In the Crystal Cave of Zhoto Tidro, Dzeng had a vision ofthe wrathful
A spiritual being served him with great veneration.
A spiritual being served him with great veneration.
Dudjom Rinpoche - Fundamentals and History of the Nyingmapa
While he was living at home a war broke out.
His mother
said, "This boy is my only son, and the brother of six sisters. I will entrust him to the master Sherap Jungne, and shall be content if he does not die. " Therefore, in his sixteenth year he was entrusted to
Nyang Sherap Jungne.
At that time, the aforementioned Nyang Cangcup Trakpa passed
through Phukpoche, Yangdzong, and Chimpli, leading a stag. For this, he became famed as Nyang Shawacen, "Nyang with the Stag". On his next visit to Phukpoche, Nyang Cangcup said, "Look! I will put on a
show for you both. "
As master Sherap Jungne and Bagom looked on from the left and
. y. remam undistracted. "
erelore It IS .
, most Important to
the right, the master, who was between them, became invisible. As
. h W IC
. . ' ,after spmmng to and fr
d . .
nge mto a wh 1 . d .
Ir wm one cubIt high Th fi '
. h
mto a ronze bowl for water of'C'· fill
Th . lenngs, 1 edtothe
b
en, m a fury, it turned abrupt! · h mto
. f pOInt 0
overflowing.
.
. a . not lIt a fire ThinkI·ng th h
. b
age, ut the master
B
aze, agom went to
my guru, Nyang n n
TheMentalandSp t· ICl
a! a assesofAliyoga 543
d.
0, turne mto a fi
had thus revealed his power Yh t. e. master himself. When he over t e actIvIty fi ld· h·
eements are overcome he s ·d "F . Ie m w Ich the four 1
fh ' aI, romthetIme h h·
o t e elements are removed and ·1 h . w en t e Impurities
t elr pure essences vanish, this perceIve, through d· . . .
b . . IscnmmatIve aware- adhering without distraction s baSIS for meditation, it is by independence without difficult ymTho ICl"conte? t . that one obtains such
may occur. Though one may' . .
Once when Bagom went to
saw the red glow of a fire whood m the forest of Pelbu, he
.
hd . e ousewasabl mvestIgate, but the thatched
h
elf t atched cott
of fire. When he asked him d'peared as before without a sign
"I became absorbed in the conWt at 1a. happened, the master replied emp atIOn offire D '
Ad·
0 you not remember that his teacher's seat was cov·e d ,. oh another occasion, Bagom saw
wIt water
FIre
ma ly, the master said "IfI d·
But when the master d·d d'. Isappear, look at the summit ofLhari "
1 Isappear Bagom th h . the mountain for recreation and wo ld oug t that ? e had gone to
master failed to return Bagom u . that evemng. When the b o d h i s e e d r o s a r y , a n d s o f o r t h w : : t ? f o u n d h i s h a t , h i s Jungne's body had vanished '. th gmg from a Jumper tree, but Sherap
WIoutatraceA d·
Great Perfection, this is only one of the ways . ccor . mg to the natural
space, fire, sky-farers and awarene h ld of death. ways resembling In his t l" ss- 0 ersarespokenof 589
wentY-lourth year Bagom h d . . .
Sherap Jungne Bagom 1· d a receIved mstructions from y . lVe asalayma dh·
eshe Cangcup. He possessed extrao . n, an name was
could turn stone into cl
. ay an
d 1 rdlnary realIsatIon, whereby he eave the i . f ·
d mpnnt 0 hIS body in rock . omo Kangmo, did not show the bod t WI out Sickness. His wife, It III the household shrine. All of th / 0 outsiders, but she cremated
n hIS ninety-eighth year h
CI epasseaway. th' .
ball of lIght go off into the sk
DZENG DHARMABODHI
y.
N
pe? ple outsIde saw a pot-sized 0 remaIns at all were left behind.
'
zeng s mother was a nun
. 1
om hangcung in Yarlun H .
