From the spiritual benefactor Sangye Chodar he receIved the exegeses of the Vinaya, Abhidharma, and
Transcendental
Perfection.
Dudjom Rinpoche - Fundamentals and History of the Nyingmapa
His written works, in about thirteen volumes, have had a most remedial effect on the teachings of both the transmitted precepts and the treasures.
THE LINEAGE OF ZUR HAM'S SISTER, ZURMO
[479. 4-5] This is the Kham tradition, which has already been described following the section on Katok [pp. 700-1].
THE LINEAGE OF THE SON, SANGYE RINCEN
ZhangtOn Namka Dorje
[479. 5-480. 6] Drolcen Samdrup Dorje's son, Sangye Rincen, transmit- ted the lineage to Zhangton Namka Dorje. He was a learned student
who completed his studies under both Drolcen and his son. In the biography,926 it says:
At the funeral service for Jamyang Samdrup Dorje, the major disciples who were invited included about fourteen monks who performed the ceremonies, headed by the gurus who were supreme even among the major disciples. At that time [they include. d] Lama Zurcenpa, Lama Namdingpa. . . 927
Zhangt6n is this last mentioned. Particularly, he received the empow- erment of the Sutra, together with its seal of entrustment, exegesis and instructions, from the son, Sangye Rincen, at Decen Drolma. He be- came learned in all the tantras, transmissions and esoteric instructions, along with their means for attainment. In the hermitage of Tanak Namding he became intent on experiential cultivation above all else; and he attained the stability of vital energy and mind. He disclosed the intentions of the stages of creation and perfection, and mastered the four rites of enlightened activity, whereby he acted on behalf of those requiring training.
Zhangt6n conferred the empowerment on the learned and ac- complished Shami Dorje Gyeltsen in the glorious hermitage at Nam- ding, and granted the exegesis and instructions as well. The latter remained in practice at the hermitage of Decen and acquired stability in the stage of creation, whereby he accomplished the four rites without obstruction. He reached the limits of experience and realisation in the stage of perfection and benefitted the teaching by both exegesis and attainment.
Rikdzin Yudruk Dorje
[480. 6-481. 4] In the hermitage at Decen, Shami Dorje Gyeltsen confer- red on Rikdzin Yudruk Dorje the entire empowerment of the Sutra which Gathers All Intentions, together with its seal of entrustment. He also granted to him the exegesis and instructions. This Yudruk Dorje remained wholly immersed in experiential cultivation in the solitary hermitages of the Central Tibetan mountains, such as On and Do, and above all in the hermitage of Lagu-ngo in Tanak, Yeru. This was why he became known as Lama Drupcenpa, "Guru of Great Attainment". He attained the limits of experience and realisation. Just by conferring his blessing, he could liberate people from disease and evil spirits. In these and other ways the expression of his occult and spiritual powers was revealed. He lived to an extremely ripe old age, and this, combined with his solitary cultivation of experience, enabled him to establish those fortunate disciples who yearned for freedom in maturation [through empowerment] and liberation [through his guidance].
722 History: The Distant Lineage ofTransmitted Precepts Khedrup Lodro Gyeltsen Pelzangpo (Sodokpa)
[481. 4-483. 6] Yudruk Dorje bestowed the empowerments of the four rivers of the Sutra which Gathers All Intentions in their entirety, together with its seal of entrustment, exegesis, instructions, and practical techniques on the learned and accomplished Lodro Gyeltsen Pelzangpo, an emanation of Nyak Jfianakumara. He was born into the family of Dong at Thak Dongkar in Yeru, Tsang. From his childhood he learned
all the conventional sciences without difficulty. In particular, he became adept at the science of medicine. Since he passed his youth in the service of the aristocrat Dongkarwa, he became known as Dongkar Tshoje, the "Physician of Dongkar". During adolescence he awoke to the enlightened family and was ordained as a novice. He was a suppliant at the feet of many learned and accomplished genuine gurus, such as Lacen Dorjechang Trakpa Rincen, Yongdzin Ngawang Trakpa, Dawa
Gyeltsen, the spiritual son of Perna Lingpa,928 the treasure-finder Zhikpo Lingpa,929 and Dorje Senge, who passed away as a sky-farer without relinquishing his body. Under them, he insatiably studied an infinite number of approaches to the doctrine. Not merely leaving those teachings to be something he had once heard, he removed his doubts. Undistracted by social diversions he persevered in experiential cultiva-
tion and accomplished all at once [the three kinds of discriminative awareness, born of] study, thought and meditation.
By virtue of that, the spatial expanse of experience, realisation, and knowledge grew from within him. His knowledge of the textual tradi- tions of the siitras and mantras in general, and ofthe doctrines belonging to the transmitted precepts and treasures of the Ancient Translation School, in particular, developed without impediment. And the naturally manifest, unbiased intention of the Great Perfection arose within him. The pulses of the energy channels, currents and seminal points dissolved
into the central channel. 930 By mastering the refinement, multiplication, emanation and transformation of dreams,931 he journeyed to pure lands and met face to face with many buddhas and bodhisattvas, and obtained prophecies from them. By his occult power he destroyed the ruinous demons of Tibet, and the hostile armies on the frontiers. Since he could
immediately actualise the signs of [one who can successfully] protect and obstruct, he became universally renowned.
During the early part of his life Lodro Gyeltsen lived at Kyibuk in lower Nyang. Without straying from the intention of the Indestructible Nucleus of Inner Radiance932 he continuously propagated the doctrines of the transmitted empowerments, exegeses, transmissions, and pro- found guidance in whatever manner was suited to the abilities of his
disciples. In this way, he fulfilled the hopes of each. He composed detailed expositions, texts concerning the means for attainment, cere- monies and rites, works on practical technique, histories of the doctrine,
Empowerment ofthe Sutra which Gathers All Intentions 723
answers to critics and so forth. He produced golden copies of the Seventeen Tantras, the Innermost Spirituality ofVimalamitra, the Gather- ing of the Sugatas, et cetera; and he published many volumes of trans- mitted precepts and treasures. Thus, by vast enlightened activity invol- ving exegesis, attainment, and work, he clarified and spread the teaching of the Ancient Translation School.
Lodro Gyeltsen's Notes on the Indications and Avoidance of Death Cchi-ba brtags-bslu'iyi-ge) was clearly composed during his seventy-third year. Therefore, he certainly lived a long life.
Kong-ra Locen Zhenpen Dorje
[483. 6-486. 2] Lodro Gyeltsen gave the empowerments ofthe four rivers of the Sutra which Gathers All Intentions in their entirety, along with its seal of entrustment, exegesis, instructions and practical techniques to Kong-ra Locen Zhenpen Dorje. This holy individual was born in Trashiling, Sikkim, in 1594 (wood male horse year). He was a son of one ancen, who was the younger brother of Locen Ngagiwangpo, the grandnephew of Tokden Chonyi Rangdrol. Their family was Nup Thropupa. As a boy Zhenpen Dorje was wild-tempered, but highly disciplined. So he was fearlessly brilliant and haughty towards everyone. From childhood, too, he seemed to yearn for a support free from desire, owing to which, during his twelfth year he received the ordination of a novice, and during his twenty-first year the complete ordination in the presence of Zhamar Choki Wangcuk; and he became supremely dignified in his conduct.
His uncle, Locen Ngagiwangpo, had been invited to tutor the Zhamarpa in the sciences, and so Zhenpen Dorje followed as his servant. He became learned in all the branches of linguistic science, including the Kaliipasutra, the Mirror ofPoetics, prosody, astrology, and various Indian and Tibetan scripts. Under that doctrine master [the Zhamarpa] and Rinpoche Maseng, among others, he learned all kinds of dialectical texts, and incidentally attended the doctrinal discourses they delivered. Above and beyond that, he attended on many great individuals, includ- ing his uncle Locen Ngagiwangpo, Khedrup Lodro Gyeltsen, Sungtriil Tshtiltrim Dorje, Nyipuwa Rikdzin Nyingpo, Tsele Perna Lekdrup, Katokpa Perna Lodro, and Yondopa Trashi Lhtindrup. Under them he studied innumerable doctrines belonging to the transmitted precepts and treasures of the Ancient Translation School, until his doubts were removed. By perseverance in the meditation and attainment of the stages of creation and perfection, he arrived at the limits of experience and realisation. Because he was unsullied by the social diversions of the eight worldly concerns, all who followed him naturally behaved in accordance with the true doctrine.
He prepared copies of the Collected Tantras ofthe Nyingmapa (rnying- ma rgyud-'bum) on three occasions. The first two times, in consideration
724 History: The Distant Lineage ofTransmitted Precepts
Empowennent ofthe Sutra which Gathers All Intentions 725
of the continuity of the teaching, he sent those copies to Kham and
Kongpo. As this illustrates, whatever he had, whether books or other
possessions, he gave away that they might benefit living creatures; and
even if he had none, he provided liberal sustenance for those who were
engaged in practice. From this master, Zhenpen Dorje, a continl}ous
transmission of the Collected Tantras of the Nyingmapa pervaded Kham
and Central Tibet. Therefore, his kindness to the teaching was great.
By perpetuating the enlightened activity of teaching the sutras,
and sciences, he fulfilled the hopes of his disciples. He always mam-
tained all those who studied the doctrine by providing sustenance. In
short, he was exalted by the enlightened attributes oflearning, dignity,
and excellence; and his enlightened activities in the three [spheres of]
exegesis, attainment, and work were as extensive as space. He. passed
away into the expanse of peace during his sixty-first year, whIch was
. . . I. 11933 an InausplClOUS one astro oglca y.
Sangdak Trhinle Lhiindrup
[486. 2-489. 5] From Kong-ra Locen, the lineage was transmitted to Sangdak Trhinle Lhtindrup, the reincarnation of Nupcen Yeshe. He was born at Chak Cangcupling in 1611 (iron female pIg year) as the son of Do-nga Tendzin, a great learned and accomplished teacher of the Nyo clan. From his fifth year he fully mastered both reading and writing. In his eighth year he received the vows of a layman in the presence of his venerable father, and the name Orgyen was conferred upon him. Beginning then, he learned the cycle of ntes, means for attainment, and practical techniques. By training himself in all the scriptures of the great, all-knowing Longcenpa, and in the con- ventional sciences like grammar and astrology, he acquired intellectual power. Under his venerable father, in particular, he received many empowerments, exegeses, transmissions and much guidance on t. he transmitted precepts and treasures; for instance, the means for attam- ment of the trio of the Guru) Great Perfection and Great Compassionate One (bla-rdzogs-thugs-gsum). 934 Then, through reflection and meditation he established them [in his mind].
When he was ordained as a novice by the great Tsuklak Gyamtso, the name Trhinle Lhtindrup Pelzangpo was conferred upon him, and he received all kinds of doctrinal discourses. Moreover, he attended on more than thirty genuine gurus of the ancient and new including Nyingmapa [teachers], such as Sungtrtil Tshtiltnm Doqe, L o c e n Z h e n p e n D o r j e , L h a t s t i n K t i n z a n g N a m g y e l , Drukdra Zangpo, Ponlungpa Tshtiltrim Gyeltsen, Zur Choymg Rangdrol, and Trhtizhi Norbu Choten, and other [teachers] ofthe. . new translation schools, such as Gyeltsap Trakpa Choyang, and Gonpo
Sangdak Trhinle Lhundrup
Sonam Chokden. Under them, he insatiably studied innumerable doc- trines of the sutra and mantra traditions.
Concerning the empowerment of the Sutra which Gathers All Inten- tions, in particular: In his eighth year, Trhinle Lhtindrup, in the com- pany of his father, received both the Zur and Kham traditions when the mantra adept Ktinzang Peljor was invited to Cangcupling. In his twenty-first year he studied the writings of the Kham tradition under
Lhatstin Ktinzang Namgyel. Then, in his twenty-ninth year, in May 1639 (fourth month, earth hare year), at Kong-ra Lhtindrupding, in the presence ofthe great translator Zhenpen Dorje, who had constructed all the root and branch ma1). <;ialas ofthe Sutra which Gathers AllIntentions
c? loured powders, he received the empowerments ofits four rivers m then entirety over a period of seventeen days, along with its seal of entr. ustment and esoteric instructions on the sequence of meditation. was] . all [given] according to the writings of Nyelpa Delekpa,935 and m conjunction with the steps of the rite of great attainment.
