if that
treasure
of more dead words w1ll come 0 : fulfilment.
Dudjom Rinpoche - Fundamentals and History of the Nyingmapa
He devoted his whole life to meditative attainment and the advancement of education together.
Later, his enlightened activity became as vast as space; so his legacy to the teaching was inconceivable.
In his sixty-ninth year, 1204 (wood male mouse) ,995 Nyang-rel Nyima Ozer displayed vast wondrous omens. Above all, a white syllable HRIJ:I emerged from his heart and went off to SukhavatI. In this way did he withdraw from the array of his body. He had predicted that three emanations ofhis body, speech, and mind would arise simultaneously.
ful
Mahakala and Mantras ctrinal cycles of the 9akinls and from the tiger-skm casket many 0
Nyang-rel Nyima Ozer
fi f an image was given to him Sometime a br. aken an inventory, following by a merchant. InsIde of It Nyang b 'sh and the other
chests one rownl
which he discovered two treasure. 'K h tl'ng From inside the
h· d . ge of Valrocana at 0 .
pale gray, be m an Ima h h Tantra of the Gathering of the
brownish chest came. fort t e alon with its transmissions Sugatas of the EIght . TransmItted h nJred and thirty doctrinal and esoteric instructIOns, m ng_man-ngag-dang-bcas-
(bka'-brgyad bde-gshegs _ in the
pa'l chos-tshan brgya-dang sum cu T for use as the rehgIOus kmg
of Vairocana and that of the pale gray chest he found Trhisong Detsen's personal Coples. lt m
Nyang-relNyima Ozer 757
758 History: Close Lineages ofthe Treasures
When Chak Lotsawa went to cremate the master's remains, he failed to start a fire. Then the pyre ignited all by itself and everyone saw a young boy in the crematorium, surrounded by and chanting HA RI NI SA with them, as well as many other omens. Manyextraordin- ary relics were left behind as objects of veneration.
During the actual funeral ceremonies, the great SakyasrI and his followers were invited to attend, and they were delighted with vast offerings of gold. Nyang-rel's son, thinking he should be ordained as a novice asked SakyasrI, who refused to grant his request, saying, "Both of you, father and son, have been great bodhisattvas; and I cannot interrupt a family line of bodhisattvas. Maintaining your present life- style you will be of great benefit to living creatures. "
SakyasrI's extensive praise of both the doctrine and the man shows that, from the start, Nyang-rel was universally renowned as a great indisputable and authentic treasure-finder. Moreover, even biased par- tisans of the new translation schools are free from the taint of having harboured perverse notions [about Nyang-rel], and he became as famous in the Land of Snows as the sun and moon.
Nyang-rel's son and main disciple, Drogon Namka Pelwa, was the master of his teaching, to whom the succession of the transmitted precepts of maturation and liberation was entrusted in its entirety. A prophetic declaration states him to have been the emanation of Ava- lokitesvara. Thinking to fulfil [his father's] intention, through his ex- ceedingly great miraculous abilities he drove the stones in front of Mount Shampo into the sky, as if they were herds of sheep. Others never knew where they came from, but they all landed in a grey mass on the banks of the Kyicu in Lhasa, where they were used for [the reconstruction of] the dike996 [which protected the image of] Lord [Sakyamuni in Lhasa]. It is said that in past times those stones could be distinguished without error.
Drogon Namka Pelwa also commissioned one hundred and eight wall-sized paintings in the Nepali style. He possessed exceedingly great occult powers and abilities and was served by the protectors of the doctrine. Therefore, he could destroy all his enemies with lightning, hail and so forth, by sheer force at any time of the day, disregarding
997
There are many stories which illustrate this. Because of his inconceivable compassion Guru Chowang and many
other emanations became his disciples.
His son, Ngadak Loden, was an emanation of MafijusrI, and his son
Ngadak Dtidtil, in turn, an emanation of Vajrapa1)i. Thus, from these emanations of [the Lords of] the Three Families, who are praised in scripture, there developed successively the "lineage of the sons". There were also the lineages ofNyang-rel Nyima Ozer's disciples, the foremost
Nyang-rel Nyima Ozer 759 IweZre. successors to the transmitted
the season or month.
f h
o w om were the five "sons who
Increased hIS doctrinal activI'ty th h have all-pervasively
precepts", including Nyo" T
M'k ragye
. 1 yo Dor! e. Up to the present da; these r utSI, and Menlungpa
an
d . roug out TIbet b h In central districts. ' ot
on the frontiers,
hIkpo D" .
6 Guru Chiiki Wangcuk
G u m Ch ' k . W.
When he was studying the R F 0 1 angcuk 761
K 1000 oot ragmentofV; . k-l
the latter said to him "In Gjra 1 a under Drigung
Hewillundertakeenlighten youngest son in the
also saId to him, "Geshe Locungpa' e actIvIty. . Zhang Rinpoche had
son! That's a joke But y '11h . maybe I wIll be reborn as y
. OU W I ave a so l ' k " oUr
[533. 5-552. 3] The second of the famed five kingly treasure-finders and the three supreme emanations was the precious Guru Chaki Wangcuk. The religious king Trhisong Detsen reached the highest fruition in the form of the precious Ngadak Nyang[-re1 Nyima Ozer] and had attained buddhahood on [the level called] Unattached Lotus Endowed. 998 Guru Chaki Wangcuk was then revealed as an emanation of his buddha- speech.
Moreover, during the ancient propagation of the teaching a Panpo
named Nyaring had vowed to kill King Trhisong by bringing down a
thunderbolt. At that, a powerful mantra adept called Pangje Tsentram,
who was a disciple of master Padmasambhava, Vimalamitra, and Vai-
rocana, raised his index finger menacingly, and the five thunderbolts
which the Panpo brought down simultaneously were returned to be
his own executioners. The Panpo's village was devastated. The king
conferred great rewards on the mantra adept, whose son, Pang Rikdzin
Nyingpo, was appointed to be the officiating priest of the four Further
999
Taming temples.
rites of worship there, and on one such occasion he met the great minister of Layak Dzawar, who presented him with many riches and estates. He accepted them, saying, "This was my land during a previous life. "
From Pang's son, Ktinkyen Sherap Gyelpo, there descended an un- broken line of sagacious and powerful masters; and in that line there arose one Pangtan Trupei Nyingpo. He asked Lama Sangye Nyigom to grant him the vows of celibacy, but was told, "One [married] bodhisattva can benefit living creatures more than an assembly of eight monks. So, I will not break a line of bodhisattvas. "
While PangtOn was living at home, he received a prophetic declaration telling him to take the QakinI Kargi Wangmo to be his wife. Knowing that this referred to one Karza Gonkyi, who was descended from a family of accomplished masters who could roam through the sky, he married her.
Once a year he would visit Khoting to conduct the
many other prophecies in the sam C
. n 1 e me. PangtOn obtained e veIn.
Guru Chtiki Wangcuk
When [the son Who had been thus r .
womb, t? ere were wonderful omens' f ophesled] entered his mother's and valllshed into the crown f h ' : e sun and moon were conjoined
sounded the sound of the ern from her womb there re- she handed a ceremonial silk verses were heard when
sunnse on Thursday 19 J w, and so forth. Then at mal anuary 1212 (fifteenth d fi '
[; e monkey year, fourth cycIe)1002 th b ay, Irst month, water
ather was making a gold co of e . oy was born. At the time, his and, to check the coincidence py Lztany o[ the Names of Manjusrf
Lord f d . . 'note t athehadJustreachedthewords,
o Octnne, kIng of doctrine
Therefore th h'1
, eel d was named Ch"k
1003 . . .
Seers declared, too, that the' [; 0 I "Lord of Doctrine". III antwasworshIppedbygodsanddemons.