[195. 6-208. 4] Bagom's d·
fr T ISCIPewasDzeng D
Was born from her union th er name was Tshargu Kyide. Dzeng
In his sixteenth year he went son of the ruler of Thangcung.
Dong- in To··1 At T h . a caravan of travellers to trade at na, . s ercung 1nTo··1, he l"ound a large gathering of
.
reo
e Ire then turned
544 History: The Three Inner Classes ofTantra in Tibet
592
concerning the Six-Syllable Mantra
a great blessing by performing the practice. Then Phadampa prophet- ically said, "To the east of this great river lies a sandalwood forest. There lives your guru. "
Afterwards, Dzeng went to Central Tibet, where he received teach- ings on Heruka and Pehar from Akhu Pelbar, and on Kriyatantra and the great torma offering of JvalamukhI from Nup Shangpoche. Having been sent to convey offerings to Lama Pari in Tsang, he received from him the means for attainment of MafijusrI and of Garu<;la. From Geshe Po he received teaching concerning the ancient translations.
In his thirty-fifth year he went to Cangtsik via Ngamsho. At the approach to the pass at Phukpoche, he heard that one Comowa had invited the spiritual benefactor Tsen Khawoche,593 who had just re- turned from India, to visit and that there would be teachings, food, and entertainment. Early the next morning, when Dzeng was on his way there, a woman said to him, "If you go up on this side of the road from Trhap, you will meet a master called Bagom, who gives food most generously. "
He proceeded in that direction, and a group of yogins also arrived. Bagom invited them to partake of a warm meal and gave to each a copper-ladleful of roasted barley flour as well. When he had served the group, he said, "There is also a novice among you," and sent him out to fetch a pot of water. He then performed the water offering and led Dzeng to a corner of his small cave and gave him a bowl of vegetables. The same evening he also provided him with food. Afterwards, Dzeng went to sleep at the foot of a rock.
In the morning Dzeng thought he would have to go, but Bagom again gave him food and said, "I have a young disciple who has gone to bring gold from Zotang, but owing to the heavy rain he has not returned. Gather some wood. "
Dzeng brought a great bundle of wood from the forest. Bagom was delighted and gave him esoteric instructions on the symbolism of the Great Seal (phyag-rgya chen-po brda'i man-ngag) and the teaching called the Seven Cycles of the Great Perfection which are Naturally Present (rdzogs-pa chen-po skor-bdun rang-chas). At that time Bagom's disciple returned and said, "I thought the master would be troubled by my absence, but you have filled in. Stay for some more days. " The disciple then made one more circumambulation of Yarlung and returned.
During the intervening period Dzeng had learned that Bagom was a special person. So he did not . return to his own country, but went as far as On and Zang-ri, begging for alms. He bought a sack and then offered it, full of barley, to master Bagom. "It is enough that you serve me," said the master. "Keep this barley for your own provision. I have an esoteric instruction called the Vajra Bridge. By understanding its meaning in an instant one may attain buddhahood in a single lifetime,
Dzeng Dhannabodhi
followed Phadampa as a servant for fourteen mont shim a blanket
reached the Zangcen district in Tsang, return to your
and, because Dzeng was vekry you. ng, :nTakpo There is a caravan own country. Come and ta e apncots ro .
.
.
people. Going to investIgate, he met P a ampa ang h When they
of travellers bound for Tol. " . Then,whileDzengwassettingoutonthe}ournd'hi; cheeks
him a little of the way. When Dzeng embrace Phadampa said:
That which is nothing at all transforms.
In its transformations no duality is grasped.
