the history of
Nangchin
Kham Thinley, Important events and p;.
Dudjom Rinpoche - Fundamentals and History of the Nyingmapa
.
coa esce
the navel centre It gIves nse to
R tnasambhava's pnstme
. . .
cognition of co-emergent delight - a 1. ye d
shes) and the empowerment of word
hrough which this co-emergent dehght coa esce . .
d ) Theremtherecogmtlon totalemptiness(tham. s-ca stong-pa. . F 11 theblissful
ofthe four delights dIssolve as they anse. ma y, h . ddhi's warmth gives rise, in the centre, a'i ye- inconceivable pristine cogmtlon (bsam-gyz m1 y p! wer of
shes) and the empowerment of the expressIve
t
awareness is received.
1106 The disciplined conduct of awareness (rig-pa brtul-zhugs-kyi spyod-pa,
u h 1
ad'
b,. _
,
80 Notes
Central Tibet. See PPCT, p. 170.
ll19 skyid-rong rang-byung This is the "Kyirong
in GT, p. 129; and known m Blue Annals, I? 528, as phags-pa wa-tz. It was brought to the Potala via Drepung m 1656 when rumours of an impending war with Nepal were
ll20 All mandalas referred to in this section are denved from the Anuyoga. See Fundamentals, pp. Anuyoga empowerments associated with the nme vehIcles, on whIch see pp. 9ll-l3. .
ll21 I. e. the old seat of Targye Choling and the new seat of Orgyan Mm- droling which was founded by Terdak Lin? pa in 1676. .
ll22 On these practices of Cutting Through ResIstance and All-Surpassmg
1136
1137
1138
1139 ll40 ll41
1142 ll43
ll44 ll45
1146
1147
1148
1149 1150
1151
1152
King Trhisong.
Sangye . Gyamtso became the regent of Tibet in 1682 after the death of Dalai Lama V. He was killed in 1705 by Lhazang Qan, leader of the Q6sot Mongols. See Stein, Tibetan Civilization, p. 85; and, for more details, the works of Z. Ahmad, L. Petech and Tsepon W. D. Shakabpa listed in the final section of the Bibliography.
Mingyur Peldron was largely responsible for the restoration ofMindrol- ing following the Dzungar invasion of 1717. A brilliant teacher, she authored several important meditation manuals.
For detailed information on many points dealt with in the present account, see S. D. Goodman, "Rig-'dzin 'Jigs-med gling-pa and the Thig" in Goodman and R. M. Davidson (eds. ), Tzbetan Buddhzsm: Reason and Revelation.
For an account of this and the surrounding royal tombs, see Tucci,
The Tombs of the Tibetan Kings.
PrajfHirasmi was the treasure-finder Sherap Ozer. See Jamgon Kongtrtil, Lives of the Hundred Treasure-finders, pp. l35a. 6-137a. 6. The root text of Jikme Lingpa's doctrinal masterpiece, the Precious Treasury of Enlightened Attributes, is renowned among Tibetan literati
. .
1124 Dhuti or avadhuti is the central energy channel. See Fundamentals,
Realisation, see Fundamentals, pp. 335-45.
ll23 The crucial times and duration for such practices are gIven m the
appropriate texts for each.
pp. 340-1; and also Longcenpa, Dispelling Darkness in the Ten Direc-
tions, pp. 453ff. (GGFTC, pp. 1006ff. ).
ll25 On this bliss of melting (zhu-bde), see nn. 250 and ll05 above.
ll26 On the relation between meditative equipoise and its aftermath, see
especially Fundamentals, p. 206.
ll27 For the four empowerments: the vase, secret empowerment, empower-
ment of discerning pristine cognition and the empowerment of word and meaning, see n. ll98 below; Fundamentals, p. 360; and the Glos- sary of Enumerations.
ll28 According to the new Phukpa system, the second month corresponds to MarchiApril.
ll29 According to the new Phukpa calendar, khrnms zla-ba corresponds to September/October.
1130 The messenger (pho-nya) is the consort or who as an intermediary, bringing to the practitioner the pnstme cogmtIon of co-emergent bliss. See n. 1105 above. .
1131 I. e. the three indestructible realities of buddha-body ,speech and mmd.
1132 Governor (dpon-chen) and district administrator (dpon-skya). . For an account of these offices during the Sakya administration of TIbet, see Tucci Tibetan Painted Scrolls, pp. 33-5, where dpon-chen is explained to "myriarch" (khri-chen) and dpon-skya to mean "minister of
transport". . _,_
1133 The Tibetan shawm (rgya-gling) is similar to the PerSIan z, to which it perhaps owes its origins. Curiously, the very. name m may have originated as a translation from the PerSIan whIch means "royal flute", for in some old texts one the spel. lmg rgyal- gling, with precisely the same significance. For thIS suggestIOn we are
indebted to Mme Mireille Helffer.
1134 Terrestrial pure lands (sa'i zhing-khams) within the sphere of the
national body are contrasted with celestial pure lands (mkha'-spyod-kyz zhing-khams) which are frequented by the buddha-body of perfect rapture; see Fundamentals, pp. 123ff. . . "
1135 I. e. King Trhisong and his The" sovereign" referred to in the prophecy IS Kmg Trhisong, and hIS son is Murup Tsepo. The prophecy is addressed by Padmasambhava to
for its poetic beauty. See Blankleder and Fletcher, trans. "Warmth" (drod): see n. 1105 above.
The throat centre of buddha-speech is known as the centre of perfect rapture (long-spyod rdzogs-pa'i 'khor-lo, Skt. sambhogacakra). This dis- into a of seed-syllables indicates that Jikme Lingpa attamed accomplIshments associated with buddha-speech.
The horse is, of course, symbolic of Hayagrlva.
mtshon-byed dpe'i ye-shes. This is the pristine cognition which arises
in consequence of instruction and empowerment. It forms the basis
for the realisation of the "genuine pristine cognition which is the object
of exemplification" (mtshon-bya don-gyi ye-shes).
