In order to examine Choki Senge's powers the emperor rashly had him placed inside a stiipa, and then sealed up the
entrance
for a year.
Dudjom Rinpoche - Fundamentals and History of the Nyingmapa
Similarly, he gave him the Guidance which Lays Bare the Teaching of the Great Compassionate One (thugs-rje-chen-po'i smar-khrid) following the lineage
674 History: The Distant Lineage ofTransmitted Precepts
Biographies ofthe Rong Tradition 675
of the bodhisattva Yegyelwa. Because of all this, it appears, Golo Yezang Tsepa himself made this decisive affirmation, "I crossed to the furthest shores of the ocean oflearning, and so achieved what is meaningful. "
Then, in 1421 (iron female ox), his seventy-second year, the doctrine master Sangye Rincen travelled to Central Tibet. At the monastery of Samtenling in Kangpori he was attended by Wangdrakpa Gyeltsen. The guru gave many empowerments, including those of the Sutra which Gathers All Intentions, and many exegeses and transmissions, including those of the Secret Nucleus. Then, in 1431 (iron female pig), his eighty- second year, he passed away in Tsang. From the birth of Zurcungpa until this date four hundred and seventeen years appear to have passed.
GOLO ZHONUPEL (YEZANG TSEP A)
[409. 1-41l. 4] Now, the great man Go Zhonupel was born in 1392 (water monkey year). His father was called Goton Jungne Dorje, and his mother Sitarkyi. He was ordained by the great preceptor Cenye. From Karmapa V, Tezhinshekpa, he received the bodhisattva vow and the Six Doctrines. From Ngok Cangcupel he heard the doctrines of Ngok. But, in particular, it was from the great pa1). 9. ita Vanaratna840 that he received most of the empowerments of the Unsurpassed tantras. He corrected and translated the Litany of the Names of Mafijusri, the Point ofSpring (Vasantatilaka, T 1448), the Brief Teaching ofEmpower- ment (Sekoddesa, T 361), and Commentary on the Six-limbed Yoga (Kalacakra$aqangayoga, T 1367).
When Dro1cen Sangye Rincen was in his seventieth year, 1419 (earth female pig), this master received from him all the transmitted empow- erments of the tantrapitaka of the Ancient Translation School in their entirety: the empowerment of the peaceful and wrathful deities accord- ing to the Magical Net and its longevity empowerment; the Chumer of the Depths of Hell; the Lord of Life; Yangdak Mecik; the Hayagriva Traditions of Nawopa and Dagyelma; the Khiin Tradition of Vajrakfla; and the empowerments of the expressive play of awareness for the Eighteen Teachings ofthe Mental Class. Among exegetical transmissions he received the Tantra ofthe Secret Nucleus with its commentary, and the commentary on the Array of the Path of the Magical Net which Sangye Rincen had himself composed. Moreover, he received the explanatory transmissions of about forty opuscules, Indian and Tibetan, including the Illuminating Lamp ofthe Fundamental Text and the Forty- Chapter Magical Net; the transmissions of the Sutra which Gathers All Intentions, its root tantra, the All-Gathering Awareness, and its comment- ary by Nup Sangye Yeshe, the Armour Against Darkness; and those of both the Eighty-Chapter Magical Net and the Superior Magical Net, and the Root Text of Yangdak. He received, too, the four root empower-
ments, elaborate and unelaborate, of the Innermost Spirituality, its guidance according to the guidebook of the accomplished master Melong Dorje, and guidance on the Esoteric Instructions of the Great Perfection according to the Tradition of Aro. In short, Go Zhonupel became as a lord of secret mantra teaching according to the Ancient Translation School.
This master himself said, "I acquired exceptional devotion towards the tradition renowned as the Nyingmapa school of secret mantra. So, I was never polluted by the defilement of rejecting [true] doctrine. ,,841 Such words were intended for those pseudo-scholars of Tibet who were sec- tarian bigots. In fact, this master was more sublime than other philo- sophically unbiased spiritual benefactors; this is clearly demonstrated by his own treatises, which are reliable and also vastly eloquent. 842
This master offered many doctrinal transmissions, empowerments, and much guidance to Karmapa Chodrak Gyamtso, including the Tri- logy of Commentaries by Bodhisattvas (sems-'grel skor-gsum). He acted as the preceptor who gave complete ordination to Zhamarpa IV, Choki Trakpa; and he gave him an inconceivable number of transmitted em- powerments and exegetical transmissions, as well as the guidance of esoteric instruction, for an ocean of tantrapitaka, both ancient and new, of which the foremost was the Magical Net. The venerable Zhamarpa, too, considered Go to be his sole, most gracious guru.
having by many means expanded the teaching of the transmit- ted precepts and treasures, Go Zhonupel passed away in his ninetieth year, 1481 (iron ox).
CE-NGA RINPOCHE, ZHAMARP A IV
[41l. 4-413. 2] Now, Zhamarpa IV, Ce-nga Rinpoche, was born in
Tresho Khangmar in 1453 (water female bird year). His father was
Dong Gonpakyap, and his mother Hraza Sonam Drolma. At Zurmang
43
Monasteri
ordination from him was given the name Choki Trakpa Yeshe Pel- zangpo. He received the doctrine also from the preceptor Gushri Trak- pelpa and from Pengarpa. 844 In his twenty-fourth year he was completely ordained as a monk, under the great translator of Go, Yezang Tsepa, who acted as preceptor. At one time or another he studied number- less teachings: tantrapitaka of the new translation schools, such as Kalacakra, CakrasaJ? 1vara, Hevajra, Guhyasamaja, and Bhairava; and the transmitted empowerment and exegetical transmission of the Secret NUcleus of the Magical Net, among others [of the Ancient Translation School]. He also received many doctrines of the ancient and new tradi- tions from the great translator Sonam Gyamtso, who was descended from the family of Gyelwa Choyang of Ngenlam.
he met Karmapa VII, Chodrak Gyamtso, and on receiving
676 History: The Distant Lineage ofTransmitted Precepts
Biographies ofthe Rong Tradition 677
When Ce-nga Rinpoche received the empowerment of Vajra- kfla from the master Go [Zhonupel], he had a vision of master Padma- sambhava in a dream, and was even given instructions. He yielded up his physical body during his seventy-third year, 1525 (wood bird), while still occupied with teaching all the various doctrines, ancient and new, to his disciples.
In short, by extensive study this master purified himself. Although he composed a great many means for attainment, exegetical comment- aries, mal). <;iala rites, dialogues, and other treatises, Zhamarpa's works are all superior to others, because they are refined in word and meaning, of suitable length, conclusive, and fair. His Guidance on the View of the Great Middle Way, which Definitively Reveals the Absolute (don-dam nges-'byed dbu-ma-chen-po'i lta-khrid) is based on the Five Doctrines of the great regent [Maitreya]. Therefore, in adhering above all to the infallible diction of the ultimate doctrinal language this master accords with the great, all-knowing Longcenpa, Karmapa VII, and the all-know- ing, great Tolbupa. 845
DRIGUNG ZURP A RINCEN PHUNTSOK
[413. 2-414. 5] The Zhamarpa conferred the teachings on Zurpa Rincen Phtintsok of Drigung. He was born into the Kyura family in Drigung Kunyergang in upper Uru. After his eighth year he was ordained as a novice by Ce-nga Rinpoche, Choki Trakpa. At thirteen, when he was invited to the consecration of the Trhadruk Temple at Tsitang Samten- ling, which had been restored by Karpopa,846 all sorts of wonderful miracles took place. He set his heart on attainment in such great places of pilgrimage as Yangpacen, Lungsho, and Zhoto Tidro. Once, while he was staying at Tidro, Vajranatha, an accomplished master from India, arrived and gave him the esoteric instructions on vital energy by Javaripa (dza-bi-ra'i bhil rlung), and other, further advice. Following a prophetic declaration of the <;iakinls he changed his dress to white
[i. e. became a mantrin free from monastic vows]. In Yangpacen a treasure inventory came into his possession, following which he ex- tracted the yellow scrolls of the five families [which contained] the True Doctrine of the Most Profound Intention, the Essence of the Body, Speech and Mind o f Guru Rinpoche (gu-ru rin-po-che'i sku-gsung-thugs-bcud dam- chos dgongs-pa yang-zab shog-ser rigs-lnga) from the great assembly hall of the dakinls at Tidro.
On occasion he journeyed to the glorious Copper-coloured Mountain, where he met Guru Rinpoche in the form of a heruka and participated in a feast offering. He was given an empowerment based on the mandala of the three roots, and also all the instructions and further Then, the body of the heruka turned into that of master
Padmasambhava, who orally bestowed on Rincen Phtintsok many esoteric instructions. After that, he returned to his own abode.
Rincen Phtintsok became a master of both the transmitted precepts and the treasures. Having thoroughly mastered the extraordinary exegetical tradition of the trilogy of the SiUra which Gathers All Inten- tions, the Magical Net, and the Mental Class, many traditions of the Eight Transmitted Precepts (bka'-brgyad lugs-dgu), the Four-Part Inner- most Spirituality (snying-thig ya-bzhi), the Earlier and Later Treasure Troves (gter-kha gong-'og),847 and so forth, his teaching activity became most extensive. In accord with the tradition of the precious Ngari Pal). cen,848 his custom was to disclose the central points by means of the transmitted precepts, and to adorn them witp the esoteric instruc- tions of the treasures.
KHONTON PEL]OR LHUNDRUP
[414. 5-418. 4] Rincen Phtintsok taught the cycles of the Magical Net to Rangdrol Nyinda Sangye, who expounded it to Tshewang Norgye, a master of the Khon family. He, in turn, expounded it to his own son, Khonton Peljor Lhtindrup. This master was born in 1561 (iron bird year). The name of his mother was Gyelmodzom.
From childhood the propensities of a holy person were aroused within him, and he truly developed the attitude of a renunciate. During his tenth year he was ordained as a novice by the all-knowing Sonam Gyamtso. 849 He also received [the vows of] refuge and of the creation of the enlightened attitude, as well as the transmission for the meditation of the Great Compassionate One. In addition, he received all kinds of doctrines from several gurus of both the ancient and new traditions. He completed studies of [Sanskrit] grammatical tables,850 poetics, [Ti- betan] grammar,851 medicine, and the other sciences. But above all, under the tutelage of his father, who was a holder of indestructible reality, he became trained in the Secret Nucleus of the Magical Net, in its commentary composed by YungWnpa, and in the other commen- taries of the Magical Net cycle, such as the all-knowing Longcenpa's Dispelling Darkness in the Ten Directions. It was then that the propensities of [his past life as] the great Dropukpa were aroused, and he became an incomparably learned and accomplished adherent of this path.
In his eighteenth year Peljor Lhtindrup received the empowerment, guidance and esoteric instructions of the Great Perfection according to the Innermost Spirituality ofRadiant Space (rdzogs-chen klong-gsal snying- thig) from the great awareness-holder Nyinda Sangye, an emanation of Nup Namkei Nyingpo. Peljor Lhtindrup was introduced to the abiding nature of all things, the Great Perfection, the buddha-body of reality that is intrinsically aware; and thus he arrived at what is most profound.