That. same Kong-ra Locen bestowed alms munificently on those who were hIS fortunate disciples. Beyond that, he would refuse whatever tribute was offered to him for the doctrine and return it, saying, "Our
726 History: The Distant Lineage o/Transmitted Precepts
doctrine is not for sale. " None the less, it is said that when this master, Trhinle Lhtindrup, offered him nine empowerment vases for the corners [of the mal). 9ala],936 Kong-ra Locen was delighted and accepted That was certainly a symbolic way ofindicating that he regarded Trhmle Lhtindrup as a fit vessel for the river ofempowerment, and that, hence, he had arranged the auspicious occasion for the teaching to
So it was that Trhinle Lhtindrup removed all the doubts assoc1ated with study and thought in the appropriate fashion. In many solitary hermitages, he properly applied himself to the experiential of the essential path. In the visionary clarity of the stage of creatlOn, through which he could eliminate the impure appearances [of the every- day world] he obtained signs which could be tangibly perceived. Thus, he accomplished unimpededly whatever rites he undertook. .
By realising, through the stage of perfection, the primordially pure ground, perfect and free from change and transformation, which is the abiding nature of reality as it is, he cut through the entanglements which grasp saIpsara and nirval). a as true. Having dissolved all phenom- enal appearances in the space of spontaneously inner he had visions of many meditational deities and obtamed prophec1es. Since he had destroyed selfish mental grasping, an all-embracing com- passion for the sake of others effortlessly and arose, w? ereby he constantly turned the doctrinal wheels of exeges1s and attamment for many fortunate persons, high and low, who aspired to freedom. Thus, he extended the spiritual and temporal well-being of the teaching and living creatures.
In particular, Sangdak Trhinle Lhtindrup bestowed his profoun. d and vast doctrines in their entirety on the supreme sp1ntual son of h1S
' 937 body, speech and mind, the great GYU,rme DOfJe;
and he empowered him as his regent. Then, dunng h1S fifty-second year, on Sunday 9 April 1662 (twenty-second day, second water tiger year)938 a protuberance suddenly arose on the crown of h1S head, from which a vapour, like pale dew by moonlight, or incense smoke, was expelled;939 and he withdrew from the array of his physical body into the expanse of reality.
Locen Chb'gyel Tendzin
[489. 5-492. 5] Trhinle Lhtindrup favoured Locen Chogyel as his disciple, He was born in the lower village of Edam N m 1631 (iron sheep year). Because the propensities of his prevlOUS hfe were clearly manifest, he was recognised as master of his monks and invited to TaktOling, and the other monasteries of h1S predec,essor. Without difficulty he mastered writing, reading, ceremonies and Having done so, he went to the college of Chongye Pelri to pursue education. He was ordained as a novice by Sonam Rincen, who occupled
that seat, and the name Chogyel Tendzin was conferred up h'
' , on 1m,
H e
Empowennent of the Sutra which Gathers All Intentions
727
rece1ved all kmds of empowerments and transmissions The b '
,,h',.
n, egm-
mng Wlt the memonsatlOn of the ceremonial texts for the Cath ' ,/, I " - enng
OJ ntentwns (dgongs- dus) and so forth, and their iconograph 'I940 y, 1COn? metry, tonna scu pture, and chants, he trained himself in all
of study] as far as the great, all-knOWing Longcenpa's treatise
Mznd at including both the root text and commentary, Afterwards:
also stud1ed, under NupWn Trakpa Wangpo, the practical applica-
tions I? antras as ,those of Yangdok (yang-bzlog) and
Loktn, along wlth Ind1an and Chmese astrology and divination (rtsis- dkar-nag) ,942
In 1648 ,mal,e mouse), his eighteenth year, Chogyel Tendzin was made d1sc1plmanan of the college, where his strictness set an ex- ample. In that same year Rikdzin Trhinle Lhiindrup was invited to Pelri. With the supreme emanation Trhinle Namgyel in the
mldst [of the assembly], Trhinle Lhiindrup conferred on the whole college the empowerment of the Sutra which Gathers All Intentions t? Zur tradition, in the mal). (jala of coloured powders, al? ng ltS 1nstructions and seal of entrustment, and in connection wnh the nte of great attainment, Subsequently, to a small company of
masters and students, he conferred this empowerment according to the Kham tradition, using the mal). (jalas drawn on cloth. At this time Chogyel Tendzin received both traditions. '
, Later, at vari,ous times and places, he studied many teachings includ- mg the, Gathenng of the Sugatas of the Eight Transmitted Precepts, the Gathenng of Intentwns, the Innennost Spirituality of Vimalamitra, and the treasure doctrines of Zhikpo Lingpa (zhig-gling-gi gter-chos).
Moreo:er, attended on many genuine learned and accomplished gurus, Lhatsiin Namka Jikme and Sungtrtil Tshiiltrim Dorje, rece1ved from them many empowerments, transmissions, and much gUldance on the transmitted precepts and treasures. Then, summoned by the command ofthe minister Gyari, he proceeded to Kong-ra, where
NyangWn Locok Dorje, he studied and mastered the Kalapasutra: poet1cs, prosody, and the other branches of linguistic science,
completing his studies in this way, Chogyel Tendzin lived for at Etongmen and Tshometeng. But, above all, he established res1dence at the monastery of TaktOling. He persevered secretly in
and reahsatlOns. Powerful signs that the protectors worked in his
serv,lce constantly occurred, so even the villagers of those districts were
to contradict the order of "Lama Lingpa" [i. e. the guru of Takto-
hng, Chogyel Tendzin] lest the punishments of the doctrine protectors be forthcoming.
In 1 (water tiger), his thirty-second year, in particular, he went to Tarhng and received some of the treasure doctrines of Perna Lingpa
rtf'd'
1 es 0 serV1ce ,an, attamment
943
and thereby developed excellent experi-
728 History: The Distant Lineage ofTransmitted Precepts
from the great treasure-finder Gyurme Dorje. At that time Gyurme Dorje learned that the continuous lineage of the empowerment of the Satra and its practical techniques, which he had [formerly] received from his venerable father [Trhinle Lhtindrup], were purely held [by Chogyel Tendzin]. Later, therefore, Chogyel Tendzin was invited to [Mindroling,] the seat of that precious, great treasure-finder, where he offered him that empowerment ofthe Sutra. 944 Thus, Chogyel Tendzin unsurpassably benefitted the teaching of the Ancient Translation School. During his seventy-eighth year, in May/]une 1708 (fourth month, earth mouse), he passed away at the monastery of Taktoling.
So it was that, with regard to the transmitted precepts, the number of disciples of the three ancestral Zurs directly multiplied, and countless [lineages] spread forth from them. It is therefore truly said that the great lord of secrets, Dropukpa, in whose lifetime these teachings be- came widely propagated, was the Lord of Secrets [Guhyapati Vajrapal). i] himself, born in [Tibet], the land of snow mountains, for the purpose of increasing the teaching of the mantras.
Later, as the result of the increasing degeneration [of the age], the teaching of the Ancient Translation School gradually became sparse, until it was no more visible than the streams ofautumn. At this juncture, the great treasure-finder and king of the doctrine, Gyurme Dorje, and the all-knowing, great translator Ngawang Chopel [i. e. DharmasrI, who were spiritual] father and son, along with the host of their disciples, assumed responsibility for the aspirations of the great master Pad- masambhava, who had been the crown ornament of the whole populace of the Land of Snows, and for those ofVairocana and Yudra Nyingpo. They united all the fragile streams of instruction from all quarters and made them flow together into an inexhaustible, vast reservoir of teach- ing; and thus they raised anew the great, unfailing banner of the trilogy of the Sutra which Gathers All Intentions, the Magical Net, and the Mental Class. A brief biography of the supreme, great treasure-finder will be found below [pp. 825-34].
Locen Dharmasrf
[492. 5-498. 6] Now, the great translator DharmasrI, the sun of the teach- ing, was born in 1654 (wood male horse year) as the younger brother of the precious, great treasure-finder Gyurme Dorje. He received the vows of a layman adhering to the threefold refuge from that venerable, treasure-finding guru, who named him Tendzin ]amyang Wangpo. In his fifteenth year he was ordained by the all-knowing Great Fifth Dalai Lama and the name Ngawang Chopel was conferred upon him along with the vows of a novice. Then, in his twentieth year, he was fully ordained by that same preceptor. Later, complying with his royal order,
Empowerment of the Sutra which Gathers All Int .
entzons 729
Loeen Dhannasrf
the pure lineage of the vows according to the Lower
I
eltan of the Ancient Translation School from Kharap Zhe ngane oncok Tendzin.
From his guru [Gyurm D . ] h
fi d Dh / - . e orJe, t e venerable and great treasure-
n er, . receIved the vows of a bodhisattva accordin to t tradItIOns and so cultivated an enlightened aspiration. His
y. because, previously, during his twelfth year he had receIve rom hIm the
A . of the Innermost Spirituality ofthe
(rzg-'dzm thugs-thig) in conjunction with the mandala he co Both the pratimok$a and bodhisattva vows . receIve t. ereafter within him as the essence ofthe correspond-
hIS moral discipline in the mantras; so his mind oun .
DharmasrI fully rna t d In his sixteenth h s ere
d· . .
rea mg, wntmg, ceremonies and rituals.
expositions of year Kungtang PaI). cen Shenyen Namgyel's tions of the R and prosody in their entirety, his exposi- of the Th· t IVarta (Vartula)946 and other scripts, and those and of and to Gender (sum-rtags, T 4348-9),
ot er ranches of lIngUIStiC science. Under Dumpa Tondrup
730 History: The Distant Lineage ofTransmitted Precepts
Empowerment of the Sutra which Gathers All Intentions 731
Wangyel he studied Indian and Chinese astrology and divination, the Svarodaya (dbyangs-'char, T 4326-7)947 and so forth. He heard Taklung Trapa's explanations of the grammatical tables of the Siirasvata Grammar (T 4423), of sandhi and verbal acc? rding to the of
Candragomin and of the prosody ofhght metncal feet [yang-pa z bya-ba; from the Precious Source of Prosody, T 4303-4]. He attended the great treasure-finding guru's expositions of the Mirror o! Poetics,. of dance, iconometry, and chant according to the umque traditIOn
of the Ancient Translation School. And all of these he mastered
thoroughly.
Under his elder brother Gyelse Tenpei Nyima, DharmasrI became
learned in the practical application and technical jargon of the Vinaya. Just by receiving [the transmission] of most texts, including Mind at Rest and the Treasury of the Scriptural and Logical {Background for] the
Vinaya (,dul-ba lung-rigs gter-mdzod), an unimpeded arose.
From the spiritual benefactor Sangye Chodar he receIved the exegeses of the Vinaya, Abhidharma, and Transcendental Perfection. From Kungtang Pa1)cen he received the exegeses of the Lecture Notes on the Middle Way (dbu-ma'i stong-thun) and of the Three Hundred Verses
on the Vinaya (Sriima1Jerakiirikii, T 4124). He studied the exegesis of the Profound Inner Meaning under Khedrup Chokyong Gyeltsen. And in the presence of the venerable guru Gyurme Dorje he studied many scriptures of the great, all-knowing doctrine master, Longcenpa; of
masters of the Zur lineage; and of the great Rongzompa. Thus, hIS mind was liberated, so whatever he studied or considered he did not treat superficially but was able to apply directly to his own mind. This, he said, was owing to the kindness [of his brother, the great treasure-
finder].