762 History: Close Lineages ofthe Treasures
Beginning in his fourth year Chowang learned writing and reading from his father. He studied thirteen treatises on grammar, including the Sword at the Gateway to Language (smra-sgo mtshon-cha, T 4295), Five Texts on the Recitation ofSanskrit Formulae (rig-klag sde-lnga), and the Great Vivarta (bi-barta chen-mo); ten treatises on the principles of behaviour, including the Point of Human Sustenance; Chinese divina- tion; the transmitted precepts and treasures on medical science; seven texts on royal genealogy (rgyal-rabs sde-bdun); one hundred and four treatises on music and drama, including the Collected Stories ofthe Great Lineage of Riddles (lde-brgyud chen-po'i sgrung-'bum);lO04 seventy-five great texts of Pon; one hundred great texts on rites of thread-cross exorcism; much iconometry of the inner and outer traditions of secret mantra; four great volumes of the Vajrakfla cycle (phur-pa'i skorpod-chen bzhi); and many others. In his tenth year he studied six traditions of Vajrapal). i according to the new translation schools; and when he propi- tiated that deity the water in his ritual vase began to boil. He performed the ritual services of Yamantaka and VajrakIla to their full measure. In his eleventh year he completed [the study of] the empowerments, tan- tras, and esoteric instructions of the Magical Net. At twelve he learned the I(anka1Ji Dhiira1Jz (ka-ka-nz) and the Five Protective Dhiira1Jz (Paii- carak$ii, T558-9 & 561-3), and the Hundred Means for Attainment; and he performed the practice of the Hundred-Syllable Mantra (yig- brgya). In his thirteenth year he received many traditions of the ancient and new translation schools, including Yangdak Heruka, and
Yamantaka, two traditions of the Great Compassionate One, and Haya- griva; and he propitiated them.
During his thirteenth year, too. Chowang experienced a vision in which the lady Tara led him to the top of a crystal castle where he met Vajrasattva. There was a four-faced there, whose white face in front said, "Y ou will maintain the teaching of the Buddha"; her yellow face to the right, "You must propagate the true doctrine"; her red face to the rear, "You will exalt the station of the sarrzgha"; and her blue face to the left, "You must tame those who are hard to train in this evil age". With these words she handed him a white arrow with five quills. IOOS
In his fourteenth year Guru Chowang studied logic, the Compendium of the Abhidharma, the Introduction to the Conduct of a Bodhisattva, the Hevajra Tantra, and other great texts under Tise Trogyang Sarwa. He also received esoteric instructions such as those of the Great Seal, Great Perfection, Pacification, and Six Doctrines. He studied the BriefAccount of the Truths according to the Madhyamaka (dbu-ma bden-chung, T 3902 & 4467) under Thakorwa; the exegesis and attainment of the cycle of Atiyoga, and other siitras and mantras of the ancient and new traditions under Tshurton, father and son; and Pacification, the Great Seal, Great Perfection, Object ofCutting, an introduction to the instructions (gdams-
ngag ngo-sprad) and all th h "
Guru Ch'k 'T V l"
0 1 wangcuk 763
e wrathful
tlIe teachIng under his father. And he ? f the protectors of
a . , xpenentially mastered them
In hIS seventeenth year he met casteroftheinfinitetreasure and became the
zer. When he was eighteen he , t e precIOUS Nyang-rel Nyima of enlightened attitude from ,vows of] the cultivation doctnnal connection at Ky ya a. t:l9Ita at Nezhi Gangpo
Stiipa of Lhalung. That attended the consecration at ;h: udumbara flower on Mount went in search of an a blue lotus, the sublime MafijusrI where, seated atop
]iianakaya Dharmadhatul [B d . ,
panse of reality! ] I am th' I dO Yf of pnstme cognition, ex-
. eor 0 thedot' I
mmd. Knowing the m' d ' , c nne. know your
mISanmc . b
the doctrin'e The m ' oncelva Ie approach to
. eanmg of th" ,
to the doctrine is naturall r IS approach
sole seminal point N I hY P esent, pnstme cognition the . ow, aveexpl' d . ,
oftheeighty-fourthousandd
th . ,
e SIgnIficance of it!
,ame toyouthemeaning
At Chowang awoke from h'
obtaIned the entire doctrin IS seep WIth the conviction that he had
Wh "e.
, en he was m hIS thirteenth '
whIch had been discovered at Sam ian on yellow paper,
' ,
ymg on that mventory. Some
passed on, came into his possess'y
charlatans had tried to find t IOn. n the meantIme, many foolI'sh
hd a,
I'
reasure by reI ost theIr lives and others had
If anyone kept that' to escape from thunderbolts and
And if anyone home, its magic became 0
m a whirlpool, or underground i It m,an abyss, at a crossroad, elements. Since no one could hand/ ,t ,remallled undamaged by the Scroll of Devastation". Guru It b,ecame known as the "Yellow
do with that Yellow Scroll CfhDowang s, father said, "What will
thmg) C ' 0 . an you bnbe death)" S
eVastatIOn wh' h d
elsewhere, . 0 Afterwards ' h'
,m IS twenty-second it and befriended a realised
Guru Chowang furtively re-
WIththelatter'shelp her d practltloneroftheObjectofCutting fN ' 10unasupplemt ' . 0, amkecen in Layak N ' H en ary lllVentory in the valley
naga demon u:rwas entrusted with the key by the
pnstllle cognition wh g , ded the treasure and by a da-k' - f , 0 appeared m th ' . miO
opened the door of the e gUlse of a consort When h cavern he d' . e
treasure Was a vulture as large Iscovered that the essence of the
OVer the thirteen stages of the h as a garu9a. Riding upon it, he flew
surrounded by a canopy of mRet the ? uddha Vajrasattva Ig t. e ObtaIned the empower-
h
, I C estroys every- e stole the inventory and hid it
octnnalcom
ponents. Examine
1 '
Trapa and gradually
764 History: Close meag
1006
d was given a vase of
L· es ofthe Treasures
and malign mantras, catapults and explosive weapons, hexes and magic or to any of the other crooked crafts,1007 until you have emphasised this doctrine above all else. He who does not master it, though he has learned much else, dies a beggar.
"In general, I am by no means opposed to the treasure doctrines. The Buddha made prophetic declarations concerning treasures in all the sutras and tantras. They were the practices attained by awareness- holders of the past. But previously, there were some small-minded treasure-finders who did not reveal the doctrines in their pure form. They indulged in favouritism and flattery and did not achieve much of benefit to living creatures. By propagating malign mantras before all else Gya Zhangtroml008 obstructed the welfare of living creatures. Doctor Kutsa, owing to his medical practice, neglected to serve living beings through the doctrine. By practising rites of thread-cross exor- cism, the Rashak Treasure-finder later became merely an exorcist. And Ponpo Traksel propitiated Pehar first and foremost, and so became no more than a sorcerer. Such examples are endless.
"Though the conquerors of the past intended to benefit others, these treasure-finders became useless because, without straightening out the root doctrinal texts, they proceeded to act in the name of enlightened activity. But if you practise the doctrine, the protectors of doctrine will incidentally arrive. Even if you do not practise sorcery it will come, for such is the pledge of the doctrinal protectors themselves. Devote yourself to the experiential cultivation of the Trio of the Guru, Great Perfection, and Great Compassionate One without many capricious thoughts. Ngadak Nyang and his son are revered by men because of their propitiation of the Great Compassionate One. They are the only treasure-finders who have not come to ruin.
"Six years ago, I intimated that I was to pass away. Now, that time will come in about two months. Men will come saying yours is a false treasure. Disregard them. Before me thirteen generations of the Pang family have passed, and among them there has been no one who did not acquire signs of accomplishment. And I have by no means been the weakest of them. "
Ngadak Drogon examined Guru Chowang's discoveries, saying, "I have had great experience of treasures"; and he was highly delighted. But the master Thakorwa saw a prophecy among them which spoke of an impending invasion ofTibet by the Mongolian army, and he ridiculed it, saying, "Nowadays there are no Mongols in our country. " Guru Chowang was heart-broken and inclined to reconceal the instructions, but two girls helped him to mount a white, winged horse and led him to the glorious [Copper-coloured] Mountain on Camaradvlpa. The great Orgyen gave him the complete empowerment of the Consummation of Secrets (gsang-ba yongs-rdzogs) and inspired him with instructions and advice, saying:
f wareness
ment of the expressive play a door as described in the
h
nectar. Returning, he opene image of a nine-he. aded
inventory and extracted a cU t boxes Inside the naga 1mage he 1S bronze, and twO amule 1- nei within the amulet-boxes one
d four instructlOnal cyc es
covere . . t uctlOnS . h hundred and eight esotenc . 1ns r treasure troves, W1t
This was the first of the e1ghteen g h· h he obtained, and wh1ch are
. · of the mind treasure, w 1C the add1Hon . .
forth in this mnemon1c. (. . . ) set (. . ) Tamdrinzhap 111,
(. ) dTrakmar 11, .