678 History: The Distant Lineage ofTransmitted Precepts
Biographies ofthe Rong Tradition 679
Moreover, he received a great many doctrines belonging to both the transmitted precepts and the treasures, and, in particular, the Innennost Meaning, the Liberation of All Beings (don-tig 'gro-ba kun-grol), together with the exegetical transmission of the Precious Treasury of the Supreme Vehicle (theg-mchog rin-po-che'i mdzod). He also reached the limits of study and reflection on all the great textual traditions of the slUras, and became an itinerant scholar at the great seminary of Tsetang, propound- ing widespread textual traditions. 852
Under Tragon Ce-nga Zhonu Chopel he studied extensively the doc- trines of the ancient and new traditions, such as the Vajra Garland. In his thirty-fourth year Peljor Lhtindrup received complete ordination from Gyelkangtsewa Peljor Gyamtso and the doctrine master Gendtin Gyeltsen, who acted as preceptor and master of ceremonies, respect- ively. It was then that he received the name Peljor Lhtindrup. He also studied the mantra cycles of the Gelukpa tradition, and he acted, too, as a teaching master at [the colleges of] Sangpu and Sera Ce. 853
Although the exegetical tradition of the Tantra of the Secret Nucleus had been widely propagated in the past, subsequently it had declined. Therefore, because this master was renowned for his great learning [in it], Orgyen Tendzin, the doctrine master of Trakna, deliberately went before him. He received [the Secret Nucleus] in detail following YungtOnpa's Commentary (gYung-'grel), and even composed a memor- andum on it through to the fifth chapter.
Peljor Lhtindrup favoured Zur Choying Rangdrol, in particular, and granted him two daily sessions of instruction on YungtOnpa's Commentary on the Secret Nucleus, as well as on the cycle of the Innermost Spirituality (snying-thig-gi skor) and numberless other teachings. In accord with the teaching of this master, Zurcen Choying Rangdrol definitively estab- lished the teaching as an itinerant scholar at the great seminary of Tsetang; and thus he silenced those who jealously thought that the Ancient Translation School had no exegesis of the tantras. At about that time, Peljor Lhtindrup abandoned the diversions of society and lived in the solitude of Devlkoti, the forest ofPhawangkha. PadmapaIfi, the Great Fifth [Dalai Lama] supplicated his feet and received from him limitless systems of empowerment, transmission, guidance, and esoteric instruction derived from the ancient and new traditions.
Like some great gurus, Peljor Lhtindrup remained aloof to the com- pany of dry dialecticians who concerned themselves with the purity of their philosophical systems. It could be said of him that he bore the stamp ofone who had been a disciple ofexemplary spiritual benefactors.
When he was in his seventy-sixth year the Great Fifth offered prayers for Peljor Lhtindrup's continued longevity (zhabs-brtan-gyi gsol-'debs); but saying, "Now, I do not know if I will live much longer," the master declined, and then added, "I must go to the Palace of Lotus Light in Camaradvlpa! "
On Sunday 30 August 1637 (eleventh day, eighth month fire ox his physical body vanished into the expanse of reality: accom- pamed by wondrous omens.
Among the treatises composed by this master, there are: the
Guideb? ok which Introduces the View Common to the Great Seal, Great Per! ectwn, and Great Madhyamaka (phyag-rdzogs-dbu-gsum-gyi lta-ba spyz-khyab-tu ngo-sprod-pa'i khrid-yig); the Guidance on the View of Madhyamaka (dbu-ma'i Ita khrid); and many works on the conventional sciences [tha-snyad rig-pa; e. g. logic, grammar, etc. ].
ZURCEN CHOYING RANGDROL
[418. 4-424. 6] The spiritual son of that master was Zurcen Choying Rangdrol. He was born in 1604 (wood dragon year). His father was Zurcen Zhonu Tondrup, an emanation of the great awareness- holder Kumaradza, and a direct descendant of the Zur lineage of aware- ness-holders. His mother was Tshenden Yidzin, who hailed from a family of <;iakinls. Choying Rangdrol was recognised as the reincarnation of Trungpa Koncok Rincenpa. Gradually, he learned to read and to write, and he also learned the scripts of India without regard for the difficulty. Under his father he studied the essential cycles of means for attainment (nyer-mkho'i sgrub-skor). 855 In his ninth year he met Cangpa Rikdzin Ngagiwangpo,856 who prophetically declared him to be an
incarnation who would greatly benefit the teaching ofthe Ancient Trans- lation School.
Choying RangdrOl also studied iconographic drawing, astrological systems, and some cycles of wrathful mantras. At about the age of twelve he sat the feet of Nangsel Rinpoche Ngawang Yeshe Trupa, fully receIved the empowerments, transmissions, and experiential f o r t h e c y c l e o f t h e G a t h e r i n g o f t h e S u g a t a s o f t h e E i g h t T r a n s - muted Precepts; the Innermost Spirituality of the /)akinf according to the precepts and the treasures (mkha'-'gro snying-thig bka -gter the ,Guru, an Ocean ofGems (bla-ma nor-bu rgya-mtsho);
and Karma Lmgpa s Natural Liberation of Intention: fA Cycle devoted to] the and Wrathful Deities (kar-gling zhi-khro dgongs-pa rang- gr? l). He receIved the secret name "Choying RangdrOl" in connection the conferral of the empowerment of the peaceful and wrathful deItIes. And he heard many other treasure doctrines too.
. Choying RangdrOl experientially cultivated [such 'teachings as] the FlVefold ? reat (phyag-chen lnga-ldan) and the Guidance on Cutting (gcod-khrzd). In Zmgpa Tago he performed the three-year, three-fortnight
:etreat and, by emphasising primarily the [teach- ngs of] pnmordial punty and spontaneous presence858 according to the Innermost Spirituality ofthe I)iikinf, [a doctrine of] the Great Perfec-
680 History: The Distant Lineage ofTransmitted Precepts
Biographies ofthe Rong Tradition 681
Zurcen Choying Rangdrol
tion (rdzogs-chen mkha)-)gro snying-thig), he tious nature of all things. Obtaining the reahsatIon m whIch mtnnsl. c awareness, the natural face of [Samantabhadra] the lord, IS disclosed, he became adept at roaming, in the inner radIance, through
the fields of the buddha-body of perfect rapture.
In his seventeenth year Choying Rangdrol went into the presence of
the notable Peljor [Lhtindrup], the vajra-holder of He attended upon that guru until his passing, wIth the means to delight the guru. The guru, too, rejOIced at a took care of him. He poured into him the ocean of doctrines to
the transmitted precepts and treasures, as a vase the particular, Peljor Lhiindrup granted him exegetIcal teachmg dunng tW sessions each day, combining the glorious Root the Parkap Commentary, and Yungtonpa)s Commentary m TIbetan. Ch. y
i n g R a n g d r o l r e q u e s t e d p e r m i s s i o n t o s e t d o w n a onthepointsthatwerehardtoremember,butthemastersald, Ifyo . notes before a sufficient segmen. t [of the text] has been much will be settled [in your mmd]. Therefore, after some nme, I s
make an estimate [of how much need be covered first]. "
'; On the roof of his apartment Choying RangdrOl then practised repeat- ing the text. When about thirty folios had been covered [in the lectures] he received his master's permission to set down a memorandum. He completed it through to the fifth chapter, but the remainder was left to be continued.
In his twentieth year, 1622 (water dog), Choying Rangdrol repeated the ordinations from that of a novice to that of a fully-ordained monk. He investigated the commentary on the Secret Nucleus [by Longcenpa] called Dispelling Darkness in the Ten Directions and others; and he re- quested the exegeses of the four subcommentaries on the Commentary on the Guhyasamaja Tantra called the Clarifying Lamp, the Clarifying Lamp of the Five Stages (rim-Inga gsal-sgron), the Complete Elucidation ofthe Hidden Meaning ofthe Cakrasarrzvara (bde-mchog sbas-don kun-gsal) , Norzang's General Exposition of the Kalacakra (nor-bzang-gi dus-)khor spyi-don), the stages of creation and perfection of the Guhyasamaja Tantra (gsang-)dus bskyed-rdzogs), and other exegetical traditions. He established a decisive understanding of them all.
In 1624 (wood mouse year) he expounded the Tantra of the Secret Nucleus at the beginning of the extensive winter seminar at the great seminary of glorious Tsetang. At that time, he overcame the brilliance of those great teachers who relied on words [rather than on meaning] and thus he vastly served the innermost teaching. Those who remained unbiased praised him; and the great Cangpa [Ngagiwangpo], too, draped a silk scarf around his neck.
From master Phawangkhapa [Peljor Lhtindrup] he also received in detail the empowerments, transmissions and esoteric instructions of the Innermost Spirituality of Radiant Space. Meditating upon it, Choying Rangdrol profited through experiences and realisations that were greater than those he had had before. He also received many wrathful mantras of the new translation schools, such as the Yogic Exercises of Bhairava (bhairava)i )phrul-)khor).
During the great dispute between the Gelukpa and Drigungpa859 the
venerable Drigung Zurpa Ratna [Rincen Phtintsok] and others had
performed the applied sorcery of Rahula, with the result that many
throne-holders of Ganden died of stroke or epilepsy. 86o But now, this
master [Choying Rangdrol] made a protective circle to liberate Koncok
861
Chopel
When Takla Padmamati of Katok journeyed to Lhasa, he received
from Choying Rangdrol the commentary on the Secret Nucleus entitled Dispelling Darkness in the Ten Directions, among other teachings. Padmamati, in turn, offered this exegetical transmission to Lhodrak Sungtrtil,862 thereby ensuring that this doctrinal succession continued uninterruptedly.
In return [for the teachings he had given], Choying Rangdrol received from Katokpa [Padmamati] the transmissions and empowerments of
from the fear of Khyapjuk [i. e. Rahula].
682 History: The Distant Lineage ofTransmitted Precepts
Biographies ofthe Rong Tradition 683
the volumes of the Gathering of Intentions, along with the means for holding all the tantras (dgongs-Jdus po-tiJi lung-dbang rgyud-dgu bcangs- thabs-dang-bcas-pa), as well as other teachings, including the ritual manual entitled Beauteous Flower Garland (las-byang me-tog phreng- mdzes). Above all, they performed the means for the attainment of alchemy on the basis of the ma1). cJala of the Gathering of the Sugatas of
the Eight Transmitted Precepts.
efficacious blessings of Choying Rangdrol, it so happened that this verse, composed by the Great Fifth, could be spread throughout Tibet and Kham, at the order of the Ganden Palace:
In the dense wood around the oil-spent town,
The moisture of risk quenched urgency's blaze;
Then the conflagration of karma descended and dried The river of Karmapa and Tsangpa dominion - that,
indeed, did amaze!
In this way he affirmed that there was no reason for the partisans of the Gelukpa not to utilise sorcery, and that this master, Choying Rangdrol, had had a most remedial effect on the teaching in general.
Moreover, the Great Fifth received from Choying Rangdrol experiential guidance on three traditions of Vajrakfla (phur-ba lugs- gsum), three traditions of the Eight Transmitted Precepts (bkaJ-brgyad lugs-gsum), [the doctrine of] the Great Perfection called the Innermost Spirituality ofRadiant Space, and so forth; and he undertook to master them. Thus, he maintained, the infallible experience of the Great Perfection arose in his mind, and a confidence that was free from the hopes and fears of sarpsura and nirvu1). a was born within him.
Choying Rangdrol also enjoyed a mutual exchange of doctrinal feasts with Gonpo Sonam Chokden of Nesar. He recognised Rikdzin Perna Trhinle, the sun of the teaching of the Ancient Translation School, to be the emanation of Cangpa Rikdzin Ngagiwangpo; and he installed him at the seat of Thupten Dorje Trak. 864 Choying Rangdrol bestowed all the doctrines of the transmitted precepts and treasures upon him, and enthroned him as a lord of the teaching.
Towards the end of his life Choying Rangdrol lived in Kungtang, which had been the seat of the lord of beings, the "Unborn" Zhang [Tshelpa]. 865 There, he granted the exegesis of the Tantra of the Secret Nucleus to Trhinle Lhtindrup, the great awareness-holder of Tarding,866 and received, in return, many empowerments and transmissions, such as those of the Eight Transmitted Precepts. He protected all who per- severed in the doctrine, including gurus, incarnations and emanations from China, Tibet and Mongolia, by whatever pertains to the path of liberation, whether transmitted precepts or treasures, of the ancient or ? ew traditions. Then, during his sixty-sixth year, 1669 (earth bird), he Journeyed to the realm of Lotus Light, accompanied by wondrous omens.