. . D They knocked heads together tWIce, and
'astonished mmd zeng s . t
· H s mouth grew mOlS .
a sharp and clear understandmg arose· I h also predicted that
So it was that he was blessed by Phadampa. , w 0 DZ Vol 1). 591 TT ' B 'dge (rdo-rye zam-pa, .
he would encounter the va}ra. n d d all this at the time. But later, he maintained that he. not essential points
Phadampa gave him some auspICIOUS to hens . concerning the way 0 f mantras. When e was gIVe
n the instructions
hd S yeofIndia. 590He
Ph d a escorted
The Mental and Spatial Classes ofAtiyoga 545
at Gyang-ro Tshelma, he obtained
546 History: The Three Inner Classes ofTantra in Tibet ,
, This has occurred in an leavmg no trace the body, 'I d N ow I shall give It to you,
I have mentioned It to no one "I have it Dzeng earnestly offered, the , y me I will return wIth new
for you, Please confer the mstructIOnS upon '
provisions," , d on the crown of Dzeng's head and
mother;597 the Seven Cycles (sde-skor bdun-pa) from Gyelwa Poton; the Fifteen Doctrines on the Kriyatantra according to the System ofPari (ba-ri- pa'i kriya'i chos bco-lnga) from Nup Shangcen; and various other teach- ings from Ktinga of Tingri. 598 He received the Six Doctrines CSaejdhar- mopadesa, T 2330) and the Yoga ofCo-Emergence (lhan-skyes rnal-'byor) from the physician of Takpo [Gampopa]. 599
Dzeng juxtaposed the various realisations [of the teachings he re- ceived] and became highly delighted. By practising the conduct of a mantra adept at the school of Ce-nga Neljor he became renowned as an exponent of the discipline [of the way of mantras]. His spiritual brothers included master Takshamcen, Lama Udrenpa, Lama Thti Khambar, Lama Trojor, and Zhang Dronyon. Thus, he only associated with masters of yoga.
Dzeng went naked for five years in Tsang. Moreover, owing to his extremely great power over phenomenal appearances he left undone none of the many austerities such as bathing in icy water during the winter and in mid-stream during the summer, jumping into ravines of uncertain depth, bashing his head, and wounding himselfwith weapons, Therefore, he became renowned as Pawo Dzengcung, "Little Dzeng the Warrior",
When he instructed So Mangtsen on the Great Seal, the latter's delusions became pristine cognition. When he gave teaching on the Four Syllables,6oo and on the Great Perfection, to Ritro Lungcung and Ngtilmo Gyalecam, they became great destroyers ofdelusion; and finally their bodies vanished without a trace, In the same way, when he revealed the Vajra Bridge to a faithful nun and to a steadfast Khampa, their bodies vanished without traces, the nun at Lake Monka Sermo, and the Khampa at the Lake Castle of Kongpo. They died according to the ways of space and of the sky-farers.
By merely giving instruction to Repa Gomtak, Shore, Gyare, Lungre, and others, Dzeng caused the inner heat to blaze up within them. Similarly, when he just pointed out reality, a great many of his followers gained liberation and realisation. Dzeng Dharmabodhi himself said, "About four translators have come to me, and also monks, great teachers, yogins, and yoginls, who were arrogant, thinking only of themselves. A great many of them have correctly taken the teachings to heart. There were eleven housewives who practised a bit in Takpo. When the time of death grew near, they passed away painlessly, and rainbows enveloped their bodies. If anyone should practise these in- structions of mine for five or six years, with the care of a spinner spinning wool, or of parents raising a sole surviving child, then his body will certainly vanish without a trace, He will leave no physical remains behind. " .
Because he had mastered an oceanic array of miraculous powers, Dzeng's body was sometimes enveloped by a rainbow. At other times
Bagom placed hIS left h'
'h t saying "Many thanks, Your ng,',"
d h' the back WIt thumpe 1m on
IS
h
up the woollen patc es 0
five measures 0 ,
to benefit by my instructIOns. eserve, t of the Red Yamari to a
d
t r the attammen
commitments are strong. You Dzeng gave the means 0 d
mantra adept an ld
at Trhun, w ld Hect the requisites needed to request gious life. But still, he C? U co The master said that if he were to the blessing of the Va}ra rz ge. uld be obstacles later on.
grant the blessing just then, _ 0) to a friend in Kangbar and
Dzeng went to sell one pot 0 a e szr r:z d nun's robe He divided , b ' teadhereceIve a '
ceived in return eight loads of peas
reerform protective rites at Lomo an?
sufficient provisions for the relI- . . h by he wou receIve
and barley. Sometimes e w1dou
get payment for It,
ut ms " d sold them and collected
fwhIchItwasma e,
f barley and a meat carcass.
