No More Learning

'tted precepts of profound,
Pf)
1· . At some pomt, too,
tion and rea IsatIOn.
rites of sorcery and the signs [0 success
h· ssion to the transmi In particular, IS s u c c e . h
pure visions m a prop ecy glorious Trashl Topgyel.
nd five special treasures 0 Twenty-five (treasures] a . ' s
Will be revealed, through pure aspIratIOn,
f the from the treasures 0
f
. d mm
The Fifth Dalai Lama 823
L· ofthe Treasures
824 History: Close meages . G DorJ·e came before
. d k-eTendzln yurme , .
Pema Trhmle, and Lho r. a 1rthe Fifth Dalai Lama was mcom-
Ancient Translation School. parably gracious to the reat gurus and from t. he
him; and so, directly and m 0
21 Rikdzin Terdak Lingpa) the
Great Treasure-finder ofMindriiling
Moreover, among most 0 g the land of Tongku [l. e. Tonkm] River Ganges in India all the way to h dl·d not become the Dalai
h dlyanyonew0
in the east, there ar Central Tibet, Tsang and Kham, an
d
as
Lama's personal dlSclple. In r he founded countless new far as the lands of China and Mdongo dlae'rful Inner and Outer Collected
H· 1quentan won . doctrinal centres. lS e 0 l·fi d by his commentanes on
the
, h· ng)exemp1le A Works (gsung- bum p yz-na . ' than thirty large volumes. mong
texts of the sciences, contam hools he cherished above all the the partisans of the new translatlWOn sc k l'1l3 and among those of the
had
as an auspicious token of t e e n h
Potala, he passed into bliss.
. lon
lllS and in the great palace 0 ,
t e
Khyentse angcu, . 1 a Trashi Topgyel. In ar
tradition of Jamyang
Nyingmapa, only that of h auspicious connectlon of pnest and been prophesied, he made t r:at treasure-finder and the master"
patron that ee Lingpa and D. harmasn] the doctrine of Mmdroling [l. . lanted the roots of contmulty for the and himself. In these ways, he p l1l4
government of the Ganden Palace. h res of the Fifth Dalai Lama,
Such was the legacy, in the e deeds of his outer,
h mpletlOnt emc . h
Who having broug t to co b b d during his sixty-Slxt year,
, becamea sor e , d inner and secret careers, fif h day third month, water og
on 2 May (twenty- l:scend:nt lady Vidya year), in the contemplatlonhof activity of his future
.
The emanation descended from Pema Lingpa
yang Gyamtso,1116 too. k blrth l. n t : day, when the Great Four-
of Mon. From that P rnations lives as a sovereign
teenth in this successlVe lme 0 mca upon the earth, the succesSlOn h· f the Conqueror
of the entire teac mg 0 f d throughout the world. of Dalai Lamas has been ame
.
the awareness-holder Tshang-

as
[620. 2-636. 6] Rikdzin Terdak Lingpa, or Perna Karwang Gyurme Dorje, was the speech emanation of the great translator Vairocana. When, at the time of his death, he had withdrawn from the body of his previous lifetimeI1l7 into the expanse of inner radiance, he was inspired to serve others by the Qakinls' song that is the pure melody of awareness. Consequently, the body of his pristine cognition assumed the form of a heruka and entered the womb. When he took birth at Targye Choling in Tranang,I1l8 on Monday 26 March 1646 (tenth day, second month, fire dog year, eleventh cycle), the earth shook, rainbow auras sparkled, and other wondrous omens occurred. His father was NyoWn Sangdak Trhinle Lhiindrup, and his mother Lhandzin Yangcen Drolma of a noble family.
As soon as he was born he was blessed by his venerable father with an empowerment as an auspicious token of keen intellect, and for protection from obstacles. Even later, he would recall with extraordinary clarity of mind the surroundings and happenings at that time, as well as the yogin with a bluish complexion and topknot and the two beautiful women who continually served him from then up to his third year.
Even from the time he was being nursed Terdak Lingpa's expressions revealed him to be adept at contemplation; and during childish play, too, he had the virtuous manner of one in whOIll the genuine enlightened family had awakened. Thus, he inspired confidence in intelligent per- sons. At the beginning of his fourth year he received the empowerment of the Eight Transmitted Precepts, the Consummation of Secrets from his venerable father; and at that time all objective appearances were sealed with the mal). Qala circle, so that he perceived the foremost [figure of the mal). Qala] and the guru to be no different, and the seed of the four empowerments was sown in the stream of his mind. During the autumn of his tenth year, 1655 (wood sheep), while receiving the empowerment of the Gathering of the Sugatas, he was empowered and blessed by the great master Padmasambhava during a vision of inner radiance. Owing to this, [the aforementioned seed] grew, and he experienced [the fruit
. L' es ofthe Treasures
826 Hzstory: Close meag b he established objective appear-
of] the vase where y
. . f the ceremomes a n ,
the memonsatIon 0 . werments
Successively, the all-knowing Great Fifth and his own venerable father, Sangdak Trhinle Lhtindrup, had the perfect kindness to favour Terdak Lingpa as their personal disciple. Above and beyond that, he would later [i. e. after their deaths] be blessed by the bodies of their pristine cognition. For this crucial reason, they were his two incompar- ably gracious root gurus. Moreover, there were sixteen great holders of the teaching under whom he studied the profound paths of maturation and liberation, and thirty-five tutors from whom he received various profound doctrines. Attending on these, Terdak Lingpa, at various places and times, received the complete vows of a layman, the bodhisattva vows according to the three traditions, and, as stated above, the empowerment and introduction to the symbolic significance of the Eight Transmitted Precepts, the Consummation ofSecrets which had been the first catalyst of his maturation [i. e. his first empowerment]. In this way, he grounded himself in the three vows.