THE FIFTH DALAI LAMA
[424. 6-425. 5] Although it is impossible to count the host of students Who were the spiritual sons of this master [Choying RangdrOl], the
Rahula
From about this time the Great Fifth [Dalai Lama], the supreme conqueror, began to honour Choying Rangdrol as his guru and received from him the Vanquisher (zil-gnon) and other doctrinal transmissions. The Great Fifth experientially cultivated all the transmissions and practical guidance for widespread rites of pacification, subjugation, and wrath, including the cycle of wrathful mantras, whIch
Choying Randgrol offered to him.
During that era, the lords of Tsang and their priests, the Karmapa,
harboured great hatred towards the Gelukpa in general, and the Ganden Palace in particular; and they performed numberless rites of sorcery when they were hard pressed during the civil war. 863 But because of the timely activity of the Fifth Dalai Lama and the exceedingly
684 History: The Distant Lineage ofTransmitted Precepts
foremost among them was the supreme conqueror, the Great Fifth Dalai Lama. Even when Choying Rangdrol had journeyed to another realm, it is said, the Great Fifth was taken into his following by the body of his pristine cognition. This is illustrated by the following passage from the supreme conqueror's Biography ofChoying Rangdrol (rnam-thar rgyal-ba-mchog-gi zhal-gsung-ma):
Until I have encountered directly
The expressive play of awareness that is Samantabhadra, By the power of these good deeds may I be favoured in all
lives
By you, 0 lord! my inseparable spiritual benefactor.
The Great Fifth bestowed the exegetical tradition of the Secret Nuc- leus, according to both the Parkap Commentary and Yungtonpa's. Com- mentary, on the great Nyoton Trhinle Lhiindrup, an emanatIOn of Nupcen Sangye Yeshe. From his time until the present day the lineage has continued without interruption owing to the kindness of the great treasure-finder, Rikdzin Gyurme Dorje, and his brother [Locen Dhar-
masrI], the two of whom appeared as the timely fruition of the en- lightened aspirations of Vairocana and of Yudra Nyingpo. 867
5 Dotokpa's Lineage of the Zur Tradition
DOTOKP A
SANGYE-TRA
AND KYI
CHOKI
SENGE
[425. 5-427. 3] Moreover, in the lineage of the disciples of the great Dropukpa, there was one called Sangye-tra of Gyamen in Chongye. He was born into the Nya family in the district of Gyamen Taktsepa. In his youth he propitiated Jambhala and a small field which he owned was swept away by a flood. He then went off [as an ascetic], free from worldly cares. In Puguto there was a rich man who had died ofleprosy, so no one would come to carry away the corpse. Sangye-tra, moved by fervent compassion, did the funerary work without thinking about it. By the side of the bier a large quantity of gold appeared. That was the accomplishment conferred on him by Jambhala.
On his return Sangye-tra met Khyungpo Trhowo at Traci Khangmar. Acting as the attendant while Khyungpo propitiated Yangdak, Sangye- tra also practised the means for attainment and had a vision of the "Nine-lamp Yangdak" (yang-dag mar-me dgu). Then, he went to Tsang. He studied the SUlra which Gathers All Intentions, the Magical Net, and other texts under a nephew of Ca Chenpo, who had been a student of the lord of secrets, Dropukpa. At that time a rich man offered him one hundred loads of barley. Consequently, free from impediments, he studied the Magical Net under Dropukpa's student Nyangnak Dopo and his student, Lharje Da Senge. Having become a great scholar, founded Dotokthel in his homeland. Gyacing Rupa, a dis- cIple of Nyelwa Zhikpo, also became a supplicant at the feet of Dotokpa [Sangye-tra] and studied much under him.
In particular, this Dotokpa had a student called Kyi Choki Senge, a learned and accomplished "warrior". He went into the presence of the emperor Qubilai Qan.
In order to examine Choki Senge's powers the emperor rashly had him placed inside a stiipa, and then sealed up the entrance for a year. When the year ended the stiipa was opened. Seeing that Choki Senge had turned into an image of VajrakIla, the emperor was most astonished. He sent a great variety of things, includ-
686 History: The Distant LineageofTransmitted Precepts
ing a long roll of silk,868 as gifts to Dotokpa. Dotokpa also had many monastic estates allotted to him by imperial edict, so [his domains] were exceedingly developed. But this is remembered only in name. Such fluctuations in the teaching naturally inspire world-weariness!
Dotokpa's Lineage ofthe Zur Tradition 687
also became thoroughly learned in the SzUra .
and the Magical Net under th 1 whzch Gathers All Intentions
MENLUNGP A
SAKY A-O
having thoroughly learned the of Valzd Cognition. Then,
the Magical Net under Phu uGra w zch Gathers All Intentions and ngpo ya Yesh G" h
Commentary based on the Text ofth P k e onpo, e composed the khab gzhung-du byas-pa'i tf-ka) eR Commentary ('grel-pa spar- cho-ga) , and other works. 'He r' a h for (dbang-gi TshUl Gyelwa. Ridongpa Shera;6 \ t em to ? IS own Lama
and he is said to have pro a at ye tsen under hIm, in turn, for a while, having III the vicinity of Takpo
servants, as well as to the mantra adept to. Lord Kurap and his
was Sonam Zangpo of Zhan kar s', of Sherap Gyeltsen
Gyamtso, from Whom Go Zh" g l' HI,S dIScIple was master Trashi nupe
of Dorje Gyeltsen's Comm °t receIved the exegetical transmission
h " en ary on the Secret Nu l (d .
mts an-pa zsnying-tfk), the Black Deit V;' _ ceus r: o-rye rgyal-
[427. 3-429. 1] The disciple of Choki Senge was Menlungpa Sakya-o. He was the eldest of five sons born to Nyangton Chenpo of Chongpo Kharu, who became famed as the "five emanational brothers of Yar- lung". The eldest was referred to as "Menlungpa" after Menlung, a monastery in Yarlung. The seat of the second brother, Chodenpa, was the monastery that is now the ruin called "Choden". 869 Chodenpa's real name was Gonpo Dor;e. Because he became quite accomplished he left the imprint of his back on a wall, which he had struck and passed through. This imprint exists even now. In the past it seems that there was a great seminary at this place; for a great many fragments of the Collected Tantras (rgyud-'bum) are still to be seen there. It is said that because Chodenpa performed the means for the attainment of elixir, scorpions and ants became quite rare in this region. The ruins of the monastery appear to be protected even today, for its protectors are most powerful. It is a place where the gods and demons abide in accord with their commitments.
The three younger brothers were known as Keldenpa, Turtropa, and Wangyelwa. Among the five, it is the eldest, Menlungpa Sakya-o, who is considered here. He studied the Satra which Gathers All Intentions and the Magical Net thoroughly under Kyi Choki Senge. Later, he also studied under Sonamgyel, the scholar of Len, who was the son of Len Sakya Opo. He composed many works, including the Disclosure of the Contents of the Secret Nucleus (gsang-ba snying-po'i khog-dbub), and a commentary entitled the Ascertainment of the Meaning of the Tantra (tf-ka rgyud-don rnam-nges). His disciple was Sangye Konglawa of Takpo, who produced many disciples in Takpo proper, such as Lama Nyen. Above all, because he was the guru of Konjo Dakpo, [the doc- trine] was much propagated in Kham. 870
In addition, On Sakya Bumpa became learned in the exegesis of the Secret Nucleus under Menlungpa. Under him Khedrup Chopel and his son thoroughly received the exegesis of the Secret Nucleus. Those in the lineage of Menlungpa were also, in their own place and time, the masters of the doctrines of the Earlier and Later Treasure Troves.
DORJE GYELTSEN AND HIS SUCCESSORS
[429. 1-6] Gya Yeshe Gonpo, who held the seat of Kyi Choki Senge,
other teachings.
Y a. ;rakzla (phur-pa lha-nag), and
Len Chogyel. His nep'hew D tuGte age of both Kyi Choki Senge and
an
d ' ofJe yeltsen wentt S '. became learned in the A . ' o. angpu III hIS youth
6 Biographies of the Kham Tradition
KATOKPA TAMPA DESHEK
[430. 1-434. 5] Concerning the renowned Kham tradition:871 Vairocana translated master Suryaprabhasirpha's Commentary on the Secret Nucleus (Srfguhyagarbhatattvaviniscayavyakhyanatfka, P 4719) at the Camgon Temple of Odu in Kham and expounded it, too. But it was Katokpa in particular who originally made the teaching of the Ancient Transla- tion School well known in that region. He is known by the names Tampa Dewarshekpa of Katok, Lama Sharwa Popathaye, and Sherap Senge.
Katokpa was the maternal cousin of the venerable Phakmotrupa. He was born by the banks of the Yangtze River (,bri-chu) in Puburgang in Dokam during the year 1122 (water male tiger). His father was Tsangpa Peldra of the Ga clan, and his mother Tsangmo Rincengyen. This water tiger year was master Phakmotrupa's thirteenth.
When Katokpa was in his seventeenth year he went to Central Tibet and was ordained as a novice at Phenytil by Lama Cangcup Senge. The name Sherap Senge was conferred upon him. He received full or- dination in the Lower Tibetan Vinaya Lineage under the great preceptor of Nak;872 and he trained himself until he was learned in the Vinaya. He studied the cycle ofthe Secret Nucleus ofthe Magical Net, the Mental Class, and so on, under a spiritual son of the great Zur Dropukpa named DzamtOn Drowei Gonpo; and he became consummately learned in these very teachings. DzamtOn was the one guru intervening between the venerable Dropukpa and Katokpa, although the Great Fifth's Record of Teachings Received (lnga-pa chen-po'i gsan-yig) says that Katokpa met Dropukpa in person.
Katokpa also studied ten great tantras of Cakrasa1flvara (bde-mchog rgyud-chen bcu) under Ra Lotsawa's disciple, Kam Lotsawa; the Sub- sequent Tantra of Varahf (Akhyatatantrottaravajravarahyabhidhanad Varahyabhibodhana, T 379), and the Tantra of the Emergence of Cakra- sa1flvara under Cokro Lotsawa; the cycle of Hevajra under Kam Choki
Katokpa Tampa Deshek
Yeshe; the Guhyasamaja under both DongtOn Dorje Nyingpo, a disciple of Go Lotsawa [Khukpa Lhetse], and Bodhi Zhangton; the exegesis of the [Commentary on the Guhyasamaja Tantra called the} Clarifying Lamp and the Yamari cycle under Pelgi Wangcuk of LatO, who was the disciple of both [DongtOn and ZhangtOn]; the sequence of the empower- ment of Cakrasa1flvara (,khor-lo bde-mchog-gi dbang-bskur-gyi rim-pa), the Great Seal, and the esoteric instructions for the Six Doctrines of Naropa under the venerable Tusum Khyenpa [Karmapa 1];873 et cetera. He became the supreme spiritual son of the venerable Use [Tusum Khyenpa], and under him he studied and considered, without excep-
tion, the siitra and mantra traditions in general, and, in particular, the ancient and recent Tibetan translations, pertaining to the vehicle of indestructible reality.
Once the precious DzamtOn said to Katokpa, "If you go to the land of Kampo and diligently practise the means for attainment, your body will dissolve into light. But ifyou go to Katok you will greatly extend the teach- ing. " With his heart set on the teaching alone he went in search ofa place called Katok. At first, he arrived at Katil. There, he met some children who were grazing cattle, and asked them, "Where is Katok? "
Biographies ofthe Kham Tradition 689
690
History: The Distant Lineage ofTransmitted Precepts
Biographies ofthe Kham Tradition 691
5rfdeVf
He realised the cattle to be an auspicious sign that there would be persons requiring training, and the cowherds a sign that there would be disciples. Therefore, on that site, which resembled the letter KA, he founded a temple in 1159 (earth female hare year).