For the traditional account of the construction of this monument
and pilgrimage centre, see Keith Dowman, The Legend of the Great Stiipa.
gcig-car smra-ba 'byung. Our interpretation of this phrase follows the Author's oral explanation. gcig-car here has nothing to do with the teaching of instantaneous enlightenment (as it often does), but rather suggests forthrightness or spontaneity.
The ancient recensions are those redacted by Longcenpa in the Fourfold
Innermost Spirituality (snying-thig ya-bzhi) and the new recension is
Jikme Lingpa's own Innermost Spirituality of Longcenpa (klong-chen snying-thig) .
I. e. the three doctrinal centres of Samye, Trhadruk and the Jokhang at Lhasa.
ransom of animals (tshe-tharlsrog-blu) due to be slaughtered was WIdely practised in Tibet for the sake of accumulating the provision
of merit (bsod-nams-kyi tshogs).
This was the Gurkha incursion in the years from 1788 to 1792, on
which see Stein, Tibetan Civilization, p. 88; Snellgrove and Richardson,
A Cultural History of Tibet, pp. 226-7; and Shakabpa, Tibet: A Political History, pp. 156ff.
For Langcen Pelgi Senge, see p. 535.
History: Part Six 81
82Notes R· h
. . 5 1821) was the first Dodrup mpoc e.
Lingpa) the Gathering of the Families of the Three Bodies (mchog-gling
bla-sgrub sku-gsum rigs-'dus), referred to on p. 858 below.
1167 See the Glossary of Enumerations under five kingly treasure-finders. 1168 The Thartse Khen Rinpoche is one of four preceptors in the Ngorpa
subsect of the Sakya tradition; two of these are hereditary positions and the others, including that of Thartse, rotate every four years. Since no one can hold the office twice, it often would pass into the hands of the brother of the previous preceptor. The Sakyapa recognised Khyentse Rinpoche himself to be the emanation of an eighteenth-cen- tury Thartse Khen Rinpoche, named Campa Namka Chime.
1169 On this figure, see Smith's introduction to Kongtrul's Encyclopedia, p. 30.
1170 A good introduction to the subsects of the Sakyapa tradition is given by R. M. Davidson in, "The Nor-pa Tradition" Wind Horse 1, pp. 79-98.
1171 Losel Tenkyong of Zhalu (b. 1804) was a particularly close associate of Khyentse and Kongtrul, who played an instrumental role in connec- tion with their efforts to revive rare lineages. See Smith's introduction to Kongtrul's Encyclopedia, pp. 34-5; and Kapstein, "The Shangs-pa bKa'-brgyud: an unknown tradition of Tibetan Buddhism".
1172 According to the venerable Dezhung Rinpoche, the continuous trans- mission survives for not more than about forty volumes, i. e. less than one-fifth of the Tangyur.
1173 These "Ten Great Pillars" were Thonmi SambhoJa, Vairocana, Kawa Peltsek, Cokro Lui Gyeltsen, Zhang Yeshe De, Rincen Zangpo, Drom- tOn Gyelwei Jungne, Ngok Lotsawa Loden Sherap, Sakya Pal). g. ita and Go Khukpa Lhetse. They are contrasted with the Eight Pillars who Supported the Lineages of Means for Attainment (Khetsun Zangpo Rinpoche).
1174 I. e. smin, grol, rgyab-chos lung. See p. 733, in relation to the lineage of transmitted precepts.
1175 On the political upheavals ofthe period, refer to T. Tsering, "Nag-ron mgon-po rnam-rgyal: A 19th century Khams-pa Warrior" in STC, pp. 196-214. Bricks of dried tea were frequently used as currency in traditional Tibet.
1176 The twofold precious enlightened attitude refers to the relative (kun-rdzob) enlightened attitude which requires the generation of the four im- measurables, namely, loving kindness, compassion, sympathetic joy and equanimity; and the ultimate (don-dam) enlightened attitude which affirms the liberation of all sentient beings in the primordially pure nature of fundamental reality. Alternatively the term may refer to the two aspects of the relative enlightened attitude, namely, aspiration (smon-pa) and undertaking or entrance (Jug-pa). See also the Glossary of Enumerations.
1177 The emphasis on freedom from sectarian bigotry upon which Khyentse and his followers insisted, has led some scholars to speak ofan impartial or eclectic (ris-med) movement in nineteenth-century Tibetan Buddh- ism. See especially Smith's introduction to Kongtrul's Encyclopaedia.
1178 I. e. the "auspicious" tradition of the Ponpo, whose ascetic teachings are represented primarily by the sixth of the nine Ponpo vehicles. See Tucci, The Religions of Tibet) p. 229.
1153
1154
1155
1156 1157
1158
1159
1160
1161
1162
1163
1164
1165 1166
s e w a n g , .
Jikma Trhinle (174 - hrou hout eastern Tibet and thus He gathered dIscIples t d of his master. As pre- greatly promoted the redlscoveTreh Lhamo he gained for his
f Derge ceptor to the queen 0 f h'
i support 0 efforts the roya M
h
ehold For the account of hIS o u s · M· 1
er
if Meditation and zrac es, pp.
life, see Tul. ku Th? nduP? h kingdom are discussed on p. 136-162. HIs relatlOnS WIt t e
. . .
An important teacher m record of his oral
ht JikmeGyelweiNyuguisremem- bered above all. Itt Peltrul Rinpoche (1808-87), l. e.