Namkecen 1, an T d·n (v) Entseigo (V1), (. ) nd amn, . )
d· (viii) Dromcola (lX ,
Monkateng 1V ,
. h· (vn) Tam n n , . . )
KhoY1S 1nmar , . (. ) Caktepma (xn ,
Sekar (x), Kyawophuknng Mon Bumthang (xv), Samye Arya (xiii), Cakpur (X1V),( . . ) Hawo Kang (xviii),
. ) Rong Rock xvn,
Tsiki Temple (XV1 , uine treasure (xix)
And the self-concealed, gen h er of propensities. Ch·· ang by t e pow
Came to me, ow ,
h
Furthermore, when he t 0
there were most witnessed by fortunate persons.
wondrous on the lords of the Generally, he impose. o. at sd fortunate and worthy persons to 0 . Otherwise, he . disputable.
Therefore, all his out whatever treasures you
His father heard of th1S s
,
. the copper amulet-boxes, h1S
d ·d "Read the catalogue 0
e said to have discovered.
ar Ch. . g hande
over
f ontents aloud. "
When Guru owan
c . "W 't there a book called f h r sa1d asn
. .
father sal ,
He read it and, agam, h1S Alone, Liberates All
the Buddhasamayoga . Tantr; w. _ hes kun-grol)? Read that to me· d as mnyam-sbyor-gyl rgyu gag s be inning, his father declare , rgyWhen he had read the ta,ntra I have given you not
"Now I understand. That s enoug. dditional disputes later no
just a little advice.
if that treasure of more dead words w1ll come 0 : fulfilment. It is und1sputa. y
d to any expectations of rum or h knower of the three Hmes. an en . of the great Orgyen, t e . nes however pro-
transm1tted precept Idonotneedtohopenow
for other treasure doctn ,
. h· h ears dunng w 1C
[comes from] forty y , . hed urus
found.
"The advice I have for. you f 11 the learned and accomplis. g d
I have gathered the through conceptual . the four quarters 0 1 , . h round and root 0 sa. . t h a t t h i s m i n d a l o n e 1 S t ; s g y o u w i l l b y a l l m e a n s
. - Now ifyoulistentomywor. , Great Compasswnate ne of the Guru, Great perfectwn'e:::a bit of attention to sorcery
above all else. Besides that, do not pay
an
ut those treasures
Guru Choki Wangcuk 765
766
History: Close Lineages ofthe Treasures
Guru Chdki Wangcuk 767
The highest path of all is service to others. Whoever grows weary of this
Lengthens the path to enlightenment.
Then Guru Rinpoche said to him, "Do not hanker after t? is place. If you do, there is a danger that you will transfer . from one hfetIme to the next. " At that moment Guru Chowang was raIsed by what seemed to be a globe of light and arrived back home in an instant. In 1240
(iron male mouse year) the army of the Mongol Dorta the Black arrived,
three times appeared. Should I also cancel this business of going to India? "
Guru . Chowang replied, "If a buddha were to arise who did not wander In sa111sara he would be an extremist! Go to India. Ifyou find a guru, the guru. If you find disciples, educate the disciples. " To Bharo It seemed that this advice was exceedingly fine.
Again, this Newar, Bharo, was a person of very great faith whose propensities had awakened: Looking at the guru's hips he saw the eyes of a wrathful deity; he saw him discuss the doctrine with dakinls and
and the future was clearly established.
The truest of Guru Chowang's disciples was one Bharo TsukdzIn
from Kathmandu in Nepal. 1010 On his way to Tibet in search of gold he had received a prophetic declaration from a c;UikinI saying he would meet the Guru himself. For seven days he actually perceIved Guru Chowang to be Orgyen. Just by hearing the master's speech
realisation arose. One evening, while giving an empowerment, Guru
Chowang said to him, "How do you see me? "
"I actually see the meditational deity," replied Bharo.
"Well then, there is no other to whom to offer the feast and the
. ,
which'included half the carcass of a Bharal sheep,
tormas " So saying Chowang consumed the offerings for the feast,
In an Instant.
"Now, how do you see me? " he asked.
"The Buddha is actually present," was Bharo's answer.
"Well then, I shall empower you! " At that, he gathered up the
ments of worship, broke up the ma1). 9ala, and began to dance In place it had been. Knowing that the constitution and attitudes of hIS worthy disciple were those of one whose conduct was free from accept- ance and rejection, and who was fearless with respect to the
commitments of indestructible reality, Guru Chowang sent forth V cana from the great ma1). 9ala of his indestructible body, from the dIVIne gateway, in the form of great fragrance [excrement] and gave the empowerment. Bharo's experience was like that a
off its slough. Similarly, from the swift, secret path of hIS v. a)ra, Chowang poured Amoghasiddhi onto the tip of Bharo's tongu. e In of perfume [urine] and Bharo blazed with the all-surpassIng, pnstIne cog-
. . f . 'bl bll'SS 1012
mtIon 0 IncorruptI e, supreme . .
The master then poked Bharo's heart with his finger, and Said,
"Recognise this so-called'! '. "
Bharo's clinging to objects vanished like mist. .
"Do not deviate from the significance of seeing this'! '. There IS not
so much as a hair there on which to meditate! "
When the master said that, Bharo developed an gr. eat
realisation of the Great Perfection, free from activity and Extraordinary certainty was born within him. "Now", he Said, "I would not think to request empowerment even if the buddhas of the
and took [the rabbit's
1009 so on. Thus, he only saw the guru in pure visions. Once asked the
.
master, "Have you realised the signs of accomplishment in the practices of sorcery? "
"I have reached the real point of their practical application, but because I devote myself to reciting the mantra OM MANI P ADME HOM I have no leisure to practise them. "l013 . . .
At that the Newar requested him to demonstrate the occult power
of "libera. tion". Guru Chowang approached a rabbit. He drew the shape
of a rabbit on the ground, repeated a mantra seven times over a needle
and stabbed the drawing. At that instant the rabbit tumbled ove/
Chowang said, "Now, we must purify its obscurations. Bring the rab-
1011 . . lO14
bit. " He fastened to it a liberating diagram
consciousness] into his following by offering tormas and a dedication ? f merit. Then Bharo asked, "If such sorcery were used on men, would It not be terrible? "
"Men and marmots are similar," answered the guru, and he per- formed the same action as before, but with a drawing of a marmot. Consequently, they recovered a corpse from a marmot's burrow. "This is the outcome of such practice. I will teach no one, because it is harmful to sentient beings. Even against an enemy one should not utilise any power that does not conduce to buddhahood. Since these two creatures animals, I have 'liberated' them. Otherwise, [remember that] it exceedingly hard to obtain a human body. The sin of taking life is Infinite. It is not limited to one death, but all those who are related or associated suffer as well. Occult power should not be used even against an enemy. Rather, we should cultivate compassion. "
Thus, Guru Chowang was one who especially undertook to practise the conduct of a bodhisattva. His vows not to use occult power and for his own sake were exceedingly firm; and because the com- pass. lOnate aspect [of such rites] reached its mark, this great guru ac- tuahsed [the meaning of the phrase] "To liberate even the three evil destinies through compassion. " He killed the body of past deeds, a mass composed of the five poisons, and resurrected the consciousness in the expanse of reality. In this way, he brought sa111sara to its end, and so achieved that which is most wonderful among [acts of] killing and resurrection.
768 History: Close LirJeages ofthe Treasures
At the time of his departure, the Newar, Bharo, offered sixty Zh0 1D1S
of gold and requested Guru Chowang to prevent obstacles from arising on his return journey to India and Nepal. The guru mixed the gold with flour and performed a burnt offering, whereby the knot ofBharo's avarice was completely released. Moreover, this was a wondrous deed which demonstrated his conviction in the Precious Jewels; for, having taken the Precious Jewels as their objects of reference, those who have accustomed themselves to the practice of liberality do not manifestly act as do those who harbour doubts when they renounce material things as being insubstantial, but, none the less, their display of delight over merits which appear as substantial objects may arouse the scrutiny of small-minded persons.
Afterwards, the guru said to Bharo, "Dispose of the ashes from the burnt offering by scattering them in the water, without any reservation. On the way someone will come to give you food. Accept it! "
Bharo did as he was told and was offered a turnip by a girl. He presented it to the guru, who said, "Cook it covered with a cloth. ,,1016 Then, when Guru Chowang escorted him a short distance on his journey to India, Bharo once more offered him three zho of gold. The guru said, "If we delighted the (;Hikinls by burning gold in fire, they will rejoice even more if we throw this gold into water. " And he cast the gold into a river.