Terdak Lingpa's studies of the doctrinal transmissions were infinite. It would be difficult to grasp even the titles, but they included all the transmitted precepts of the Ancient Translation School for which there exists a continuous lineage nowadays, such as the Sutra which Gathers All Intentions, the Magical Net, the Three Traditions ofthe Mental Class (sems-sde lugs-gsum), the Buddhasamayoga and the cycles of Yangdak Heruka, Vajrakfla and Yamantaka; most of the well-known treasures, as exemplified by the varied transmitted precepts of the class of means for attainment, the Trio of the Guru, Great Perfection, and Great Com- passionate One, in general and in particular; the general transmitted precepts of the new translation schools, such as the Vajra Garland and the Hundred Meansfor Attainment, as well as such particular transmitted precepts as those of Cakrasarrzvara, Hevajra, Kalacakra, Guhyasamaja,
Yamantaka, and the Kriya and Yoga empowerments, guidance, and exegetical transmissions, along with many works of the sutra tradi- tion; and the transmission of the entire Kangyur, which is the root of them all.
Starting in his thirteenth year, Terdak Lingpa memorised the Root Tantra of the Secret Nucleus, the Supreme Continuum of the Greater Vehicle, the Mind at Rest, and the root text and commentary of the Wish-
fulfilling Treasury; and from his venerable father he gradually received their oral exegeses. Later, he mastered the scriptures of the Nup tradi- tion, the Zur tradition and of Rongzom Pal)gita; Sakya Pal)gita's Analysis ofthe Three Vows (sa-skya par! 4i-ta'i rab-dbye); Comden Rikpei Reldri's Definitive Order of the Tantrapitaka (bcom-ldan ral-gri'i spyi- rnam); and the Profound Inner Meaning by Karmapa III, Rangjung Dorjc (rang-byung-zhabs-kyi nang-don). In particular, by diligently in- vestigating the scriptures of the great, all-knowing Longcenpa he ob- tained unimpeded powers of intellectual analysis, and thereby resolved his doubts about all things that there are.
ances to be appantIonal. '1 mastered writing and reading, Up to that time Terdak Lingpa. eaSl Yd rl'tes including the means for
d1 ceremomes,empo
attainment, mal). a a . h' wn tradition, an a t elr
. belongIng to IS 0 .
tions, and consecratIOnS h b came the regent of hIS vener-
. h' es Fromthenon, e e . . practIcal tec m q u : . d a11 kinds of enlightened actIvIty.
able father, and mamtame d k L' pa offered a lock from the crown
In his eleventh year Ter a mg or the Fifth Dalai Lama, at
of his head to the all-knowing conquerp 'ma Tendzin was conferred Th nameNgawang e 1
glorious Drepung. e . . d d 'th the initial arrival of the natura upon him. Because this comCl WI 1119 the Dalai Lama was delighted,
image SU. blime C? ne auspicious coincidence! " At
and inspIred hIm, saymg, h t d from t e
and absorbed into TerdakbLlmlgpadsof the Great Fifth, h t the venera e or
h t of the image of the SublIme ear d
iling and passionately engage , One whichwasclearlypeaceu. 'sm, b'd Andwhen,inhisseven-
time, light rays emana e f 1
teenth year,
at Samye, he saw h1m m
e me . . the form of Avalokitesvara.
,
d 11 h.
. '
. . permlSSory lmtIa-
Rikdzin Terdak Lingpa 827
828 History: Close Lineages ofthe Treasures
He received the empowerments, instructions, and exegetical trans- missions of the four rivers [of the Sfttra which Gathers All Intentions] in their entirety, including the seal of entrustment and the longevity
empowerment for final support from Takton Chogyel Tendzin who had opened forty-five ma1)9alas on the basis of the Empowennent Cere- mony of the Sutra which Gathers All Intentions [entitled] the Jewel Rosary
('dus-pa mdo'i dbang-chog rin-chen phreng-ba). Moreover, on the basis of the Empowennent Ceremony [entitled] the River of Honey (dbang-chog sbrang-rtsi'i chu-rgyun) he received [from the same guru] the complete
empowerments, transmissions, and instructions, relying on twenty-one
Rosary, relying on a condensed version [which utilised] twenty-seven mal). <;lalas, of which the root mal). <;lala was painted on cloth, and the
20
Rikdzin Terdak Li
sation (thod-rgal),1122 the yogas 0 f the energy cu ngpa 829
the appropriate crucial [to practice et dUring
way, he attamed stability in the sta f . c mgs]. In this . . . ge0 creatIonwhich .