155.
set down by hIS which remains a most popular teachmg g
kun-bzang bZa-ma t zha - un ,. . See S T Kazi (trans. ), Kun Zang I f the Nyingma tradlUon. . . Th TV;; d
manua 0 L . La May Zhal ung, an
ofMy Perfect
For the remammg I clecticism of nineteenth-century particular, r? le. m the ;on truZ's Encyclopedia.
d P dmakara Translation Committee, e war s a
-finders discussed in this part and, in
Kham, see Smith s mtrodulctl? n T;hurpu calculation would read This is a new Phukpa calcu atlon, e
11 July 1829. .
A brief introductlon to the Nanrcen.
the history of Nangchin Kham Thinley, Important events and p;. ces tnh Born in Tibet, which refers
and E. Tibet. See also Trungpa is seldom made explicit.
tomanylocationsinNangcen,t. thelineofSituincarnations,
This figure (1774-1853? ), thKe mnt u tradition, and also revered was a leading master of the arma agy
as a treasure-finder. h'· d "S fth Sky"(nam-mk atm zo
d) is the name of one particular
ZN
Khyentse Wangpo was, m e ec,
his father, the means of performing and
tore 0 e . h I treasure trove m Kham, see t e n
kadzo. .
I. e. Murup Tsepo. The reunion of Murup Tsepo with
attammg
as treasure, whIch must be perlorme
d by the treasure-finder in connec-
WI. ReconceaIed treasures. fi d r to be found agam m
tion with his or her discovery.
(yang-gter) are t ose
district may be found in Karma
dex of Locations under Yegye
f Chogyur Lingpa with Jamyang
"Treasure attamment sgru )d ·th any teaching discovered . . lishment m accor ance WI
.
the future. . the fourth category of the four The great attamment (bsgrub-chen). , ay include an elaborate
· I ice and attamment, m . - - branches 0f ntua serv . d· ected by the va)racarya
dramatic and choreographIc perlormance Ir
(rdo-rje sZob-dp'0n). See n . . 499 the lives of the preceptor
then reconcealed by an earlier treasure- m e ,
These dramatlc ceremomes, enactmg bh and the religious kmg aster Padmasam ava d t
the great m h ) continue to be performe a Trhisong Detsen (mkhan-sZob-c os gsum ,
the present day. I. . Tshurpu would read Tuesday 31 This is a new Phukpa calcu anon,
1870. . . h Means for the Attainment of the Guru Chogyur Thls pure Vislon was t e
h
h· ch were discovered and
am-
History: Part Six 83
84 Notes
History: Part Six 85 1198 On the four empowennents, see the Glossary of Enumerations; and
Fundamentals, p. 360. The vase empowerment reveals the emanational buddha-body. The secret empowerment (gsang-dbang) re- the buddha-body of perfect rapture through practices associated Wit? the energy channels, currents and seminal points, the latter of whIch are kno. wn as mind" (byang-sems). The empow- erment of dlscernmg pnstme cognition (shes-rab ye-shes-kyi dbang) re- the buddha-body of reality through awareness symbolised by the <;lakm! . The fourth empowerment of word and meaning (tshig-don-gyi reveals the essential buddha-body through the meditative prac- tIces of the Great Perfection.
1199 The scorpions are the emblem of Dorje TroW.
1200 Rakta, "blood", is a sacramental substance symbolic of passion trans-
muted into enlightened involvement in the world. Its miraculous over- flow is a portent of boundless enlightened activity.
1179 1180 1181
1182 1183
1184
1185
The text incorrectly reads khrid-rgya. .
These are to be found in the Glossary of . This prophecy is found in the Innennost Spmtu. altty ofthe Accomplzshed
Master (grub-thob thugs-thig), which was redIscovered by Khyentse Rinpoche. . . . h· h I f
Khyentse Rinpoche was born in the dIstnct of Ga, wit m t e c an 0
Nyo during an iron dragon year. . _
The'ten-syllable mantra of White Tara . IS o¥ TARE TURE svAHA. See S. Beyer, The Cult of Tara, mdex, p. 533, under Mantra,
10-syllable, of Tara".
As communicated by the Author, the three who accomp-
lished immortality were Guru Padmasambhava, VimalamItra and the
Newar S! lamaflju.
For the life of Cetstin, see pp. 557-9. .
This is Khyentse Rinpoche's recension of a treasure dIscovered by
1186 1201 Again this is a Tshurpu calculation; according to new Phukpa, Jamgon
1187
Jikme Lingpa - the bla-sgrub thig-le rgya-can - from the Innennost Spirituality of Longcenpa.
See above, p. 848.
Kongtrtil would have passed away on Saturday 27 January 1900. Schuh, l! ntersuchungen zur Geschichte der Tibetischen Kalenderrechung, p. 80, gIves 29 December 1899 but this is equivalent to the twenty- day of the eleventh Tibetan month; our text has the twenty- SIxth of the eleventh month. Smith gives 1899 in Kongtrul's Encyc- lopedia, p. 2.
1202 A synonym for the western Buddha-field of SukhavaH, or a metaphor for the. of enlightenment that is great bliss. See Jikme Lingpa, Narratzve Hzstory of the Precious Collected Tantras of the Ancient Trans- lation School (rnying-ma rgyud-'bum-gyi rtogs-brjod), p. 364: bde-ba chen- po shanti-pu-ri grong-khyer.
1203 I. e. of °Mafljunatha (MafljusrI): 'jam-mgon mkhyen-kong rnam-gnyzs.
1204 L? ter Wangpo (1847-1914), a leading Sakyapa disciple of Khyentse Rmpoche, played a major role in the redaction and publication of GDKT and the Exposition ofthe Path and Fruit on Behalfofthe Closest (lam- 'bras slob-bshad) , encyclopaedic compilations of teachings belongmg the vehicle of indestructible reality as preserved by the new translatIon schools, with the Sakyapa foremost among them.
1205 For much valuable data, refer to S. D. Goodman, "Mi-pham rgya- mtsho: an account ofhis life, the printing ofhis works, and the structure of his treatise entitled Mkhas pa'i tshulla 'jug pa'i sgo" Wind Horse 1, pp. 58-78. Aspects of his philosophical thought are discussed in M. Kapstein, "Mi-pham'sTheory ofInterpretation" in Reason's Traces· and in J. Pettit, The Beacon of Certainty. '
1206 The rites. (ril-bu'i las-sbyor) performed by Mipham Rinpoche in connectIon with the propitiation of MafljusrI are practised so as to realise the ? rdinary accomplishments, e. g. during times of eclipse. These practIces are described in detail in GTKT, Vol. II, pp. 70-137.