Guru Chowang could reveal himself in six bodily forms simultan- eously. He flew in the sky and left countless impressions of his hands and feet in stone, and displayed many other miraculous feats. For this reason he was praised not only by the Nyingmapa, but also by such [adherents of the new translation schools] as the all-knowing Phak-o and PutOn Rinpoche, who praised Guru Choki Wangcuk as an incom- parably great accomplished master. Chowang clearly remembered thir- teen lives beginning with the religious king Trhisong's immediate rein- carnation, 0 Thaye, the son of the gods, through to Ngadak Nyang-rel Nyima Ozer. Even Sakra and sons of the gods offered him worship and praise. All the gurus of Tibet revered him as their own guru and his reputation shook the earth.
Guru Chowang built the two temples of Tshongdti Gurmo and Sam- drup Dewachenpo. This great treasure-finder discovered an image of the Lord of Sages that was similar to the image of Lord Sakyamuni in Lhasa, and which had been recovered from Mount Mucilinda by the sublime Nagarjuna and concealed on the snowpeak of Hawo by the great Padmasambhava of099iyana. He enshrined it in the Guru Temple in Layak, which became his main seat. During that era the great gurus and aristocrats of Tibet, without distinction, all came before his feet.
Having served living creatures by such inconceivable compassion and enlightened activity, the time for Guru Chowang to consummate his deeds drew near. He said:
Guru Ch 'R' TVT
0 1 wangcuk 769
h
ope,norfear:
C
Some delight if Ch" thoughts. owang IS happ
oncerning me Ch"k' W
S' ,0 ent1ent beings have d'
angcuk ,
Others fear the h ' y, appmess of Chowang.
And he continued:
Ch"
owang's mind knows neith
Chowang'smind1
M <nows not pam'
1
ay those who delight in h' "
Chowang has not ab d IS rejoice!
an oned pam'
ay those who delight in h' ' , ,
M
Chowang's mind k ,IS suffenng rejoice!
M
Chowang's mind h de, t dIe reJOIce!
nows neIther bi th
ay those who fear h 'h ' r,', nor death;
M
Chowang's mind k
as Ie mthee
ay those who fear h ' h xpanse of reality'
e t not die rejoice! ' nows neIther cha
g s mmd knows not b '
May those who fI , s u stant1a1 existence' ear eternIty rejoice! '
Thus, he lived as a re
hope and fear. g at master of yoga who had totally uprooted
So that his efforts spent in co .
Worthwhile, he gave this advice his temples should prove
May those who hope fI nor transformation' Chowan" or eternIty reJoIce! '
If .
one harms what is sacred thou h
throw him out!
But if even a beggar does a honour!
Moreover, he said:
, g he be your own son, '
serVIce for the temple, do him
To the celestial palace of realit '
supreme bliss y s expanse, all-positive
The illusory who is C h o ' ' Itseemsthatthisbod h fi' ,WIll now withdraw.
it must. y as mished trammg all ofthose whom Th '
SIgns that my past evil de in this body.
eds are exhausted have also '
Chowang'shumanform 1'1
and go. ' 1 <e one m a dream, now will vanish
I dreamt that the gatherin
a pile of gems' g, the master and all his disciples,
It IS a sign th 11 .
bliss. at a associated with me will obtain Supreme
out t e necessary service'
770 History: Close Lineages ofthe Treasures
Also, he declared: Everyonewhoeatsasmg
fmy flesh or bones,
le fragment 0 ' ·11
G
.
As small as a pea, or mustar
d
. .
d traversingthepath,W1 ,
bl
7 Como Menmo
reach supreme bliss.
. h these and other similar
Treasure roves. f great promulgator 0
rofound treasures.
[552. 3-557. 5] Of the two characteristic <;Uikinls, who were the real pres- ence of Yeshe Tshogyel,1020 compiler of the most secret transmitted precepts, the first is well known to have been the great emanational treasure-finder Como Menmo. In the prophetic text of her own treasure, the Gathering of All the Secrets of the pakinfs (mkha'-'gro gsang-ba kun- 'dus) it says:
At sometime the <;iakinls will entrust this doctrine To a girl of enlightened family,
Blessed by the <;iakinls, and born in a monkey year. Her conduct will be secret, her name Como.
By realising its blessing she will be naturally liberated, But at that time it will not much benefit others.
Still, all her associates will be conveyed to the level of
supreme bliss,
And will obtain enlightenment, not leaving a trace of their
bodies. 1021
Thus, it was clearly prophesied that she would be truly liberated. She emanated forth, like a blossoming lotus, in 1248 (earth male monkey year, fourth cycle),I°22 near the Guru's meditation cave at Zarmolung in Eytil, the birthplace of awareness. Her father was a mantrin of a Takpo family named Dorje Gyelpo, and her mother, Pema Peldzom, was descended from the <;iakinls. Her parents named her Pema Tshokyi. Because her father was a landowner who had not fallen into the extremes of either wealth or poverty, the infant girl was nursed tenderly, but her mother died when she was in her fifth year and her father remarried. Then, she was sent to graze cattle and forced to do
all sorts of menial chores. So, she experienced a little hardship. During this period, when she was in her thirteenth year, she was grazing the cattle during the springtime near the Secret Cave of Su- preme Bliss, one of Guru Padmasambhava's places of attainment, at Khyungcen Dingwei Trak in Zarmolung in E. She had dozed off there
p
see
. . d h· d1sc1ples W1t
Chowang msp1re 1S . h displaying mconcelVa
e oral Then, in for the great Palace of
signs and m1racles, Guru d Lotus Light. a adepts would meet on the roa , During that era, when . tWO mantrd. t"on that of the Earlier or Later
would ask, "Which 1S tra 1G1 'Chowang was known as a they T ),,1017 Accordmgly, uru
continuous lineage of sons, consist- Among his was as Pema Wangcen, who was an
ing of extraordinary lSNyima Qzer. In particular, emanation of Langdro, . ere Menlungpa Mikyo Doqe,
among the lineage of h1. s precepts and of
who was vastly learned m at e e Newar Bharo Tsukdzm, nme
the Ancient Translation. th Katok,1019 who passed away . mto a
f
"worthy sons" and Malf. 1 0
pure realm without ofaccomplishment, lineage of disciples, who reac doctrines of Guru Chowang, 0 w 1C t
ively propagated the f the enlightened activity of Grea d
the foremost were the ntes India, Nepal and the fr. antler : ; i l g
Compassionate One,. throu Kham. The stream has contmued 1 districts of T1bet and .
centra
the presen
t day without interruptlon.
. .
. bod . These and others m the
772
History: Close Lineages ofthe Treasures
doctrinal expressions. Some people had faith in her, because of the songs and dances of indestructible reality and her unimpeded telepathic statements. But the majority gave her the nickname Como Menmo, saying, "Having fallen asleep on the mountainside, she has been posses- sed by a Menmo spirit. ,,1023 For this reason, she became distressed and decided to leave her own country and travel about with no fixed des- tination.
She went to Layak Pangdrong in west Lhodrak. Just by meeting Guru Chaki Wangcuk there co-emergent, pristine cognition was ef- fortlessly born within her. The precious Chawang, too, realised that she was one of the five characteristic consorts prophesied by Guru Padmasambhava, and took her as his secret seal of action. 1024 She un- ravelled the knots of his energy channels, whereby he realised all the symbols and meanings of the Great Esoteric Instructional Tantra of the Eight Transmitted Precepts) the Consummation of Secrets (bka'-brgyad gsang-ba yongs-rdzogs man-ngag-gi rgyud chen-po), which he had not been able to establish previously; and he translated it into Tibetan. Con- sequently their union, which was one of mutual advantage, came to be unsurpassedly beneficial.
Having stayed there for only a short period of time, Como Menmo received all sorts of essential [teachings on] maturation, liberation, and the instructions. Finally, the great treasure-finder said to her, "It seems that your profound doctrine, the pakinf volume, is the most wonderful essence of the meditative commitment of your previous life as the gakinI Yeshe Tshogyel. But now is not the time to propagate it on behalf of living creatures. Experientially cultivate it in utmost secrecy. Wander throughout the provinces of Central Tibet and Tsang, and benefit living creatures in a secret manner, which will convey all your associates to the level of supreme bliss. In the end you will attain the accomplishment of the sky-farers, without relinquishing your body. "
Obeying his earnest admonition Como Menmo, accompanied by two
worthy yoginls, travelled to all the districts and sub-districts as far as
Tingri in Lata.