When, in particular, DharmasrI heard the great treasure-finding guru
deliver an oral exegesis of the Secret Nucleus which combined the Parkap Commentary and YungtOnpa's Commentary, he plumbed the depths of all the overt and hidden meanings of that tantra. He studied, in the manner of a vase being filled to the brim, all the existing transmitted empowerments, exegetical transmissions, and transmitte? esoteric in- structions of the classes of the tantras and means for attamment of the
Ancient Translation School, including the trilogy of the Sutra which Gathers All Intentions, the Magical Net, and the Mental Class. the treasures he received the empowerments, transmissions, and esotenc instructions for all the treasure doctrines of most of the famous treasure- finders, of which the foremost were the Earlier and Later Treasure Troves. And he received, too, the entire transmission of the Collected
Tantras of the Nyingmapa, which is the root of all [the tioned here]. Moreover, from Rikdzin Perna Trhinle, Dharmasn re- ceived the empowerment of the complete Kiilacakra and the empower- ment of the peaceful and wrathful deities of the Magical Net.
These must suffice as illustrations: It is impossible to describe the extent to which I? harmasrI studied, considered, and meditated upon an ocean of doctnnal systems, belonging to various traditions, under some twenty tutors of the ancient and new translation schools without partiality. '
For the sake of the teaching, Locen DharmasrI gave the vows of complete ordination to four hundred and forty-seven monks, and those the to one thousand two hundred and ninety-eight. From hIS forty-eIghth year to his sixty-fourth, during both the summer and winter sessions, he continuously turned the doctrinal wheel ofthe Tantra ofthe Secret Nucleus on behalfofabout sixty members ofthe community of awareness-holders, who were intelligent and endowed with supreme good fortune. He also taught many great texts, including the Ascertain- ment ofthe Three Vows,948 Transcendental Perfection, and the Vinaya. Eight times he conferred solely the empowerment of the peaceful and wrathful deities of the Magical Net, thrice that of the Sutra which Gathers All Intentions and five times that of the Chumer of the Depths of Hell (na-rak dong-sprugs), et cetera. In this way, it seems, he taught all the empowerments, transmissions, and [systems of] experiential guidance of the transmitted precepts and treasures of the ancient and new trans- lation schools, which he had himself received, not less than three or four times each.
In particular, he conferred on Ngawang Ktinga Trashi, the great lord of the glorious Sakyapa, a great many doctrines and transmissions including the complete empowerments and transmissions of the New Treasures [gter-gsar, i. e. those of Gyurme Dorje],949 the Guidance which Lays Bare the Teaching on the Great Compassionate One (thugs-rje-chen- po'i smar-khrid), and the empowerment of the Razor Kfla (phur-pa :pu-gri). In his fifty-ninth year, 1712 (water dragon), DharmasrI was Invited to Chamdo in Dokam, where he matured and liberated the minds of Phakpalha Gyelwa Gyamtso, Zhiwa Zangpo and Ngawang Trtilku by means of many nectar-like empowerments, transmissions, and esoteric instructions of the ancient and new traditions without bias. These included the entire cycle of the New Treasures (gte:-gsar-skor yongs-rdzogs), the Guru as the Gathering of Secrets (bla-ma gsang-'dus), the Red Wrathful Guru according to the Treasure of Nyang (nyang-gter drag-dmar), the Razor Kfla, the Chumer of the Depths of Hell, and the Great Compassionate One according to the Tradition ofthe King (thugs-rje chen-po rgyal-po lugs).
DharmasrI even taught the conventional sciences, like grammar, pro- and poetics, not less than five or six times each, according to the capabilities of particular aspirants. In short, this holy indi- VIdual lIved out his entire life performing bountiful acts in the service of the teaching, in accord with the three ways of the wise [i. e. teaching, debate, and composition]; and in so doing he disclosed the naturally
732 History: The Distant Lineage ofTransmitted Precepts
manifest, impartial intention of the Great Perfection. Thus,. he was indisputably one who dwelt on the great level of a sublime In order that the teaching might endure for a long time, Locen
DharmasrI composed the texts making up his Collected Works (bka'-bum), beginning with his unprecedented on the intentional meaning of the Sutra which Gathers All and the
. IN t which are in the form of great commentanal vehIcles, Magzca e, . I· It
. . through to his works on the conventIona SCIences. IS contInumg .
manifestly a great treasure trove of perfect treatises and eloquence.
Concerning the sons who were born from his most of the great individuals who maintained the doctnne d. unng that epoch, it seems that there were none who failed to bow at hIS feet. the host of his disciples who were learned in and lOgIC, and
who were endowed with experiential accomplIshment, cannot be enumerated.
11 Later Lineages of the Transmitted Precepts
THE MINDROLING LINEAGE OF THE TRANSMITTED PRECEPTS
[498. 6-506. 5] So it was that the transmitted precepts of [the empower- ments which cause] maturation and [the guidance which causes] libera- tion, along with the exegetical transmissions, instructions and practical guidance of the transmitted precepts of the Ancient Translation School, in general, as well as the trilogy of the Sutra which Gathers All Intentions, the Magical Net, and the Mental Class, in particular, fell to the great treasure-finder, Rikdzin Gyurme Dorje. He bestowed them on his younger brother, the great translator DharmasrI, an emanation ofYudra Nyingpo, who gave them to Gyelse Rincen Namgyel, an emanation of Vimalamitra. He, in turn, gave them to the great translator's reincarna- tion, the great preceptor Orgyen Tendzin Dorje. From those two, master and disciple, the lineage divided into many streams, extending all the way from [the monasteries of] Katok, Pelytil, Zhecen,9so and Dzokcen in Kham, to Gyelmorong in the far east and to the Golok region of Amdo. In these districts the enlightened activities of exegesis and attainment have extensively and uninterruptedly continued until the present day.
It is not possible to describe all the lineage-holders individually, but here, for example, is one major lineage [of the transmitted precepts]: From the great preceptor O<;l<;liyana [Orgyen Tendzin Dorje], they were transmitted through:
Trhicen Trhinle Namgyel, who was an emanation ofTrhinle Lhtindrup;
Trhi Perna Wangyel, the emanation of the great treasure- finder [Rikdzin Gyurme Dorje];
Trhi Sangye Ktinga, an emanation of Yudra Nyingpo.
From the great treasure-finder to this [last-mentioned] master the lineage represents the continuous family line of the Nyo clan,9S1 who were holders of indestructible reality.
734 History: The Distant Lineage ojTransmitted Precepts
Then, the lineage continued through:
' Norbu the Dokam Kyangkar Trlilku, who
Tshewang Trakpa, his son and heir, who lived to the age of one hundred and ten;
Ngawang Trakpa, [Tshewang Trakpa's] younger brother; Ngawang Norbu, [the latter's] son;
Norbu Yongdrak, an emanation of Vimalamitra;
Gyelse Norbu Wangyel;
the all-knowing Tshliltrim Dorje, the third speech emanation of Pema Lingpa;955
Karwang Tshtiltrim Gyeltsen of Ponlung;
Tendzin Gyurme Dorje, the fourth successive reincarnation
of Pema Lingpa's spiritual son Dawa Gyeltsen, and Rikdzin Terdak Lingpa [Gyurme Dorje] of Mindroling.
The lineage of the former [i. e. Tendzin Gyurme Dorje] continued through:
Ngawang Klinzang Dorje, the fourth speech emanation of Pema Lingpa;
Gyurme Chokdrup Pelbar, the fifth successive spiritual son; Pema Tondrup Trakpa, a holder of indestructible reality; Klinzang Tenpei Gyeltsen, the sixth speech emanation of
Pema Lingpa;
Baka Klinzang Rikdzin Dorje;
Klinzang Tenpei Nyima, the eighth speech emanation of
Pema Lingpa;
Baka Rikdzin Khamsum YongdrOl;
Orgyen Namdrol Gyamtso, a holder ofindestructible reality; Gendlin Gyamtso, a lord of yoga who had renounced every-
thing.
[Gendlin Gyamtso] embraced me with his great kindness.
LINEAGES IN KHAM
The stream of the lineage which descended through Rikdzin Terdak Lingpa was also vastly increased by Jamgon Lodro Thaye. 956 Therefore, as it is explained here, the genuine teaching of the trilogy of the Sutra which Gathers All Intentions, the Magical Net, and the Mental Class has continued without decline through to the present day.
The following passage appears in Thuken's Crystal Mirror of Philo- sophical Systems (thu'u-bkvan-gyi grub-mtha' shel-dkar me-long):
A long time has passed since all the essential doctrines of the trilogy of the Sutra which Gathers All Intentions, the Magical Net, and the Mental Class and so forth vanished into the primordial purity of original space. The Nyingmapa
Do-ngaTendzm , " d
was supreme for his learning, dlgmty aa accomp
lish-
ment; h d'b 952orJampel the lord of the circle, Gyurme P en h L rd of
Dewei Nyima, the emanation of VaJrapaI:n, t e o
Secrets.
. h' 11 wing and I obtained [This last master] took me personally mto IS 0 0
the liberating inspiration of the seal of entrustment.
THE MINDROLING
,
LINEAGE OF A TIYOGA
, 1I'nea e of the Great Perfection [which
Moreover, the sfeCla Jental and Spatial classes, as well f
has transmItted] t e cyc l' Rikdzin Terdak Lingpa [Gyurme as the great Splntua Ity: el and to the venerable Dorje] transmitted thIS to Gyelse hogyel 953 From these lady Mingyur Peldron, an eman,atlOn 0 es s .
two, it was transmitted successIvely through.
the great preceptor Orgyen Tendzin Dorje;
Trhicen Trhinle Namgyel;
the venerable lady Trhinle Chodron;
the all-knowing Dorje Ziji, or Jamyang Khyentse Wangx,o,
h was the combined emanation of the ? reat pa? ,Ita and the sovereign, or religious kmg, Trhlsong
Detsen; , fL ngdro Jedrung Trhinle Campei Jungne, an emanatIon,? a ,
nd to the all-pervading lord Gyurme Ngedon Wangpo, a '954
the magical emanation 0 f Valrocana.
[1 ] lords of the circle, I received the In the of these ast [guidance], and esoteric
entire matunng d 'th the blessing that transferred instructions, and thus was WI
to me the intention of the true Imeage.
THE LINEAGE OF THE COLLECTED TANTRAS
. 1 h uccessive lineage of the
Again, one may refer Y to . t ethSel'r entirety As will be . ' f h C llected 1 antras m .
transmIssIon 0 . d b 1
t e o h '
[ 793-5] t e flvers 0
f the transmitted precepts of rged in the great treasure-
pp.
'.
explalne e ow
the secret tantras, without exceptIon, . conve
finder Ratna Lingpa. From him the lIneage contmue .
, d through'
Later Lineages 735
736
History: The Distant Lineage afTransmitted Precepts
of today merely treat as essential such mimicry as the chant- ing of ritual manuals, the material elaboration of feast offer- ings, and the rites of suppression, burnt offerings, casting
957
Such uncritical prattle is exceedingly false. Since a great scholar like Thuken, who bears up to examination, would never present a corrupt account, we think that this statement was undoubtedly an interpolation made later on by some foolish fanatic. 958
KATOK
To continue: As has already been described, the seminary of the Vajra Seat at Katok was a unique fountain-head of the teaching of the Ancient Translation School. At a later date its enlightened activity was increased by Rikdzin DtidUl Dorje959 and Longsel Nyingpo. None the less, during the intervening period [which followed] the transmitted precepts gradu- ally became rare there. Sonam Detsen, the reincarnation of Dtidtil Dorje and the spiritual son of Longsel Nyingpo received them at the feet of the great treasure-finder [Terdak Lingpa] of Mindroling,960 and restored the teaching of the transmitted precepts from its very founda- tions. Beginning with his reincarnation, Trime Zhingkyong Gonpo, and the others forming the [incarnate] succession of great individuals who maintained the seat of Katok, as well as with Rikdzin Tshewang Norbu,961 an emanation of Namkei Nyingpo, and Gyurme Tshewang Chokdrup, a great pal)c;iita who was an emanation of the great Nyak ]fUinakumara, [this transmission has continued] through to such teachers of more recent times as Situ Ktinzi Choki Gyamtso, and the great preceptor Rikdzin Ngawang Pelzang, a subsequent emanation of V i m a l a m i t r a . T h e t e a c h i n g o f t h e C o n q u e r o r i n g e n e r a l , a n d , i n p a r t i c u - lar, the teaching of the transmitted precepts and treasures of the Ancient Translation School, have been rendered as clear as sunshine by these supreme teachers of living beings, whose learned and accomplished lives and enlightened activities, belonging to the three spheres [of exegesis, attainment, and work], have been utterly amazing and totally without rival.