Impure VISIOn, and so accomplished all h £ '. . eradICates obstruction. As for the stage of £ . t e our ntes WIthout any the. energy channels, currents The pulses or rhythms of punfied in the dhuti [the centr;l ene semInal havmg become
painted on cloth. Again, from Rikdzin Pema Trhinle ofDorje
present, without differentiatio
d
. he mner IS continuously unng both medItatIve equipoise and
ma1)9
Trak he received the full empowerments, instructions, and exegetical transmissions, based on the Empowennent Ceremony [entitled] the Jewel
n,
alas
its aftermath.
All appearance and conduct havin ar·
surrounding ones laid out schematically. 11
Both of these masters con-
masambhava V· 1· - Buddhaguhya, Vairocana, Yeshe Tsho ,Im a
ferred on him the secret name Gyurme Dorjetsel.
The connection formed by his aspirations being awakened, the trans-
mitted precepts of the profound treasures fell to Terdak Lingpa as follows. He discovered the treasures of the Innennost Spirituality of the Awareness-holder at Yamalung during his eighteenth year, on Friday
15 June 1663 (tenth day, fifth month, water hare); of Yamantaka, the Destroyer of Arrogance (gshin-rje-gshed dregs-Joms) at Sheldrak, having displayed his miraculous powers, during his twenty-second year, on
Saturday 24 September 1667 (eighth day, khrums month, fire sheep); of the Wrathful Guru (gur-drag) and the Atiyoga and Vajrasattva Cycles (rdor-sems a-ti'i skor) at Gkar Rock during his thirty-first year on Satur-
day 19 December 1676 (full moon day, tiger month, fire dragon); and of the Doctrinal Cycle of the Great Compassionate One as the Universal Gathering of the Sugatas (thugs-rje chen-po bde-gshegs kun-'dus-kyi chos-
skor) in public at Shawuk Tago during his thirty-fifth year, on Friday 23 August 1680 (twenty-ninth day, sixth month, iron monkey).
On various different occasions, both before and after those just men- tioned, Terdak Lingpa remained in retreat for periods of one year, six months, three months, or one month, at Trakmar Chimpu, Yamalung
and other wonderful and great centres of accomplishment, and in the solitudes of such hermitages as his quarters at the old and new seats,1121 and his cottages at Oseltse and Samtentse. There, he performed the
rites of service and attainment for about thirty-five meditational deities, including the peaceful and wrathful Guru [Padmasambhava], Vajra- sattva, the Eight Transmitted Precepts, the Great Compassionate One, Yangdak Heruka and Vajraklla, Yamantaka, Hayagr1va, and KhecarI.
Taking the experiential cultivation of Cutting Through Resistance in the Great Perfection (rdzogs-pa chen-po khregs-chod) as the very heart [of the teaching], he also experientially cultivated All-S urpassing Reali-
ma1)<;ialas and empowered Terd k L. . . create
and treasures, as exemplified hI. ngpa m many transmitted precepts commented upon and tau h y IS own and they amply
nition of the "bliss of . ( . " .
melt· " b l rgy chan. nel], the pristine cog- mg azed as hIS seal 1125 Th
mamiest and Impartial intention f h G . . e naturally within him, every trace of sub. . 0 t e reat PerfectIOn being born
mastered the contemplation ;raSping diss. olved. as it arose. He
1I26
h as the of pristine p IS e masters of IndIa and Tibet,
the all-knowing lord of the do t . reI, Nyang-rel NYIma Ozer, and
the bodies of their prI. stI. ne c nne. [. ongcenpa] actually appeared in cogmtIOn They d .
cognition, many pa1)9
such as the great master Pad
itas
and accom
found path. He also beheldg . t the essentIal mstructions of the pro- In vIsIOns, and was emp d
by, many meditational deities includ· V . and blessed Yangdak Heruka, the Great Com I? g aJrakumara, Vajrasattva,
wrathful deities and VaJ. rayog· _ HPassIOnate One, the peaceful and , 1m. etraversed 1
as SukhavatI and the glorious Co _ 1 many ands, such dvlpa, and so mastered th pper C? oured Mountam on Camara- the realms All his acts e of the total purification of
and by the <;iakinls Thus, he had limitless declarations to him.
unhindered and unI·mped d e
prophecies regarding the ch
VISIOns. SInce he was endowed with supernormal . .