1207 "Exegetical transmission" (bshad-lung). This refers to the initiation into the study of a text by hearing the master recite it, along with occasional explanation of particular points of difficulty.
1208 On the Nyarong disturbances of the 1860s, see GT, p. 183, n. 627; E. Travels of a Consular Officer in East Tibet, p. 5; and Tsering, "Nag-ron mgon-po rnam-rgyal: A 19th Century Khams-pa
This is a new Phukpa calculation; the other schools would read Satur- 1188 . ,.
1189
1190
1191
1192 1193
1194
1195 1196
1197
day 19 March 1892.
On the various enumerations of Khyentse Rmpoche s emanatIons, see
A. Macdonald, Le Ma1J4ala du Maiijusrfmillakalpa, pp. 91-5; and Smith's introduction to Kongtrul's Encyclopedia, pp. 73-4. .
In addition to Smith's introduction to Kongtrul's already referred to, see Jamgon Kongtrtil, The Torch of Certamty, translated
byHanson. . .
Schuh, Untersuchungen zur Geschichte der
p. 80, affirms that the dating for Jamgbn . Kongtrul s hfe IS be calculated according to the Tshurpu calendncal system. Accordmg to new Phukpa his birth would have occurred on Friday 3 December
1813.
I. e. "omniscient great paI;Qita".
Jamgon Kongtrtil has left us a brief account of the of masters and the studies which he undertook under theIr gUldance m
the mos-gus rab-byed in nineteen folios. .
Tsandra Rincen Trak was Kongtrtil's own mam seat. He wrote an exceptionally detailed descriptive guide to it dpal-spungs yang-
khrod tsii-'dra rin-chen brag-gi sgrub-sde'i dkar-chag m one hundred and twenty-seven folios. " . .
According to Khetsun Zangpo Rinpoche, the thIrteen awareness-holders" are probably deities in the maI;Qala of AmItayus . . Lerap Lingpa or Terton Sogyel (1856-1926) is with others as a master of the author of the Ling xylographic recensIOn. of
the Epic: R. A. Stein, L'epopee tibitaine de Gesar dans sa verswn Lamarque de Ling, p. 8. According to Lama SonaI? Topgyel,. he was also responsible for uncovering the 1899 plot agamst the Dalai Lama, on which see n. 1036 above; and Shakabpa, Tzbet:
Political History, p. 195. .
The visit of those aristocrats was ill-timed. The of the deCIpher-
ment was interrupted, the commitments were VIolated and Khyentse Rinpoche fell ill in consequence.
86 Notes
1209
1210
1211
1212
1213
1214 1215 1216
1217 1218
1219 1220
1221 1222
1223
1224
Warrior", pp. 196-214. The five clans of Nyarong were unified after 1837 by Gonpo Namgyel. In 1860 they invaded and conquered Derge and Hor-khog. In 1862 the rebellion was suppressed by Lhasa.
sa-ris is an arithmetical calculation performed, not with the aid of an abacus, but traced in sand.
1225 Andzom Drukpa, a leading adept of the Great Perfection, was the publisher of very fine blockprint editions of the works of Longcenpa and many other major Nyingmapa texts.
1226 Trupwang SakyasrI (1853-1919), an adherent of both the Nyingmapa and Drukpa Kagyupa traditions, was one of the most influential trea- sure-finders during the early decades of the present century.
1227 Repkong district in the province of Amdo has long enjoyed the repu- tation of a major centre of Nyingma practice. See TH, pp. 570-5.
HISTORY: PART SEVEN
1228 On the Indestructible Nucleus of Inner Radiance Cod-gsaI rdo-rje snying-po), see p. 448, and Fundamentals, p. 115, where it is explained as the dimension of the buddha-body of reality (chos-sku).
1229 The twenty-four lands are those enumerated in the Hevajra Tantra, Pt. 1, Ch. 7, vv. 12-17. See the Glossary of Enumerations for their exact names.
1230 This and the following quotations from Rongzompa are said to be taken from his Commentary on the Secret Nucleus (dkon-mchog 'grei).
1231 The expression "high and low" doctrinal centres refers respectively to those at Lhasa and Samye (Lama Sonam Topgyel).
1232 Literally drawn from the under-arm pocket of the Tibetan garment.
1233 Nalanda Translation Committee, The Life of Marpa the Translator,
p. 37, provides the standard account of this incident.
1234 Orgyenpa Rincenpel (1230-1309) is renowned as a master of the Nyingma, Kagyu and Kalacakra traditions. The precise source of the
following quotation remains unidentified.
1235 On this figure, see p. 758, n. 995 above; and G. Roerich, Biography
of Dharmasvamin.
1236 Concerning Orgyenpa's journey to O<;l<;liyana, consult Tucci, Travels
of Tibetan Pilgrims in the Swat Valley.
1237 The text reads bhe-ha-ra (Skt. vihara). For an introduction to the
Newar Buddhist establishments of the Kathmandu Valley, see Mac-
donald and Stahl, Newar Art, pp. 7lff.
1238 These charges appear to have originated as early as the eleventh cen-
tury, i. e. in the polemics of the Guge prince Photrang Zhiwa-o. See Karmay, "King TsalDza and Vajrayana", p. 204. For the detailed Nyingma response, see below, pp. 911-13.
1239 The following two quotations correspond closely to passage 076 of Atisa's biography, as edited in Eimer, Rnam tharrgyaspa, Vol. 2, p. 53.
1240 Taranatha, History ofBuddhism in India, p. 332. India here refers only to the Magadha heartland.
1241 On Mahadeva, see p. 429.
1242 Concerning the dispute about the Non-Dual Victor, see Blue Annals,
p. 417, n. 4.
1243 On Sakya Chokden (1428-1507) and his many contributions to
philosophical controversy in Tibet, see Kuijp, Contributions to the De-
velopment of Tibetan Buddhist Epistemology, pp. 10-22.