DZOKCEN
Moreover, there was the lord among accomplished masters, Perna Rikdzin of Dzokcen, who is renowned as the combined emanation of master Kukkuraja and Vimalamitra, and whose life was one of incon- ceivable learning, dignity, and accomplishment. He went to Dokam at the order, issued with foresight, of the supreme conqueror, the Great
Later Lineages 737
out tarmas, et cetera. . .
Dzokcen Pema Rikdzin
[Dalai Lama]. T. here, founded the retreat centre of Samten o mg Rudam and so became a unique benefactor to teachmg . of th. e . AncIent Translation School. His successive incarna- a n d s p I n t u a l s u c h a s t h e g r e a t t r e a s u r e - f i n d e r N y i m a
Ponlop Nam. ka Osel, and Zhecen Rapjam Tenpei Gyeltsen gave nse to a succeSSIOn of supreme individuals who lI'ke h ' f'
'"
as expanSIve as the sky.
g ld
o en mamtamed the teaching through enlightened activity
and. beyond that, during the period of the fourth Dzokcen e. manatIOn Mmgyur Namkei Dorje, Gyelse Zhenpen Thaye, the emana- tIOn ofthe treasure-finder ofMindrOling [Rikdzin Terdak Lingpa], made vast efforts on behalfofthe exegesis and attainment ofmany textual ofthe SlUras and mantras, and especially on behalfofthe
transmItted precepts of the Ancient Translation School Therefore he
soughtoutandgreatlypropagatedmanuscriptsofthem an'dtheircontinu- ousempowerm t . . " '
r h d en s, transmIsSIOns, and esotenc mstructions He pub-
/] some ten ofceremonial arrangements for the which at ers All IntentlOns, the Magical Net and so Thu h' l' d
d1. ,11
an egacy to the contmuous teaching surpass the imagination.
, a c am 0
. S, IS<mness
738 History: The Distant Lineage o/Transmitted Precepts
Rikdzin Kiinzang Sherap
PEL YUL
. . . . . Shera , an emanation of Lasum
SimIlarly, RIkdzm Kunzang. I p t of Namgyel Cangcup Lmg at Cangcup, founded the doctnna c;n of learned and accomplished
. . 963H risetoagreatlamiy . d Pelyul. e gave h. including his spintual sons, an
individuals who the teac Thus he vastly increased the the play of his succeSSIve ' d k
. . . f . attaInmentan wor .
enlightened actIVIties 0 exegesIs'h . . Khyentse Wangpo and the
. . dbybot Jamgon . At a later date, mspire . 964 Gyatrtil Perna Do-nga Tendzm
great treasure-finder Chogyur Lmgpa, I . ent and worship of the
t the annua attamm . instituted, at that very sea, . tted precepts of the AnCIent
dalas of the transmi
twenty-seven great mal). . f h· h the continuous empow-
1 h·h eallthose0 wIC d Translation Schoo, w IC ar. . 965 and he newly founde
. . erment and transmISSIOn
h d Tartang Do-nga S e rup
eXIsts at present, .
h d ·n other ways hIS en-
Ling In t ese an I
s . heres was most amazing. .
lightened actlvIty In the three p fh. s undeviating enhghtened
Above and beyond that, by in about twenty aspiration, Orgyen Do-nga Chokl y p
Later Lineages 739 volumes, all the texts which constitute the doctrinal treasury of the
transmitted precepts. I have had the good fortune to obtain a set of these books of the transmitted precepts of the Ancient Translation School, of which the foremost is the trilogy of the Sutra which Gathers All Intentions, the Magical Net, and the Mental Class. On the basis of
these, at this juncture when the unbearable twists of time in this unfor- tunate age have turned Tibet and Kham into wild and savage lands, the dying embers of the teaching have spread in this direction [i. e. India]! 66 Thus, it is the amazing mass of the kindness of that master
alone, such as can never be repaid, that the life of the teaching has ripened into an unending harvest.
This completes the exposition of the descent of the teaching of the trilogy of the Siltra which Gathers All Intentions, the Magical Net, and the Mental Class, belonging to the extensive, distant lineage of the transmitted precepts, the fifth part of this book, Thunder from the Great
Conquering Battle-fum ofDevendra, a history of the precious teaching
of the vehicle of indestructible reality according to the Ancient Trans- lation School.
Part Six
The Close Lineages of the Treasures
(
1 The Nature, Purpose and Kinds of Treasure
[S11. 1-S23. 2] Now, I shall briefly describe the history of the treasures,
967
The nature or essence of [teachings discovered as] treasure is indicated by the following passage from the Sutra of the Dialogue with the Naga King (Nagarajapariprcchasfltra, T IS3-S):
These four are the great treasures, which are inexhaustible: (i) The inexhaustible, great treasure of the unbroken line of the Three Precious Jewels; (ii) the inexhaustible, great treasure of immeasurable and supreme realisation of the doc- trine; (iii) the inexhaustible, great treasure of bringing delight to sentient beings; and (iv) the inexhaustible, great treasure which is like the sky.
Similarly, it says in the Sublime Sutra ofContemplation which Subsumes All Merits [Aryasarvapu1Jyasamuccayasamadhisutra, T 134, quoted in p. l0S]:
o Vimalatejas! the doctrinal treasures of bodhisattvas, great spiritual warriors who desire the doctrine, have been inserted in mountains, ravines, and woods. Dhara1)ls and limitless approaches to the doctrine, which are set down in books, will also come into their hands.
This explains well the [existence of] treasure doctrines, treasure sites, and the individuals who discover them; and [in that same sutra] one finds the following passage, indicating the [presence of] celestial doc- trines, and so forth:
For one whose aspiration is perfect the doctrine will emerge from the midst of the sky, and from walls and trees, even though no buddha be present.
[which constitute] extremely profound, close lineages.
THE NA TURE OF THE TREASURES
744 History: Close Lineages ofthe Treasures
The Nature, Purpose and Kinds o/Treasure 745
Moreover, in various well-known sutras and tantras the essence, formal definition, enumerations, and purposes of treasures are re- peatedly indicated; and these have been renowned in both India and Tibet. The treasures, therefore, have not been invented by specific individuals, such as the Tibetans.
THE PURPOSE OF THE TREASURES
As to the reason for concealing these treasures, it says in the Satra of the River's Play (chu-klung rol-pa'i mdo, DZ Vo1. 9):
Conceal the doctrinal texts of my teaching,
As treasures of mind, [emerging] from mind, Or make them cores of the earth:
Though extremists with wild thoughts
Will certainly confound the definitive meaning, The flow of the river will not be cut off!
And in the words of a treasure discovered by the doctrinal king, Ratna
968
Because, generally, I harbour great compassion
For the Tibetans, who love what is new,
And for the creatures of this defiled age,
I have filled the frontiers and the centre with treasures, Focal points which are the culmination of utter profundity; And I have prayed that these be found by my worthy sons. In the future, sophists, verbally skilled,
Anchorites and others who are biased, inflated with prejudice,
Will promote themselves and dispute my treasures. But most religious persons in the defiled age will be
guided by treasures.
They are profound and complete, unobscured,
comprehensive:
Each instruction will certainly liberate someone. Therefore, 0 worthy and well-trained ones, whose
propensities have awakened,
If you remember death, then experience these
treasure doctrines!
You will obtain liberation's path in one lifetime,
o my followers!
In the defiled age all worthy devotees of treasure Will be those who now have beheld the guru's visage
and formed an aspiration.
Since you all have such propensities, cultivate joy! These words of mine are more rare than gold, or jewels!
Such statements may be found in other treasure texts, too, without limit. Accordingly, concerning the transmitted precepts [of the distant lineage]: During this defiled age their transmitted empowerments and instructions have become adulterated like milk in the market-place. Because [their lineages] have been interrupted by many lineage-holders, the fresh descent of their blessing has been weakened by many violations of the commitments, as well as by pollution [of the teachings] due to interpolations. But, regarding the contents of the treasures: The dis- coverers of treasure were emanations who had been taken into the following of the great Padmasambhava of OQQiyana himself, and had thus obtained complete transmission of the empowerments and instruc- tions, which bring about maturation and liberation. By bringing forth in this way profound doctrines which embody the unfading, moist breath of the Qakinls, they form close lineages, unequalled in the splend- our of their blessings.
THE LINEAGES OF THE TREASURES
It is well known that [the teachings discovered as] treasure have six
lineages, because they possess three special lineages over and above the
intentional, symbolic and aural lineages which have already been de-
969
scribed.
tion, the lineage of prophetically declared spiritual succession, and the lineage of the Qakinls' seal of entrustment].
In the lineage empowered by enlightened aspiration the concealer has sealed [the treasure doctrines] with the following statement of aspiration embodying a declaration of truth: "May the individual who has power over such and such a treasure trove come to reveal it! "
In the lineage ofprophetically declared spiritual succession the person destined to reveal the treasure has been entrusted with the central intention, namely, the genuine pristine cognition that is the object of illustration, and has also received encouragement through a prophetic declaration of future events.
In the lineage of the qiikinfs' seal of entrustment illustrations [of that intention] are verbally arranged in symbolic writing and then invisibly sealed in indestructible rocks, wealth-filled lakes, and immutable chests, their identifying inventories having first been entrusted to their respec-
970
tive treasure lords.
[the concealer's] aspiration matures, the propensities [of the discoverer] awaken, and the lord of the treasure offers encouragement. The appro- priate chest, containing all kinds of profound treasure, with or without an inventory, then comes into the hands of the treasure-finder.
Lingpa:
These comprise: [the lineage empowered by enlightened aspira-
When the predicted time arrives, the power of
746 History: Close Lineages ofthe Treasures
THE CONCEALMENT OF THE EARTH TREASURES
In particular, most of the profound doctrines contained in the treasures were encoded in the symbolic script of the ejakinIs. They cannot be deciphered by any other than the person who has the right fortune; and because that person must encounter the actual inscribed seal in- dicative of the transmitted precepts of the great Orgyen [Padmasam- bhava], the lineage is therefore uninterrupted by ordinary people. Its source is venerable, its symbolic conventions uncontrived, its words unconfounded, and its meaning unerring. Since [such treasures] were translated from the secret symbols of the ejakinls, the texts are profound and their blessing great. The unworthy, no matter how keen their intelligence, are like blind men examining an elephant and cannot appraise even a portion of them. The revealers of treasure are genuinely beyond the perceptual range of ordinary beings.
In this country of Tibet the one who instructed numberless persons in need of training by enlightened activities associated with the nucleus of the teaching, the vehicle of indestructible reality in general, and the profound treasures in particular, was the Second Buddha, Padmasam-
famili ] . .
. es In the symbolIc script of the dakinls
vanous treasure chests, sealed them to· b .
bhava. 971 In the Sutra of Final NirvalJa the Buddha
After my nirval)a,
When about twelve years have passed,
An individual greater than myself will appear On the lake isle of Dhanakosa.
prophesied:
Nyangben Tingdzin Zangpo Nanam Doqe DUjom, and treasures. They consecrated thes concealed many profound for disciples to be trained th ; so t at ater, when the time was ripe
benefit living beings. In ,:ould be and so
the king and his subJ·ects h elr prophecIes and prayers ave appeared as a . . ' of fortunate individuals and . n magIcal play
life-style, who have acted on of social class and beings. e a 0 the teachIng and of living
PURE VISIONS AND TREASURES OF INTENTION
All the above refers primarily to the
As for the origins of the profound of the earth however, there is a particular as . p . VISIOns and treasures ofIntention,
to the Conduct 0/ a Bodhisattva of the [Introduction ) .