At just that time Donyen Menbu [a local divinity], who maintained the vows of Pon, actually revealed his form and created obstacles in various ways. When the venerable master and two students pursued him he dissol- ved into a boulder. 874 The doctrine master Tsangton tied it up with his robes
a n d p u l l e d i t a l o n g , w h i l e T a m p a [ K a t o k p a ] d r o v e i t o n w i t h a s w i t c h . brought it down to the bank ofthe river at the bottom ofthe valley, where It can still be seen today. And once, wheneightPonpo began to practise wrath-
875
ful mantras [against Katokpa], SrldevI brought down the rock-face on
which their hermitage was situated. Tampa himselfdrew a crossed-vajra over it· and the site became known as Phawang Gyelep, "Eight Boulders' With these and other inconceivable signs of accomplishment Katokpa laid a foundation for the doctrine, and remained there.
To students assembled from as far as Amdo country in the east, to Tshawarong, Lo [Mustang], and Mon in the south, he skilfully revealed
various teachings, among which the foremost were the Great Perfection and the exegetical transmission, transmitted empowerment, means for attainment, and so on, of the Secret Nucleus ofthe Magical Net, including all its major and minor Indian and Tibetan commentaries and texts all according to the continuous tradition of the glorious ZUfS, and Sutra which Gathers All Intentions. In addition, he expounded a great many works including the Magical Net of Mafijusrf and other tantras and, with regard to the system of the siUras, the great texts of th; conqueror Maitreya, the Introduction to the Conduct of a Bodhisattva, et cetera. In short, he laid the foundation for the teaching of the secret mantra in the province of Dokam. Finally, in his seventy-first year, in September/October 1192 (ninth month, water male mouse year), he demonstrated the conquest of his physical body.
In general, the sublime conversed with this great person
at all times, just as with another man, and prophesied his every deed.
K a t o k p a c o u l d a l w a y s g a z e o n t h e B u d d h a - f i e l d o f
SukhavatI, the Buddha-field of and others. He could
also behold, whenever he wished, the peaceful and wrathful deities of
the Magical Net, the sixty-two deities of the Cakrasamvara mandala . . . ,
and the maI:l9ala of Glorious Heruka. He could study the doctrine under the Tathagatas of the Five Families and discuss it with bodhisattvas. He obtained the prophecy that in his following life he would dwell in SukhavatI as the bodhisattva Matisara (blo-gros snying-po) and obtain the actual realisation of the eighth level;876 and that then, in the future, in the aeon called "Star-like Array", he would become the sugata Amitayus.
TSANGTONP A
[434. 5-437. 6] Katokpa's regent was Tsangtonpa. He was born in 1126 male horse year) in Tsangzhel, which is a part of Puburgang. In hIS seventeenth year he met Lama Dewarshekpa [Katokpa] and studied the d? ctrine under him. The master and student proceeded together to Mmyak, where he was given all the esoteric instructions. In his twenty-first year he went to the monastery of Dri Tiramdo and lived there. In his twenty-third he set out for Katok and practised meditation.
Once, in a vision, Lama Dewarshekpa saw a great light in a wide, flooded valley, at which he could not bear to look. When he asked what it was, a voice said, "Great being! it is the seat of your disciple, who resides on the eleventh level, Universal Light. ,,877 [Approaching Tsangt6npa] the master said, "You are the one! " and at that moment Tsangt6npa beheld the maI:lQalas of Glorious Heruka and of the Forty- two Peaceful Deities. Also, he always saw SrldevI and Mahakala, and
"Up that valley," they replied.
692
known to sound by itself with no one to blow on it innumerable conches issued forth, all of them sounding by themselves. They filled all quar- ters, sounding ti-ri-ri. . . Pomdrakpa said that this indicated the limitless spread ofTsangtonpa's reputation. Later Pomdrakpa travelled to Katok, where he requested the empowerment of the Magical Net from the precious Tsangtonpa, with the result that [all-]knowing, pristine cogni- tion was limitlessly awakened within him.
When Tsangtonpa of Katok was equipoised in the contemplation of the Great Perfection inconceivable pure visions arose. [He experienced] the sky-like appearance of nothing at all, he beheld an innumerable host of peaceful and wrathful deities for three evenings, and so forth. Moreover, once in a vision of buddha-field all the bodhisattvas in the retinue were buzzing with the news that this doctrine master was the bodhisattva Mal). igarbha (nor-bu'i snying-po), in which form he would be reborn in SukhavatI in his next life. Again, one time, when he had a vision of that same buddha-field, he heard the teacher prophetically declare, "0 Mal). igarbha, son ofthe enlightened family, in a future age you will become the tathagata Ozer Raptu- trhowa. "
Tsangtonpa withdrew from the array of his physical body in 1216 (fire male mouse), his ninetieth year.
CAMP ABUM
[437. 6-439. 5] Tsangtonpa's regent was Campabum. In a previous life, he had been Carlndra the spiritual son of the great ac- complished master of India, Jalandharipa; for the venerable MitrayogI had said to his disciple SomayogI, "If you go to Tibet, [you can meet] the masters Santideva and Vajrapal). i, who have taken birth in Tibet at a place called Katok, where they have benefitted numberless disciples. At that seat, too, master Kal). hapa the great has taken birth. He remains there even now to benefit his disciples. " Moreover, this same one had acted in the service of the teaching during lifetimes spent as the son of an Indian king, as a monk of a brahman family, and so on. Afterwards he was born as the venerable Campa the great. The year of his birth was 1179 (earth pig).
Under the guidance of both Katok Tampa Rinpoche and the doctrine master Tsangtonpa, Campabum studied, reflected and meditated upon the whole ocean of doctrinal traditions of the sl1tras and mantras, but he completed his studies under the doctrine master. After TsangWnpa passed away, Campabum, then in his forty-eighth year, ascended to the seat. He spread out a joyous feast of the ocean of doctrinal traditions of the sl1tras and mantras, emphasising the Magical Net and the Great Perfection.
Tsangttinpa
·S previous lives as the translator Yeshe-chok, the Indian remembered hl
others. . . n a ascended to the seat of Katok, In hIS t:e Sutra which Gathers All Intentions,
where he. mamtalneddt Class according to the tradition of his
879 the MaglcaZ Net, an e. en a reat s iritual warrior Pomdrakpa
guru. Once,. about of katok had such a high reputa-
was wondenng why . . . h·ch there appeared a great . d· 1 hehadaVISIonmwI
Hon. Imme late y, . . 1 dless sky which housed a great
celestial palace of blue lIght, hke a c ou I f:ont sat the precious
host of the deities of perfect . rapture: bnle mass of multicoloured . . ded by an lnconcelva
surroun r d him to be a buddha and performed rainbow lIght. Pomdrakpa rea lseh. h h had visions of many herukas a feast offering that evening at w IC e I a dream he saw an
of the Nyingma tradition of. secret ;recious gems, on the immeasurable, grea. t were growing. Many people
slopes of which vanous medlcma p ·t f the mountain, in the . h I t On the summl 0
were gathenng t ese P an s. r h Lama Katokpa [i. e. Tsangtonpa]
midst of a great palace of blue Ig t, f r ht From a great white conch was seated, [his body] of the nature 0 Ig .
Biographies ofthe Kham Tradition 693
694
History: The Distant Lineage o/Transmitted Precepts
Biographies 0/the Kham Tradition 695
Campa bum
The great Karmapa [Karmapa II, Pakshi] who was born at Drigyel Tampa Chocuk, went to Katok at the advice of the bodhisattva Pom- drakpa, whom he first met in Shabam. Under Campa Rinpoche, who acted as the preceptor, and Ce-nga Mangpuwa Sonam Bumpa, who was the master of ceremonies, the Karmapa received full ordination.
Becoming thus a he was enthroned as the regent of the Sage. The name Choki Lama was conferred upon him and he received the empowerments and instructions of the Magical Net and the Great Per-
Magical Net, and the Great Perfection, he maintained the teaching. He passed away in his sixty-first year.
His regent, Uwo Yeshebum, was born in 1254 (wood male tiger year). He ascended to the seat in his twenty-ninth year, and turned extensively the doctrinal wheel of the sutras and mantras, with emphasis on the trilogy of the SiUra which Gathers All Intentions, the Magical Net, and the Mental Class.
During this period the doctrine master Sakya Pal)<;iita and his nephew Phakpa Rinpoche went to Mongolia at the invitation of the king. On the way they built the Namgyel Temple in Dzing. Katokpa [Campabum] also went there. Now, all the domains of the Sakyapa naturally became hoards of silver property and objects, but others [such as the Katokpa] were without these [resources]. On this particular occasion, so that they could consecrate the temple [according to the rites of] both the ancient and new traditions simultaneously, Katokpa said, "We Nyingmapa will perform the exorcism at the beginning of the consecration. But I will ask you adherents of the new translation schools to perform the actual ground of the consecration, the invocation of the Beings of Pristine Cognition and so forth. " Katokpa then entered into the contemplation of exorcism and turned the temple inside out. When the Sakyapa called down the Beings of Pristine Cognition the temple was restored to its natural condition. Such were the wonders displayed there. Katokpa conferred the empowerment of the peaceful and wrathful deities of the Magical Net on Phakpa Rinpoche, who then proceeded to Mongolia. The doctrine master [Sakya Pal)<;iita] withdrew from his physical body while he was visiting the Mongol domains. When Phakpa returned to Tibet, he offered a three-storey stupa of bronze, seven great altar bowls and other items to Katok as gifts, which exist even today. 881
Cangcup Pelwa, the regent of master Uwopa Yeshebum, ascended to the seat in his forty-fourth year. In his time there were many at [the hermitages of] Partro, Pangtro and Tampuk whose bodies dissolved in the buddha-body of light. Once, while he was constructing a temple, the workers slaughtered many cattle and sheep. They had just separated the meat and the hides when the master approached. It is said that with a snap of his fingers the beasts rose with a roar and disappeared into the sky. In his sixty-fourth year he passed away to benefit another realm.
Sonam Zangpo, who was his regent, ascended to the seat in his fifty-third year. He grounded [his teaching] in the Magical Net and the Perfection. But also, from about this time, the older treasures, mcluding those of Nyang-rel [Nyima Ozer] and Guru Chowang, began to spread somewhat. In his sixty-third year he passed away to benefit another realm.
The regent Ktinga Bumpa protected the doctrine as before. Then Wangcuk Pelwa ascended to the seat during his thirty-eighth year.
88o
Campabum continued to act on behalf of the teaching and living
creatures through to his seventy-fourth year, 1252 (water mouse), when he withdrew from the array of his physical body.
THE SUCCESSIVE REGENTS OF KATOK
[439. 5-443. 3] Campabum's regent, the great Ce-ngawa Sonam Bumpa, was born in 1223 (water sheep year). In his thirtieth year he ascended to the seat and, emphasising the SfUra which Gathers All Intentions, the
fection.
696 History: The Distant Lineage ofTransmitted Precepts
Biographies ofthe Kham Tradition 697
Though some exegesis was givenat this time, he emphasised meditative attainments above all, and dwelt in one-pointed contemplation. On one occasion the king of Jang mustered a great army [and P! epared to the monastery]. 882 The master's servant asked, "What shall we do m the face of this army? "
"Pour a lot of tsampa on me! " he replied.
When this was done, there was a great blizzard and the army with- drew. Later, [the king of Jang] bowed at the master's feet and offered a golden image of Sakyamuni, an ivory model of the temple at Vajrasana, and the great spire which today is on top of the monastery. Wangcuk Pelwa withdrew from his physical body during his fifty-third year.
