invitation for mTsho-rgyal. lights rushed about in the sky as she passed among the crowds of beings. Then, at daybreak, the entire assembly circumambulated mTsho-rgyal. Her eleven faithful close disciples and others-humans, qakas, qakinis, demons, gods, and spirits-all bowed with great faith before the lady. With tears streaming down their faces, they asked her:
"Kye Ma! Kye Hud! Ye-shes Oakini!
Guru of mankind, Ye-shes mTsho-rgyal-ma!
You, the sole mother of all Tibet, are leaving for the sky. What can we preta-like hungry orphans do now?
Please, stay a while longer to protect Tibet.
"But if you cannot stay, if you must go, what will happen? Will the teachings in Tibet flourish or decline?
What will happen to the followers of the doctrine?
What will happen when demons manifest in the world? And what can we do to counteract such occurrences?
We ask you to tell us.
"In particular, how will you manifest,
with what teaching, in what place, and with what name? Please, do not hide anything, do not keep it a secret,
do not speak symbolically or in fragments.
All-wise and powerful one, we ask you to answer.
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"Specifically, what will become
of the three pans of your life story?
What will become of your oral lineage,
higher and lower, mother and son, one and many?
Especially what of the heart-drops of your body,
your Qikini incarnations?
Whatofyourspokentreasures?
What wonhy people should prepare them?
Where should they be hidden, and who should hide them? What gter masters will come, and when will they find them? We ask you to explain completely and precisely what will occur.
"We brothers and sisters gathered here, what will we do? Where will we go, where look for hope?
Who will clear up our obstacles
and help us when the time comes to die?
Alas! Alas! Look quickly upon us with compassion! "
Having said all this, they looked to mTsho-rgyal for extensive pre- dictions, which are presented in summary here:
"E Ma Ho! Listen attentively, gods and men ofTibet! Listen well, faithful, blessed ones.
I myself, the great Mother, Ye-shes mTsho-rgyal-ma, have been protecting Tibet now for 111 years.
The Dharma Protector King Ral-pa-can, Khti Ral-phyag-rdor, incarnation ofVajrapaQi,
will continue to suppon the Siitra and Mantra teachings
as did his ancestors.
"But his younger brother, the demon manifestation Giang, will conspire with the ministers.
The elder brother will be killed, and Giang will seize power. Not so much as the names of the early Siitra and Mantra will be left in Tibet.
"This king will encourage the ten unwholesome acts and the five inexpiable sins;
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he will instigate improper laws harmful to the Buddhadharma. The greatest Dharma practitioners will be killed,
the lesser ones banished,
and the ordinary ones made servants.
"But yogi priests in the villages will keep the teachings alive. Although lHa-sa and bSam-yas will be left in ruin,
dPal-gyi rdo-rje will remember the prophecy.
"He will kill the demon king and then go to lower Khams. sMar and gYo both will preserve the Vinaya texts
like the last precious flame in a lamp.
Then ten monks will assemble at Glang-thang sGrol-ma. The teachings will enter dBus and gTsang again
like a shining light,
and again the Dharma will grow and spread throughout Tibet.
"The wisdom, power, and nobility of the Mantrayana will fill the earth,
though some will still perform
improper and hypocritical practices.
The incarnation of the speech of Orgyan,
the Master of Peace, Santarak~ita,
will be called Atisa. He will do much to spread both the Siitra and Mantra teachings.
"I, mTsho-rgyal, will be reborn as Jayakara,
appearing in the family of the 'Brom.
I will be close to the great lotsawa and will spread the teachings. When the lifespan is seventy years,
I will fill the world with brilliance
by explaining the Siitra and Mantra Dharmas.
"After that, a time will come when the lifespan is sixty years. The Dharma King will manifest as one named Sa
and uphold the teachings.
Later his lineage will decline in power
and the patron-leader relationship with Mongolia will be disconnected.
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"At this time Padmasambhava will produce a body manifestation called 'Brog-mi who will spread the teaching
of path and result, increasing and establishing
a strong tradition of both Siitra and Mantra.
"For a while it will seem
like the time of Sikyamuni Buddha,
but then a time will come when the land will become fragmented. The secret teachings will prosper again
when the lifespan is fifty years,
and the Dharma tradition will spread as it did in former times.
"A heart manifestation of Padmasambhava
will come from the southern valleys.
He will be called Mar-pa and will spread the Mantrayana teachings. Again, I, mTsho-rgyal, will be his body consort,
and one known as Mi-la will develop siddhi
after practicing austerities.
"Padmasambhava's quality incarnation will arise at Dvags-po, and the 'Bri, sTag, Kar, and 'Brug schools
will flow forth like rivers from Mount Ti-se,
forming an ocean of Dharma
and leading beings to the place of ultimate bliss.