THE LINEAGE OF ZUR HAM'S SISTER, ZURMO
[479. 4-5] This is the Kham tradition, which has already been described following the section on Katok [pp. 700-1].
THE LINEAGE OF THE SON, SANGYE RINCEN
ZhangtOn Namka Dorje
[479. 5-480. 6] Drolcen Samdrup Dorje's son, Sangye Rincen, transmit- ted the lineage to Zhangton Namka Dorje. He was a learned student
who completed his studies under both Drolcen and his son. In the biography,926 it says:
At the funeral service for Jamyang Samdrup Dorje, the major disciples who were invited included about fourteen monks who performed the ceremonies, headed by the gurus who were supreme even among the major disciples. At that time [they include. d] Lama Zurcenpa, Lama Namdingpa. . . 927
Zhangt6n is this last mentioned. Particularly, he received the empow- erment of the Sutra, together with its seal of entrustment, exegesis and instructions, from the son, Sangye Rincen, at Decen Drolma. He be- came learned in all the tantras, transmissions and esoteric instructions, along with their means for attainment. In the hermitage of Tanak Namding he became intent on experiential cultivation above all else; and he attained the stability of vital energy and mind. He disclosed the intentions of the stages of creation and perfection, and mastered the four rites of enlightened activity, whereby he acted on behalf of those requiring training.
Zhangt6n conferred the empowerment on the learned and ac- complished Shami Dorje Gyeltsen in the glorious hermitage at Nam- ding, and granted the exegesis and instructions as well. The latter remained in practice at the hermitage of Decen and acquired stability in the stage of creation, whereby he accomplished the four rites without obstruction. He reached the limits of experience and realisation in the stage of perfection and benefitted the teaching by both exegesis and attainment.
Rikdzin Yudruk Dorje
[480. 6-481. 4] In the hermitage at Decen, Shami Dorje Gyeltsen confer- red on Rikdzin Yudruk Dorje the entire empowerment of the Sutra which Gathers All Intentions, together with its seal of entrustment. He also granted to him the exegesis and instructions. This Yudruk Dorje remained wholly immersed in experiential cultivation in the solitary hermitages of the Central Tibetan mountains, such as On and Do, and above all in the hermitage of Lagu-ngo in Tanak, Yeru. This was why he became known as Lama Drupcenpa, "Guru of Great Attainment". He attained the limits of experience and realisation. Just by conferring his blessing, he could liberate people from disease and evil spirits. In these and other ways the expression of his occult and spiritual powers was revealed. He lived to an extremely ripe old age, and this, combined with his solitary cultivation of experience, enabled him to establish those fortunate disciples who yearned for freedom in maturation [through empowerment] and liberation [through his guidance].
722 History: The Distant Lineage ofTransmitted Precepts Khedrup Lodro Gyeltsen Pelzangpo (Sodokpa)
[481. 4-483. 6] Yudruk Dorje bestowed the empowerments of the four rivers of the Sutra which Gathers All Intentions in their entirety, together with its seal of entrustment, exegesis, instructions, and practical techniques on the learned and accomplished Lodro Gyeltsen Pelzangpo, an emanation of Nyak Jfianakumara. He was born into the family of Dong at Thak Dongkar in Yeru, Tsang. From his childhood he learned
all the conventional sciences without difficulty. In particular, he became adept at the science of medicine. Since he passed his youth in the service of the aristocrat Dongkarwa, he became known as Dongkar Tshoje, the "Physician of Dongkar". During adolescence he awoke to the enlightened family and was ordained as a novice. He was a suppliant at the feet of many learned and accomplished genuine gurus, such as Lacen Dorjechang Trakpa Rincen, Yongdzin Ngawang Trakpa, Dawa
Gyeltsen, the spiritual son of Perna Lingpa,928 the treasure-finder Zhikpo Lingpa,929 and Dorje Senge, who passed away as a sky-farer without relinquishing his body. Under them, he insatiably studied an infinite number of approaches to the doctrine. Not merely leaving those teachings to be something he had once heard, he removed his doubts. Undistracted by social diversions he persevered in experiential cultiva-
tion and accomplished all at once [the three kinds of discriminative awareness, born of] study, thought and meditation.
By virtue of that, the spatial expanse of experience, realisation, and knowledge grew from within him. His knowledge of the textual tradi- tions of the siitras and mantras in general, and ofthe doctrines belonging to the transmitted precepts and treasures of the Ancient Translation School, in particular, developed without impediment. And the naturally manifest, unbiased intention of the Great Perfection arose within him. The pulses of the energy channels, currents and seminal points dissolved
into the central channel. 930 By mastering the refinement, multiplication, emanation and transformation of dreams,931 he journeyed to pure lands and met face to face with many buddhas and bodhisattvas, and obtained prophecies from them. By his occult power he destroyed the ruinous demons of Tibet, and the hostile armies on the frontiers. Since he could
immediately actualise the signs of [one who can successfully] protect and obstruct, he became universally renowned.
During the early part of his life Lodro Gyeltsen lived at Kyibuk in lower Nyang. Without straying from the intention of the Indestructible Nucleus of Inner Radiance932 he continuously propagated the doctrines of the transmitted empowerments, exegeses, transmissions, and pro- found guidance in whatever manner was suited to the abilities of his
disciples. In this way, he fulfilled the hopes of each. He composed detailed expositions, texts concerning the means for attainment, cere- monies and rites, works on practical technique, histories of the doctrine,
Empowerment ofthe Sutra which Gathers All Intentions 723
answers to critics and so forth. He produced golden copies of the Seventeen Tantras, the Innermost Spirituality ofVimalamitra, the Gather- ing of the Sugatas, et cetera; and he published many volumes of trans- mitted precepts and treasures. Thus, by vast enlightened activity invol- ving exegesis, attainment, and work, he clarified and spread the teaching of the Ancient Translation School.
Lodro Gyeltsen's Notes on the Indications and Avoidance of Death Cchi-ba brtags-bslu'iyi-ge) was clearly composed during his seventy-third year. Therefore, he certainly lived a long life.
Kong-ra Locen Zhenpen Dorje
[483. 6-486. 2] Lodro Gyeltsen gave the empowerments ofthe four rivers of the Sutra which Gathers All Intentions in their entirety, along with its seal of entrustment, exegesis, instructions and practical techniques to Kong-ra Locen Zhenpen Dorje. This holy individual was born in Trashiling, Sikkim, in 1594 (wood male horse year). He was a son of one ancen, who was the younger brother of Locen Ngagiwangpo, the grandnephew of Tokden Chonyi Rangdrol. Their family was Nup Thropupa. As a boy Zhenpen Dorje was wild-tempered, but highly disciplined. So he was fearlessly brilliant and haughty towards everyone. From childhood, too, he seemed to yearn for a support free from desire, owing to which, during his twelfth year he received the ordination of a novice, and during his twenty-first year the complete ordination in the presence of Zhamar Choki Wangcuk; and he became supremely dignified in his conduct.
His uncle, Locen Ngagiwangpo, had been invited to tutor the Zhamarpa in the sciences, and so Zhenpen Dorje followed as his servant. He became learned in all the branches of linguistic science, including the Kaliipasutra, the Mirror ofPoetics, prosody, astrology, and various Indian and Tibetan scripts. Under that doctrine master [the Zhamarpa] and Rinpoche Maseng, among others, he learned all kinds of dialectical texts, and incidentally attended the doctrinal discourses they delivered. Above and beyond that, he attended on many great individuals, includ- ing his uncle Locen Ngagiwangpo, Khedrup Lodro Gyeltsen, Sungtriil Tshtiltrim Dorje, Nyipuwa Rikdzin Nyingpo, Tsele Perna Lekdrup, Katokpa Perna Lodro, and Yondopa Trashi Lhtindrup. Under them he studied innumerable doctrines belonging to the transmitted precepts and treasures of the Ancient Translation School, until his doubts were removed. By perseverance in the meditation and attainment of the stages of creation and perfection, he arrived at the limits of experience and realisation. Because he was unsullied by the social diversions of the eight worldly concerns, all who followed him naturally behaved in accordance with the true doctrine.
He prepared copies of the Collected Tantras ofthe Nyingmapa (rnying- ma rgyud-'bum) on three occasions. The first two times, in consideration
724 History: The Distant Lineage ofTransmitted Precepts
Empowennent ofthe Sutra which Gathers All Intentions 725
of the continuity of the teaching, he sent those copies to Kham and
Kongpo. As this illustrates, whatever he had, whether books or other
possessions, he gave away that they might benefit living creatures; and
even if he had none, he provided liberal sustenance for those who were
engaged in practice. From this master, Zhenpen Dorje, a continl}ous
transmission of the Collected Tantras of the Nyingmapa pervaded Kham
and Central Tibet. Therefore, his kindness to the teaching was great.
By perpetuating the enlightened activity of teaching the sutras,
and sciences, he fulfilled the hopes of his disciples. He always mam-
tained all those who studied the doctrine by providing sustenance. In
short, he was exalted by the enlightened attributes oflearning, dignity,
and excellence; and his enlightened activities in the three [spheres of]
exegesis, attainment, and work were as extensive as space. He. passed
away into the expanse of peace during his sixty-first year, whIch was
. . . I. 11933 an InausplClOUS one astro oglca y.
Sangdak Trhinle Lhiindrup
[486. 2-489. 5] From Kong-ra Locen, the lineage was transmitted to Sangdak Trhinle Lhtindrup, the reincarnation of Nupcen Yeshe. He was born at Chak Cangcupling in 1611 (iron female pIg year) as the son of Do-nga Tendzin, a great learned and accomplished teacher of the Nyo clan. From his fifth year he fully mastered both reading and writing. In his eighth year he received the vows of a layman in the presence of his venerable father, and the name Orgyen was conferred upon him. Beginning then, he learned the cycle of ntes, means for attainment, and practical techniques. By training himself in all the scriptures of the great, all-knowing Longcenpa, and in the con- ventional sciences like grammar and astrology, he acquired intellectual power. Under his venerable father, in particular, he received many empowerments, exegeses, transmissions and much guidance on t. he transmitted precepts and treasures; for instance, the means for attam- ment of the trio of the Guru) Great Perfection and Great Compassionate One (bla-rdzogs-thugs-gsum). 934 Then, through reflection and meditation he established them [in his mind].
When he was ordained as a novice by the great Tsuklak Gyamtso, the name Trhinle Lhtindrup Pelzangpo was conferred upon him, and he received all kinds of doctrinal discourses. Moreover, he attended on more than thirty genuine gurus of the ancient and new including Nyingmapa [teachers], such as Sungtrtil Tshtiltnm Doqe, L o c e n Z h e n p e n D o r j e , L h a t s t i n K t i n z a n g N a m g y e l , Drukdra Zangpo, Ponlungpa Tshtiltrim Gyeltsen, Zur Choymg Rangdrol, and Trhtizhi Norbu Choten, and other [teachers] ofthe. . new translation schools, such as Gyeltsap Trakpa Choyang, and Gonpo
Sangdak Trhinle Lhundrup
Sonam Chokden. Under them, he insatiably studied innumerable doc- trines of the sutra and mantra traditions.
Concerning the empowerment of the Sutra which Gathers All Inten- tions, in particular: In his eighth year, Trhinle Lhtindrup, in the com- pany of his father, received both the Zur and Kham traditions when the mantra adept Ktinzang Peljor was invited to Cangcupling. In his twenty-first year he studied the writings of the Kham tradition under
Lhatstin Ktinzang Namgyel. Then, in his twenty-ninth year, in May 1639 (fourth month, earth hare year), at Kong-ra Lhtindrupding, in the presence ofthe great translator Zhenpen Dorje, who had constructed all the root and branch ma1). <;ialas ofthe Sutra which Gathers AllIntentions
c? loured powders, he received the empowerments ofits four rivers m then entirety over a period of seventeen days, along with its seal of entr. ustment and esoteric instructions on the sequence of meditation. was] . all [given] according to the writings of Nyelpa Delekpa,935 and m conjunction with the steps of the rite of great attainment.