1244 This refers to Sakya PaI). <;lita's confirmation of the authenticity of these
tantras, on which see pp. 710-16.
coa esce
the navel centre It gIves nse to
R tnasambhava's pnstme
. . .
cognition of co-emergent delight - a 1. ye d
shes) and the empowerment of word
hrough which this co-emergent dehght coa esce . .
d ) Theremtherecogmtlon totalemptiness(tham. s-ca stong-pa. . F 11 theblissful
ofthe four delights dIssolve as they anse. ma y, h . ddhi's warmth gives rise, in the centre, a'i ye- inconceivable pristine cogmtlon (bsam-gyz m1 y p! wer of
shes) and the empowerment of the expressIve
t
awareness is received.
1106 The disciplined conduct of awareness (rig-pa brtul-zhugs-kyi spyod-pa,
u h 1
ad'
b,. _
,
80 Notes
Central Tibet. See PPCT, p. 170.
ll19 skyid-rong rang-byung This is the "Kyirong
in GT, p. 129; and known m Blue Annals, I? 528, as phags-pa wa-tz. It was brought to the Potala via Drepung m 1656 when rumours of an impending war with Nepal were
ll20 All mandalas referred to in this section are denved from the Anuyoga. See Fundamentals, pp. Anuyoga empowerments associated with the nme vehIcles, on whIch see pp. 9ll-l3. .
ll21 I. e. the old seat of Targye Choling and the new seat of Orgyan Mm- droling which was founded by Terdak Lin? pa in 1676. .
ll22 On these practices of Cutting Through ResIstance and All-Surpassmg
1136
1137
1138
1139 ll40 ll41
1142 ll43
ll44 ll45
1146
1147
1148
1149 1150
1151
1152
King Trhisong.
Sangye . Gyamtso became the regent of Tibet in 1682 after the death of Dalai Lama V. He was killed in 1705 by Lhazang Qan, leader of the Q6sot Mongols. See Stein, Tibetan Civilization, p. 85; and, for more details, the works of Z. Ahmad, L. Petech and Tsepon W. D. Shakabpa listed in the final section of the Bibliography.
Mingyur Peldron was largely responsible for the restoration ofMindrol- ing following the Dzungar invasion of 1717. A brilliant teacher, she authored several important meditation manuals.
For detailed information on many points dealt with in the present account, see S. D. Goodman, "Rig-'dzin 'Jigs-med gling-pa and the Thig" in Goodman and R. M. Davidson (eds. ), Tzbetan Buddhzsm: Reason and Revelation.
For an account of this and the surrounding royal tombs, see Tucci,
The Tombs of the Tibetan Kings.
PrajfHirasmi was the treasure-finder Sherap Ozer. See Jamgon Kongtrtil, Lives of the Hundred Treasure-finders, pp. l35a. 6-137a. 6. The root text of Jikme Lingpa's doctrinal masterpiece, the Precious Treasury of Enlightened Attributes, is renowned among Tibetan literati
. .
1124 Dhuti or avadhuti is the central energy channel. See Fundamentals,
Realisation, see Fundamentals, pp. 335-45.
ll23 The crucial times and duration for such practices are gIven m the
appropriate texts for each.
pp. 340-1; and also Longcenpa, Dispelling Darkness in the Ten Direc-
tions, pp. 453ff. (GGFTC, pp. 1006ff. ).
ll25 On this bliss of melting (zhu-bde), see nn. 250 and ll05 above.
ll26 On the relation between meditative equipoise and its aftermath, see
especially Fundamentals, p. 206.
ll27 For the four empowerments: the vase, secret empowerment, empower-
ment of discerning pristine cognition and the empowerment of word and meaning, see n. ll98 below; Fundamentals, p. 360; and the Glos- sary of Enumerations.
ll28 According to the new Phukpa system, the second month corresponds to MarchiApril.
ll29 According to the new Phukpa calendar, khrnms zla-ba corresponds to September/October.
1130 The messenger (pho-nya) is the consort or who as an intermediary, bringing to the practitioner the pnstme cogmtIon of co-emergent bliss. See n. 1105 above. .
1131 I. e. the three indestructible realities of buddha-body ,speech and mmd.
1132 Governor (dpon-chen) and district administrator (dpon-skya). . For an account of these offices during the Sakya administration of TIbet, see Tucci Tibetan Painted Scrolls, pp. 33-5, where dpon-chen is explained to "myriarch" (khri-chen) and dpon-skya to mean "minister of
transport". . _,_
1133 The Tibetan shawm (rgya-gling) is similar to the PerSIan z, to which it perhaps owes its origins. Curiously, the very. name m may have originated as a translation from the PerSIan whIch means "royal flute", for in some old texts one the spel. lmg rgyal- gling, with precisely the same significance. For thIS suggestIOn we are
indebted to Mme Mireille Helffer.
1134 Terrestrial pure lands (sa'i zhing-khams) within the sphere of the
national body are contrasted with celestial pure lands (mkha'-spyod-kyz zhing-khams) which are frequented by the buddha-body of perfect rapture; see Fundamentals, pp. 123ff. . . "
1135 I. e. King Trhisong and his The" sovereign" referred to in the prophecy IS Kmg Trhisong, and hIS son is Murup Tsepo. The prophecy is addressed by Padmasambhava to
for its poetic beauty. See Blankleder and Fletcher, trans. "Warmth" (drod): see n. 1105 above.
The throat centre of buddha-speech is known as the centre of perfect rapture (long-spyod rdzogs-pa'i 'khor-lo, Skt. sambhogacakra). This dis- into a of seed-syllables indicates that Jikme Lingpa attamed accomplIshments associated with buddha-speech.
The horse is, of course, symbolic of Hayagrlva.
mtshon-byed dpe'i ye-shes. This is the pristine cognition which arises
in consequence of instruction and empowerment. It forms the basis
for the realisation of the "genuine pristine cognition which is the object
of exemplification" (mtshon-bya don-gyi ye-shes).