"When men are old by age forty,
the teachings will become divided;
men will come to rely on the Mongols,
and the teachings will lose their subtlety.
The land ofTibet will again be fragmented,
and a time will come when the vision of the world is diseased.
"Then Padmasambhava's activity incarnation will be known as Karma. The teachings will spread in the country of Tibet
and be prolonged for thirty years.
The whole realm will be filled with the sounds of MA~I.
"Then, when men age in thirty years, the teachings of dGe-ldan will arise;
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Padmasambhava's heart incarnation will come from dBus, and Tibet will be joyful and happy like a land of the gods.
"A powerful man from Zahor
will spread the Buddha's teachings
throughout dBus, gTsang, and Khams.
After that("~~~~~
the land ofTibet will fall upon unhappy times, and again be divided into many parts;
the Mongols will become very influential
and be looked to for support.
"When men are old at twenty years,
a speech incarnation of Padmasambhava
will come from lHo-brag
and establish all beings in bliss.
A Dharma ruler with a birthmark on his shoulder will appear from the land of Li-yul.
"When aging occurs at ten years,
the teaching will be found only in the border regions. Then, after manifesting a kalpa and an era,
the essence of earth will deteriorate,
and there will come the dark age
ofbDud-'joms Nag-po gya-chu.
"After that, Maitreya will come and lift up the world. For an era, things will look up,
and for two ages they will go downhill.
Then will come three more eras and four periods, long and short, so it is said.
These are only the very general characteristics of things to come.
"Throughout these times of change and trouble, look to the teachings of Padmasambhava
for ways to counteract these trends-
these words of truth will never fail you.
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"I myself, Ye-shes mTsho-rgyal,
will also never take my compassion from Tibet;
I will continue to manifest in the future for all beings. I will lead all beings to bliss
by emanating the light rays of skillful means.
"In particular, I will produce
five body, five speech, and five heart incarnations,
five quality, and five activity incarnations.
With eleven of her close disciples and fifty of her other followers, mTsho-rgyal set out for the peak of Zab-bu. On the seventh day, half way up Zab-bu mountain, they came to a cave shaped like two praying hands. There they stayed while she gave twenty-five different technical instructions and turned the great wheel of the lama's teaching. All her students gathered in front of her, and mTsho-rgyal told them: "It is the nature of sentient beings to be impermanent and to be taught. "
Then bKra-shis spyi-'dren offered her a mandala ofgold and asked:
"Mother, kind mistress,
one mother of sentient beings of the three realms,
if you do not stay to guard your children,
those knowing how to put hand to mouth will survive, but many, not knowing, will die like hungry ghosts.
"You are like that great golden gem in the sky.
If you do not stay to clear away the darkness of beings, those with the eye of wisdom may reach the path,
but those with ordinary eyes will fall into the abyss.
"You are the Teacher's regent, the one auspiciously marked. If you do not stay to guard those who listen to the Dharma, the Arhats and the self-sufficient may succeed,
but who will guard the Sravakas,
the listeners who find it difficult to understand?
"You are the ~akini, the lovely Sarasvati.
If you do not stay to guard the people,
the lotsawas and scholars may succeed,
but who will guide ordinary limited beings?
"Kye Ma! Alas, Lady of auspicious marks,
stay to look upon your followers with compassion! This group of brothers and sisters gathered here pleads for the nectar of your words. "
bKra-shis spyi-'dren bowed many times, and mTsho-rgyal answered:
"Kye Ma! Listen, faithful Bhutan! girl, I myself, the Lady mTsho-rgyal,
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have not tired of benefitting beings.
But all Tibet is filled with the Dharma.
Many years, two hundred and eleven, have passed, and now my work of teaching is surely complete. There is no way I can stay, I cannot prolong it- like all sentient beings, I must go beyond.
Now I will give you a few last words of counsel.
"Sisters and brothers gathered here, try to listen to me. Though the black-headed beings are innumerable, those who follow the teachings can be easily counted. Those who have entered the Sangha are fewer still. And those who have achieved siddhi
are like stars in the daytime-
it is scarcely possible to become a Buddha.
Thus the meaning of the Dharma is most important. Some say there are eighty thousand Dharma doors, some say four thousand or a countless number.
But they can be summarized in nine vehicles.
"The nine vehicles are arranged in three stages, leading up to the Ati.
The meaning of the Ati is divided into
vision, meditation, action,
and fruit, which is the highest Dharma.
The vision is free from conceptualization as subject and object; the meditation is the natural continuity ofexperience;
the action is unwavering centeredness, free from any delusion. The fruit is the natural radiant creativity
and perfection of the Three Kayas.