That. same Kong-ra Locen bestowed alms munificently on those who were hIS fortunate disciples. Beyond that, he would refuse whatever tribute was offered to him for the doctrine and return it, saying, "Our
726 History: The Distant Lineage o/Transmitted Precepts
doctrine is not for sale. " None the less, it is said that when this master, Trhinle Lhtindrup, offered him nine empowerment vases for the corners [of the mal). 9ala],936 Kong-ra Locen was delighted and accepted That was certainly a symbolic way ofindicating that he regarded Trhmle Lhtindrup as a fit vessel for the river ofempowerment, and that, hence, he had arranged the auspicious occasion for the teaching to
So it was that Trhinle Lhtindrup removed all the doubts assoc1ated with study and thought in the appropriate fashion. In many solitary hermitages, he properly applied himself to the experiential of the essential path. In the visionary clarity of the stage of creatlOn, through which he could eliminate the impure appearances [of the every- day world] he obtained signs which could be tangibly perceived. Thus, he accomplished unimpededly whatever rites he undertook. .
By realising, through the stage of perfection, the primordially pure ground, perfect and free from change and transformation, which is the abiding nature of reality as it is, he cut through the entanglements which grasp saIpsara and nirval). a as true. Having dissolved all phenom- enal appearances in the space of spontaneously inner he had visions of many meditational deities and obtamed prophec1es. Since he had destroyed selfish mental grasping, an all-embracing com- passion for the sake of others effortlessly and arose, w? ereby he constantly turned the doctrinal wheels of exeges1s and attamment for many fortunate persons, high and low, who aspired to freedom. Thus, he extended the spiritual and temporal well-being of the teaching and living creatures.
In particular, Sangdak Trhinle Lhtindrup bestowed his profoun. d and vast doctrines in their entirety on the supreme sp1ntual son of h1S
' 937 body, speech and mind, the great GYU,rme DOfJe;
and he empowered him as his regent. Then, dunng h1S fifty-second year, on Sunday 9 April 1662 (twenty-second day, second water tiger year)938 a protuberance suddenly arose on the crown of h1S head, from which a vapour, like pale dew by moonlight, or incense smoke, was expelled;939 and he withdrew from the array of his physical body into the expanse of reality.
Locen Chb'gyel Tendzin
[489. 5-492. 5] Trhinle Lhtindrup favoured Locen Chogyel as his disciple, He was born in the lower village of Edam N m 1631 (iron sheep year). Because the propensities of his prevlOUS hfe were clearly manifest, he was recognised as master of his monks and invited to TaktOling, and the other monasteries of h1S predec,essor. Without difficulty he mastered writing, reading, ceremonies and Having done so, he went to the college of Chongye Pelri to pursue education. He was ordained as a novice by Sonam Rincen, who occupled
that seat, and the name Chogyel Tendzin was conferred up h'
' , on 1m,
H e
Empowennent of the Sutra which Gathers All Intentions
727
rece1ved all kmds of empowerments and transmissions The b '
,,h',.
n, egm-
mng Wlt the memonsatlOn of the ceremonial texts for the Cath ' ,/, I " - enng
OJ ntentwns (dgongs- dus) and so forth, and their iconograph 'I940 y, 1COn? metry, tonna scu pture, and chants, he trained himself in all
of study] as far as the great, all-knOWing Longcenpa's treatise
Mznd at including both the root text and commentary, Afterwards:
also stud1ed, under NupWn Trakpa Wangpo, the practical applica-
tions I? antras as ,those of Yangdok (yang-bzlog) and
Loktn, along wlth Ind1an and Chmese astrology and divination (rtsis- dkar-nag) ,942
In 1648 ,mal,e mouse), his eighteenth year, Chogyel Tendzin was made d1sc1plmanan of the college, where his strictness set an ex- ample. In that same year Rikdzin Trhinle Lhiindrup was invited to Pelri. With the supreme emanation Trhinle Namgyel in the
mldst [of the assembly], Trhinle Lhiindrup conferred on the whole college the empowerment of the Sutra which Gathers All Intentions t? Zur tradition, in the mal). (jala of coloured powders, al? ng ltS 1nstructions and seal of entrustment, and in connection wnh the nte of great attainment, Subsequently, to a small company of
masters and students, he conferred this empowerment according to the Kham tradition, using the mal). (jalas drawn on cloth. At this time Chogyel Tendzin received both traditions. '
, Later, at vari,ous times and places, he studied many teachings includ- mg the, Gathenng of the Sugatas of the Eight Transmitted Precepts, the Gathenng of Intentwns, the Innennost Spirituality of Vimalamitra, and the treasure doctrines of Zhikpo Lingpa (zhig-gling-gi gter-chos).
Moreo:er, attended on many genuine learned and accomplished gurus, Lhatsiin Namka Jikme and Sungtrtil Tshiiltrim Dorje, rece1ved from them many empowerments, transmissions, and much gUldance on the transmitted precepts and treasures. Then, summoned by the command ofthe minister Gyari, he proceeded to Kong-ra, where
NyangWn Locok Dorje, he studied and mastered the Kalapasutra: poet1cs, prosody, and the other branches of linguistic science,
completing his studies in this way, Chogyel Tendzin lived for at Etongmen and Tshometeng. But, above all, he established res1dence at the monastery of TaktOling. He persevered secretly in
and reahsatlOns. Powerful signs that the protectors worked in his
serv,lce constantly occurred, so even the villagers of those districts were
to contradict the order of "Lama Lingpa" [i. e. the guru of Takto-
hng, Chogyel Tendzin] lest the punishments of the doctrine protectors be forthcoming.
In 1 (water tiger), his thirty-second year, in particular, he went to Tarhng and received some of the treasure doctrines of Perna Lingpa
rtf'd'
1 es 0 serV1ce ,an, attamment
943
and thereby developed excellent experi-
728 History: The Distant Lineage ofTransmitted Precepts
from the great treasure-finder Gyurme Dorje. At that time Gyurme Dorje learned that the continuous lineage of the empowerment of the Satra and its practical techniques, which he had [formerly] received from his venerable father [Trhinle Lhtindrup], were purely held [by Chogyel Tendzin]. Later, therefore, Chogyel Tendzin was invited to [Mindroling,] the seat of that precious, great treasure-finder, where he offered him that empowerment ofthe Sutra. 944 Thus, Chogyel Tendzin unsurpassably benefitted the teaching of the Ancient Translation School. During his seventy-eighth year, in May/]une 1708 (fourth month, earth mouse), he passed away at the monastery of Taktoling.
So it was that, with regard to the transmitted precepts, the number of disciples of the three ancestral Zurs directly multiplied, and countless [lineages] spread forth from them. It is therefore truly said that the great lord of secrets, Dropukpa, in whose lifetime these teachings be- came widely propagated, was the Lord of Secrets [Guhyapati Vajrapal). i] himself, born in [Tibet], the land of snow mountains, for the purpose of increasing the teaching of the mantras.
Later, as the result of the increasing degeneration [of the age], the teaching of the Ancient Translation School gradually became sparse, until it was no more visible than the streams ofautumn. At this juncture, the great treasure-finder and king of the doctrine, Gyurme Dorje, and the all-knowing, great translator Ngawang Chopel [i. e. DharmasrI, who were spiritual] father and son, along with the host of their disciples, assumed responsibility for the aspirations of the great master Pad- masambhava, who had been the crown ornament of the whole populace of the Land of Snows, and for those ofVairocana and Yudra Nyingpo. They united all the fragile streams of instruction from all quarters and made them flow together into an inexhaustible, vast reservoir of teach- ing; and thus they raised anew the great, unfailing banner of the trilogy of the Sutra which Gathers All Intentions, the Magical Net, and the Mental Class. A brief biography of the supreme, great treasure-finder will be found below [pp. 825-34].
Locen Dharmasrf
[492. 5-498. 6] Now, the great translator DharmasrI, the sun of the teach- ing, was born in 1654 (wood male horse year) as the younger brother of the precious, great treasure-finder Gyurme Dorje. He received the vows of a layman adhering to the threefold refuge from that venerable, treasure-finding guru, who named him Tendzin ]amyang Wangpo. In his fifteenth year he was ordained by the all-knowing Great Fifth Dalai Lama and the name Ngawang Chopel was conferred upon him along with the vows of a novice. Then, in his twentieth year, he was fully ordained by that same preceptor. Later, complying with his royal order,
Empowerment of the Sutra which Gathers All Int .
entzons 729
Loeen Dhannasrf
the pure lineage of the vows according to the Lower
I
eltan of the Ancient Translation School from Kharap Zhe ngane oncok Tendzin.
From his guru [Gyurm D . ] h
fi d Dh / - . e orJe, t e venerable and great treasure-
n er, . receIved the vows of a bodhisattva accordin to t tradItIOns and so cultivated an enlightened aspiration. His
y. because, previously, during his twelfth year he had receIve rom hIm the
A . of the Innermost Spirituality ofthe
(rzg-'dzm thugs-thig) in conjunction with the mandala he co Both the pratimok$a and bodhisattva vows . receIve t. ereafter within him as the essence ofthe correspond-
hIS moral discipline in the mantras; so his mind oun .
DharmasrI fully rna t d In his sixteenth h s ere
d· . .
rea mg, wntmg, ceremonies and rituals.
expositions of year Kungtang PaI). cen Shenyen Namgyel's tions of the R and prosody in their entirety, his exposi- of the Th· t IVarta (Vartula)946 and other scripts, and those and of and to Gender (sum-rtags, T 4348-9),
ot er ranches of lIngUIStiC science. Under Dumpa Tondrup
730 History: The Distant Lineage ofTransmitted Precepts
Empowerment of the Sutra which Gathers All Intentions 731
Wangyel he studied Indian and Chinese astrology and divination, the Svarodaya (dbyangs-'char, T 4326-7)947 and so forth. He heard Taklung Trapa's explanations of the grammatical tables of the Siirasvata Grammar (T 4423), of sandhi and verbal acc? rding to the of
Candragomin and of the prosody ofhght metncal feet [yang-pa z bya-ba; from the Precious Source of Prosody, T 4303-4]. He attended the great treasure-finding guru's expositions of the Mirror o! Poetics,. of dance, iconometry, and chant according to the umque traditIOn
of the Ancient Translation School. And all of these he mastered
thoroughly.
Under his elder brother Gyelse Tenpei Nyima, DharmasrI became
learned in the practical application and technical jargon of the Vinaya. Just by receiving [the transmission] of most texts, including Mind at Rest and the Treasury of the Scriptural and Logical {Background for] the
Vinaya (,dul-ba lung-rigs gter-mdzod), an unimpeded arose.
From the spiritual benefactor Sangye Chodar he receIved the exegeses of the Vinaya, Abhidharma, and Transcendental Perfection. From Kungtang Pa1)cen he received the exegeses of the Lecture Notes on the Middle Way (dbu-ma'i stong-thun) and of the Three Hundred Verses
on the Vinaya (Sriima1Jerakiirikii, T 4124). He studied the exegesis of the Profound Inner Meaning under Khedrup Chokyong Gyeltsen. And in the presence of the venerable guru Gyurme Dorje he studied many scriptures of the great, all-knowing doctrine master, Longcenpa; of
masters of the Zur lineage; and of the great Rongzompa. Thus, hIS mind was liberated, so whatever he studied or considered he did not treat superficially but was able to apply directly to his own mind. This, he said, was owing to the kindness [of his brother, the great treasure-
finder].