For the traditional account of the construction of this monument
and pilgrimage centre, see Keith Dowman, The Legend of the Great Stiipa.
gcig-car smra-ba 'byung. Our interpretation of this phrase follows the Author's oral explanation. gcig-car here has nothing to do with the teaching of instantaneous enlightenment (as it often does), but rather suggests forthrightness or spontaneity.
The ancient recensions are those redacted by Longcenpa in the Fourfold
Innermost Spirituality (snying-thig ya-bzhi) and the new recension is
Jikme Lingpa's own Innermost Spirituality of Longcenpa (klong-chen snying-thig) .
I. e. the three doctrinal centres of Samye, Trhadruk and the Jokhang at Lhasa.
ransom of animals (tshe-tharlsrog-blu) due to be slaughtered was WIdely practised in Tibet for the sake of accumulating the provision
of merit (bsod-nams-kyi tshogs).
This was the Gurkha incursion in the years from 1788 to 1792, on
which see Stein, Tibetan Civilization, p. 88; Snellgrove and Richardson,
A Cultural History of Tibet, pp. 226-7; and Shakabpa, Tibet: A Political History, pp. 156ff.
For Langcen Pelgi Senge, see p. 535.
History: Part Six 81
82Notes R· h
. . 5 1821) was the first Dodrup mpoc e.
Lingpa) the Gathering of the Families of the Three Bodies (mchog-gling
bla-sgrub sku-gsum rigs-'dus), referred to on p. 858 below.
1167 See the Glossary of Enumerations under five kingly treasure-finders. 1168 The Thartse Khen Rinpoche is one of four preceptors in the Ngorpa
subsect of the Sakya tradition; two of these are hereditary positions and the others, including that of Thartse, rotate every four years. Since no one can hold the office twice, it often would pass into the hands of the brother of the previous preceptor. The Sakyapa recognised Khyentse Rinpoche himself to be the emanation of an eighteenth-cen- tury Thartse Khen Rinpoche, named Campa Namka Chime.
1169 On this figure, see Smith's introduction to Kongtrul's Encyclopedia, p. 30.
1170 A good introduction to the subsects of the Sakyapa tradition is given by R. M. Davidson in, "The Nor-pa Tradition" Wind Horse 1, pp. 79-98.
1171 Losel Tenkyong of Zhalu (b. 1804) was a particularly close associate of Khyentse and Kongtrul, who played an instrumental role in connec- tion with their efforts to revive rare lineages. See Smith's introduction to Kongtrul's Encyclopedia, pp. 34-5; and Kapstein, "The Shangs-pa bKa'-brgyud: an unknown tradition of Tibetan Buddhism".
1172 According to the venerable Dezhung Rinpoche, the continuous trans- mission survives for not more than about forty volumes, i. e. less than one-fifth of the Tangyur.
1173 These "Ten Great Pillars" were Thonmi SambhoJa, Vairocana, Kawa Peltsek, Cokro Lui Gyeltsen, Zhang Yeshe De, Rincen Zangpo, Drom- tOn Gyelwei Jungne, Ngok Lotsawa Loden Sherap, Sakya Pal). g. ita and Go Khukpa Lhetse. They are contrasted with the Eight Pillars who Supported the Lineages of Means for Attainment (Khetsun Zangpo Rinpoche).
1174 I. e. smin, grol, rgyab-chos lung. See p. 733, in relation to the lineage of transmitted precepts.
1175 On the political upheavals ofthe period, refer to T. Tsering, "Nag-ron mgon-po rnam-rgyal: A 19th century Khams-pa Warrior" in STC, pp. 196-214. Bricks of dried tea were frequently used as currency in traditional Tibet.
1176 The twofold precious enlightened attitude refers to the relative (kun-rdzob) enlightened attitude which requires the generation of the four im- measurables, namely, loving kindness, compassion, sympathetic joy and equanimity; and the ultimate (don-dam) enlightened attitude which affirms the liberation of all sentient beings in the primordially pure nature of fundamental reality. Alternatively the term may refer to the two aspects of the relative enlightened attitude, namely, aspiration (smon-pa) and undertaking or entrance (Jug-pa). See also the Glossary of Enumerations.
1177 The emphasis on freedom from sectarian bigotry upon which Khyentse and his followers insisted, has led some scholars to speak ofan impartial or eclectic (ris-med) movement in nineteenth-century Tibetan Buddh- ism. See especially Smith's introduction to Kongtrul's Encyclopaedia.
1178 I. e. the "auspicious" tradition of the Ponpo, whose ascetic teachings are represented primarily by the sixth of the nine Ponpo vehicles. See Tucci, The Religions of Tibet) p. 229.
1153
1154
1155
1156 1157
1158
1159
1160
1161
1162
1163
1164
1165 1166
s e w a n g , .
Jikma Trhinle (174 - hrou hout eastern Tibet and thus He gathered dIscIples t d of his master. As pre- greatly promoted the redlscoveTreh Lhamo he gained for his
f Derge ceptor to the queen 0 f h'
i support 0 efforts the roya M
h
ehold For the account of hIS o u s · M· 1
er
if Meditation and zrac es, pp.
life, see Tul. ku Th? nduP? h kingdom are discussed on p. 136-162. HIs relatlOnS WIt t e
. . .
An important teacher m record of his oral
ht JikmeGyelweiNyuguisremem- bered above all. Itt Peltrul Rinpoche (1808-87), l. e.
155.
set down by hIS which remains a most popular teachmg g
kun-bzang bZa-ma t zha - un ,. . See S T Kazi (trans. ), Kun Zang I f the Nyingma tradlUon. . . Th TV;; d
manua 0 L . La May Zhal ung, an
ofMy Perfect
For the remammg I clecticism of nineteenth-century particular, r? le. m the ;on truZ's Encyclopedia.
d P dmakara Translation Committee, e war s a
-finders discussed in this part and, in
Kham, see Smith s mtrodulctl? n T;hurpu calculation would read This is a new Phukpa calcu atlon, e
11 July 1829. .
A brief introductlon to the Nanrcen.
the history of Nangchin Kham Thinley, Important events and p;. ces tnh Born in Tibet, which refers
and E. Tibet. See also Trungpa is seldom made explicit.
tomanylocationsinNangcen,t. thelineofSituincarnations,
This figure (1774-1853? ), thKe mnt u tradition, and also revered was a leading master of the arma agy
as a treasure-finder. h'· d "S fth Sky"(nam-mk atm zo
d) is the name of one particular
ZN
Khyentse Wangpo was, m e ec,
his father, the means of performing and
tore 0 e . h I treasure trove m Kham, see t e n
kadzo. .