"The foundations of the Dharma are indicated: Externally, follow the teachings of the Vinaya,
and you will naturally be respected by others-
there will be no contradiction between inside and outside. Internally, follow the Dharma practices of the Siitras,
and you will naturally accumulate the causes of virtue. 181
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Rely upon the basic Abhidharma philosophy,
learn the tenets of the different schools,
and you will end all doubts, exaggeration, and prejudice. These three are the foundation of the Dharma-
without these means, you cannot grasp the Teachings.
"Be heedful of Kriya teachings on pure behavior,
and you will cleanse the stain of habitual proclivities.
Be heedful of the Upaya teachings on purity of mind,
and you will naturally become accustomed to Dharma meditation. Be heedful of the Yoga teachings on vision and realization,
and blessings and compassion will naturally pervade your being.
"Enter the devotional practice of the Mahayoga,
and vision, meditation, and action will naturally arise. Enter the patterning and energy of the Anuyoga practice, and you will naturally bring forth powerful realization. The Ati itself purifies the snying-thig,
and instantly Buddhahood is achieved.
You need no other teaching.
Rely on the example of my life,
all you who follow after me, the Mother,
and you will find benefit for both yourselves and others, and achieve the fruit. "
Then the Bhutani girl Kalasiddhi bowed low and circumambulated mTsho-rgyal many times and asked:
"If you, the Mother, pass into the expanse of space, how can we in Tibet enter the Mantrayana?
How can we master the profound path?
Who will help us clear away obstacles
and bring forth the benefits of our own being?
Please stay and guard the land of Tibet with your compassion. "
mTsho-rgyal answered her:
"Kye Ma!
Listen, lineaged girl, Mantra-born youthful siddhi-ma,
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teacher of the virtuous Dharma to sentient beings.
You have an enlightened attitude and the conditions for growth. In the future those on the Mantra path will gather here. Whoever would practice the profound path-
first seek a teacher with the appropriate characteristics.
Ask the teacher with all the right signs
for empowerment and offer perfect commitment in return. Practice continuously until you bring
patterning and energy under your control.
Ask for the three empowerments, and purify your passions. Explore the meaning of the FourJoys for six months,
or until you perfect the auspicious bodily marks and signs. Mingle male and female energies,
and mix upper and lower energies in the proper manner.
"Let male aid female, and female aid male- let each penetrate the other as in weaving. Develop your potential,
increase and purify your creativity and bliss. If you do not merge emptiness with bliss,
it is senseless-not at all the Mantra path.
Practice the co-emergence of bliss and emptiness,
guard the yab and yum commitments as you would your eyes.
"Skillfully handle the five ritual implements; avoid the demon obstacles.
Do not let the vitality diminish
and explore perfect creativity.
If your understanding begins to lessen, strive to make it complete.
"Do not lose yourselfin ordinary physical agitation- that is for ordinary men and women.
Meditate upon me with the intensity of a deity. Visualize me in your four root cakras
as a central figure within a host of deities.
Strive for mantric energy in your speech-
without that energy, your practice is merely ordinary passion.
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"Spread the world of illusion before you
and pierce it to the marrow.
Search every part of it, drive into it with your mind. l. . ct vitality itself pervade your mind.
If you let the signs of vitality lessen,
it is like killing a Buddha.
"Bring whatever happens under your own power. Hold on to ecstasy and find its essence- otherwise the secret teachings are meaningless. Perfect the fruit of your passion, the Great Bliss.
"Carefully guard the naturalness of experience.
Protect your commitment as if it were your life and body- if you let it go, there is no expiation.
Take all this to heart; this is the teaching.
"Those who enter the door of the secret teaching
may develop great desire-control this.
Cast deceit and pride into the sea!
Burn desire, burn it with the fire of your mind's intensity. Throw profit, gain, and transgression to the winds.
I. . ct doubts and confusion disappear.
"Keep your secret behavior from others-
vow not to reveal the secret doors.
Ifyou succeed, if marks and signs of heat appear,
do not show them.
Do not let go of the three roots,
the lama, the yidam, the qakini, and rely upon your yidam. Do not stop the continuous cycle of practice.
Keep a compassionate enlightened mind and help others.
"Dedicate merit, and remain detached from its object. All this is appropriate general behavior.
Act thus for the heart of siddhi.
You and I are the same, one in essence-
we will manifest together in the future to benefit beings. " 184
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Then sBe Ye-shes snying-po asked:
"E Ma! Ye-shes mTsho-rgyal-ma!
For my benefit, and that of others like me, I ask for your oral instructions.
Stay and bless us with your compassion- please never part from us. "
mTsho-rgyal answered him:
"Kye Ho! Listen, Ye-shes snying-po!
Ask the Lord Lama for blessings,
ask the four <Jakinis how to act effectively.
Portents and signs will come when they are needed. Here is a simple explanation of how to act:
Listen once again, Ye-shes snying.
"Behave in a respectable manner,
following the basic Vinaya teachings;
this way you will easily guide the common people. But practice the Mantrayana energetically,
and you will quickly achieve realization.