When, in particular, DharmasrI heard the great treasure-finding guru
deliver an oral exegesis of the Secret Nucleus which combined the Parkap Commentary and YungtOnpa's Commentary, he plumbed the depths of all the overt and hidden meanings of that tantra. He studied, in the manner of a vase being filled to the brim, all the existing transmitted empowerments, exegetical transmissions, and transmitte? esoteric in- structions of the classes of the tantras and means for attamment of the
Ancient Translation School, including the trilogy of the Sutra which Gathers All Intentions, the Magical Net, and the Mental Class. the treasures he received the empowerments, transmissions, and esotenc instructions for all the treasure doctrines of most of the famous treasure- finders, of which the foremost were the Earlier and Later Treasure Troves. And he received, too, the entire transmission of the Collected
Tantras of the Nyingmapa, which is the root of all [the tioned here]. Moreover, from Rikdzin Perna Trhinle, Dharmasn re- ceived the empowerment of the complete Kiilacakra and the empower- ment of the peaceful and wrathful deities of the Magical Net.
These must suffice as illustrations: It is impossible to describe the extent to which I? harmasrI studied, considered, and meditated upon an ocean of doctnnal systems, belonging to various traditions, under some twenty tutors of the ancient and new translation schools without partiality. '
For the sake of the teaching, Locen DharmasrI gave the vows of complete ordination to four hundred and forty-seven monks, and those the to one thousand two hundred and ninety-eight. From hIS forty-eIghth year to his sixty-fourth, during both the summer and winter sessions, he continuously turned the doctrinal wheel ofthe Tantra ofthe Secret Nucleus on behalfofabout sixty members ofthe community of awareness-holders, who were intelligent and endowed with supreme good fortune. He also taught many great texts, including the Ascertain- ment ofthe Three Vows,948 Transcendental Perfection, and the Vinaya. Eight times he conferred solely the empowerment of the peaceful and wrathful deities of the Magical Net, thrice that of the Sutra which Gathers All Intentions and five times that of the Chumer of the Depths of Hell (na-rak dong-sprugs), et cetera. In this way, it seems, he taught all the empowerments, transmissions, and [systems of] experiential guidance of the transmitted precepts and treasures of the ancient and new trans- lation schools, which he had himself received, not less than three or four times each.
In particular, he conferred on Ngawang Ktinga Trashi, the great lord of the glorious Sakyapa, a great many doctrines and transmissions including the complete empowerments and transmissions of the New Treasures [gter-gsar, i. e. those of Gyurme Dorje],949 the Guidance which Lays Bare the Teaching on the Great Compassionate One (thugs-rje-chen- po'i smar-khrid), and the empowerment of the Razor Kfla (phur-pa :pu-gri). In his fifty-ninth year, 1712 (water dragon), DharmasrI was Invited to Chamdo in Dokam, where he matured and liberated the minds of Phakpalha Gyelwa Gyamtso, Zhiwa Zangpo and Ngawang Trtilku by means of many nectar-like empowerments, transmissions, and esoteric instructions of the ancient and new traditions without bias. These included the entire cycle of the New Treasures (gte:-gsar-skor yongs-rdzogs), the Guru as the Gathering of Secrets (bla-ma gsang-'dus), the Red Wrathful Guru according to the Treasure of Nyang (nyang-gter drag-dmar), the Razor Kfla, the Chumer of the Depths of Hell, and the Great Compassionate One according to the Tradition ofthe King (thugs-rje chen-po rgyal-po lugs).
DharmasrI even taught the conventional sciences, like grammar, pro- and poetics, not less than five or six times each, according to the capabilities of particular aspirants. In short, this holy indi- VIdual lIved out his entire life performing bountiful acts in the service of the teaching, in accord with the three ways of the wise [i. e. teaching, debate, and composition]; and in so doing he disclosed the naturally
732 History: The Distant Lineage ofTransmitted Precepts
manifest, impartial intention of the Great Perfection. Thus,. he was indisputably one who dwelt on the great level of a sublime In order that the teaching might endure for a long time, Locen
DharmasrI composed the texts making up his Collected Works (bka'-bum), beginning with his unprecedented on the intentional meaning of the Sutra which Gathers All and the
. IN t which are in the form of great commentanal vehIcles, Magzca e, . I· It
. . through to his works on the conventIona SCIences. IS contInumg .
manifestly a great treasure trove of perfect treatises and eloquence.
Concerning the sons who were born from his most of the great individuals who maintained the doctnne d. unng that epoch, it seems that there were none who failed to bow at hIS feet. the host of his disciples who were learned in and lOgIC, and
who were endowed with experiential accomplIshment, cannot be enumerated.
11 Later Lineages of the Transmitted Precepts
THE MINDROLING LINEAGE OF THE TRANSMITTED PRECEPTS
[498. 6-506. 5] So it was that the transmitted precepts of [the empower- ments which cause] maturation and [the guidance which causes] libera- tion, along with the exegetical transmissions, instructions and practical guidance of the transmitted precepts of the Ancient Translation School, in general, as well as the trilogy of the Sutra which Gathers All Intentions, the Magical Net, and the Mental Class, in particular, fell to the great treasure-finder, Rikdzin Gyurme Dorje. He bestowed them on his younger brother, the great translator DharmasrI, an emanation ofYudra Nyingpo, who gave them to Gyelse Rincen Namgyel, an emanation of Vimalamitra. He, in turn, gave them to the great translator's reincarna- tion, the great preceptor Orgyen Tendzin Dorje. From those two, master and disciple, the lineage divided into many streams, extending all the way from [the monasteries of] Katok, Pelytil, Zhecen,9so and Dzokcen in Kham, to Gyelmorong in the far east and to the Golok region of Amdo. In these districts the enlightened activities of exegesis and attainment have extensively and uninterruptedly continued until the present day.
It is not possible to describe all the lineage-holders individually, but here, for example, is one major lineage [of the transmitted precepts]: From the great preceptor O<;l<;liyana [Orgyen Tendzin Dorje], they were transmitted through:
Trhicen Trhinle Namgyel, who was an emanation ofTrhinle Lhtindrup;
Trhi Perna Wangyel, the emanation of the great treasure- finder [Rikdzin Gyurme Dorje];
Trhi Sangye Ktinga, an emanation of Yudra Nyingpo.
From the great treasure-finder to this [last-mentioned] master the lineage represents the continuous family line of the Nyo clan,9S1 who were holders of indestructible reality.
734 History: The Distant Lineage ojTransmitted Precepts
Then, the lineage continued through:
' Norbu the Dokam Kyangkar Trlilku, who
Tshewang Trakpa, his son and heir, who lived to the age of one hundred and ten;
Ngawang Trakpa, [Tshewang Trakpa's] younger brother; Ngawang Norbu, [the latter's] son;
Norbu Yongdrak, an emanation of Vimalamitra;
Gyelse Norbu Wangyel;
the all-knowing Tshliltrim Dorje, the third speech emanation of Pema Lingpa;955
Karwang Tshtiltrim Gyeltsen of Ponlung;
Tendzin Gyurme Dorje, the fourth successive reincarnation
of Pema Lingpa's spiritual son Dawa Gyeltsen, and Rikdzin Terdak Lingpa [Gyurme Dorje] of Mindroling.
The lineage of the former [i. e. Tendzin Gyurme Dorje] continued through:
Ngawang Klinzang Dorje, the fourth speech emanation of Pema Lingpa;
Gyurme Chokdrup Pelbar, the fifth successive spiritual son; Pema Tondrup Trakpa, a holder of indestructible reality; Klinzang Tenpei Gyeltsen, the sixth speech emanation of
Pema Lingpa;
Baka Klinzang Rikdzin Dorje;
Klinzang Tenpei Nyima, the eighth speech emanation of
Pema Lingpa;
Baka Rikdzin Khamsum YongdrOl;
Orgyen Namdrol Gyamtso, a holder ofindestructible reality; Gendlin Gyamtso, a lord of yoga who had renounced every-
thing.
[Gendlin Gyamtso] embraced me with his great kindness.
LINEAGES IN KHAM
The stream of the lineage which descended through Rikdzin Terdak Lingpa was also vastly increased by Jamgon Lodro Thaye. 956 Therefore, as it is explained here, the genuine teaching of the trilogy of the Sutra which Gathers All Intentions, the Magical Net, and the Mental Class has continued without decline through to the present day.
The following passage appears in Thuken's Crystal Mirror of Philo- sophical Systems (thu'u-bkvan-gyi grub-mtha' shel-dkar me-long):
A long time has passed since all the essential doctrines of the trilogy of the Sutra which Gathers All Intentions, the Magical Net, and the Mental Class and so forth vanished into the primordial purity of original space. The Nyingmapa
Do-ngaTendzm , " d
was supreme for his learning, dlgmty aa accomp
lish-
ment; h d'b 952orJampel the lord of the circle, Gyurme P en h L rd of
Dewei Nyima, the emanation of VaJrapaI:n, t e o
Secrets.
. h' 11 wing and I obtained [This last master] took me personally mto IS 0 0
the liberating inspiration of the seal of entrustment.
THE MINDROLING
,
LINEAGE OF A TIYOGA
, 1I'nea e of the Great Perfection [which
Moreover, the sfeCla Jental and Spatial classes, as well f
has transmItted] t e cyc l' Rikdzin Terdak Lingpa [Gyurme as the great Splntua Ity: el and to the venerable Dorje] transmitted thIS to Gyelse hogyel 953 From these lady Mingyur Peldron, an eman,atlOn 0 es s .
two, it was transmitted successIvely through.
the great preceptor Orgyen Tendzin Dorje;
Trhicen Trhinle Namgyel;
the venerable lady Trhinle Chodron;
the all-knowing Dorje Ziji, or Jamyang Khyentse Wangx,o,
h was the combined emanation of the ? reat pa? ,Ita and the sovereign, or religious kmg, Trhlsong
Detsen; , fL ngdro Jedrung Trhinle Campei Jungne, an emanatIon,? a ,
nd to the all-pervading lord Gyurme Ngedon Wangpo, a '954
the magical emanation 0 f Valrocana.
[1 ] lords of the circle, I received the In the of these ast [guidance], and esoteric
entire matunng d 'th the blessing that transferred instructions, and thus was WI
to me the intention of the true Imeage.
THE LINEAGE OF THE COLLECTED TANTRAS
. 1 h uccessive lineage of the
Again, one may refer Y to . t ethSel'r entirety As will be . ' f h C llected 1 antras m .
transmIssIon 0 . d b 1
t e o h '
[ 793-5] t e flvers 0
f the transmitted precepts of rged in the great treasure-
pp.
'.
explalne e ow
the secret tantras, without exceptIon, . conve
finder Ratna Lingpa. From him the lIneage contmue .
, d through'
Later Lineages 735
736
History: The Distant Lineage afTransmitted Precepts
of today merely treat as essential such mimicry as the chant- ing of ritual manuals, the material elaboration of feast offer- ings, and the rites of suppression, burnt offerings, casting
957
Such uncritical prattle is exceedingly false. Since a great scholar like Thuken, who bears up to examination, would never present a corrupt account, we think that this statement was undoubtedly an interpolation made later on by some foolish fanatic. 958
KATOK
To continue: As has already been described, the seminary of the Vajra Seat at Katok was a unique fountain-head of the teaching of the Ancient Translation School. At a later date its enlightened activity was increased by Rikdzin DtidUl Dorje959 and Longsel Nyingpo. None the less, during the intervening period [which followed] the transmitted precepts gradu- ally became rare there. Sonam Detsen, the reincarnation of Dtidtil Dorje and the spiritual son of Longsel Nyingpo received them at the feet of the great treasure-finder [Terdak Lingpa] of Mindroling,960 and restored the teaching of the transmitted precepts from its very founda- tions. Beginning with his reincarnation, Trime Zhingkyong Gonpo, and the others forming the [incarnate] succession of great individuals who maintained the seat of Katok, as well as with Rikdzin Tshewang Norbu,961 an emanation of Namkei Nyingpo, and Gyurme Tshewang Chokdrup, a great pal)c;iita who was an emanation of the great Nyak ]fUinakumara, [this transmission has continued] through to such teachers of more recent times as Situ Ktinzi Choki Gyamtso, and the great preceptor Rikdzin Ngawang Pelzang, a subsequent emanation of V i m a l a m i t r a . T h e t e a c h i n g o f t h e C o n q u e r o r i n g e n e r a l , a n d , i n p a r t i c u - lar, the teaching of the transmitted precepts and treasures of the Ancient Translation School, have been rendered as clear as sunshine by these supreme teachers of living beings, whose learned and accomplished lives and enlightened activities, belonging to the three spheres [of exegesis, attainment, and work], have been utterly amazing and totally without rival.