His regent, Lodro Bumpa, ascended to the seat in his forty-third year. He had many disciples who attained accomplishment, such as Chusor Namkabum.
674 History: The Distant Lineage ofTransmitted Precepts
Biographies ofthe Rong Tradition 675
of the bodhisattva Yegyelwa. Because of all this, it appears, Golo Yezang Tsepa himself made this decisive affirmation, "I crossed to the furthest shores of the ocean oflearning, and so achieved what is meaningful. "
Then, in 1421 (iron female ox), his seventy-second year, the doctrine master Sangye Rincen travelled to Central Tibet. At the monastery of Samtenling in Kangpori he was attended by Wangdrakpa Gyeltsen. The guru gave many empowerments, including those of the Sutra which Gathers All Intentions, and many exegeses and transmissions, including those of the Secret Nucleus. Then, in 1431 (iron female pig), his eighty- second year, he passed away in Tsang. From the birth of Zurcungpa until this date four hundred and seventeen years appear to have passed.
GOLO ZHONUPEL (YEZANG TSEP A)
[409. 1-41l. 4] Now, the great man Go Zhonupel was born in 1392 (water monkey year). His father was called Goton Jungne Dorje, and his mother Sitarkyi. He was ordained by the great preceptor Cenye. From Karmapa V, Tezhinshekpa, he received the bodhisattva vow and the Six Doctrines. From Ngok Cangcupel he heard the doctrines of Ngok. But, in particular, it was from the great pa1). 9. ita Vanaratna840 that he received most of the empowerments of the Unsurpassed tantras. He corrected and translated the Litany of the Names of Mafijusri, the Point ofSpring (Vasantatilaka, T 1448), the Brief Teaching ofEmpower- ment (Sekoddesa, T 361), and Commentary on the Six-limbed Yoga (Kalacakra$aqangayoga, T 1367).
When Dro1cen Sangye Rincen was in his seventieth year, 1419 (earth female pig), this master received from him all the transmitted empow- erments of the tantrapitaka of the Ancient Translation School in their entirety: the empowerment of the peaceful and wrathful deities accord- ing to the Magical Net and its longevity empowerment; the Chumer of the Depths of Hell; the Lord of Life; Yangdak Mecik; the Hayagriva Traditions of Nawopa and Dagyelma; the Khiin Tradition of Vajrakfla; and the empowerments of the expressive play of awareness for the Eighteen Teachings ofthe Mental Class. Among exegetical transmissions he received the Tantra ofthe Secret Nucleus with its commentary, and the commentary on the Array of the Path of the Magical Net which Sangye Rincen had himself composed. Moreover, he received the explanatory transmissions of about forty opuscules, Indian and Tibetan, including the Illuminating Lamp ofthe Fundamental Text and the Forty- Chapter Magical Net; the transmissions of the Sutra which Gathers All Intentions, its root tantra, the All-Gathering Awareness, and its comment- ary by Nup Sangye Yeshe, the Armour Against Darkness; and those of both the Eighty-Chapter Magical Net and the Superior Magical Net, and the Root Text of Yangdak. He received, too, the four root empower-
ments, elaborate and unelaborate, of the Innermost Spirituality, its guidance according to the guidebook of the accomplished master Melong Dorje, and guidance on the Esoteric Instructions of the Great Perfection according to the Tradition of Aro. In short, Go Zhonupel became as a lord of secret mantra teaching according to the Ancient Translation School.
This master himself said, "I acquired exceptional devotion towards the tradition renowned as the Nyingmapa school of secret mantra. So, I was never polluted by the defilement of rejecting [true] doctrine. ,,841 Such words were intended for those pseudo-scholars of Tibet who were sec- tarian bigots. In fact, this master was more sublime than other philo- sophically unbiased spiritual benefactors; this is clearly demonstrated by his own treatises, which are reliable and also vastly eloquent. 842
This master offered many doctrinal transmissions, empowerments, and much guidance to Karmapa Chodrak Gyamtso, including the Tri- logy of Commentaries by Bodhisattvas (sems-'grel skor-gsum). He acted as the preceptor who gave complete ordination to Zhamarpa IV, Choki Trakpa; and he gave him an inconceivable number of transmitted em- powerments and exegetical transmissions, as well as the guidance of esoteric instruction, for an ocean of tantrapitaka, both ancient and new, of which the foremost was the Magical Net. The venerable Zhamarpa, too, considered Go to be his sole, most gracious guru.
having by many means expanded the teaching of the transmit- ted precepts and treasures, Go Zhonupel passed away in his ninetieth year, 1481 (iron ox).
CE-NGA RINPOCHE, ZHAMARP A IV
[41l. 4-413. 2] Now, Zhamarpa IV, Ce-nga Rinpoche, was born in
Tresho Khangmar in 1453 (water female bird year). His father was
Dong Gonpakyap, and his mother Hraza Sonam Drolma. At Zurmang
43
Monasteri
ordination from him was given the name Choki Trakpa Yeshe Pel- zangpo. He received the doctrine also from the preceptor Gushri Trak- pelpa and from Pengarpa. 844 In his twenty-fourth year he was completely ordained as a monk, under the great translator of Go, Yezang Tsepa, who acted as preceptor. At one time or another he studied number- less teachings: tantrapitaka of the new translation schools, such as Kalacakra, CakrasaJ? 1vara, Hevajra, Guhyasamaja, and Bhairava; and the transmitted empowerment and exegetical transmission of the Secret NUcleus of the Magical Net, among others [of the Ancient Translation School]. He also received many doctrines of the ancient and new tradi- tions from the great translator Sonam Gyamtso, who was descended from the family of Gyelwa Choyang of Ngenlam.
he met Karmapa VII, Chodrak Gyamtso, and on receiving
676 History: The Distant Lineage ofTransmitted Precepts
Biographies ofthe Rong Tradition 677
When Ce-nga Rinpoche received the empowerment of Vajra- kfla from the master Go [Zhonupel], he had a vision of master Padma- sambhava in a dream, and was even given instructions. He yielded up his physical body during his seventy-third year, 1525 (wood bird), while still occupied with teaching all the various doctrines, ancient and new, to his disciples.
In short, by extensive study this master purified himself. Although he composed a great many means for attainment, exegetical comment- aries, mal). <;iala rites, dialogues, and other treatises, Zhamarpa's works are all superior to others, because they are refined in word and meaning, of suitable length, conclusive, and fair. His Guidance on the View of the Great Middle Way, which Definitively Reveals the Absolute (don-dam nges-'byed dbu-ma-chen-po'i lta-khrid) is based on the Five Doctrines of the great regent [Maitreya]. Therefore, in adhering above all to the infallible diction of the ultimate doctrinal language this master accords with the great, all-knowing Longcenpa, Karmapa VII, and the all-know- ing, great Tolbupa. 845
DRIGUNG ZURP A RINCEN PHUNTSOK
[413. 2-414. 5] The Zhamarpa conferred the teachings on Zurpa Rincen Phtintsok of Drigung. He was born into the Kyura family in Drigung Kunyergang in upper Uru. After his eighth year he was ordained as a novice by Ce-nga Rinpoche, Choki Trakpa. At thirteen, when he was invited to the consecration of the Trhadruk Temple at Tsitang Samten- ling, which had been restored by Karpopa,846 all sorts of wonderful miracles took place. He set his heart on attainment in such great places of pilgrimage as Yangpacen, Lungsho, and Zhoto Tidro. Once, while he was staying at Tidro, Vajranatha, an accomplished master from India, arrived and gave him the esoteric instructions on vital energy by Javaripa (dza-bi-ra'i bhil rlung), and other, further advice. Following a prophetic declaration of the <;iakinls he changed his dress to white
[i. e. became a mantrin free from monastic vows]. In Yangpacen a treasure inventory came into his possession, following which he ex- tracted the yellow scrolls of the five families [which contained] the True Doctrine of the Most Profound Intention, the Essence of the Body, Speech and Mind o f Guru Rinpoche (gu-ru rin-po-che'i sku-gsung-thugs-bcud dam- chos dgongs-pa yang-zab shog-ser rigs-lnga) from the great assembly hall of the dakinls at Tidro.
On occasion he journeyed to the glorious Copper-coloured Mountain, where he met Guru Rinpoche in the form of a heruka and participated in a feast offering. He was given an empowerment based on the mandala of the three roots, and also all the instructions and further Then, the body of the heruka turned into that of master
Padmasambhava, who orally bestowed on Rincen Phtintsok many esoteric instructions. After that, he returned to his own abode.
Rincen Phtintsok became a master of both the transmitted precepts and the treasures. Having thoroughly mastered the extraordinary exegetical tradition of the trilogy of the SiUra which Gathers All Inten- tions, the Magical Net, and the Mental Class, many traditions of the Eight Transmitted Precepts (bka'-brgyad lugs-dgu), the Four-Part Inner- most Spirituality (snying-thig ya-bzhi), the Earlier and Later Treasure Troves (gter-kha gong-'og),847 and so forth, his teaching activity became most extensive. In accord with the tradition of the precious Ngari Pal). cen,848 his custom was to disclose the central points by means of the transmitted precepts, and to adorn them witp the esoteric instruc- tions of the treasures.
KHONTON PEL]OR LHUNDRUP
[414. 5-418. 4] Rincen Phtintsok taught the cycles of the Magical Net to Rangdrol Nyinda Sangye, who expounded it to Tshewang Norgye, a master of the Khon family. He, in turn, expounded it to his own son, Khonton Peljor Lhtindrup. This master was born in 1561 (iron bird year). The name of his mother was Gyelmodzom.
From childhood the propensities of a holy person were aroused within him, and he truly developed the attitude of a renunciate. During his tenth year he was ordained as a novice by the all-knowing Sonam Gyamtso. 849 He also received [the vows of] refuge and of the creation of the enlightened attitude, as well as the transmission for the meditation of the Great Compassionate One. In addition, he received all kinds of doctrines from several gurus of both the ancient and new traditions. He completed studies of [Sanskrit] grammatical tables,850 poetics, [Ti- betan] grammar,851 medicine, and the other sciences. But above all, under the tutelage of his father, who was a holder of indestructible reality, he became trained in the Secret Nucleus of the Magical Net, in its commentary composed by YungWnpa, and in the other commen- taries of the Magical Net cycle, such as the all-knowing Longcenpa's Dispelling Darkness in the Ten Directions. It was then that the propensities of [his past life as] the great Dropukpa were aroused, and he became an incomparably learned and accomplished adherent of this path.
In his eighteenth year Peljor Lhtindrup received the empowerment, guidance and esoteric instructions of the Great Perfection according to the Innermost Spirituality ofRadiant Space (rdzogs-chen klong-gsal snying- thig) from the great awareness-holder Nyinda Sangye, an emanation of Nup Namkei Nyingpo. Peljor Lhtindrup was introduced to the abiding nature of all things, the Great Perfection, the buddha-body of reality that is intrinsically aware; and thus he arrived at what is most profound.
678 History: The Distant Lineage ofTransmitted Precepts
Biographies ofthe Rong Tradition 679
Moreover, he received a great many doctrines belonging to both the transmitted precepts and the treasures, and, in particular, the Innennost Meaning, the Liberation of All Beings (don-tig 'gro-ba kun-grol), together with the exegetical transmission of the Precious Treasury of the Supreme Vehicle (theg-mchog rin-po-che'i mdzod). He also reached the limits of study and reflection on all the great textual traditions of the slUras, and became an itinerant scholar at the great seminary of Tsetang, propound- ing widespread textual traditions. 852
Under Tragon Ce-nga Zhonu Chopel he studied extensively the doc- trines of the ancient and new traditions, such as the Vajra Garland. In his thirty-fourth year Peljor Lhtindrup received complete ordination from Gyelkangtsewa Peljor Gyamtso and the doctrine master Gendtin Gyeltsen, who acted as preceptor and master of ceremonies, respect- ively. It was then that he received the name Peljor Lhtindrup. He also studied the mantra cycles of the Gelukpa tradition, and he acted, too, as a teaching master at [the colleges of] Sangpu and Sera Ce. 853
Although the exegetical tradition of the Tantra of the Secret Nucleus had been widely propagated in the past, subsequently it had declined. Therefore, because this master was renowned for his great learning [in it], Orgyen Tendzin, the doctrine master of Trakna, deliberately went before him. He received [the Secret Nucleus] in detail following YungtOnpa's Commentary (gYung-'grel), and even composed a memor- andum on it through to the fifth chapter.