"In your practice of the Dharma, earnestly follow the Siitras, so that the source teachings take root.
Do the practices of the yidam,
and you will attain siddhi and whatever you desire.
"Questions will clear up with study of the Abhidharma, and you will be freed from all doubts.
Integrate the practices of patterning, energy, and vitality, and as you perfect them, signs of warmth will quickly come.
"Practice the purifications of the Kriya teachings,
and soon all stains will be cleared away.
Strengthen the essences of vision, meditation, and action, and you will certainly reap future benefits.
"Meditating upon the fruit, the actionless Great Perfection, the Chos-zad transcends the subjective mind-
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this is the Great Perfection.
Your prayers for sentient beings will be boundless, without distinctions,
and you will do immeasurable good for all beings. "
Then rMa Rin-chen-mchog asked:
"Lama, Lady mTsho-rgyal-ma!
If you go to the land of Orgyan,
what will the brothers and sisters gathered here do? Who will give us blessings?
Is there no way for us to stay together-
must we be separated from you? "
As he finished, tears streamed down his face, and Ye-shes mTsho-rgyal answered him:
"Kye Ho! Listen, yogi!
You have achieved the mantric siddhis;
you have an excellent mind and can benefit beings.
I, the Lady Ye-shes mTsho-rgyal,
by the compassionate blessings of the Guru,
now have achieved the fruit, complete creativity and perfection. Tomorrow I go to the land of Orgyan.
Brothers and sisters gathered here, ask and blessings will come. Hold fast to the supreme Dharma for your own good,
and help others without arrogance or pride.
Through vision, meditation, and action you will be freed.
"Rely on my words which you have asked for; draw reverence and humility from your very bones. Meditate only on the brilliance
of the Lama's pure awareness; visualize the Lama; let the visualization penetrate you,
so that you and the lama become one.
Whatever experiences arise, just let them be.
"I am the master of all samsara and nirvana. If you know Ye-shes mTsho-rgyal-
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you know she resides in the hearts ofall beings, and manifests in all realms and all sense fields, and incarnates again and again
in all the twelve links of dependent origination. You know that we are inseparable;
we always have been and always will be together.
But if you do not know me, you are tied to outside appearances.
"If you cut away the root, the one mind-itself will arise from within and pervade all the 'outside' with great Pristine Awareness.
Innate bliss will whirl like the ocean,
and insight will penetrate like the golden eye of the great fish.
"Use and guard this deep experience and bliss; leap beyond and through to perfect creativity; run and roll through the fields ofappearance; disappear and fly up into space.
In the broad expanse ofgreat Pristine Awareness merge into the ocean of the nectar of Great Bliss. Amid vivid symbols and dancing forms,
amid letters of flashing light,
the Chos-nyid mngon-gsum
and the Nyams-snang-gong will expand.
The Rig-pa-tshad will mightily take hold until it dissolves into the primordial expanse of the Chos-nyid zad-tshad.
Use this means, and we will never be parted. "
Thus she spoke. Then '0-bran gZhon-nu-dpal asked:
"Kye Ma! Ye-shes mTsho-rgyal-ma!
If you go to the land of Orgyan,
how can ordinary apathetic uninspired people like me produce vision, meditation, and action?
Would you give me a few more words ofinstruction? "
Thus he asked, and she answered him:
"E Ma Ho! Listen, faithful gZhon-nu-dpal! Until you perfect the skills of the six vehicles,
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I will not see you flying with joy and ease, like birds that nest upon the cliffs.
But by the powerful beating of the wings of creativity and perfection,
you can cut through the razor-like winds and go or stay wherever you desire.
"I myself as well, the Lady mTsho-rgyal,
when first I practiced, had not perfected my creativity and skill, and though I wished for enlightenment,
my body was slow to respond.
"But when I had perfected that creativity
through the Developing and Perfecting Stages, through the Great Perfection,
my heavy corporeal body was transformed into light.
"Soon I will stand before the Orgyan Guru,
so I give you a few last words.
Vision is the general defining characteristic of the Dharma. What does this mean?
Your practice is not just emptiness-
clear-seeing radiance and pure awareness are present.
But as nothing is established as eternal,
this presentation is naturally empty.
The essential nature of experience is called vision.
With regards to vision, how does it work?
When you do the visualizations of the Developing Stage, this is the transformation of yourself into deity.
When the visualization reaches out to all sentient beings and returns, this is responsive compassion.
When Perfection is attained, this is Mahamudra.
The essential nature of vision is free
from either the eternal or the transitory.
This vision is self-realized, seeing itself.
It is not a looking upon the realization, the seeing,
but that very seeing awareness.
This is what is designated vision.
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"Meditation is the ground of the Dharma.
What does this mean? In the flow of your practice,
through continually and steadily inspecting
the essential nature of vision,
you create a meditation completely unbounded.