In his sixty-ninth year, 1204 (wood male mouse) ,995 Nyang-rel Nyima Ozer displayed vast wondrous omens. Above all, a white syllable HRIJ:I emerged from his heart and went off to SukhavatI. In this way did he withdraw from the array of his body. He had predicted that three emanations ofhis body, speech, and mind would arise simultaneously.
ful
Mahakala and Mantras ctrinal cycles of the 9akinls and from the tiger-skm casket many 0
Nyang-rel Nyima Ozer
fi f an image was given to him Sometime a br. aken an inventory, following by a merchant. InsIde of It Nyang b 'sh and the other
chests one rownl
which he discovered two treasure. 'K h tl'ng From inside the
h· d . ge of Valrocana at 0 .
pale gray, be m an Ima h h Tantra of the Gathering of the
brownish chest came. fort t e alon with its transmissions Sugatas of the EIght . TransmItted h nJred and thirty doctrinal and esoteric instructIOns, m ng_man-ngag-dang-bcas-
(bka'-brgyad bde-gshegs _ in the
pa'l chos-tshan brgya-dang sum cu T for use as the rehgIOus kmg
of Vairocana and that of the pale gray chest he found Trhisong Detsen's personal Coples. lt m
Nyang-relNyima Ozer 757
758 History: Close Lineages ofthe Treasures
When Chak Lotsawa went to cremate the master's remains, he failed to start a fire. Then the pyre ignited all by itself and everyone saw a young boy in the crematorium, surrounded by and chanting HA RI NI SA with them, as well as many other omens. Manyextraordin- ary relics were left behind as objects of veneration.
During the actual funeral ceremonies, the great SakyasrI and his followers were invited to attend, and they were delighted with vast offerings of gold. Nyang-rel's son, thinking he should be ordained as a novice asked SakyasrI, who refused to grant his request, saying, "Both of you, father and son, have been great bodhisattvas; and I cannot interrupt a family line of bodhisattvas. Maintaining your present life- style you will be of great benefit to living creatures. "
SakyasrI's extensive praise of both the doctrine and the man shows that, from the start, Nyang-rel was universally renowned as a great indisputable and authentic treasure-finder. Moreover, even biased par- tisans of the new translation schools are free from the taint of having harboured perverse notions [about Nyang-rel], and he became as famous in the Land of Snows as the sun and moon.
Nyang-rel's son and main disciple, Drogon Namka Pelwa, was the master of his teaching, to whom the succession of the transmitted precepts of maturation and liberation was entrusted in its entirety. A prophetic declaration states him to have been the emanation of Ava- lokitesvara. Thinking to fulfil [his father's] intention, through his ex- ceedingly great miraculous abilities he drove the stones in front of Mount Shampo into the sky, as if they were herds of sheep. Others never knew where they came from, but they all landed in a grey mass on the banks of the Kyicu in Lhasa, where they were used for [the reconstruction of] the dike996 [which protected the image of] Lord [Sakyamuni in Lhasa]. It is said that in past times those stones could be distinguished without error.
Drogon Namka Pelwa also commissioned one hundred and eight wall-sized paintings in the Nepali style. He possessed exceedingly great occult powers and abilities and was served by the protectors of the doctrine. Therefore, he could destroy all his enemies with lightning, hail and so forth, by sheer force at any time of the day, disregarding
997
There are many stories which illustrate this. Because of his inconceivable compassion Guru Chowang and many
other emanations became his disciples.
His son, Ngadak Loden, was an emanation of MafijusrI, and his son
Ngadak Dtidtil, in turn, an emanation of Vajrapa1)i. Thus, from these emanations of [the Lords of] the Three Families, who are praised in scripture, there developed successively the "lineage of the sons". There were also the lineages ofNyang-rel Nyima Ozer's disciples, the foremost
Nyang-rel Nyima Ozer 759 IweZre. successors to the transmitted
the season or month.
f h
o w om were the five "sons who
Increased hIS doctrinal activI'ty th h have all-pervasively
precepts", including Nyo" T
M'k ragye
. 1 yo Dor! e. Up to the present da; these r utSI, and Menlungpa
an
d . roug out TIbet b h In central districts. ' ot
on the frontiers,
hIkpo D" .
6 Guru Chiiki Wangcuk
G u m Ch ' k . W.
When he was studying the R F 0 1 angcuk 761
K 1000 oot ragmentofV; . k-l
the latter said to him "In Gjra 1 a under Drigung
Hewillundertakeenlighten youngest son in the
also saId to him, "Geshe Locungpa' e actIvIty. . Zhang Rinpoche had
son! That's a joke But y '11h . maybe I wIll be reborn as y
. OU W I ave a so l ' k " oUr
[533. 5-552. 3] The second of the famed five kingly treasure-finders and the three supreme emanations was the precious Guru Chaki Wangcuk. The religious king Trhisong Detsen reached the highest fruition in the form of the precious Ngadak Nyang[-re1 Nyima Ozer] and had attained buddhahood on [the level called] Unattached Lotus Endowed. 998 Guru Chaki Wangcuk was then revealed as an emanation of his buddha- speech.
Moreover, during the ancient propagation of the teaching a Panpo
named Nyaring had vowed to kill King Trhisong by bringing down a
thunderbolt. At that, a powerful mantra adept called Pangje Tsentram,
who was a disciple of master Padmasambhava, Vimalamitra, and Vai-
rocana, raised his index finger menacingly, and the five thunderbolts
which the Panpo brought down simultaneously were returned to be
his own executioners. The Panpo's village was devastated. The king
conferred great rewards on the mantra adept, whose son, Pang Rikdzin
Nyingpo, was appointed to be the officiating priest of the four Further
999
Taming temples.
rites of worship there, and on one such occasion he met the great minister of Layak Dzawar, who presented him with many riches and estates. He accepted them, saying, "This was my land during a previous life. "
From Pang's son, Ktinkyen Sherap Gyelpo, there descended an un- broken line of sagacious and powerful masters; and in that line there arose one Pangtan Trupei Nyingpo. He asked Lama Sangye Nyigom to grant him the vows of celibacy, but was told, "One [married] bodhisattva can benefit living creatures more than an assembly of eight monks. So, I will not break a line of bodhisattvas. "
While PangtOn was living at home, he received a prophetic declaration telling him to take the QakinI Kargi Wangmo to be his wife. Knowing that this referred to one Karza Gonkyi, who was descended from a family of accomplished masters who could roam through the sky, he married her.
Once a year he would visit Khoting to conduct the
many other prophecies in the sam C
. n 1 e me. PangtOn obtained e veIn.
Guru Chtiki Wangcuk
When [the son Who had been thus r .
womb, t? ere were wonderful omens' f ophesled] entered his mother's and valllshed into the crown f h ' : e sun and moon were conjoined
sounded the sound of the ern from her womb there re- she handed a ceremonial silk verses were heard when
sunnse on Thursday 19 J w, and so forth. Then at mal anuary 1212 (fifteenth d fi '
[; e monkey year, fourth cycIe)1002 th b ay, Irst month, water
ather was making a gold co of e . oy was born. At the time, his and, to check the coincidence py Lztany o[ the Names of Manjusrf
Lord f d . . 'note t athehadJustreachedthewords,
o Octnne, kIng of doctrine
Therefore th h'1
, eel d was named Ch"k
1003 . . .
Seers declared, too, that the' [; 0 I "Lord of Doctrine". III antwasworshIppedbygodsanddemons.