. cogmtlve powers, his
exactly as he had foretold th patterns of time later turned out
proofs of this but I will noteml·b erehappear to be many convincing
U . ' eaorate ere
p to hIS thirty-first year th d . .
planted in Terdak Ling " . edsee of maturatIon which had been
experience of the vase e : s mm -stream gradually grew, so that his
objective appearances to was such he established all Il27
. '
eI? mently by means of buddha-bod a 0 Ivmg creatures pre-
Therefore this was th t. e ra Iant and empty, lIke apparitions.
l'
e Ime to act on beh If f 1· .
dIstricts, north and south, such as He travel. led to many different the seed ofliberation, without b. an? Kyllung, where, planting
requiringtraining merel emmdsofnumberlesspersons made an end to s;rpsara. y e e the ma1)<;iala [of his person] he
emanatIOnal
L 0 ea es ofthe Treasures
830 History: Close In g o o 0 M h 1677 (second month,
b InmngIn arc h In his thirty-second year, eg ecret empowerment arose as t e
Rikdzin Terdak Lingpa 831
trators;! l3' and the sons of his body and the many hOly sons of his
speech, who were spiritual benefactors elucidating the teaching. Thus, he c1arilied and extended the teaching that is without peer. In order that it might endure for a long time he also composed wonderful treatises
of unprecedented eloquence, which include the means for attainment, maI;l(lala rites, empowerment ceremonies, and so on, for the cycle of transmitted precepts, and the ceremonial arrangements and so forth
for the exceptional older treasures, the Earlier and Later Treasure Troves foremost among them. These works OCCUpy some thirteen volumes.
Concerning his activity in connection with attainment: As the master himself never strayed from continuous cOntemplation, both in meditat- ive equipoise and its aftermath, he directly introduced those to Whom
he gave meditational guidance to awareness itself, not leaving them with a merely academic understanding. When he granted empOwer- ment, the blessing of his pristine cognition actually penetrated the
minds of his disciples; and he caused all the myriad rites of service and attainment to be applied practically, not left to be merely exegetical.
Concerning his activity belonging to the sphere of deeds and Work: Terdak Lingpa did not lock up in a treasury all the things bestowed Upon him from above by His Holiness [the Fifth Dalai Lama) and
others, or offered up by the faithful. At the monastic centre of Orgyen Mindroling he newly gathered some three hundred members of the sarrzgha who, binding themselves to the three vows, spent the time
engaged in exegesis and attainment. He continuously ensured that they Would not be bereft of the appropriate requisites and so [provided them With) their quarters, images, books, stUpas and other items of Worship,
and the supplies and provisions required for the rites of attainment and Worship during the four seasons. Moreover, he commissioned many paintings and sculptures; more than five hUndred volumes in gold and
Silver, induding the Kangyur; numerous xylographs for the commen- taries, exegeses, ceremonies, rites, et cetera, ofthe Ancient Translation SChool; and many stUpas, of which the foremost was the "Great Shrine
ofa Hundred Thousand Images which Liberates When Seen" (sku-'bum rnthong-grol chen-rna). Because Terdak Lingpa was endowed with perfect liberality, he gave generously so that those who received his impartial
Worship and charity might amass the two provisions. In these and other
wayS, his was a wonderfUl, marvellous career, during which he under-
took only those great deeds which increase the spiritual and temporal well-being of the teaching and of living creatures.
When Terdak Lingpa had, for the while, completed such deeds that are associated with inconceivably secret [activity], in February/March 1714 (first month, wood horse), during his sixty-ninth year, he seemed to become somewhat ill. Beginning on Sunday II March (twenty-fifth
day), in particular, he bestowed his final instructions on his immediate family members. From that time onwards, those who remained to serve
k)
fire sna e , f. . nsic awareness, .
1128 his expenence of the s whereby subJect and
radiance and emptiness reality). Therefore, this wa; ob0 ect dissolved In the exp -eminently by means 0
J b half of living creatures pre i ' d and vast wheel of the toacton e dtheproloun . " .
h so he continually turne
speec . f dOsciples of supeno , doctrine for a host 0 I
in September/October
(khrums month, water pIg experience which wasborn
)
year, o h0
1129 Terdak Lingpa's thlrty-elghot 0' lOt" e cogmtIon,
exemplified by the "blIss of
pti-
d mindoftherea pnsIn 0 t dwithawarenessan em
In and of the four delights assocdla emutability, steadily increased me I . ergence,an 1m . h timeto
ess supreme bhss, co-em
n , of the path of a messenger.
IllO Therefore, It was t e .
by means
b h If
by means 0
f buddha-mind, DespIte ,
of living creatures
Id ontmue to tea
ch the doctnnal trans- . bT
act on e a
the fact that he che especially assumed responsl
" in general, WIthout las, , b forcible means to e 0
b miSSIOns ·d· fortunate diSCiples y . . planted dir-
for above all, gUi mg . ine cognition, havmg 1m .
the'face ofOnaturallypresent, for whatever profound gUidance oh theIr mInds Instruct
. . . Ifor he savour which IS Identlca
' to act all-pervasIVely, t o o he became utterly ree the time II In all hiS actions, h .