Peljor Lhtindrup favoured Zur Choying Rangdrol, in particular, and granted him two daily sessions of instruction on YungtOnpa's Commentary on the Secret Nucleus, as well as on the cycle of the Innermost Spirituality (snying-thig-gi skor) and numberless other teachings. In accord with the teaching of this master, Zurcen Choying Rangdrol definitively estab- lished the teaching as an itinerant scholar at the great seminary of Tsetang; and thus he silenced those who jealously thought that the Ancient Translation School had no exegesis of the tantras. At about that time, Peljor Lhtindrup abandoned the diversions of society and lived in the solitude of Devlkoti, the forest ofPhawangkha. PadmapaIfi, the Great Fifth [Dalai Lama] supplicated his feet and received from him limitless systems of empowerment, transmission, guidance, and esoteric instruction derived from the ancient and new traditions.
Like some great gurus, Peljor Lhtindrup remained aloof to the com- pany of dry dialecticians who concerned themselves with the purity of their philosophical systems. It could be said of him that he bore the stamp ofone who had been a disciple ofexemplary spiritual benefactors.
When he was in his seventy-sixth year the Great Fifth offered prayers for Peljor Lhtindrup's continued longevity (zhabs-brtan-gyi gsol-'debs); but saying, "Now, I do not know if I will live much longer," the master declined, and then added, "I must go to the Palace of Lotus Light in Camaradvlpa! "
On Sunday 30 August 1637 (eleventh day, eighth month fire ox his physical body vanished into the expanse of reality: accom- pamed by wondrous omens.
Among the treatises composed by this master, there are: the
Guideb? ok which Introduces the View Common to the Great Seal, Great Per! ectwn, and Great Madhyamaka (phyag-rdzogs-dbu-gsum-gyi lta-ba spyz-khyab-tu ngo-sprod-pa'i khrid-yig); the Guidance on the View of Madhyamaka (dbu-ma'i Ita khrid); and many works on the conventional sciences [tha-snyad rig-pa; e. g. logic, grammar, etc. ].
ZURCEN CHOYING RANGDROL
[418. 4-424. 6] The spiritual son of that master was Zurcen Choying Rangdrol. He was born in 1604 (wood dragon year). His father was Zurcen Zhonu Tondrup, an emanation of the great awareness- holder Kumaradza, and a direct descendant of the Zur lineage of aware- ness-holders. His mother was Tshenden Yidzin, who hailed from a family of <;iakinls. Choying Rangdrol was recognised as the reincarnation of Trungpa Koncok Rincenpa. Gradually, he learned to read and to write, and he also learned the scripts of India without regard for the difficulty. Under his father he studied the essential cycles of means for attainment (nyer-mkho'i sgrub-skor). 855 In his ninth year he met Cangpa Rikdzin Ngagiwangpo,856 who prophetically declared him to be an
incarnation who would greatly benefit the teaching ofthe Ancient Trans- lation School.
Choying RangdrOl also studied iconographic drawing, astrological systems, and some cycles of wrathful mantras. At about the age of twelve he sat the feet of Nangsel Rinpoche Ngawang Yeshe Trupa, fully receIved the empowerments, transmissions, and experiential f o r t h e c y c l e o f t h e G a t h e r i n g o f t h e S u g a t a s o f t h e E i g h t T r a n s - muted Precepts; the Innermost Spirituality of the /)akinf according to the precepts and the treasures (mkha'-'gro snying-thig bka -gter the ,Guru, an Ocean ofGems (bla-ma nor-bu rgya-mtsho);
and Karma Lmgpa s Natural Liberation of Intention: fA Cycle devoted to] the and Wrathful Deities (kar-gling zhi-khro dgongs-pa rang- gr? l). He receIved the secret name "Choying RangdrOl" in connection the conferral of the empowerment of the peaceful and wrathful deItIes. And he heard many other treasure doctrines too.
. Choying RangdrOl experientially cultivated [such 'teachings as] the FlVefold ? reat (phyag-chen lnga-ldan) and the Guidance on Cutting (gcod-khrzd). In Zmgpa Tago he performed the three-year, three-fortnight
:etreat and, by emphasising primarily the [teach- ngs of] pnmordial punty and spontaneous presence858 according to the Innermost Spirituality ofthe I)iikinf, [a doctrine of] the Great Perfec-
680 History: The Distant Lineage ofTransmitted Precepts
Biographies ofthe Rong Tradition 681
Zurcen Choying Rangdrol
tion (rdzogs-chen mkha)-)gro snying-thig), he tious nature of all things. Obtaining the reahsatIon m whIch mtnnsl. c awareness, the natural face of [Samantabhadra] the lord, IS disclosed, he became adept at roaming, in the inner radIance, through
the fields of the buddha-body of perfect rapture.
In his seventeenth year Choying Rangdrol went into the presence of
the notable Peljor [Lhtindrup], the vajra-holder of He attended upon that guru until his passing, wIth the means to delight the guru. The guru, too, rejOIced at a took care of him. He poured into him the ocean of doctrines to
the transmitted precepts and treasures, as a vase the particular, Peljor Lhiindrup granted him exegetIcal teachmg dunng tW sessions each day, combining the glorious Root the Parkap Commentary, and Yungtonpa)s Commentary m TIbetan. Ch. y
i n g R a n g d r o l r e q u e s t e d p e r m i s s i o n t o s e t d o w n a onthepointsthatwerehardtoremember,butthemastersald, Ifyo . notes before a sufficient segmen. t [of the text] has been much will be settled [in your mmd]. Therefore, after some nme, I s
make an estimate [of how much need be covered first]. "
'; On the roof of his apartment Choying RangdrOl then practised repeat- ing the text. When about thirty folios had been covered [in the lectures] he received his master's permission to set down a memorandum. He completed it through to the fifth chapter, but the remainder was left to be continued.
In his twentieth year, 1622 (water dog), Choying Rangdrol repeated the ordinations from that of a novice to that of a fully-ordained monk. He investigated the commentary on the Secret Nucleus [by Longcenpa] called Dispelling Darkness in the Ten Directions and others; and he re- quested the exegeses of the four subcommentaries on the Commentary on the Guhyasamaja Tantra called the Clarifying Lamp, the Clarifying Lamp of the Five Stages (rim-Inga gsal-sgron), the Complete Elucidation ofthe Hidden Meaning ofthe Cakrasarrzvara (bde-mchog sbas-don kun-gsal) , Norzang's General Exposition of the Kalacakra (nor-bzang-gi dus-)khor spyi-don), the stages of creation and perfection of the Guhyasamaja Tantra (gsang-)dus bskyed-rdzogs), and other exegetical traditions. He established a decisive understanding of them all.
In 1624 (wood mouse year) he expounded the Tantra of the Secret Nucleus at the beginning of the extensive winter seminar at the great seminary of glorious Tsetang. At that time, he overcame the brilliance of those great teachers who relied on words [rather than on meaning] and thus he vastly served the innermost teaching. Those who remained unbiased praised him; and the great Cangpa [Ngagiwangpo], too, draped a silk scarf around his neck.
From master Phawangkhapa [Peljor Lhtindrup] he also received in detail the empowerments, transmissions and esoteric instructions of the Innermost Spirituality of Radiant Space. Meditating upon it, Choying Rangdrol profited through experiences and realisations that were greater than those he had had before. He also received many wrathful mantras of the new translation schools, such as the Yogic Exercises of Bhairava (bhairava)i )phrul-)khor).
During the great dispute between the Gelukpa and Drigungpa859 the
venerable Drigung Zurpa Ratna [Rincen Phtintsok] and others had
performed the applied sorcery of Rahula, with the result that many
throne-holders of Ganden died of stroke or epilepsy. 86o But now, this
master [Choying Rangdrol] made a protective circle to liberate Koncok
861
Chopel
When Takla Padmamati of Katok journeyed to Lhasa, he received
from Choying Rangdrol the commentary on the Secret Nucleus entitled Dispelling Darkness in the Ten Directions, among other teachings. Padmamati, in turn, offered this exegetical transmission to Lhodrak Sungtrtil,862 thereby ensuring that this doctrinal succession continued uninterruptedly.
In return [for the teachings he had given], Choying Rangdrol received from Katokpa [Padmamati] the transmissions and empowerments of
from the fear of Khyapjuk [i. e. Rahula].
682 History: The Distant Lineage ofTransmitted Precepts
Biographies ofthe Rong Tradition 683
the volumes of the Gathering of Intentions, along with the means for holding all the tantras (dgongs-Jdus po-tiJi lung-dbang rgyud-dgu bcangs- thabs-dang-bcas-pa), as well as other teachings, including the ritual manual entitled Beauteous Flower Garland (las-byang me-tog phreng- mdzes). Above all, they performed the means for the attainment of alchemy on the basis of the ma1). cJala of the Gathering of the Sugatas of
the Eight Transmitted Precepts.
efficacious blessings of Choying Rangdrol, it so happened that this verse, composed by the Great Fifth, could be spread throughout Tibet and Kham, at the order of the Ganden Palace:
In the dense wood around the oil-spent town,
The moisture of risk quenched urgency's blaze;
Then the conflagration of karma descended and dried The river of Karmapa and Tsangpa dominion - that,
indeed, did amaze!
In this way he affirmed that there was no reason for the partisans of the Gelukpa not to utilise sorcery, and that this master, Choying Rangdrol, had had a most remedial effect on the teaching in general.
Moreover, the Great Fifth received from Choying Rangdrol experiential guidance on three traditions of Vajrakfla (phur-ba lugs- gsum), three traditions of the Eight Transmitted Precepts (bkaJ-brgyad lugs-gsum), [the doctrine of] the Great Perfection called the Innermost Spirituality ofRadiant Space, and so forth; and he undertook to master them. Thus, he maintained, the infallible experience of the Great Perfection arose in his mind, and a confidence that was free from the hopes and fears of sarpsura and nirvu1). a was born within him.
Choying Rangdrol also enjoyed a mutual exchange of doctrinal feasts with Gonpo Sonam Chokden of Nesar. He recognised Rikdzin Perna Trhinle, the sun of the teaching of the Ancient Translation School, to be the emanation of Cangpa Rikdzin Ngagiwangpo; and he installed him at the seat of Thupten Dorje Trak. 864 Choying Rangdrol bestowed all the doctrines of the transmitted precepts and treasures upon him, and enthroned him as a lord of the teaching.
Towards the end of his life Choying Rangdrol lived in Kungtang, which had been the seat of the lord of beings, the "Unborn" Zhang [Tshelpa]. 865 There, he granted the exegesis of the Tantra of the Secret Nucleus to Trhinle Lhtindrup, the great awareness-holder of Tarding,866 and received, in return, many empowerments and transmissions, such as those of the Eight Transmitted Precepts. He protected all who per- severed in the doctrine, including gurus, incarnations and emanations from China, Tibet and Mongolia, by whatever pertains to the path of liberation, whether transmitted precepts or treasures, of the ancient or ? ew traditions. Then, during his sixty-sixth year, 1669 (earth bird), he Journeyed to the realm of Lotus Light, accompanied by wondrous omens.