I. e. Murup Tsepo. The reunion of Murup Tsepo with
attammg
as treasure, whIch must be perlorme
d by the treasure-finder in connec-
WI. ReconceaIed treasures. fi d r to be found agam m
tion with his or her discovery.
(yang-gter) are t ose
district may be found in Karma
dex of Locations under Yegye
f Chogyur Lingpa with Jamyang
"Treasure attamment sgru )d ·th any teaching discovered . . lishment m accor ance WI
.
the future. . the fourth category of the four The great attamment (bsgrub-chen). , ay include an elaborate
· I ice and attamment, m . - - branches 0f ntua serv . d· ected by the va)racarya
dramatic and choreographIc perlormance Ir
(rdo-rje sZob-dp'0n). See n . . 499 the lives of the preceptor
then reconcealed by an earlier treasure- m e ,
These dramatlc ceremomes, enactmg bh and the religious kmg aster Padmasam ava d t
the great m h ) continue to be performe a Trhisong Detsen (mkhan-sZob-c os gsum ,
the present day. I. . Tshurpu would read Tuesday 31 This is a new Phukpa calcu anon,
1870. . . h Means for the Attainment of the Guru Chogyur Thls pure Vislon was t e
h
h· ch were discovered and
am-
History: Part Six 83
84 Notes
History: Part Six 85 1198 On the four empowennents, see the Glossary of Enumerations; and
Fundamentals, p. 360. The vase empowerment reveals the emanational buddha-body. The secret empowerment (gsang-dbang) re- the buddha-body of perfect rapture through practices associated Wit? the energy channels, currents and seminal points, the latter of whIch are kno. wn as mind" (byang-sems). The empow- erment of dlscernmg pnstme cognition (shes-rab ye-shes-kyi dbang) re- the buddha-body of reality through awareness symbolised by the <;lakm! . The fourth empowerment of word and meaning (tshig-don-gyi reveals the essential buddha-body through the meditative prac- tIces of the Great Perfection.
1199 The scorpions are the emblem of Dorje TroW.
1200 Rakta, "blood", is a sacramental substance symbolic of passion trans-
muted into enlightened involvement in the world. Its miraculous over- flow is a portent of boundless enlightened activity.
1179 1180 1181
1182 1183
1184
1185
The text incorrectly reads khrid-rgya. .
These are to be found in the Glossary of . This prophecy is found in the Innennost Spmtu. altty ofthe Accomplzshed
Master (grub-thob thugs-thig), which was redIscovered by Khyentse Rinpoche. . . . h· h I f
Khyentse Rinpoche was born in the dIstnct of Ga, wit m t e c an 0
Nyo during an iron dragon year. . _
The'ten-syllable mantra of White Tara . IS o¥ TARE TURE svAHA. See S. Beyer, The Cult of Tara, mdex, p. 533, under Mantra,
10-syllable, of Tara".
As communicated by the Author, the three who accomp-
lished immortality were Guru Padmasambhava, VimalamItra and the
Newar S! lamaflju.
For the life of Cetstin, see pp. 557-9. .
This is Khyentse Rinpoche's recension of a treasure dIscovered by
1186 1201 Again this is a Tshurpu calculation; according to new Phukpa, Jamgon
1187
Jikme Lingpa - the bla-sgrub thig-le rgya-can - from the Innennost Spirituality of Longcenpa.
See above, p. 848.
Kongtrtil would have passed away on Saturday 27 January 1900. Schuh, l! ntersuchungen zur Geschichte der Tibetischen Kalenderrechung, p. 80, gIves 29 December 1899 but this is equivalent to the twenty- day of the eleventh Tibetan month; our text has the twenty- SIxth of the eleventh month. Smith gives 1899 in Kongtrul's Encyc- lopedia, p. 2.
1202 A synonym for the western Buddha-field of SukhavaH, or a metaphor for the. of enlightenment that is great bliss. See Jikme Lingpa, Narratzve Hzstory of the Precious Collected Tantras of the Ancient Trans- lation School (rnying-ma rgyud-'bum-gyi rtogs-brjod), p. 364: bde-ba chen- po shanti-pu-ri grong-khyer.
1203 I. e. of °Mafljunatha (MafljusrI): 'jam-mgon mkhyen-kong rnam-gnyzs.
1204 L? ter Wangpo (1847-1914), a leading Sakyapa disciple of Khyentse Rmpoche, played a major role in the redaction and publication of GDKT and the Exposition ofthe Path and Fruit on Behalfofthe Closest (lam- 'bras slob-bshad) , encyclopaedic compilations of teachings belongmg the vehicle of indestructible reality as preserved by the new translatIon schools, with the Sakyapa foremost among them.
1205 For much valuable data, refer to S. D. Goodman, "Mi-pham rgya- mtsho: an account ofhis life, the printing ofhis works, and the structure of his treatise entitled Mkhas pa'i tshulla 'jug pa'i sgo" Wind Horse 1, pp. 58-78. Aspects of his philosophical thought are discussed in M. Kapstein, "Mi-pham'sTheory ofInterpretation" in Reason's Traces· and in J. Pettit, The Beacon of Certainty. '
1206 The rites. (ril-bu'i las-sbyor) performed by Mipham Rinpoche in connectIon with the propitiation of MafljusrI are practised so as to realise the ? rdinary accomplishments, e. g. during times of eclipse. These practIces are described in detail in GTKT, Vol. II, pp. 70-137.