762 History: Close Lineages ofthe Treasures
Beginning in his fourth year Chowang learned writing and reading from his father. He studied thirteen treatises on grammar, including the Sword at the Gateway to Language (smra-sgo mtshon-cha, T 4295), Five Texts on the Recitation ofSanskrit Formulae (rig-klag sde-lnga), and the Great Vivarta (bi-barta chen-mo); ten treatises on the principles of behaviour, including the Point of Human Sustenance; Chinese divina- tion; the transmitted precepts and treasures on medical science; seven texts on royal genealogy (rgyal-rabs sde-bdun); one hundred and four treatises on music and drama, including the Collected Stories ofthe Great Lineage of Riddles (lde-brgyud chen-po'i sgrung-'bum);lO04 seventy-five great texts of Pon; one hundred great texts on rites of thread-cross exorcism; much iconometry of the inner and outer traditions of secret mantra; four great volumes of the Vajrakfla cycle (phur-pa'i skorpod-chen bzhi); and many others. In his tenth year he studied six traditions of Vajrapal). i according to the new translation schools; and when he propi- tiated that deity the water in his ritual vase began to boil. He performed the ritual services of Yamantaka and VajrakIla to their full measure. In his eleventh year he completed [the study of] the empowerments, tan- tras, and esoteric instructions of the Magical Net. At twelve he learned the I(anka1Ji Dhiira1Jz (ka-ka-nz) and the Five Protective Dhiira1Jz (Paii- carak$ii, T558-9 & 561-3), and the Hundred Means for Attainment; and he performed the practice of the Hundred-Syllable Mantra (yig- brgya). In his thirteenth year he received many traditions of the ancient and new translation schools, including Yangdak Heruka, and
Yamantaka, two traditions of the Great Compassionate One, and Haya- griva; and he propitiated them.
During his thirteenth year, too. Chowang experienced a vision in which the lady Tara led him to the top of a crystal castle where he met Vajrasattva. There was a four-faced there, whose white face in front said, "Y ou will maintain the teaching of the Buddha"; her yellow face to the right, "You must propagate the true doctrine"; her red face to the rear, "You will exalt the station of the sarrzgha"; and her blue face to the left, "You must tame those who are hard to train in this evil age". With these words she handed him a white arrow with five quills. IOOS
In his fourteenth year Guru Chowang studied logic, the Compendium of the Abhidharma, the Introduction to the Conduct of a Bodhisattva, the Hevajra Tantra, and other great texts under Tise Trogyang Sarwa. He also received esoteric instructions such as those of the Great Seal, Great Perfection, Pacification, and Six Doctrines. He studied the BriefAccount of the Truths according to the Madhyamaka (dbu-ma bden-chung, T 3902 & 4467) under Thakorwa; the exegesis and attainment of the cycle of Atiyoga, and other siitras and mantras of the ancient and new traditions under Tshurton, father and son; and Pacification, the Great Seal, Great Perfection, Object ofCutting, an introduction to the instructions (gdams-
ngag ngo-sprad) and all th h "
Guru Ch'k 'T V l"
0 1 wangcuk 763
e wrathful
tlIe teachIng under his father. And he ? f the protectors of
a . , xpenentially mastered them
In hIS seventeenth year he met casteroftheinfinitetreasure and became the
zer. When he was eighteen he , t e precIOUS Nyang-rel Nyima of enlightened attitude from ,vows of] the cultivation doctnnal connection at Ky ya a. t:l9Ita at Nezhi Gangpo
Stiipa of Lhalung. That attended the consecration at ;h: udumbara flower on Mount went in search of an a blue lotus, the sublime MafijusrI where, seated atop
]iianakaya Dharmadhatul [B d . ,
panse of reality! ] I am th' I dO Yf of pnstme cognition, ex-
. eor 0 thedot' I
mmd. Knowing the m' d ' , c nne. know your
mISanmc . b
the doctrin'e The m ' oncelva Ie approach to
. eanmg of th" ,
to the doctrine is naturall r IS approach
sole seminal point N I hY P esent, pnstme cognition the . ow, aveexpl' d . ,
oftheeighty-fourthousandd
th . ,
e SIgnIficance of it!
,ame toyouthemeaning
At Chowang awoke from h'
obtaIned the entire doctrin IS seep WIth the conviction that he had
Wh "e.
, en he was m hIS thirteenth '
whIch had been discovered at Sam ian on yellow paper,
' ,
ymg on that mventory. Some
passed on, came into his possess'y
charlatans had tried to find t IOn. n the meantIme, many foolI'sh
hd a,
I'
reasure by reI ost theIr lives and others had
If anyone kept that' to escape from thunderbolts and
And if anyone home, its magic became 0
m a whirlpool, or underground i It m,an abyss, at a crossroad, elements. Since no one could hand/ ,t ,remallled undamaged by the Scroll of Devastation". Guru It b,ecame known as the "Yellow
do with that Yellow Scroll CfhDowang s, father said, "What will
thmg) C ' 0 . an you bnbe death)" S
eVastatIOn wh' h d
elsewhere, . 0 Afterwards ' h'
,m IS twenty-second it and befriended a realised
Guru Chowang furtively re-
WIththelatter'shelp her d practltloneroftheObjectofCutting fN ' 10unasupplemt ' . 0, amkecen in Layak N ' H en ary lllVentory in the valley
naga demon u:rwas entrusted with the key by the
pnstllle cognition wh g , ded the treasure and by a da-k' - f , 0 appeared m th ' . miO
opened the door of the e gUlse of a consort When h cavern he d' . e
treasure Was a vulture as large Iscovered that the essence of the
OVer the thirteen stages of the h as a garu9a. Riding upon it, he flew
surrounded by a canopy of mRet the ? uddha Vajrasattva Ig t. e ObtaIned the empower-
h
, I C estroys every- e stole the inventory and hid it
octnnalcom
ponents. Examine
1 '
Trapa and gradually
764 History: Close meag
1006
d was given a vase of
L· es ofthe Treasures
and malign mantras, catapults and explosive weapons, hexes and magic or to any of the other crooked crafts,1007 until you have emphasised this doctrine above all else. He who does not master it, though he has learned much else, dies a beggar.
"In general, I am by no means opposed to the treasure doctrines. The Buddha made prophetic declarations concerning treasures in all the sutras and tantras. They were the practices attained by awareness- holders of the past. But previously, there were some small-minded treasure-finders who did not reveal the doctrines in their pure form. They indulged in favouritism and flattery and did not achieve much of benefit to living creatures. By propagating malign mantras before all else Gya Zhangtroml008 obstructed the welfare of living creatures. Doctor Kutsa, owing to his medical practice, neglected to serve living beings through the doctrine. By practising rites of thread-cross exor- cism, the Rashak Treasure-finder later became merely an exorcist. And Ponpo Traksel propitiated Pehar first and foremost, and so became no more than a sorcerer. Such examples are endless.
"Though the conquerors of the past intended to benefit others, these treasure-finders became useless because, without straightening out the root doctrinal texts, they proceeded to act in the name of enlightened activity. But if you practise the doctrine, the protectors of doctrine will incidentally arrive. Even if you do not practise sorcery it will come, for such is the pledge of the doctrinal protectors themselves. Devote yourself to the experiential cultivation of the Trio of the Guru, Great Perfection, and Great Compassionate One without many capricious thoughts. Ngadak Nyang and his son are revered by men because of their propitiation of the Great Compassionate One. They are the only treasure-finders who have not come to ruin.
"Six years ago, I intimated that I was to pass away. Now, that time will come in about two months. Men will come saying yours is a false treasure. Disregard them. Before me thirteen generations of the Pang family have passed, and among them there has been no one who did not acquire signs of accomplishment. And I have by no means been the weakest of them. "
Ngadak Drogon examined Guru Chowang's discoveries, saying, "I have had great experience of treasures"; and he was highly delighted. But the master Thakorwa saw a prophecy among them which spoke of an impending invasion ofTibet by the Mongolian army, and he ridiculed it, saying, "Nowadays there are no Mongols in our country. " Guru Chowang was heart-broken and inclined to reconceal the instructions, but two girls helped him to mount a white, winged horse and led him to the glorious [Copper-coloured] Mountain on Camaradvlpa. The great Orgyen gave him the complete empowerment of the Consummation of Secrets (gsang-ba yongs-rdzogs) and inspired him with instructions and advice, saying:
f wareness
ment of the expressive play a door as described in the
h
nectar. Returning, he opene image of a nine-he. aded
inventory and extracted a cU t boxes Inside the naga 1mage he 1S bronze, and twO amule 1- nei within the amulet-boxes one
d four instructlOnal cyc es
covere . . t uctlOnS . h hundred and eight esotenc . 1ns r treasure troves, W1t
This was the first of the e1ghteen g h· h he obtained, and wh1ch are
. · of the mind treasure, w 1C the add1Hon . .
forth in this mnemon1c. (. . . ) set (. . ) Tamdrinzhap 111,
(. ) dTrakmar 11, .