THE FIFTH DALAI LAMA
[424. 6-425. 5] Although it is impossible to count the host of students Who were the spiritual sons of this master [Choying RangdrOl], the
Rahula
From about this time the Great Fifth [Dalai Lama], the supreme conqueror, began to honour Choying Rangdrol as his guru and received from him the Vanquisher (zil-gnon) and other doctrinal transmissions. The Great Fifth experientially cultivated all the transmissions and practical guidance for widespread rites of pacification, subjugation, and wrath, including the cycle of wrathful mantras, whIch
Choying Randgrol offered to him.
During that era, the lords of Tsang and their priests, the Karmapa,
harboured great hatred towards the Gelukpa in general, and the Ganden Palace in particular; and they performed numberless rites of sorcery when they were hard pressed during the civil war. 863 But because of the timely activity of the Fifth Dalai Lama and the exceedingly
684 History: The Distant Lineage ofTransmitted Precepts
foremost among them was the supreme conqueror, the Great Fifth Dalai Lama. Even when Choying Rangdrol had journeyed to another realm, it is said, the Great Fifth was taken into his following by the body of his pristine cognition. This is illustrated by the following passage from the supreme conqueror's Biography ofChoying Rangdrol (rnam-thar rgyal-ba-mchog-gi zhal-gsung-ma):
Until I have encountered directly
The expressive play of awareness that is Samantabhadra, By the power of these good deeds may I be favoured in all
lives
By you, 0 lord! my inseparable spiritual benefactor.
The Great Fifth bestowed the exegetical tradition of the Secret Nuc- leus, according to both the Parkap Commentary and Yungtonpa's. Com- mentary, on the great Nyoton Trhinle Lhiindrup, an emanatIOn of Nupcen Sangye Yeshe. From his time until the present day the lineage has continued without interruption owing to the kindness of the great treasure-finder, Rikdzin Gyurme Dorje, and his brother [Locen Dhar-
masrI], the two of whom appeared as the timely fruition of the en- lightened aspirations of Vairocana and of Yudra Nyingpo. 867
5 Dotokpa's Lineage of the Zur Tradition
DOTOKP A
SANGYE-TRA
AND KYI
CHOKI
SENGE
[425. 5-427. 3] Moreover, in the lineage of the disciples of the great Dropukpa, there was one called Sangye-tra of Gyamen in Chongye. He was born into the Nya family in the district of Gyamen Taktsepa. In his youth he propitiated Jambhala and a small field which he owned was swept away by a flood. He then went off [as an ascetic], free from worldly cares. In Puguto there was a rich man who had died ofleprosy, so no one would come to carry away the corpse. Sangye-tra, moved by fervent compassion, did the funerary work without thinking about it. By the side of the bier a large quantity of gold appeared. That was the accomplishment conferred on him by Jambhala.
On his return Sangye-tra met Khyungpo Trhowo at Traci Khangmar. Acting as the attendant while Khyungpo propitiated Yangdak, Sangye- tra also practised the means for attainment and had a vision of the "Nine-lamp Yangdak" (yang-dag mar-me dgu). Then, he went to Tsang. He studied the SUlra which Gathers All Intentions, the Magical Net, and other texts under a nephew of Ca Chenpo, who had been a student of the lord of secrets, Dropukpa. At that time a rich man offered him one hundred loads of barley. Consequently, free from impediments, he studied the Magical Net under Dropukpa's student Nyangnak Dopo and his student, Lharje Da Senge. Having become a great scholar, founded Dotokthel in his homeland. Gyacing Rupa, a dis- cIple of Nyelwa Zhikpo, also became a supplicant at the feet of Dotokpa [Sangye-tra] and studied much under him.
In particular, this Dotokpa had a student called Kyi Choki Senge, a learned and accomplished "warrior". He went into the presence of the emperor Qubilai Qan.
In order to examine Choki Senge's powers the emperor rashly had him placed inside a stiipa, and then sealed up the entrance for a year. When the year ended the stiipa was opened. Seeing that Choki Senge had turned into an image of VajrakIla, the emperor was most astonished. He sent a great variety of things, includ-
686 History: The Distant LineageofTransmitted Precepts
ing a long roll of silk,868 as gifts to Dotokpa. Dotokpa also had many monastic estates allotted to him by imperial edict, so [his domains] were exceedingly developed. But this is remembered only in name. Such fluctuations in the teaching naturally inspire world-weariness!
Dotokpa's Lineage ofthe Zur Tradition 687
also became thoroughly learned in the SzUra .
and the Magical Net under th 1 whzch Gathers All Intentions
MENLUNGP A
SAKY A-O
having thoroughly learned the of Valzd Cognition. Then,
the Magical Net under Phu uGra w zch Gathers All Intentions and ngpo ya Yesh G" h
Commentary based on the Text ofth P k e onpo, e composed the khab gzhung-du byas-pa'i tf-ka) eR Commentary ('grel-pa spar- cho-ga) , and other works. 'He r' a h for (dbang-gi TshUl Gyelwa. Ridongpa Shera;6 \ t em to ? IS own Lama
and he is said to have pro a at ye tsen under hIm, in turn, for a while, having III the vicinity of Takpo
servants, as well as to the mantra adept to. Lord Kurap and his
was Sonam Zangpo of Zhan kar s', of Sherap Gyeltsen
Gyamtso, from Whom Go Zh" g l' HI,S dIScIple was master Trashi nupe
of Dorje Gyeltsen's Comm °t receIved the exegetical transmission
h " en ary on the Secret Nu l (d .
mts an-pa zsnying-tfk), the Black Deit V;' _ ceus r: o-rye rgyal-
[427. 3-429. 1] The disciple of Choki Senge was Menlungpa Sakya-o. He was the eldest of five sons born to Nyangton Chenpo of Chongpo Kharu, who became famed as the "five emanational brothers of Yar- lung". The eldest was referred to as "Menlungpa" after Menlung, a monastery in Yarlung. The seat of the second brother, Chodenpa, was the monastery that is now the ruin called "Choden". 869 Chodenpa's real name was Gonpo Dor;e. Because he became quite accomplished he left the imprint of his back on a wall, which he had struck and passed through. This imprint exists even now. In the past it seems that there was a great seminary at this place; for a great many fragments of the Collected Tantras (rgyud-'bum) are still to be seen there. It is said that because Chodenpa performed the means for the attainment of elixir, scorpions and ants became quite rare in this region. The ruins of the monastery appear to be protected even today, for its protectors are most powerful. It is a place where the gods and demons abide in accord with their commitments.
The three younger brothers were known as Keldenpa, Turtropa, and Wangyelwa. Among the five, it is the eldest, Menlungpa Sakya-o, who is considered here. He studied the Satra which Gathers All Intentions and the Magical Net thoroughly under Kyi Choki Senge. Later, he also studied under Sonamgyel, the scholar of Len, who was the son of Len Sakya Opo. He composed many works, including the Disclosure of the Contents of the Secret Nucleus (gsang-ba snying-po'i khog-dbub), and a commentary entitled the Ascertainment of the Meaning of the Tantra (tf-ka rgyud-don rnam-nges). His disciple was Sangye Konglawa of Takpo, who produced many disciples in Takpo proper, such as Lama Nyen. Above all, because he was the guru of Konjo Dakpo, [the doc- trine] was much propagated in Kham. 870
In addition, On Sakya Bumpa became learned in the exegesis of the Secret Nucleus under Menlungpa. Under him Khedrup Chopel and his son thoroughly received the exegesis of the Secret Nucleus. Those in the lineage of Menlungpa were also, in their own place and time, the masters of the doctrines of the Earlier and Later Treasure Troves.
DORJE GYELTSEN AND HIS SUCCESSORS
[429. 1-6] Gya Yeshe Gonpo, who held the seat of Kyi Choki Senge,
other teachings.
Y a. ;rakzla (phur-pa lha-nag), and
Len Chogyel. His nep'hew D tuGte age of both Kyi Choki Senge and
an
d ' ofJe yeltsen wentt S '. became learned in the A . ' o. angpu III hIS youth
6 Biographies of the Kham Tradition
KATOKPA TAMPA DESHEK
[430. 1-434. 5] Concerning the renowned Kham tradition:871 Vairocana translated master Suryaprabhasirpha's Commentary on the Secret Nucleus (Srfguhyagarbhatattvaviniscayavyakhyanatfka, P 4719) at the Camgon Temple of Odu in Kham and expounded it, too. But it was Katokpa in particular who originally made the teaching of the Ancient Transla- tion School well known in that region. He is known by the names Tampa Dewarshekpa of Katok, Lama Sharwa Popathaye, and Sherap Senge.
Katokpa was the maternal cousin of the venerable Phakmotrupa. He was born by the banks of the Yangtze River (,bri-chu) in Puburgang in Dokam during the year 1122 (water male tiger). His father was Tsangpa Peldra of the Ga clan, and his mother Tsangmo Rincengyen. This water tiger year was master Phakmotrupa's thirteenth.
When Katokpa was in his seventeenth year he went to Central Tibet and was ordained as a novice at Phenytil by Lama Cangcup Senge. The name Sherap Senge was conferred upon him. He received full or- dination in the Lower Tibetan Vinaya Lineage under the great preceptor of Nak;872 and he trained himself until he was learned in the Vinaya. He studied the cycle ofthe Secret Nucleus ofthe Magical Net, the Mental Class, and so on, under a spiritual son of the great Zur Dropukpa named DzamtOn Drowei Gonpo; and he became consummately learned in these very teachings. DzamtOn was the one guru intervening between the venerable Dropukpa and Katokpa, although the Great Fifth's Record of Teachings Received (lnga-pa chen-po'i gsan-yig) says that Katokpa met Dropukpa in person.
Katokpa also studied ten great tantras of Cakrasa1flvara (bde-mchog rgyud-chen bcu) under Ra Lotsawa's disciple, Kam Lotsawa; the Sub- sequent Tantra of Varahf (Akhyatatantrottaravajravarahyabhidhanad Varahyabhibodhana, T 379), and the Tantra of the Emergence of Cakra- sa1flvara under Cokro Lotsawa; the cycle of Hevajra under Kam Choki
Katokpa Tampa Deshek
Yeshe; the Guhyasamaja under both DongtOn Dorje Nyingpo, a disciple of Go Lotsawa [Khukpa Lhetse], and Bodhi Zhangton; the exegesis of the [Commentary on the Guhyasamaja Tantra called the} Clarifying Lamp and the Yamari cycle under Pelgi Wangcuk of LatO, who was the disciple of both [DongtOn and ZhangtOn]; the sequence of the empower- ment of Cakrasa1flvara (,khor-lo bde-mchog-gi dbang-bskur-gyi rim-pa), the Great Seal, and the esoteric instructions for the Six Doctrines of Naropa under the venerable Tusum Khyenpa [Karmapa 1];873 et cetera. He became the supreme spiritual son of the venerable Use [Tusum Khyenpa], and under him he studied and considered, without excep-
tion, the siitra and mantra traditions in general, and, in particular, the ancient and recent Tibetan translations, pertaining to the vehicle of indestructible reality.
Once the precious DzamtOn said to Katokpa, "If you go to the land of Kampo and diligently practise the means for attainment, your body will dissolve into light. But ifyou go to Katok you will greatly extend the teach- ing. " With his heart set on the teaching alone he went in search ofa place called Katok. At first, he arrived at Katil. There, he met some children who were grazing cattle, and asked them, "Where is Katok? "
Biographies ofthe Kham Tradition 689
690
History: The Distant Lineage ofTransmitted Precepts
Biographies ofthe Kham Tradition 691
5rfdeVf
He realised the cattle to be an auspicious sign that there would be persons requiring training, and the cowherds a sign that there would be disciples. Therefore, on that site, which resembled the letter KA, he founded a temple in 1159 (earth female hare year).