This is called evenness and composure.
How does this meditation work?
Whether you are practicing the Developing or Perfecting Stages, the experience is significant and yet unconceptualized.
Whatever happens, happens within continuing concentration.
A meditation ofeither the Developing or Perfecting Stages
must be free from three conditions:
instability, cloudiness, and dullness.
Hold the experience without distraction and without concepts- such evenness and composure is meditation.
"Action is the activity of the Dharma.
What does this mean? In the flow of your practice,
when you reach the meditation endowed with the depth of vision, you will see all the various kinds of action,
all characterized by continuity and nondistraction.
How does this action work?
The exact manifesting of action is not specific;
whatever happens, you remain continuously
and incontrovertibly with the experience,
using the experience for spiritual advancement.
"In truth, whether walking, moving, sleeping, eating, or sitting, on all the paths ofaction, remain in contact with your practice, be it the Developing or Perfecting practice,
the Great Perfection practice, or some other.
Never allow yourself to be separated from your practice.
By such action you are endowed with the very epitome of action.
"This is my final spoken instruction,
and now I am going to rNga-yab Island.
Fill all Tibet with these teachings,
and all who are filled with devotion will be blessed. "
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Thus she spoke. Then Shel-dkar-bza' rDo-rje-mtsho asked:
"Kye Ma! Mother ofall Tibet!
Most special Guide ofall gathered here, there is no other like you. Please don't take your compassion from me!
Please take me with you to Padma-'od.
But if my evil karma is so heavy that I cannot follow you,
please give many more teachings and instructions. "
Choked with tears, she was barely able to speak and collapsed on the ground. When she had come to herself, mTsho-rgyal answered her:
"E Ma Ho! listen, faithful daughter of Shel-dkar-bza'! Wisdom I;>ikini, Vajra Ocean!
This body, formed of flesh and blood, is a fetter,
and being inferior, oppresses you.
But ifyou meditate using the patterning and energy practices, you will have the means to wander through space.
"Ifyou bring energy and mind under your own power,
you will truly achieve what is called siddhi.
Though your mind is deceitful and fraught with the five poisons, though your life stream is naturally unsettled
and your communication bound by ordinary conceptualization, they can be purified.
"If you want to achieve Buddhahood,
meditate upon the Mahamudr:i.
liberation-the unity of openness and Pristine Awareness- is not different from Buddhahood.
"The transitory aggregates are deeply deceitful,
the ground ofall good and evil.
Cut them off. Ifyou want to obtain the Rainbow Body, meditate upon the Great Perfection Ati.
"If you employ the Chos-nyid zad-sa,
you will be truly spontaneous and free from karmic action. Then you have the means to move freely through space.
For a little while only, until enlightenment, your body is coarse.
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"Ifyou want to know the way to Padma-'od
listen to this teaching.
Do not for an instant lose contact with your own root lama. Visualize him, honor him, respect and have faith in him;
pray and ask for the four empowerments and blessings. Meditate upon him as a burning light always within your heart, and visualize merging with his three gates
until you become one and inseparable.
"Meditate thus upon the Mahamudri.
Follow the path, gain understanding, and guard your insight, draw forth your wisdom, and carefully cultivate
creativity, openness, and bliss.
Bring dualistic and obsessing objects into the path.
Purify them profoundly in the Great Perfection,
and enter the ground of the final Ati.
You will have eleven more births,
aiding beings ofTibet with your skillful means.
Then come to Padma-'od.
"Your manifestation will be known as
rDo-rje bde-chen Padma-mtsho.
You and the disciple Nam-mkha'i snying-po
will merge skillful means and discriminating wisdom.
Together you will scatter tens of millions of teachings
in the barbarous border countries of cannibals,
and benefit beings with meaning, not just words.
You will be the body consort of the one named Nam-mkha'i snying-po. You will remain for thirty thousand years, as men count them,
and then you will come to Padma-'od, never again parting from the Lord Guru. "
Thus mTsho-rgyal prophesied and gave many instructions.
Then La-gsum rGyal-ba byang-chub bowed before mTsho-rgyal and circumambulated her many times. He presented mTsho-rgyal with a mandala of seven turquoises, the principal one radiating a thousand shining blue lights, and asked:
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"E Ma Ho! Wonderful Lady who never forgets!
Master of the secret teachings of Padmasambhava,
Sarasvati, Mistress of Great Bliss and the most profound wisdom, mTsho-rgyal-ma, sole sun in the dark land of Tibet!
"Now, before you go to the southwest once and for all, please give me, as a great blessing,
a few more words of instruction.
Let them be complete, essential, profound,
sharp and quick to succeed.
"I ask for the teaching that brings Buddhahood in one lifetime. And I ask also, please, how many times will I be reborn,
and when will I meet with you again, <Jakini?