,
ale for offenngs, tormas, , ld have to substitute for butter lamps,
The master said that daylIght wohu c mpowerments of the path of
d f 11 n Dzeng t e lour e
and bestowe u Y 0 h ' t UCtI'ons Even afterwards, Dzeng
r· requested the blessIng four times, an
, ,594 I with all t e ms
lIberation, a ong , ' d made offerings of barley an
d
gold five times. , 'd "This world of appearances is On one occaSIOn Bagom sal , k bl "water-stone,,595 with hIS
I "S ddenly he struc a ue , pletely fa se. u " h d t the elbow Then, with a tWISt,
h
hand, w ereupon
hisarmvams e up 0 ' , h' d h k and left a distinct impreSSIOn be m .
his body passed through t e juniper trees with his gaze, and In Phukcungrong ? e Como's shrine room. " From such said, is the timber ,or teaching of the Vajra Bridge.
a master dId Dzeng obtam td h h' ngs as those of the direct and
D btaine suc teac 1
zeng 0 ntal Perfection according to the system
,
CIrcUItous paths of Transcen,de d h S' -l'mbed Yoga [of the Kalacakraj of Atisa. 596 Similarly, he t e ,zx :hun-br ad-ma) from Kham-
from Yumo; the Eight-Sesswn p;actzce, ( 1 (dmigs-pa skor-gsum)
palungpa; the Three Cycles ofthe ntehntwCna ntary from Shongbu the , fN Z pa' the Sort omme , '
from a discIple 0 _ ur h' ifSkilful Means (thabs-lam)from the
translator; and Naropa sPat 0 D pounded the VajraBrzdge,
tual benefactor Drolgom. In return, h zeng ehxI'ngs' the Emanation of the tmanyot erteac· . .
Dzeng also heard a grea ' C ( gyab sha) from So-nyun Lamp (sgron-sp[bjrul) from Dang; the Three Drops OJ rna-br ud tshigs-gsum) from RitrO the Three Verses on the Lmea? e ( of Doha from Lung-ha111
Lungcung; the esotenc l) from Lapdronma, the sole Chenpo; the Object of Cuttmg gco -yu
The Mental and Spatial Classes ofAtiyoga 547
548 History: The Three Inner Classes ofTantra in Tibet
he travelled without his feet touching the ground. By integrating his mind and phenomenal appearances he could travel to very distant places in just a moment. Through unimpeded, supernormal cognitive powers, such as the knowledge of other minds, he could foretell all future
events. For example, being endowed with pure clairvoyance, he saw the son of Cosema Dorjekyi, who had fallen asleep, almost fall through a skylight at midnight. Since night and day were the same for
Dzeng, he easily saw, even at night, a needle that had fallen into a pile
of chaff.
Later on, after Dzeng had lived in Tsang for seven years, he returned
to Phukpoche. Master Bagom said to him, "Comprehend fully [the implications of] space! When you realise fully that it has no basis, the
great nail of non-meditation will have struck home! "
Thus, Dzeng developed profound certainty.
While residing at Takpo Zhu he received the instructions of the
Seven Cycles of the Peaceful Guru (gu-ru zhi-ba sde-skor bdun-pa) from 1
Lama Zheldam. By practising the Four Symbols (brda-bzhilo for three years at Lhazur Monastery, he mastered all doctrines. His mind became
as simple as space.
Again, Dzeng could endure great austerities: He practised the auster-
ity of the deathless nectar60' after he had received the Vajra Bridge at Phukpoche, owing to which he became immune to disease.
After performing the austerity of serving the guru Nup Shangpoche,
that guru protected his mind wherever he went.
By the austerity of learning, under Phadampa Sangye of India, to
examine [reality] critically, he mastered all things.