me
of living creatures equa If-interested thought and passed t e tI nd from the entanglements 0 se activities of exegesis, a d engaged in the wholly in his heart only the tempora an work, with great courage. . and living creatures. _
al well-being of the all-knowing supreme con spintu 'ng that exegetical activIty. The, tly studied all sorts of
Concerm . L pre-emmen . I d ueror, the Great Fifth Dalal under Terdak Lingpa, mc u :
ectlyWI! m
uld mature them.
these ways, he came to buddhas. Illl Therefore, I! was the three indestructible enlightened activity on
0'
qrofound and extensive doctrmal cy
Ancient Translation School (snga
the title of Tz-shzh. ht
P mgthe reew
us Collected Tantras ofthe
0
h'
d ferredon 1m
' ur rgyud-'bum rin-po-ehe), an. teaching activity was such t a fxemplified by this, Terdak Lmgp aches to the doctrine, mcludmg
he continuously confer:ded transmissions 0Sf thhe
T ItionC00, rans a . to the
t
mined precepts and treasure
the empowermen
,
0
s of the AnCient
of th
hools and the cycles belongmg d of
s gm ance,
e new translatIon sc
mantras d 'th the respec
tl've intellectual nee s
d f m
IS T Kham, Kongpo, t indIvldua s, Central Tibet, sang, b Among them were many grea , Tak-
,
- [He did so] in accoOr WI h
shutras.
h and low, w 0
"h
faithfully gathere
· fortunate diSCiples, Ig Mon to the sout, g. I
h without num er.
elsew ere, 0 d the high positions of Sakya,
Ph kmotru, Dngung, . .
who occuple
lung, and so forth; arIstocrats, 1
a
and district admInlS-
0
'ncluding governors
0
0
r moderate and InlenOr .
ro
h N an and
0
832 History: Close Lineages o f the Treasures . d f h w m 1133
mel harmonlOussoun 0 asa. ' him constantly heard the extre y . de of the outer wall. Slmul-
from the western Sl b d which seemed to come hor completely pervaded his e room,
taneously, the scent of camp . of Saturday 17 March (second
Dalai Lama, and his regent Sangye Gyamtso,1136 who were the sun and moon [among those with whom he enjoyed] a patron-priest relationship; Rikdzin Perna Trhinle of Dorje Trak; Sakya Trhicen Ktinga Trashi; the Zhapdrung along with his successor and the other great personages at the earlier and later seats of Tsedong [i. e. Tsetang and Neudong]; the Tshurpu Gyeltsap and the Trehor Choktrtil, among holders of the Kamtsang [i. e. Karma Kagyli] teaching; Drigung KoncokTrhinle Zangpo; TaklungpaTendzin Sizhi Namgyel; [the rebirth of] the all-knowing Drukpa Paksam Wangpo; the Gampo Choktrul Zangpo Dorje, and his descen- dants; Chamdo Gyelwa Phakpa Lha; Ngawang Choki Trtilku; Ngawang Ktinga Tendzin of Dokam; the former and later Tabla; the Katok Gyelse [Sonam Detsen]; and the second Dzokcen Perna Rikdzin Gyurme Thekcok Tendzin. As exemplified by these, among the major- ity of great famous gurus who were holders of the teaching, there seem to have been none who did not supplicate him.
Terdak Lingpa's sole, inner spiritual son was his younger brother Locen DharmasrI, an emanation of Y udra Nyingpo. The offsprings of his body were his sons Perna Gyurme Gyamtso, Zhapdrung Yizhin Lekdrup, Trincen Rincen Namgyel, and his daughter, the venerable
1137
lady Mingyur Peldron.
Gyamtso, Ngak Rapjampa Orgyen Chodra, and Bumrampa Orgyen Kelzang and others were disciples who could uphold the great pillar of the teaching. These and the great perfect gathering [which assembled around Terdak Lingpa] vastly increased the enlightened activities of exegesis and attainment.
This great treasure-finder, directly and indirectly, was most gra- cious to the entire teaching, ancient and new. More than that, he maintained the vitality of the instructions of the minor doctrinal traditions, such as the Conangpa, Shangpa, Pacification and Object of Cutting (zhi-gcod), and Podongpa, both through his own powers and by encouraging others.
In particular, at that time the exegesis and attainment ofthe wonderful traditions which were the legacy of Trhisong Detsen and the priests he patronised, namely, the transmitted precepts of the Nyingmapa, 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, had almost become like a lamp that had run out of oil. Terdak Lingpa, with courageous and untiring great perseverance, sought out [those traditions], and restored the deteriorated teaching from its very foundations by means of exegesis, attainment, and work. In point of fact, because of the kindness of this most venerable master, his brother, disciples, and descendants, the Sa-nga Nyingmapa, or the "ancient school of secret mantra", has been equal to the meaning of its name, and its genuine, authoritative continuous lineage has increased, without decline, down to the present day. Therefore, none can match Terdak

h the morn1ng
inside and out. T en, on . d "I must take seven steps toward the east.
"
day, second month), he . sa1 , sat down cross-legged and, as dafter movmg seven steps, .