Please, do not part from us yet-
protect us with your compassion. "
When he asked for these teachings, Ye-shes mTsho-rgyal gave to him: the mKha'-spyod sprul-sku'i snying-thig, the Phyi-mdo dang bstun-pa mkha'-'gro sku-gsum rkang-sgrub, and the sPyod-yul 'dul-ba dkar-po, the Thog-'beb drag-spyod mam-gsum, the Bla-ma sku-gsum rkyang- sgrub, the Byin-rlabs dbang-gi sgo-mo, and the gZer-'joms lta-ba cig chod, the rTags-tshad so-ba dgu 'dres, the gNad-kyi me-btsa' mam- gsum, the rDzas sngags dmigs-yul brgya-rtsa, the rJes-gcod lcam-bu gzer-them sogs spyi tshan-bcu, the Nang gsang-sngags dang bstun-pa bla-ma mkha'-'gro zung-'jug-tu bsgrub-thabs, the bsGom-pa sgyu-ma 'phrul-'gros, the rTsa-rlung 'gag don bcu-pa, and the Man-ngag gcig chog zab-mo, the bsGyur-sbyang sbel-ba mam-gsum, the mKa'-'gro'i bang mdzod mig gcig, the mKha'-'gro'i dmar-pa snying-gcig, the mKha'-'gro gnyen-po srog gcig, the Man-ngag sngags-kha sum-sbrel, the 'Od-zer zhabs-pa mam-gsum, the dPa'-bo gyad stobs mam-gsum spyi tshan bcu-gcig, the gSang-ba man-ngag ltar bla-ma mkha'-'gro
rang Ius dbyer-med-du bsgrub-thabs, the lTa-ba phyag-rgya chen-po, the 'Bras-bu rdzogs-chen chig-chod, the Man-ngag gtum-mo sum- sbrel, the gDams-ngag thos chog mam-gsum, the Nyams-len bsgom- pa mam-gsum, the gCig chog mun chos mam-gsum, the Las-phran dgos-pa mam-gsum, the rTen-'brel me-long mam-gsum, the rGyab chos dgos-pa mam-gsum, the bKa'-srung myur mgyogs mam-gsum,
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and the Drag sngags gnad-kha rnam-gsum, and so on, and twelve various final teachings.
rGyal-ba byang-chub and seven other disciples, having received these teachings, reached the liberation of the highest radiant light and were freed.
Then Ye-shes mTsho-rgyal made these prophecies:
"E Ma Ho! Listen attentively, rGyal-ba byang-chub-pa.
Listen well, Lord Dharma Protector.
You were Arya Sa-le, my heroic consort of skillful means.
In a former time, the time of Sa-le, when you were that Acarya, you and I merged skillful means and wisdom.
Together we practiced profound and secret teachings,
and because of those blessings,
I achieved liberation in this life.
And yet, though you and I were intimate friends then, still sometimes you had doubts, you wavered, you scoffed.
"Thus, you will continue to undergo future rebirths, and though you will be a great siddha,
you will meet with obstacles.
You will be troubled by gossip,
exaggerated praise and blame, abuse and evil counsel.
Your benefit to beings will be counteracted by hindrances.
But whatever happens, remember, this is due to previous actions. Finally, you will become one with Padmasambhava and mTsho-rgyal.
"For thirteen future births, you will aid beings: In the future, toward the end of that time,
you will manifest to the west of this Mount Meru as a most wrathful being.
You will have the name of Nam-mkha'
and the form of a fierce Vajra l)aka.
Three births more and you will be called sTag-shams,
and you will stop the winds of karma and come to Padma-'od. Then you and I will part no more.
193
? ? ? With means and wisdom we will manifest to break the transmigratory cycle for beings.
"That will be a time to meditate,
developing the profound power of altruistic prayer;
a time to expand, with the essences of many profound secret teachings; a time to mature, as the result of profound meditation;
a time to develop, stirring up the creativity
of the profound Developing and Perfecting Stages;
a time to be born,
as the good result of profound transformative karma;
a time to move, like the great clouds of profound blessing;
a time to make fall the rain
from the expanse of profound compassion.
You will achieve your goal, Arya Sa-le-ba.
The power of truth will come, rGyal-ba byang-chub-pa.
For now, take this carefully to heart and practice. "
Then night fell on the evening of the eighth day.
Then, it is said, there came flying from the I;>akini Island ofOrgyan, the twelve types of nyul-le spirits and one hundred rwenty million different qakinis. At midnight the life-lords arrived with the breath- takers, the flesh-eaters and blood-drinkers, the bone-chewers, and the like, the rwelve types of qakinis who devour parts of a human being. They numbered fifty million and five thousand and five hundred, so it is said. Then came beasts of prey from the regions of the land and sky. When half had passed by, one hundred twenty million and one hun- dred twenty thousand qakinis of the world and of the twelve times of day rose up and mounted upon the backs of the animals.