DZOKCEN
Moreover, there was the lord among accomplished masters, Perna Rikdzin of Dzokcen, who is renowned as the combined emanation of master Kukkuraja and Vimalamitra, and whose life was one of incon- ceivable learning, dignity, and accomplishment. He went to Dokam at the order, issued with foresight, of the supreme conqueror, the Great
Later Lineages 737
out tarmas, et cetera. . .
Dzokcen Pema Rikdzin
[Dalai Lama]. T. here, founded the retreat centre of Samten o mg Rudam and so became a unique benefactor to teachmg . of th. e . AncIent Translation School. His successive incarna- a n d s p I n t u a l s u c h a s t h e g r e a t t r e a s u r e - f i n d e r N y i m a
Ponlop Nam. ka Osel, and Zhecen Rapjam Tenpei Gyeltsen gave nse to a succeSSIOn of supreme individuals who lI'ke h ' f'
'"
as expanSIve as the sky.
g ld
o en mamtamed the teaching through enlightened activity
and. beyond that, during the period of the fourth Dzokcen e. manatIOn Mmgyur Namkei Dorje, Gyelse Zhenpen Thaye, the emana- tIOn ofthe treasure-finder ofMindrOling [Rikdzin Terdak Lingpa], made vast efforts on behalfofthe exegesis and attainment ofmany textual ofthe SlUras and mantras, and especially on behalfofthe
transmItted precepts of the Ancient Translation School Therefore he
soughtoutandgreatlypropagatedmanuscriptsofthem an'dtheircontinu- ousempowerm t . . " '
r h d en s, transmIsSIOns, and esotenc mstructions He pub-
/] some ten ofceremonial arrangements for the which at ers All IntentlOns, the Magical Net and so Thu h' l' d
d1. ,11
an egacy to the contmuous teaching surpass the imagination.
, a c am 0
. S, IS<mness
738 History: The Distant Lineage o/Transmitted Precepts
Rikdzin Kiinzang Sherap
PEL YUL
. . . . . Shera , an emanation of Lasum
SimIlarly, RIkdzm Kunzang. I p t of Namgyel Cangcup Lmg at Cangcup, founded the doctnna c;n of learned and accomplished
. . 963H risetoagreatlamiy . d Pelyul. e gave h. including his spintual sons, an
individuals who the teac Thus he vastly increased the the play of his succeSSIve ' d k
. . . f . attaInmentan wor .
enlightened actIVIties 0 exegesIs'h . . Khyentse Wangpo and the
. . dbybot Jamgon . At a later date, mspire . 964 Gyatrtil Perna Do-nga Tendzm
great treasure-finder Chogyur Lmgpa, I . ent and worship of the
t the annua attamm . instituted, at that very sea, . tted precepts of the AnCIent
dalas of the transmi
twenty-seven great mal). . f h· h the continuous empow-
1 h·h eallthose0 wIC d Translation Schoo, w IC ar. . 965 and he newly founde
. . erment and transmISSIOn
h d Tartang Do-nga S e rup
eXIsts at present, .
h d ·n other ways hIS en-
Ling In t ese an I
s . heres was most amazing. .
lightened actlvIty In the three p fh. s undeviating enhghtened
Above and beyond that, by in about twenty aspiration, Orgyen Do-nga Chokl y p
Later Lineages 739 volumes, all the texts which constitute the doctrinal treasury of the
transmitted precepts. I have had the good fortune to obtain a set of these books of the transmitted precepts of the Ancient Translation School, of which the foremost is the trilogy of the Sutra which Gathers All Intentions, the Magical Net, and the Mental Class. On the basis of
these, at this juncture when the unbearable twists of time in this unfor- tunate age have turned Tibet and Kham into wild and savage lands, the dying embers of the teaching have spread in this direction [i. e. India]! 66 Thus, it is the amazing mass of the kindness of that master
alone, such as can never be repaid, that the life of the teaching has ripened into an unending harvest.
This completes the exposition of the descent of the teaching of the trilogy of the Siltra which Gathers All Intentions, the Magical Net, and the Mental Class, belonging to the extensive, distant lineage of the transmitted precepts, the fifth part of this book, Thunder from the Great
Conquering Battle-fum ofDevendra, a history of the precious teaching
of the vehicle of indestructible reality according to the Ancient Trans- lation School.
Part Six
The Close Lineages of the Treasures
(
1 The Nature, Purpose and Kinds of Treasure
[S11. 1-S23. 2] Now, I shall briefly describe the history of the treasures,
967
The nature or essence of [teachings discovered as] treasure is indicated by the following passage from the Sutra of the Dialogue with the Naga King (Nagarajapariprcchasfltra, T IS3-S):
These four are the great treasures, which are inexhaustible: (i) The inexhaustible, great treasure of the unbroken line of the Three Precious Jewels; (ii) the inexhaustible, great treasure of immeasurable and supreme realisation of the doc- trine; (iii) the inexhaustible, great treasure of bringing delight to sentient beings; and (iv) the inexhaustible, great treasure which is like the sky.
Similarly, it says in the Sublime Sutra ofContemplation which Subsumes All Merits [Aryasarvapu1Jyasamuccayasamadhisutra, T 134, quoted in p. l0S]:
o Vimalatejas! the doctrinal treasures of bodhisattvas, great spiritual warriors who desire the doctrine, have been inserted in mountains, ravines, and woods. Dhara1)ls and limitless approaches to the doctrine, which are set down in books, will also come into their hands.
This explains well the [existence of] treasure doctrines, treasure sites, and the individuals who discover them; and [in that same sutra] one finds the following passage, indicating the [presence of] celestial doc- trines, and so forth:
For one whose aspiration is perfect the doctrine will emerge from the midst of the sky, and from walls and trees, even though no buddha be present.
[which constitute] extremely profound, close lineages.
THE NA TURE OF THE TREASURES
744 History: Close Lineages ofthe Treasures
The Nature, Purpose and Kinds o/Treasure 745
Moreover, in various well-known sutras and tantras the essence, formal definition, enumerations, and purposes of treasures are re- peatedly indicated; and these have been renowned in both India and Tibet. The treasures, therefore, have not been invented by specific individuals, such as the Tibetans.
THE PURPOSE OF THE TREASURES
As to the reason for concealing these treasures, it says in the Satra of the River's Play (chu-klung rol-pa'i mdo, DZ Vo1. 9):
Conceal the doctrinal texts of my teaching,
As treasures of mind, [emerging] from mind, Or make them cores of the earth:
Though extremists with wild thoughts
Will certainly confound the definitive meaning, The flow of the river will not be cut off!
And in the words of a treasure discovered by the doctrinal king, Ratna
968
Because, generally, I harbour great compassion
For the Tibetans, who love what is new,
And for the creatures of this defiled age,
I have filled the frontiers and the centre with treasures, Focal points which are the culmination of utter profundity; And I have prayed that these be found by my worthy sons. In the future, sophists, verbally skilled,
Anchorites and others who are biased, inflated with prejudice,
Will promote themselves and dispute my treasures. But most religious persons in the defiled age will be
guided by treasures.
They are profound and complete, unobscured,
comprehensive:
Each instruction will certainly liberate someone. Therefore, 0 worthy and well-trained ones, whose
propensities have awakened,
If you remember death, then experience these
treasure doctrines!
You will obtain liberation's path in one lifetime,
o my followers!
In the defiled age all worthy devotees of treasure Will be those who now have beheld the guru's visage
and formed an aspiration.
Since you all have such propensities, cultivate joy! These words of mine are more rare than gold, or jewels!
Such statements may be found in other treasure texts, too, without limit. Accordingly, concerning the transmitted precepts [of the distant lineage]: During this defiled age their transmitted empowerments and instructions have become adulterated like milk in the market-place. Because [their lineages] have been interrupted by many lineage-holders, the fresh descent of their blessing has been weakened by many violations of the commitments, as well as by pollution [of the teachings] due to interpolations. But, regarding the contents of the treasures: The dis- coverers of treasure were emanations who had been taken into the following of the great Padmasambhava of OQQiyana himself, and had thus obtained complete transmission of the empowerments and instruc- tions, which bring about maturation and liberation. By bringing forth in this way profound doctrines which embody the unfading, moist breath of the Qakinls, they form close lineages, unequalled in the splend- our of their blessings.
THE LINEAGES OF THE TREASURES
It is well known that [the teachings discovered as] treasure have six
lineages, because they possess three special lineages over and above the
intentional, symbolic and aural lineages which have already been de-
969
scribed.
tion, the lineage of prophetically declared spiritual succession, and the lineage of the Qakinls' seal of entrustment].
In the lineage empowered by enlightened aspiration the concealer has sealed [the treasure doctrines] with the following statement of aspiration embodying a declaration of truth: "May the individual who has power over such and such a treasure trove come to reveal it! "
In the lineage ofprophetically declared spiritual succession the person destined to reveal the treasure has been entrusted with the central intention, namely, the genuine pristine cognition that is the object of illustration, and has also received encouragement through a prophetic declaration of future events.
In the lineage of the qiikinfs' seal of entrustment illustrations [of that intention] are verbally arranged in symbolic writing and then invisibly sealed in indestructible rocks, wealth-filled lakes, and immutable chests, their identifying inventories having first been entrusted to their respec-
970
tive treasure lords.
[the concealer's] aspiration matures, the propensities [of the discoverer] awaken, and the lord of the treasure offers encouragement. The appro- priate chest, containing all kinds of profound treasure, with or without an inventory, then comes into the hands of the treasure-finder.
Lingpa:
These comprise: [the lineage empowered by enlightened aspira-
When the predicted time arrives, the power of
746 History: Close Lineages ofthe Treasures
THE CONCEALMENT OF THE EARTH TREASURES
In particular, most of the profound doctrines contained in the treasures were encoded in the symbolic script of the ejakinIs. They cannot be deciphered by any other than the person who has the right fortune; and because that person must encounter the actual inscribed seal in- dicative of the transmitted precepts of the great Orgyen [Padmasam- bhava], the lineage is therefore uninterrupted by ordinary people. Its source is venerable, its symbolic conventions uncontrived, its words unconfounded, and its meaning unerring. Since [such treasures] were translated from the secret symbols of the ejakinls, the texts are profound and their blessing great. The unworthy, no matter how keen their intelligence, are like blind men examining an elephant and cannot appraise even a portion of them. The revealers of treasure are genuinely beyond the perceptual range of ordinary beings.
In this country of Tibet the one who instructed numberless persons in need of training by enlightened activities associated with the nucleus of the teaching, the vehicle of indestructible reality in general, and the profound treasures in particular, was the Second Buddha, Padmasam-
famili ] . .
. es In the symbolIc script of the dakinls
vanous treasure chests, sealed them to· b .
bhava. 971 In the Sutra of Final NirvalJa the Buddha
After my nirval)a,
When about twelve years have passed,
An individual greater than myself will appear On the lake isle of Dhanakosa.
prophesied:
Nyangben Tingdzin Zangpo Nanam Doqe DUjom, and treasures. They consecrated thes concealed many profound for disciples to be trained th ; so t at ater, when the time was ripe
benefit living beings. In ,:ould be and so
the king and his subJ·ects h elr prophecIes and prayers ave appeared as a . . ' of fortunate individuals and . n magIcal play
life-style, who have acted on of social class and beings. e a 0 the teachIng and of living
PURE VISIONS AND TREASURES OF INTENTION
All the above refers primarily to the
As for the origins of the profound of the earth however, there is a particular as . p . VISIOns and treasures ofIntention,
to the Conduct 0/ a Bodhisattva of the [Introduction ) .