Namkecen 1, an T d·n (v) Entseigo (V1), (. ) nd amn, . )
d· (viii) Dromcola (lX ,
Monkateng 1V ,
. h· (vn) Tam n n , . . )
KhoY1S 1nmar , . (. ) Caktepma (xn ,
Sekar (x), Kyawophuknng Mon Bumthang (xv), Samye Arya (xiii), Cakpur (X1V),( . . ) Hawo Kang (xviii),
. ) Rong Rock xvn,
Tsiki Temple (XV1 , uine treasure (xix)
And the self-concealed, gen h er of propensities. Ch·· ang by t e pow
Came to me, ow ,
h
Furthermore, when he t 0
there were most witnessed by fortunate persons.
wondrous on the lords of the Generally, he impose. o. at sd fortunate and worthy persons to 0 . Otherwise, he . disputable.
Therefore, all his out whatever treasures you
His father heard of th1S s
,
. the copper amulet-boxes, h1S
d ·d "Read the catalogue 0
e said to have discovered.
ar Ch. . g hande
over
f ontents aloud. "
When Guru owan
c . "W 't there a book called f h r sa1d asn
. .
father sal ,
He read it and, agam, h1S Alone, Liberates All
the Buddhasamayoga . Tantr; w. _ hes kun-grol)? Read that to me· d as mnyam-sbyor-gyl rgyu gag s be inning, his father declare , rgyWhen he had read the ta,ntra I have given you not
"Now I understand. That s enoug. dditional disputes later no
just a little advice.
if that treasure of more dead words w1ll come 0 : fulfilment. It is und1sputa. y
d to any expectations of rum or h knower of the three Hmes. an en . of the great Orgyen, t e . nes however pro-
transm1tted precept Idonotneedtohopenow
for other treasure doctn ,
. h· h ears dunng w 1C
[comes from] forty y , . hed urus
found.
"The advice I have for. you f 11 the learned and accomplis. g d
I have gathered the through conceptual . the four quarters 0 1 , . h round and root 0 sa. . t h a t t h i s m i n d a l o n e 1 S t ; s g y o u w i l l b y a l l m e a n s
. - Now ifyoulistentomywor. , Great Compasswnate ne of the Guru, Great perfectwn'e:::a bit of attention to sorcery
above all else. Besides that, do not pay
an
ut those treasures
Guru Choki Wangcuk 765
766
History: Close Lineages ofthe Treasures
Guru Chdki Wangcuk 767
The highest path of all is service to others. Whoever grows weary of this
Lengthens the path to enlightenment.
Then Guru Rinpoche said to him, "Do not hanker after t? is place. If you do, there is a danger that you will transfer . from one hfetIme to the next. " At that moment Guru Chowang was raIsed by what seemed to be a globe of light and arrived back home in an instant. In 1240
(iron male mouse year) the army of the Mongol Dorta the Black arrived,
three times appeared. Should I also cancel this business of going to India? "
Guru . Chowang replied, "If a buddha were to arise who did not wander In sa111sara he would be an extremist! Go to India. Ifyou find a guru, the guru. If you find disciples, educate the disciples. " To Bharo It seemed that this advice was exceedingly fine.
Again, this Newar, Bharo, was a person of very great faith whose propensities had awakened: Looking at the guru's hips he saw the eyes of a wrathful deity; he saw him discuss the doctrine with dakinls and
and the future was clearly established.
The truest of Guru Chowang's disciples was one Bharo TsukdzIn
from Kathmandu in Nepal. 1010 On his way to Tibet in search of gold he had received a prophetic declaration from a c;UikinI saying he would meet the Guru himself. For seven days he actually perceIved Guru Chowang to be Orgyen. Just by hearing the master's speech
realisation arose. One evening, while giving an empowerment, Guru
Chowang said to him, "How do you see me? "
"I actually see the meditational deity," replied Bharo.
"Well then, there is no other to whom to offer the feast and the
. ,
which'included half the carcass of a Bharal sheep,
tormas " So saying Chowang consumed the offerings for the feast,
In an Instant.
"Now, how do you see me? " he asked.
"The Buddha is actually present," was Bharo's answer.
"Well then, I shall empower you! " At that, he gathered up the
ments of worship, broke up the ma1). 9ala, and began to dance In place it had been. Knowing that the constitution and attitudes of hIS worthy disciple were those of one whose conduct was free from accept- ance and rejection, and who was fearless with respect to the
commitments of indestructible reality, Guru Chowang sent forth V cana from the great ma1). 9ala of his indestructible body, from the dIVIne gateway, in the form of great fragrance [excrement] and gave the empowerment. Bharo's experience was like that a
off its slough. Similarly, from the swift, secret path of hIS v. a)ra, Chowang poured Amoghasiddhi onto the tip of Bharo's tongu. e In of perfume [urine] and Bharo blazed with the all-surpassIng, pnstIne cog-
. . f . 'bl bll'SS 1012
mtIon 0 IncorruptI e, supreme . .
The master then poked Bharo's heart with his finger, and Said,
"Recognise this so-called'! '. "
Bharo's clinging to objects vanished like mist. .
"Do not deviate from the significance of seeing this'! '. There IS not
so much as a hair there on which to meditate! "
When the master said that, Bharo developed an gr. eat
realisation of the Great Perfection, free from activity and Extraordinary certainty was born within him. "Now", he Said, "I would not think to request empowerment even if the buddhas of the
and took [the rabbit's
1009 so on. Thus, he only saw the guru in pure visions. Once asked the
.
master, "Have you realised the signs of accomplishment in the practices of sorcery? "
"I have reached the real point of their practical application, but because I devote myself to reciting the mantra OM MANI P ADME HOM I have no leisure to practise them. "l013 . . .
At that the Newar requested him to demonstrate the occult power
of "libera. tion". Guru Chowang approached a rabbit. He drew the shape
of a rabbit on the ground, repeated a mantra seven times over a needle
and stabbed the drawing. At that instant the rabbit tumbled ove/
Chowang said, "Now, we must purify its obscurations. Bring the rab-
1011 . . lO14
bit. " He fastened to it a liberating diagram
consciousness] into his following by offering tormas and a dedication ? f merit. Then Bharo asked, "If such sorcery were used on men, would It not be terrible? "
"Men and marmots are similar," answered the guru, and he per- formed the same action as before, but with a drawing of a marmot. Consequently, they recovered a corpse from a marmot's burrow. "This is the outcome of such practice. I will teach no one, because it is harmful to sentient beings. Even against an enemy one should not utilise any power that does not conduce to buddhahood. Since these two creatures animals, I have 'liberated' them. Otherwise, [remember that] it exceedingly hard to obtain a human body. The sin of taking life is Infinite. It is not limited to one death, but all those who are related or associated suffer as well. Occult power should not be used even against an enemy. Rather, we should cultivate compassion. "
Thus, Guru Chowang was one who especially undertook to practise the conduct of a bodhisattva. His vows not to use occult power and for his own sake were exceedingly firm; and because the com- pass. lOnate aspect [of such rites] reached its mark, this great guru ac- tuahsed [the meaning of the phrase] "To liberate even the three evil destinies through compassion. " He killed the body of past deeds, a mass composed of the five poisons, and resurrected the consciousness in the expanse of reality. In this way, he brought sa111sara to its end, and so achieved that which is most wonderful among [acts of] killing and resurrection.
768 History: Close LirJeages ofthe Treasures
At the time of his departure, the Newar, Bharo, offered sixty Zh0 1D1S
of gold and requested Guru Chowang to prevent obstacles from arising on his return journey to India and Nepal. The guru mixed the gold with flour and performed a burnt offering, whereby the knot ofBharo's avarice was completely released. Moreover, this was a wondrous deed which demonstrated his conviction in the Precious Jewels; for, having taken the Precious Jewels as their objects of reference, those who have accustomed themselves to the practice of liberality do not manifestly act as do those who harbour doubts when they renounce material things as being insubstantial, but, none the less, their display of delight over merits which appear as substantial objects may arouse the scrutiny of small-minded persons.
Afterwards, the guru said to Bharo, "Dispose of the ashes from the burnt offering by scattering them in the water, without any reservation. On the way someone will come to give you food. Accept it! "
Bharo did as he was told and was offered a turnip by a girl. He presented it to the guru, who said, "Cook it covered with a cloth. ,,1016 Then, when Guru Chowang escorted him a short distance on his journey to India, Bharo once more offered him three zho of gold. The guru said, "If we delighted the (;Hikinls by burning gold in fire, they will rejoice even more if we throw this gold into water. " And he cast the gold into a river.