He rose an ,
his Dying Testament
('d '-ka'i zhal-chems), sa1d: a
nd awareness are deities, mantras, and the dispoSItlOn. 0;t e of buddha-body
. d
Slghts, soun sa. . h b d of reality,
Spreading forth Y as t e
and pristine
In the experiential cultlVatlOn 0
f the great profound ,
and secret yoga,. d. . ·bl M they become m 1V1S1 e, ay . . d'
innermost pOlnt of mm .
. " the dflkinls have arnved to usher me 0 .
Afterwards, he Said, Now . f 1 ·ng the hand-drum and bell, He moved his hands in the moment, he and adopted a [contemplatIve] g . . les and so demonstrated h1S
ns and great m1rac , 1134
of one savour in the
revealed wondrous ome . 1 passage to the great terrestna pu
. .
Terdak Lingpa's d1Sc1ples, in a prophetic declaration from a
sons of his speech, are descn e treasure (gter-lung):
As for the disciples of the Who will maintain their
will include later incarnatIons of the
kin
1 g
They h tt ·ned the leve s, And his subjects who ave a a1 . 1135
. gn and h1S son.
aSfithe to benefit living Th1rty- lVe W1
creatures.
One hundred an
d · ht will benefit themselves. e1g .
·n form doctrinal connectlOns. T:vo thhousan d:ill have connections through his
F1fty t ousan
aspiration. h deeds
:vill be in his· Seven mentmg paraso s
d
following.
Three aristocrats will increase
influence.
Accordingly, the foremost of the p nectar of his speech were: the supreme
re land of Lotus Light.
. n'"
lified by his spiritual sons and the
h· here of 1S sp
d ersonal disciples who ran .
k the conqueror, the precious F1fth
Rikdzin Terdak Lingpa 833
Furthermore, his attendants Gejong Losel
834 History: Close Lineages ofthe Treasures I
. nd Ie acy. For these reasons, we Lingpa's wonderful kmdness a g h meral ceremonies and ntes
rely rely on ep e Nyingmapa do not me d '
this traditlOn, w 1 ff rts to spread it as well. appropriate for us to make great e 0
which are referred to as p
. . h'ch is a great treasure
. .
. . but extensively mamtam
22 Jikme Lingpa
rofound octnnes,
chest of teaching; and 1t 1S
[636. 6-646. 1] The all-knowing Jikme Lingpa
anation of the great pal). gita Vimalamitra, the religious king Trhisong Detsen and Gyelse Lharje. He was the immediate rebirth of Rikdzin Choje Lingpa. As had been clearly prophesied in the treasures of Guru Chowang, Sangye Lingpa, Choje Lingpa and his disciple Raton, and others, Jikme Lingpa was born on the morning of Monday 6 February 1730, the anniversary of Longcenpa's death (eighteenth day, twelfth month, earth female bird year, twelfth cycle) near Pelri Monastery in the district of Chongye, to the south of the Red Mausoleum of King Songtsen Gampo (srong-btsan bang-so dmar-po). 1l39 His family was that of the heirs of Gyadrakpa, one of the six great spiritual sons of Choje Drukpa.
From childhood he clearly remembered his previous lives as the great treasure-finders Sangye Lama and Choje Lingpa. In this and other ways he awoke to the genuine enlightened family. During his sixth year, he entered the college ofPelgi Riwo [i. e. Pelri], where the vener- able PrajfHirasmi's unblemished legacy in the three spheres was pre- served. 1l40 He offered a lock from the crown of his head to Ngawang Lozang Perna, an incarnation of Yeshe Tshogyel, and the name Perna Khyentse Ozer was conferred on him in the presence of Nesarwa Ngawang Kiinga Lekpei Jungne.
Jikme Lingpa received the empowerments and transmissions of the Point of Liberation and the Gathering of the Intention from Neten Kiinzang Ozer. In particular, in his thirteenth year he met Rikdzin Thukcok Dorje and received the Great Seal) Liberation through the Vision of Pristine Cognition (phyag-rgya chen-po ye-shes mthong-grol) among other teachings. This was the first cause of his spiritual matura- tion. Because he adopted Rikdzin Thukcok Dorje as his sole, supreme root guru, he later was taken into the following of the body of his pristine cognition as well. Furthermore, at various times Jikme Lingpa received all kinds of [empowerments, which bring about] maturation, and [guidance, which brings about] liberation, including the most im-

l138
was the combined em-
L' ofthe Treasures meages
f the Ancient Translation
Jikme Lingpa 837 Point ofLiberation) the Natural Liberation ofIntention (grol-tig dgongs-pa
rang-grol), a profound treasure of the great treasure-finder Sherap Ozer, the succession ofwhich had fallen to him through both close and distant lineages; and he obtained the special signs of "warmth". 1142
Moreover, having completed the rites of service and attainment as- sociated with myriad deities of many profound treasures, including both the Earlier and Later Treasure Troves, he measurably attained the condition of a holder of the awareness of maturation. When he mastered the yogas of the energy channels, currents and seminal points, the energy channels of the centre of rapture, situated in the throat, dissolved in a mass of syllables. 1143 He perceived all appearances as a book and the great treasury of the doctrine spilled open [in the form of] songs of indestructible reality and so forth, which were perfect in word and meaning. When he performed the rites of service and attainment for the Gathering of the Guru)s Intention, the sound of a horse neighing burst forth from the crown of his head 1144 and the great Orgyen crowned him with the name "Perna Wangcen the Glorious". Through the power of being actually blessed by the master MafijusrImitra he fully com- prehended the pristine cognition which may be exemplified. 1145 There- after, he maintained in conduct the great discipline of a resplendently attired heruka.