By practising the austerities of the VajrakIla recitation at Kyikung,
he was obeyed by mundane gods and demons.
From Atisa's Kadampa school he learned the austerity of humility,
owing to which people loved him wherever he went.
By performing the austerity of the "three movements with reference
to the Four Syllables,,603 the inner heat blazed within him and he went
naked for five years.
Having thus developed certainty he practised the austerity of propiti-
ating VajravariihI, whereby he saw the venerable goddess in a vision to the west of Gurmo; and from her he received many symbols.
By following the discipline of the dream yoga in Nup Yiilrong, he
realised that all appearances are like dreams.
In the Crystal Cave of Zhoto Tidro, Dzeng had a vision ofthe wrathful
A spiritual being served him with great veneration. Once he saw a venerable monk flying to and fro in the sky, but after making search could not find him. Dzeng said that he did not knoW
whether it was a man or spirit.
At Zhu, in Takpo, he propitiated Aparajita (A-dzi), and had a vision
. . The Mental and Spatial Classes ofAtiyoga 549 [wIth the deIty], his consort Chale c a · .
during the morning. Then, while he was thinking of exchanging vows
married! " and vanished in a flash The deIty exclaimed, "He's Dzeng practised alchemy in Lhazur . .
AmItayus. The definitive order of d . he had a VISIOn of
. When Dzeng practised at Okar hoctrmes arose in his mind. WIth consort. e ad a VISIOn of Cakrasarpvara
Once, when he had decided to travel
Mongar. He boldly J·umped 0 t f , Dzeng came to the town of
n 0 a rozen pond b h ·
an hefellintothewater Wh h C' 1 ' utt eIcecracked
d . en e Ie t ashamed water and almost clouded the sk Th
that he resembled a red-hot· y:
.
bItter cold of winter Dzen
of a sheer precipice. Dzeng thou It they reached the edge
and floated down like a bird H. g was hk. e a dream. He jumped , . IS consort exclaIm d "0
guru. are you human or not) Y . e , extraordinary Until that time, Dzeng rermmd me of Sangye! " He acted as a village priest d p the Instructions much.
But thereafter his disciples hIS own practice in secret. y
Once, when he was invited by ,;\man came from afar.
many rainbow canopies and patt one e budor, and gave instruction,
sunrise. When he finished h· d. erns appeared at the first moment of C' IS IScourse he went h .
lor recreation. Someone asked whether th . up to t e mountamside
portent of hIS death but he repl· d "A he was the unhappy . ' Ie, tt everyt
gave t ese mstructions to the s . . 1b Ime my guru Bagom h plfItUa rothers B · · d
t e valleys of Ngamsho and the slo f arton an h es
Then h ·
, on anot er occasion Dzen d h· .
wood, and obtained a heavy an . IS. consort went to gather
Sherap-tra, with light. The sign accom . Ph 0 . Phukpoche were almost filled
A. .
t ese mstructions. "
gam, whIle the guru was hvin at Dzeng . . .
Dzeng was sitting at an emba kg b hIS dIscIple Co-se arrived. n ment eneath th b f -
w enCo-sereachedtheh . h . h ermItage dId see an orb of light [at th _
e could
ease0 astupa so '
not see the master. But he
vanished. "How did thO h e When he drew near the light
. IS appen) asked C D
It was a sign of meditative ab . . . o-se.
anyone. sorptIOn, whIch he should not divulge to
Furthermore, Dzeng used to sa "Wh . .
rosy, I tried to help him b . ? , en brother Ngodrup had lep-
cured. Instead I had . reclftlng mantras, but the leprosy was not , a VISIOn 0 Va· _. 605
Dzeng the meditator h Jrapa1)1. What a joke! "
fully mastered all the ;e[; Dharmabodhi, had
Savour (ro-sn\'oms) S· D g . 0 mstructIons as the Common . :. . Y' lX octnnesOb}t. +C .