Some rode upon the various carnivorous beasts, like the lions; others rode upon the various kinds of winged creatures, like the garudas. Some rode upon the various powerful animals, like the elephants; others rode the various game animals, like the antelopes. The whole region was filled with all sorts of creatures of varied forms, fearful ap- paritions, as well as men of all sorts, and other kinds of beings.
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At dawn, <Jakinis came from the four regions of Orgyan and the twelve islands. Some were pure white, others were varied colors-red, green, blue, and so forth. Some were light yellow or reddish, light green or blue or brown, as well as white; others were red and white, or yellow and white, or green and white, or deep blue and white. Some were half white and half red, blue, yellow, or green.
In their hands the <Jakinis held various signs of their lineages: vari- ous types of ritual implements, daggers, and such. They wore silk robes, bone garlands and diadems, scarves and swirling skirts and veils. They carried musical instruments-thighbone trumpets, skull drums, and such like, too many to enumerate . . . but it is said there were fifty mil- lion and two hundred thousand of them.
From the break of dawn until sunrise, the <Jakinis danced in sixty- eight mandalas around strikingly beautiful female figures of great power and skill who, themselves, danced upon lotuses. Rainbows criss- crossed the sky, all the earth was filled with the smell of incense, and all of space was filled with <Jakinis.
During the time between midday and dusk, it is said the <Jakinis came from thirty-two holy places, ten dwellings of the Herukas, the eight great cemeteries, and two hot springs, each demonstrating her special skills.
They did various dances and showed various gestures, made various different kinds of music, sang many different songs, and performed many dances. They demonstrated their great dexterity, and then made various offerings accompanied by various different kinds of glances, praising mTsho-rgyal and honoring her. Then all together, they stopped and seated themselves upon the ground.
mTsho-rgyal circled the great assembly and magically distributed the offering sweets to all the men and women who were gathered there; to the <Jakinis, she gave even more wondrous things. Then each drank a skull cup of beer and, totally satisfied, sat down to listen to mTsho-rgyal.
mTsho-rgyal spoke the symbolic initiations of the secret <Jakinis to all the beings gathered there. l)akinis and ordinary people mingled
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together, and all were established on the level of Non-turning-back, soon to reach liberation.
At dusk of the ninth day, they went from the heart cave on the side of the mountain of Zab-bu, to the mountain peak of the Copper- colored Mountain. At first light, mTsho-rgyal opened the mandala of one letter, the blessing of the lama's heart. At the same time, there came spirits and demons of all kinds beyond measure, uncountable, innumerable, incomparable beings. Some had three heads, some one head, some no head, some five heads, some nine heads, some one hundred heads, and so on. Some had one leg, some up to one hundred thousand, and some even more.
In the midst of a radiant blue light, the queen of demonesses ap- peared, sent by the Lotus Guru with an invitation for mTsho-rgyal. lights rushed about in the sky as she passed among the crowds of beings. Then, at daybreak, the entire assembly circumambulated mTsho-rgyal. Her eleven faithful close disciples and others-humans, qakas, qakinis, demons, gods, and spirits-all bowed with great faith before the lady. With tears streaming down their faces, they asked her:
"Kye Ma! Kye Hud! Ye-shes Oakini!
Guru of mankind, Ye-shes mTsho-rgyal-ma!
You, the sole mother of all Tibet, are leaving for the sky. What can we preta-like hungry orphans do now?
Please, stay a while longer to protect Tibet.
"But if you cannot stay, if you must go, what will happen? Will the teachings in Tibet flourish or decline?
What will happen to the followers of the doctrine?
What will happen when demons manifest in the world? And what can we do to counteract such occurrences?
We ask you to tell us.
"In particular, how will you manifest,
with what teaching, in what place, and with what name? Please, do not hide anything, do not keep it a secret,
do not speak symbolically or in fragments.
All-wise and powerful one, we ask you to answer.
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"Specifically, what will become
of the three pans of your life story?
What will become of your oral lineage,
higher and lower, mother and son, one and many?
Especially what of the heart-drops of your body,
your Qikini incarnations?
Whatofyourspokentreasures?
What wonhy people should prepare them?
Where should they be hidden, and who should hide them? What gter masters will come, and when will they find them? We ask you to explain completely and precisely what will occur.
"We brothers and sisters gathered here, what will we do? Where will we go, where look for hope?
Who will clear up our obstacles
and help us when the time comes to die?
Alas! Alas! Look quickly upon us with compassion! "
Having said all this, they looked to mTsho-rgyal for extensive pre- dictions, which are presented in summary here:
"E Ma Ho! Listen attentively, gods and men ofTibet! Listen well, faithful, blessed ones.