In particular, during a vision of the inner radiance, the gakinI of the pristine cognition of the body of reality actually bestowed on him the inventory for the Innermost Spirituality of Longcenpa (klong-byang) in the symbolic script of the gakinIs at the Carung Khashor Stfipa [i. e. the Great Stfipa of Bodhnath] in Nepal. 1146 Consequently, he reached an exalted level of learning and accomplishment, and became master of the great treasury of doctrine that is widely renowned as the Great Perfection, the Innermost Spirituality of Longcenpa (rdzogs-pa chen-po klong-chen snying-gi thig-le). But still he was not satisfied, and so, im- mediately after completing the three years [of retreat] in that place [Pelri], he proceeded to glorious Samye Chimpu. With great austerity he once more concentrated one-pointedly upon the essential attainment for three years in the cave of Sangcen Metok, at which time, in general, he had numberless pure visions, and, in particular, met three times with the body of pristine cognition of the all-knowing king of the doctrine, Longcen Rapjam Zangpo. The blessing of Longcenpa's body, speech and mind being actually transferred to him, Jikme Lingpa ac- quired his supreme authorisation and beheld the truth of the Great Perfection, the real pristine cognition of the sublime path. At the same location [Samye] he revealed, for the first time, the maturation and liberation of that great treasure of his mind to fifteen fortunate disciples. From then on, he widely propagated its profound meaaings, so that he became the unique promulgator of the Innermost Spirituality of the Great Perfection (rdzogs-pa chen-po snying-thig).
836 History: Close ,
School. These included the foremosTt tea e Troves as well as those of l' dLater reasur, , d
cepts and of the, Ear ler an he many tutors from whom he recelve
the new translatiOn schools. T fi der Trime Lingpa, Zhangom
them included the great lllf Mindroling, Tendzin Yeshe 'T ng a0 kLrna
DharmakIrtl, rupwa. . Pema Chokdrup, and Mon Dza ar. a Lhtindrup, Thangdrok-on . f the conventional SClences,
t andtreasures0
portant transmltted precep s chings of the transmltte
, 11
Targye. Incldenta y, including astrology.
he studled some 0
Jikme Lingpa .
that his mind was bent on the His own writings demonstrate hewed efforts to master the hter,ary
ment of the essential, and that he naturally endowed from buth
conventions, except in so much as, Ie woafsthe great textual traditions of h h'ddenessentlas . ' 1141
with talent for t e l fect poetic compoSltlOn.
the sfitras and mantras, and for in February/March 1757
In his twenty-eighth year, startlllg d to pass three years In the
) he firmly vowe , h con- of miracles, fire ox year, N k'k [Hermitage], whlc was
h Gk gTlkle yaCl 'L'gpaex- seclusion of te O an f P l' Above all, Jlkme In
nected with his own monastery 0 e and perfection of the clusively practised there the stages 0
, d
pre-
838 History: Close Lineages ofthe Treasures
After Jikme Lingpa had fulfilled his vow to remain in retreat for three years, the true meaning of the indestructible prophetic declaration made in the Dialogue ofSky and Mountain (mkha'-ri zhu-lan), a profound treasure of Chowang Rinpoche, was revealed, for there it says:
In Chongye my emanation will come to serve the world. Though no one will know who it is,
h· h 1147
Jikme LingPa 839
and . the remainder in black on a white background (skya-chos). PrevIOusly, there had been neIther a detailed catalogue nor a ve ·fi d
Ie
. h.
an. d vast m connectIOn WIth the three logical axioms (gtan-tshigs-gsum), thIS venerable master composed the Narrative History of the Precious Collected Tantras ofthe Ancient Translation School) the Ornament Covering All Jam? udvzpa (snga-'gyur rgyud-'bum rin-po-che'i rtogs-pa brjod-pa khyab-pa'i rgyan). The fine light ofscriptural author-
Ity and logIc whIch shines therein totally uproots all the confusions whi. ch arise from the darkness of perverted opinion and doubt.
JIkme Lingpa's collected works, which amount to nine volumes include the basic root texts and elucidations of his mind treasure Innermost Spirituality of Longcenpa (thugs-gter klong-chen snyin;-thig
gsal-byed dang bcas-pa); the Vajrakfla according to the of the Tantra (phur-pa rgyud-lugs) - a new redaction of the [VaJrakIla] transmitted precept based on the empowerment which had been conferred on him by Langcen Pelgi Senge11S2 in an emanational
ma1). <;lala and the instructions which followed; and the root text and comI? entary of the Precious Treasury of Enlightened Attributes, which the sequential path for the entire teaching. This last composi- tIOn was a treasure of intention given to him in the form of a treatise by the blessing of the all-knowing, great Longcenpa.