At just that time Donyen Menbu [a local divinity], who maintained the vows of Pon, actually revealed his form and created obstacles in various ways. When the venerable master and two students pursued him he dissol- ved into a boulder. 874 The doctrine master Tsangton tied it up with his robes
a n d p u l l e d i t a l o n g , w h i l e T a m p a [ K a t o k p a ] d r o v e i t o n w i t h a s w i t c h . brought it down to the bank ofthe river at the bottom ofthe valley, where It can still be seen today. And once, wheneightPonpo began to practise wrath-
875
ful mantras [against Katokpa], SrldevI brought down the rock-face on
which their hermitage was situated. Tampa himselfdrew a crossed-vajra over it· and the site became known as Phawang Gyelep, "Eight Boulders' With these and other inconceivable signs of accomplishment Katokpa laid a foundation for the doctrine, and remained there.
To students assembled from as far as Amdo country in the east, to Tshawarong, Lo [Mustang], and Mon in the south, he skilfully revealed
various teachings, among which the foremost were the Great Perfection and the exegetical transmission, transmitted empowerment, means for attainment, and so on, of the Secret Nucleus ofthe Magical Net, including all its major and minor Indian and Tibetan commentaries and texts all according to the continuous tradition of the glorious ZUfS, and Sutra which Gathers All Intentions. In addition, he expounded a great many works including the Magical Net of Mafijusrf and other tantras and, with regard to the system of the siUras, the great texts of th; conqueror Maitreya, the Introduction to the Conduct of a Bodhisattva, et cetera. In short, he laid the foundation for the teaching of the secret mantra in the province of Dokam. Finally, in his seventy-first year, in September/October 1192 (ninth month, water male mouse year), he demonstrated the conquest of his physical body.
In general, the sublime conversed with this great person
at all times, just as with another man, and prophesied his every deed.
K a t o k p a c o u l d a l w a y s g a z e o n t h e B u d d h a - f i e l d o f
SukhavatI, the Buddha-field of and others. He could
also behold, whenever he wished, the peaceful and wrathful deities of
the Magical Net, the sixty-two deities of the Cakrasamvara mandala . . . ,
and the maI:l9ala of Glorious Heruka. He could study the doctrine under the Tathagatas of the Five Families and discuss it with bodhisattvas. He obtained the prophecy that in his following life he would dwell in SukhavatI as the bodhisattva Matisara (blo-gros snying-po) and obtain the actual realisation of the eighth level;876 and that then, in the future, in the aeon called "Star-like Array", he would become the sugata Amitayus.
TSANGTONP A
[434. 5-437. 6] Katokpa's regent was Tsangtonpa. He was born in 1126 male horse year) in Tsangzhel, which is a part of Puburgang. In hIS seventeenth year he met Lama Dewarshekpa [Katokpa] and studied the d? ctrine under him. The master and student proceeded together to Mmyak, where he was given all the esoteric instructions. In his twenty-first year he went to the monastery of Dri Tiramdo and lived there. In his twenty-third he set out for Katok and practised meditation.
Once, in a vision, Lama Dewarshekpa saw a great light in a wide, flooded valley, at which he could not bear to look. When he asked what it was, a voice said, "Great being! it is the seat of your disciple, who resides on the eleventh level, Universal Light. ,,877 [Approaching Tsangt6npa] the master said, "You are the one! " and at that moment Tsangt6npa beheld the maI:lQalas of Glorious Heruka and of the Forty- two Peaceful Deities. Also, he always saw SrldevI and Mahakala, and
"Up that valley," they replied.
692
known to sound by itself with no one to blow on it innumerable conches issued forth, all of them sounding by themselves. They filled all quar- ters, sounding ti-ri-ri. . . Pomdrakpa said that this indicated the limitless spread ofTsangtonpa's reputation. Later Pomdrakpa travelled to Katok, where he requested the empowerment of the Magical Net from the precious Tsangtonpa, with the result that [all-]knowing, pristine cogni- tion was limitlessly awakened within him.
When Tsangtonpa of Katok was equipoised in the contemplation of the Great Perfection inconceivable pure visions arose. [He experienced] the sky-like appearance of nothing at all, he beheld an innumerable host of peaceful and wrathful deities for three evenings, and so forth. Moreover, once in a vision of buddha-field all the bodhisattvas in the retinue were buzzing with the news that this doctrine master was the bodhisattva Mal). igarbha (nor-bu'i snying-po), in which form he would be reborn in SukhavatI in his next life. Again, one time, when he had a vision of that same buddha-field, he heard the teacher prophetically declare, "0 Mal). igarbha, son ofthe enlightened family, in a future age you will become the tathagata Ozer Raptu- trhowa. "
Tsangtonpa withdrew from the array of his physical body in 1216 (fire male mouse), his ninetieth year.
CAMP ABUM
[437. 6-439. 5] Tsangtonpa's regent was Campabum. In a previous life, he had been Carlndra the spiritual son of the great ac- complished master of India, Jalandharipa; for the venerable MitrayogI had said to his disciple SomayogI, "If you go to Tibet, [you can meet] the masters Santideva and Vajrapal). i, who have taken birth in Tibet at a place called Katok, where they have benefitted numberless disciples. At that seat, too, master Kal). hapa the great has taken birth. He remains there even now to benefit his disciples. " Moreover, this same one had acted in the service of the teaching during lifetimes spent as the son of an Indian king, as a monk of a brahman family, and so on. Afterwards he was born as the venerable Campa the great. The year of his birth was 1179 (earth pig).
Under the guidance of both Katok Tampa Rinpoche and the doctrine master Tsangtonpa, Campabum studied, reflected and meditated upon the whole ocean of doctrinal traditions of the sl1tras and mantras, but he completed his studies under the doctrine master. After TsangWnpa passed away, Campabum, then in his forty-eighth year, ascended to the seat. He spread out a joyous feast of the ocean of doctrinal traditions of the sl1tras and mantras, emphasising the Magical Net and the Great Perfection.
Tsangttinpa
·S previous lives as the translator Yeshe-chok, the Indian remembered hl
others. . . n a ascended to the seat of Katok, In hIS t:e Sutra which Gathers All Intentions,
where he. mamtalneddt Class according to the tradition of his
879 the MaglcaZ Net, an e. en a reat s iritual warrior Pomdrakpa
guru. Once,. about of katok had such a high reputa-
was wondenng why . . . h·ch there appeared a great . d· 1 hehadaVISIonmwI
Hon. Imme late y, . . 1 dless sky which housed a great
celestial palace of blue lIght, hke a c ou I f:ont sat the precious
host of the deities of perfect . rapture: bnle mass of multicoloured . . ded by an lnconcelva
surroun r d him to be a buddha and performed rainbow lIght. Pomdrakpa rea lseh. h h had visions of many herukas a feast offering that evening at w IC e I a dream he saw an
of the Nyingma tradition of. secret ;recious gems, on the immeasurable, grea. t were growing. Many people
slopes of which vanous medlcma p ·t f the mountain, in the . h I t On the summl 0
were gathenng t ese P an s. r h Lama Katokpa [i. e. Tsangtonpa]
midst of a great palace of blue Ig t, f r ht From a great white conch was seated, [his body] of the nature 0 Ig .
Biographies ofthe Kham Tradition 693
694
History: The Distant Lineage o/Transmitted Precepts
Biographies 0/the Kham Tradition 695
Campa bum
The great Karmapa [Karmapa II, Pakshi] who was born at Drigyel Tampa Chocuk, went to Katok at the advice of the bodhisattva Pom- drakpa, whom he first met in Shabam. Under Campa Rinpoche, who acted as the preceptor, and Ce-nga Mangpuwa Sonam Bumpa, who was the master of ceremonies, the Karmapa received full ordination.
Becoming thus a he was enthroned as the regent of the Sage. The name Choki Lama was conferred upon him and he received the empowerments and instructions of the Magical Net and the Great Per-
Magical Net, and the Great Perfection, he maintained the teaching. He passed away in his sixty-first year.
His regent, Uwo Yeshebum, was born in 1254 (wood male tiger year). He ascended to the seat in his twenty-ninth year, and turned extensively the doctrinal wheel of the sutras and mantras, with emphasis on the trilogy of the SiUra which Gathers All Intentions, the Magical Net, and the Mental Class.
During this period the doctrine master Sakya Pal)<;iita and his nephew Phakpa Rinpoche went to Mongolia at the invitation of the king. On the way they built the Namgyel Temple in Dzing. Katokpa [Campabum] also went there. Now, all the domains of the Sakyapa naturally became hoards of silver property and objects, but others [such as the Katokpa] were without these [resources]. On this particular occasion, so that they could consecrate the temple [according to the rites of] both the ancient and new traditions simultaneously, Katokpa said, "We Nyingmapa will perform the exorcism at the beginning of the consecration. But I will ask you adherents of the new translation schools to perform the actual ground of the consecration, the invocation of the Beings of Pristine Cognition and so forth. " Katokpa then entered into the contemplation of exorcism and turned the temple inside out. When the Sakyapa called down the Beings of Pristine Cognition the temple was restored to its natural condition. Such were the wonders displayed there. Katokpa conferred the empowerment of the peaceful and wrathful deities of the Magical Net on Phakpa Rinpoche, who then proceeded to Mongolia. The doctrine master [Sakya Pal)<;iita] withdrew from his physical body while he was visiting the Mongol domains. When Phakpa returned to Tibet, he offered a three-storey stupa of bronze, seven great altar bowls and other items to Katok as gifts, which exist even today. 881
Cangcup Pelwa, the regent of master Uwopa Yeshebum, ascended to the seat in his forty-fourth year. In his time there were many at [the hermitages of] Partro, Pangtro and Tampuk whose bodies dissolved in the buddha-body of light. Once, while he was constructing a temple, the workers slaughtered many cattle and sheep. They had just separated the meat and the hides when the master approached. It is said that with a snap of his fingers the beasts rose with a roar and disappeared into the sky. In his sixty-fourth year he passed away to benefit another realm.
Sonam Zangpo, who was his regent, ascended to the seat in his fifty-third year. He grounded [his teaching] in the Magical Net and the Perfection. But also, from about this time, the older treasures, mcluding those of Nyang-rel [Nyima Ozer] and Guru Chowang, began to spread somewhat. In his sixty-third year he passed away to benefit another realm.
The regent Ktinga Bumpa protected the doctrine as before. Then Wangcuk Pelwa ascended to the seat during his thirty-eighth year.
88o
Campabum continued to act on behalf of the teaching and living
creatures through to his seventy-fourth year, 1252 (water mouse), when he withdrew from the array of his physical body.
THE SUCCESSIVE REGENTS OF KATOK
[439. 5-443. 3] Campabum's regent, the great Ce-ngawa Sonam Bumpa, was born in 1223 (water sheep year). In his thirtieth year he ascended to the seat and, emphasising the SfUra which Gathers All Intentions, the
fection.
696 History: The Distant Lineage ofTransmitted Precepts
Biographies ofthe Kham Tradition 697
Though some exegesis was givenat this time, he emphasised meditative attainments above all, and dwelt in one-pointed contemplation. On one occasion the king of Jang mustered a great army [and P! epared to the monastery]. 882 The master's servant asked, "What shall we do m the face of this army? "
"Pour a lot of tsampa on me! " he replied.
When this was done, there was a great blizzard and the army with- drew. Later, [the king of Jang] bowed at the master's feet and offered a golden image of Sakyamuni, an ivory model of the temple at Vajrasana, and the great spire which today is on top of the monastery. Wangcuk Pelwa withdrew from his physical body during his fifty-third year.
His regent, Lodro Bumpa, ascended to the seat in his forty-third year. He had many disciples who attained accomplishment, such as Chusor Namkabum.