I myself, the great Mother, Ye-shes mTsho-rgyal-ma, have been protecting Tibet now for 111 years.
The Dharma Protector King Ral-pa-can, Khti Ral-phyag-rdor, incarnation ofVajrapaQi,
will continue to suppon the Siitra and Mantra teachings
as did his ancestors.
"But his younger brother, the demon manifestation Giang, will conspire with the ministers.
The elder brother will be killed, and Giang will seize power. Not so much as the names of the early Siitra and Mantra will be left in Tibet.
"This king will encourage the ten unwholesome acts and the five inexpiable sins;
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he will instigate improper laws harmful to the Buddhadharma. The greatest Dharma practitioners will be killed,
the lesser ones banished,
and the ordinary ones made servants.
"But yogi priests in the villages will keep the teachings alive. Although lHa-sa and bSam-yas will be left in ruin,
dPal-gyi rdo-rje will remember the prophecy.
"He will kill the demon king and then go to lower Khams. sMar and gYo both will preserve the Vinaya texts
like the last precious flame in a lamp.
Then ten monks will assemble at Glang-thang sGrol-ma. The teachings will enter dBus and gTsang again
like a shining light,
and again the Dharma will grow and spread throughout Tibet.
"The wisdom, power, and nobility of the Mantrayana will fill the earth,
though some will still perform
improper and hypocritical practices.
The incarnation of the speech of Orgyan,
the Master of Peace, Santarak~ita,
will be called Atisa. He will do much to spread both the Siitra and Mantra teachings.
"I, mTsho-rgyal, will be reborn as Jayakara,
appearing in the family of the 'Brom.
I will be close to the great lotsawa and will spread the teachings. When the lifespan is seventy years,
I will fill the world with brilliance
by explaining the Siitra and Mantra Dharmas.
"After that, a time will come when the lifespan is sixty years. The Dharma King will manifest as one named Sa
and uphold the teachings.
Later his lineage will decline in power
and the patron-leader relationship with Mongolia will be disconnected.
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"At this time Padmasambhava will produce a body manifestation called 'Brog-mi who will spread the teaching
of path and result, increasing and establishing
a strong tradition of both Siitra and Mantra.
"For a while it will seem
like the time of Sikyamuni Buddha,
but then a time will come when the land will become fragmented. The secret teachings will prosper again
when the lifespan is fifty years,
and the Dharma tradition will spread as it did in former times.
"A heart manifestation of Padmasambhava
will come from the southern valleys.
He will be called Mar-pa and will spread the Mantrayana teachings. Again, I, mTsho-rgyal, will be his body consort,
and one known as Mi-la will develop siddhi
after practicing austerities.
"Padmasambhava's quality incarnation will arise at Dvags-po, and the 'Bri, sTag, Kar, and 'Brug schools
will flow forth like rivers from Mount Ti-se,
forming an ocean of Dharma
and leading beings to the place of ultimate bliss.
"When men are old by age forty,
the teachings will become divided;
men will come to rely on the Mongols,
and the teachings will lose their subtlety.
The land ofTibet will again be fragmented,
and a time will come when the vision of the world is diseased.
"Then Padmasambhava's activity incarnation will be known as Karma. The teachings will spread in the country of Tibet
and be prolonged for thirty years.
The whole realm will be filled with the sounds of MA~I.
"Then, when men age in thirty years, the teachings of dGe-ldan will arise;
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Padmasambhava's heart incarnation will come from dBus, and Tibet will be joyful and happy like a land of the gods.
"A powerful man from Zahor
will spread the Buddha's teachings
throughout dBus, gTsang, and Khams.
After that("~~~~~
the land ofTibet will fall upon unhappy times, and again be divided into many parts;
the Mongols will become very influential
and be looked to for support.
"When men are old at twenty years,
a speech incarnation of Padmasambhava
will come from lHo-brag
and establish all beings in bliss.
A Dharma ruler with a birthmark on his shoulder will appear from the land of Li-yul.
"When aging occurs at ten years,
the teaching will be found only in the border regions. Then, after manifesting a kalpa and an era,
the essence of earth will deteriorate,
and there will come the dark age
ofbDud-'joms Nag-po gya-chu.
"After that, Maitreya will come and lift up the world. For an era, things will look up,
and for two ages they will go downhill.
Then will come three more eras and four periods, long and short, so it is said.
These are only the very general characteristics of things to come.
"Throughout these times of change and trouble, look to the teachings of Padmasambhava
for ways to counteract these trends-
these words of truth will never fail you.
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"I myself, Ye-shes mTsho-rgyal,
will also never take my compassion from Tibet;
I will continue to manifest in the future for all beings. I will lead all beings to bliss
by emanating the light rays of skillful means.
"In particular, I will produce
five body, five speech, and five heart incarnations,
five quality, and five activity incarnations.