OJ uttzng, and Five Stages, Was an old man in hI·S 0 h erdtradItIOnS of the doctrine. When he
whIch are renowned in the oth'
. ,neunredd d
IS followers feared their an secon year, he fell ill and
h
night I had an auspicious pass But he said, "Last m. WI not dIe. I dreamt that I was on
' rose from the e60P4eopie saId In astonishment
Iron Image e t · h
1 . " n enng t e water in the
g mere y saId, I was frozen'"
zeng told him that
550 History: The Three Inner Classes ofTantra in Tibet
the summit of Gyelpori, when the sun and moon rose together. On the roofs of many huts made of bone there were many women who said, 'Lama Dzeng! come after four years. ,,,
Then, on another occasion, Dzeng said, "I have reached old age; and certainly I have nothing to teach. " This signified that he had inwardly reached the end of his intentions, because he was no longer attached to his own discursive thoughts. Then, when his followers requested that he perform acts of merit [to extend his life], he took no interest in conditioned merits. They then asked him to practise alchemy, but he said, "If I practise alchemy I can prolong my life for about ten years, but there is no need for longevity in bad times. "
In this way, having encouraged others to practise true renunciation, Dzeng passed away. During his cremation the sky was filled with rainbows. Many relics606 and stilpas were discovered [among his ashes]. Because he had continued to protect his disciples, his impure body did not dissolve into the rainbow body; but, in fact, he fulfilled all the signs of having passed into nirva1). a on the primordially pure level which is beyond all phenomena.
It was from this time on that the aural lineage of the Vajra Bridge became widely propagated. Dzeng had a great many disciples: master Kunzang, Dzeng Co-se, Tsentangpa Nyang Dharmasil11ha, master Ser- lungpa, Lama Tu Dorje Gyeltsen, Zik Yeshepo, and YaktOn Dawa Ozer, to name just a few. And Dzeng passed away when he had reached the age of one hundred and seventeen. He was a contemporary, more or less, of masters such as Atisa, DromtOn, Chapa Choki Senge,607the venerable Milarepa, and their masters and disciples.
DZENG CO-SE
[208. 5-210. 3] Dzeng Co-se was born into the family of a mantra adept. During his childhood he studied writing and arithmetic. He requested Nyingma teachings, such as the Magical Net as well as [teachings of the new translation schools such as] the Hevajra Tantra and the Litany of the Names of Maiijusrf, from an artist of Olka. When his master, the artist, was about to die, he declared, "Though I know all these great texts, now, as I am about to die, nothing has been at all beneficial, except the Seven Sessions of Aro (a-ro thun-bdun, DZ Vol. l). 608 You should apply yourself to the instructions, without studying texts. Your guru is called Dzeng. He lives in Takpo. Go there. "
Then, in Kangbar, Co-se passed three summers and three winters at the centre of master Zam, who was learned in the spontaneous presence of the Great Perfection; but they did not form a spiritual rapport. Without having first cut through his elaborate conceptions of the instructions, Co-se thrice requested teaching on the Vajra Bridge
The Mental and Spatial Cl
from master Dzeng in P I assesofAtiyoga 551
t T eung Dzeng h'
o sang for some time and d h gave IS bleSSing and said "G
Tsang st u y t e texts Wh C ' ay YOur ancestral hermitage" .
O-se realIsed that Dzen w . .
' 0 en you return from
asked Who else knew not gIve him the instructions H
Zhanglakyap of Traci Who k was told, "There is one called C· e re . nows them " Wh' o-se questIng them from him, that uru . lIe he was thinking of
to Takpo and requested them f:am passed away; so again Co-se Went
then thought of asking one of D Who again refused. Co-se master Tu in Shokyam, Who sai s dIsciples, and went to meet by such artificial hopes. Go to teachIng will not come to yOU
Once more he went to T k akpo and ask Dzeng. " you w h ' a po and made h'
ant t e Instruction above 11 1 IS request. Dzeng said "If
gave him the complete I'nst . a ese, you must persevere" And' h C rUctIOns . e
. o-se then stayed with the .