. The disciples who attended directly on Jikme Lingpa's discourses mcluded such great gurus and powerful nobles as Sakya Trhicen Nga:vang Pelden Chokyong and his brother; the two Drigungpa em- anatIOns. ; the Supreme Emanation of the Dorje Trak Rikdzin; the Speech
EmanatIOn of Lhodrak and the Spiritual Son; Jora Trtilku, the holder of the Podongpa teaching; the abbots of both the Shartse and Cangtse c. olleges of Ganden, who were holders of the tradition of Riwo Ganden [1. e. the Gelukpa tradition]; and Gontse Trtilku of Tshona in Mon.
There can be no counting, to their full limits, his disciples who were detached yogins, and monks. Also, most of the Nyingmapa and emanatIOns from the province ofKham came before his feet.
JIkme Lingpa's own enlightened activity, which embraced all quarters from fronti. ers of India in the south, to China and Mongolia in the east, t? e bgh. t of the doctrine, has been unrivalled during this late ThIS, m partIcular, was due to the enlightened activity of his sole
mner. most spiritual son, Trupwang Jikme Trhinle Ozer, an emanation of Pnnce Murup Tsepo, 1153 and also [to the activity] of Jikme Gyelwei Nyugu, a great bodhisattva,1154 Jikme Ktindrol, the learned and ac- complished master of Mon, and others.
The asserted that if he were to cultivate one-pointedly the enbghtened mInd for seven years in mountain retreat the teaching would be. and propagated. The truth of that has been realIsed m the present day, for the maturing empowerments,
C'
He wIll teac m a 10rt ng t manner.
At Chingwardo, or to the south of the Red Mausoleum, He may found a monastery at the Lhabap Stiipa.
The body of the pristine cognition of Tsele Natsok RangdrOl entrusted this purpose to Jikme Lingpa. Relying upon many coincidences such as his symbolic revelations, he then returned to hIs homeland. the uplands of Tonkar Valley, in a hidden ravine to the south of the mausoleum of Songtsen Gampo in Chongye, re-estab- lished the mountain hermitage of Pel Tshering-jong Perna Osel Thek- cokling, including both the physical buildings and their Thereafter he lived out his life as a hidden yogin, free from aCtIVItIes, with his s:at established there. To numberless worthy disciples from all quarters of the Land of Snows, as far as Bhutan and he skilfully revealed the transmitted precepts and treasures. of the mapa tradition in general. In particular, he taught the mstructIOns of the Innermost Spirituality in its ancient and new recensions. 1148 So it was that his doctrinal activity was wondrous.
Jikme Lingpa profusely gave the gift of the doctrine wit? out for return or [profitable] fruition: He performed many ? ffenngs to the three doctrinal centres1149 and he ransomed countless hvmg crea- tures from certain death. 11so He presented a wheel of fine gold to the great temple of Samye and erected a silver image of the Conqueror Ajita [Maitreya]. He repeated the consecration of S. amye and when the
great Gurkha army which was hostile to the teachmg, advanced upon , . . f 1151
Tibet, he successfully performed the ntes for the averSIOn 0 war. This illustrates his activities in the sphere of work and his wondrous deeds which ensured the well-being of the teaching and the world, for which even the Tibetan government granted him great esteem and veneration. .
Above all, during that age the teaching of the Ancient TranslatIon School had everywhere become sparse. Jikme Lingpa could not bear in his heart that the enlightened activity of the vast aspirations of the emanational religious kings, translators, and scholars become fruitless and that their indescribable legacy should nearly dIsappear. He had copies made, using the finest supplies and materials, of all the precious tantras of the Nyingmapa tradition which were to be found at MindrOling, some twenty-five volumes, and had first five pages [of each volume] written in [ink made of] the five precIOUS substances,
. . 'n
Istory, c. ompIled thIS but, because his brilliance was profound
h· .
840 History: Close Lineages ofthe Treasures
. t' 1 cultivation of the Innermost . . d and expenen1a . .
liberatmg gUl ance, . g s if to cover all dlrections.
Spirituality appears to be spreadlhn , a. associated with the three t ons
h d mpleted suc ac 1 h 23 Chogyur Decen Lingpa When he co October 1798 (third day, ninth month, eart.
spheres, on Fnday 1 2 . rkme Lingpa passed away at hls horse), during his in Tshering Valley. The
d ' cles indicated his passage to the
own seat, the hermltage
. ofslgnsan mlra "1 h
actual demonstration . 1 h had bestowed m detal t e
fL
Light PreviOUSy, e . 1 otus. . rds of his final testament. Accordlng y,
great realm 0
wonderful, indestructible wo b O O z e r Trhinle and others,. who his last rites Y fnlfil the master's final intentlons.