Guru Chowang could reveal himself in six bodily forms simultan- eously. He flew in the sky and left countless impressions of his hands and feet in stone, and displayed many other miraculous feats. For this reason he was praised not only by the Nyingmapa, but also by such [adherents of the new translation schools] as the all-knowing Phak-o and PutOn Rinpoche, who praised Guru Choki Wangcuk as an incom- parably great accomplished master. Chowang clearly remembered thir- teen lives beginning with the religious king Trhisong's immediate rein- carnation, 0 Thaye, the son of the gods, through to Ngadak Nyang-rel Nyima Ozer. Even Sakra and sons of the gods offered him worship and praise. All the gurus of Tibet revered him as their own guru and his reputation shook the earth.
Guru Chowang built the two temples of Tshongdti Gurmo and Sam- drup Dewachenpo. This great treasure-finder discovered an image of the Lord of Sages that was similar to the image of Lord Sakyamuni in Lhasa, and which had been recovered from Mount Mucilinda by the sublime Nagarjuna and concealed on the snowpeak of Hawo by the great Padmasambhava of099iyana. He enshrined it in the Guru Temple in Layak, which became his main seat. During that era the great gurus and aristocrats of Tibet, without distinction, all came before his feet.
Having served living creatures by such inconceivable compassion and enlightened activity, the time for Guru Chowang to consummate his deeds drew near. He said:
Guru Ch 'R' TVT
0 1 wangcuk 769
h
ope,norfear:
C
Some delight if Ch" thoughts. owang IS happ
oncerning me Ch"k' W
S' ,0 ent1ent beings have d'
angcuk ,
Others fear the h ' y, appmess of Chowang.
And he continued:
Ch"
owang's mind knows neith
Chowang'smind1
M <nows not pam'
1
ay those who delight in h' "
Chowang has not ab d IS rejoice!
an oned pam'
ay those who delight in h' ' , ,
M
Chowang's mind k ,IS suffenng rejoice!
M
Chowang's mind h de, t dIe reJOIce!
nows neIther bi th
ay those who fear h 'h ' r,', nor death;
M
Chowang's mind k
as Ie mthee
ay those who fear h ' h xpanse of reality'
e t not die rejoice! ' nows neIther cha
g s mmd knows not b '
May those who fI , s u stant1a1 existence' ear eternIty rejoice! '
Thus, he lived as a re
hope and fear. g at master of yoga who had totally uprooted
So that his efforts spent in co .
Worthwhile, he gave this advice his temples should prove
May those who hope fI nor transformation' Chowan" or eternIty reJoIce! '
If .
one harms what is sacred thou h
throw him out!
But if even a beggar does a honour!
Moreover, he said:
, g he be your own son, '
serVIce for the temple, do him
To the celestial palace of realit '
supreme bliss y s expanse, all-positive
The illusory who is C h o ' ' Itseemsthatthisbod h fi' ,WIll now withdraw.
it must. y as mished trammg all ofthose whom Th '
SIgns that my past evil de in this body.
eds are exhausted have also '
Chowang'shumanform 1'1
and go. ' 1 <e one m a dream, now will vanish
I dreamt that the gatherin
a pile of gems' g, the master and all his disciples,
It IS a sign th 11 .
bliss. at a associated with me will obtain Supreme
out t e necessary service'
770 History: Close Lineages ofthe Treasures
Also, he declared: Everyonewhoeatsasmg
fmy flesh or bones,
le fragment 0 ' ·11
G
.
As small as a pea, or mustar
d
. .
d traversingthepath,W1 ,
bl
7 Como Menmo
reach supreme bliss.
. h these and other similar
Treasure roves. f great promulgator 0
rofound treasures.
[552. 3-557. 5] Of the two characteristic <;Uikinls, who were the real pres- ence of Yeshe Tshogyel,1020 compiler of the most secret transmitted precepts, the first is well known to have been the great emanational treasure-finder Como Menmo. In the prophetic text of her own treasure, the Gathering of All the Secrets of the pakinfs (mkha'-'gro gsang-ba kun- 'dus) it says:
At sometime the <;iakinls will entrust this doctrine To a girl of enlightened family,
Blessed by the <;iakinls, and born in a monkey year. Her conduct will be secret, her name Como.
By realising its blessing she will be naturally liberated, But at that time it will not much benefit others.
Still, all her associates will be conveyed to the level of
supreme bliss,
And will obtain enlightenment, not leaving a trace of their
bodies. 1021
Thus, it was clearly prophesied that she would be truly liberated. She emanated forth, like a blossoming lotus, in 1248 (earth male monkey year, fourth cycle),I°22 near the Guru's meditation cave at Zarmolung in Eytil, the birthplace of awareness. Her father was a mantrin of a Takpo family named Dorje Gyelpo, and her mother, Pema Peldzom, was descended from the <;iakinls. Her parents named her Pema Tshokyi. Because her father was a landowner who had not fallen into the extremes of either wealth or poverty, the infant girl was nursed tenderly, but her mother died when she was in her fifth year and her father remarried. Then, she was sent to graze cattle and forced to do
all sorts of menial chores. So, she experienced a little hardship. During this period, when she was in her thirteenth year, she was grazing the cattle during the springtime near the Secret Cave of Su- preme Bliss, one of Guru Padmasambhava's places of attainment, at Khyungcen Dingwei Trak in Zarmolung in E. She had dozed off there
p
see
. . d h· d1sc1ples W1t
Chowang msp1re 1S . h displaying mconcelVa
e oral Then, in for the great Palace of
signs and m1racles, Guru d Lotus Light. a adepts would meet on the roa , During that era, when . tWO mantrd. t"on that of the Earlier or Later
would ask, "Which 1S tra 1G1 'Chowang was known as a they T ),,1017 Accordmgly, uru
continuous lineage of sons, consist- Among his was as Pema Wangcen, who was an
ing of extraordinary lSNyima Qzer. In particular, emanation of Langdro, . ere Menlungpa Mikyo Doqe,
among the lineage of h1. s precepts and of
who was vastly learned m at e e Newar Bharo Tsukdzm, nme
the Ancient Translation. th Katok,1019 who passed away . mto a
f
"worthy sons" and Malf. 1 0
pure realm without ofaccomplishment, lineage of disciples, who reac doctrines of Guru Chowang, 0 w 1C t
ively propagated the f the enlightened activity of Grea d
the foremost were the ntes India, Nepal and the fr. antler : ; i l g
Compassionate One,. throu Kham. The stream has contmued 1 districts of T1bet and .
centra
the presen
t day without interruptlon.
. .
. bod . These and others m the
772
History: Close Lineages ofthe Treasures
doctrinal expressions. Some people had faith in her, because of the songs and dances of indestructible reality and her unimpeded telepathic statements. But the majority gave her the nickname Como Menmo, saying, "Having fallen asleep on the mountainside, she has been posses- sed by a Menmo spirit. ,,1023 For this reason, she became distressed and decided to leave her own country and travel about with no fixed des- tination.
She went to Layak Pangdrong in west Lhodrak. Just by meeting Guru Chaki Wangcuk there co-emergent, pristine cognition was ef- fortlessly born within her. The precious Chawang, too, realised that she was one of the five characteristic consorts prophesied by Guru Padmasambhava, and took her as his secret seal of action. 1024 She un- ravelled the knots of his energy channels, whereby he realised all the symbols and meanings of the Great Esoteric Instructional Tantra of the Eight Transmitted Precepts) the Consummation of Secrets (bka'-brgyad gsang-ba yongs-rdzogs man-ngag-gi rgyud chen-po), which he had not been able to establish previously; and he translated it into Tibetan. Con- sequently their union, which was one of mutual advantage, came to be unsurpassedly beneficial.
Having stayed there for only a short period of time, Como Menmo received all sorts of essential [teachings on] maturation, liberation, and the instructions. Finally, the great treasure-finder said to her, "It seems that your profound doctrine, the pakinf volume, is the most wonderful essence of the meditative commitment of your previous life as the gakinI Yeshe Tshogyel. But now is not the time to propagate it on behalf of living creatures. Experientially cultivate it in utmost secrecy. Wander throughout the provinces of Central Tibet and Tsang, and benefit living creatures in a secret manner, which will convey all your associates to the level of supreme bliss. In the end you will attain the accomplishment of the sky-farers, without relinquishing your body. "
Obeying his earnest admonition Como Menmo, accompanied by two
worthy yoginls, travelled to all the districts and sub-districts as far as
Tingri in Lata.