1207 "Exegetical transmission" (bshad-lung). This refers to the initiation into the study of a text by hearing the master recite it, along with occasional explanation of particular points of difficulty.
1208 On the Nyarong disturbances of the 1860s, see GT, p. 183, n. 627; E. Travels of a Consular Officer in East Tibet, p. 5; and Tsering, "Nag-ron mgon-po rnam-rgyal: A 19th Century Khams-pa
This is a new Phukpa calculation; the other schools would read Satur- 1188 . ,.
1189
1190
1191
1192 1193
1194
1195 1196
1197
day 19 March 1892.
On the various enumerations of Khyentse Rmpoche s emanatIons, see
A. Macdonald, Le Ma1J4ala du Maiijusrfmillakalpa, pp. 91-5; and Smith's introduction to Kongtrul's Encyclopedia, pp. 73-4. .
In addition to Smith's introduction to Kongtrul's already referred to, see Jamgon Kongtrtil, The Torch of Certamty, translated
byHanson. . .
Schuh, Untersuchungen zur Geschichte der
p. 80, affirms that the dating for Jamgbn . Kongtrul s hfe IS be calculated according to the Tshurpu calendncal system. Accordmg to new Phukpa his birth would have occurred on Friday 3 December
1813.
I. e. "omniscient great paI;Qita".
Jamgon Kongtrtil has left us a brief account of the of masters and the studies which he undertook under theIr gUldance m
the mos-gus rab-byed in nineteen folios. .
Tsandra Rincen Trak was Kongtrtil's own mam seat. He wrote an exceptionally detailed descriptive guide to it dpal-spungs yang-
khrod tsii-'dra rin-chen brag-gi sgrub-sde'i dkar-chag m one hundred and twenty-seven folios. " . .
According to Khetsun Zangpo Rinpoche, the thIrteen awareness-holders" are probably deities in the maI;Qala of AmItayus . . Lerap Lingpa or Terton Sogyel (1856-1926) is with others as a master of the author of the Ling xylographic recensIOn. of
the Epic: R. A. Stein, L'epopee tibitaine de Gesar dans sa verswn Lamarque de Ling, p. 8. According to Lama SonaI? Topgyel,. he was also responsible for uncovering the 1899 plot agamst the Dalai Lama, on which see n. 1036 above; and Shakabpa, Tzbet:
Political History, p. 195. .
The visit of those aristocrats was ill-timed. The of the deCIpher-
ment was interrupted, the commitments were VIolated and Khyentse Rinpoche fell ill in consequence.
86 Notes
1209
1210
1211
1212
1213
1214 1215 1216
1217 1218
1219 1220
1221 1222
1223
1224
Warrior", pp. 196-214. The five clans of Nyarong were unified after 1837 by Gonpo Namgyel. In 1860 they invaded and conquered Derge and Hor-khog. In 1862 the rebellion was suppressed by Lhasa.
sa-ris is an arithmetical calculation performed, not with the aid of an abacus, but traced in sand.
1225 Andzom Drukpa, a leading adept of the Great Perfection, was the publisher of very fine blockprint editions of the works of Longcenpa and many other major Nyingmapa texts.
1226 Trupwang SakyasrI (1853-1919), an adherent of both the Nyingmapa and Drukpa Kagyupa traditions, was one of the most influential trea- sure-finders during the early decades of the present century.
1227 Repkong district in the province of Amdo has long enjoyed the repu- tation of a major centre of Nyingma practice. See TH, pp. 570-5.
HISTORY: PART SEVEN
1228 On the Indestructible Nucleus of Inner Radiance Cod-gsaI rdo-rje snying-po), see p. 448, and Fundamentals, p. 115, where it is explained as the dimension of the buddha-body of reality (chos-sku).
1229 The twenty-four lands are those enumerated in the Hevajra Tantra, Pt. 1, Ch. 7, vv. 12-17. See the Glossary of Enumerations for their exact names.
1230 This and the following quotations from Rongzompa are said to be taken from his Commentary on the Secret Nucleus (dkon-mchog 'grei).
1231 The expression "high and low" doctrinal centres refers respectively to those at Lhasa and Samye (Lama Sonam Topgyel).
1232 Literally drawn from the under-arm pocket of the Tibetan garment.
1233 Nalanda Translation Committee, The Life of Marpa the Translator,
p. 37, provides the standard account of this incident.
1234 Orgyenpa Rincenpel (1230-1309) is renowned as a master of the Nyingma, Kagyu and Kalacakra traditions. The precise source of the
following quotation remains unidentified.
1235 On this figure, see p. 758, n. 995 above; and G. Roerich, Biography
of Dharmasvamin.
1236 Concerning Orgyenpa's journey to O<;l<;liyana, consult Tucci, Travels
of Tibetan Pilgrims in the Swat Valley.
1237 The text reads bhe-ha-ra (Skt. vihara). For an introduction to the
Newar Buddhist establishments of the Kathmandu Valley, see Mac-
donald and Stahl, Newar Art, pp. 7lff.
1238 These charges appear to have originated as early as the eleventh cen-
tury, i. e. in the polemics of the Guge prince Photrang Zhiwa-o. See Karmay, "King TsalDza and Vajrayana", p. 204. For the detailed Nyingma response, see below, pp. 911-13.
1239 The following two quotations correspond closely to passage 076 of Atisa's biography, as edited in Eimer, Rnam tharrgyaspa, Vol. 2, p. 53.
1240 Taranatha, History ofBuddhism in India, p. 332. India here refers only to the Magadha heartland.
1241 On Mahadeva, see p. 429.
1242 Concerning the dispute about the Non-Dual Victor, see Blue Annals,
p. 417, n. 4.
1243 On Sakya Chokden (1428-1507) and his many contributions to
philosophical controversy in Tibet, see Kuijp, Contributions to the De-
velopment of Tibetan Buddhist Epistemology, pp. 10-22.
1244 This refers to Sakya PaI). <;lita's confirmation of the authenticity of these
tantras, on which see pp. 710-16.