WInters. During the course of . master for a number of summers a
aspects of the teaching H sIlx years he received even the most . nd d . . e a so acted as h mInor
the conferral of blessings [to others master of ceremonies I T ' Ing Rokpoga, the lama of Th'" ]. en about fifty disciples
vaJraB'd D opa andMa' D ' rz. ge, zeng said, "Let Co-' . J. o owa, requested the
CoT-se delIvered the teaching from It! You others listen! " hese two masters D master s own seat
. '
o a out eIghteen years C se, were assocIated over a p . d
fb' , zengandCo-
h . . o-sewasa . eno aVIng received the transmitted' to be the lineage-holder
InstrUctIOns.
MASTER K"
UNZANG AND TR(j "
LKU OBAR SENGE
[210. 3-211 4] S' '1
D . ImI arly, the master Kti
'
. .
Dharmabodhi, and of "mad" C nzang was a dISCIple of both
zang s father, Khuwo Pha' o-se, the younger Dzeng K"
d· . JO wasab'11' . un-
a ISClple of the Central T'b' n Iant meditator, who had b Tec k 1 etan, Phakm t 609 een S o , used to listen to the doctrin tJ 0 rupa. His mother, Ziza
amdrup. Ktinzang's birth w e rom the ascetic woman "mad"
of eight or nine he studie;: by auspicious dreams. At the
onhen fifteen his master the master Korton Radza. D (zhi-byed) from away and he received teaching unng that period he served themaster Tuwa over the next five years he met master Tuwa at Serlun to the best ofhis ability.
into the full Honastery he dreamt that two stars . e e er Dzeng once. Then wh' e requested the Vajra Bn"dge from requested the Vqjra Briden Dzeng. Co-se was invited to Pung-
OUr WInters and obtained the tImes. He went to Takpo for
Be stayed with Co-se for . h aJra Bndge thirteen and a half tim
seven more times. t:ears a. nd the Vajra
, e receIved It twice in Sh . 0, once In
552 History: The Three Inner Classes ofTantra in Tibet
Serlung, and also received parts of the teaching as it was being given to others. Altogether he obtained the Vajra Bridge thirty-five times from the two Dzengs, elder and younger. Ktinzang became the successor to the lineage of their transmitted instructions and also wrote two exeget- ical treatises, long and short.
Master Ktinzang had a son called Trtilku abar Senge, who was endowed with intelligence and perfect discrimination. At the age of fourteen he was taught the Vajra Bridge. He transmitted it to the lineage- holder Cogon; and the latter transmitted it to Carme Tshtilrin.
OTHER LINEAGES STEMMING FROM DZENG
[211. 4-213. 5] Dzeng also taught the Vajra Bridge to Nyang Dharma- sirpha of Tsentang in Yarlung, who received the blessing and developed all-surpassing realisation. He stayed at Turtro Monastery and performed extensive acts of service to the world. Finally, he passed away in his seventy-seventh year. There is also an exegetical treatise according to his lineage. His disciple was Vajrapal). i, and the latter's was Lama Lha.
Again, Dzeng taught Serlungpa. Serlungpa's disciple was the master RangdrOl, who gave the teaching to his son Chorin.
Dzeng also taught Tu Dorje Gyeltsen, who gave the teaching to Tuton Tepa Tsondrti. There is also an exegetical treatise composed by one of his disciples.
Dzeng gave teaching to Zik Yeshe Wangpo, as well. He transmitted it to Khenpo Lhakawa; he to master Gonkyap; he to master Goriwa, who taught SotOn. And there is an exegetical treatise composed by Soton.
Dzeng also taught Yakton Dawa Qzer of Pung-ring. He transmitted the teaching to LoktOn Gendtinkyap, from whose lineage there also originated an exegetical treatise. This YaktOn of Pung-ring lived for almost one hundred years. He also passed the teaching to Laru Pende of upper anak, and it was duly propagated.
Finally, Dzeng gave teaching as well to Kyetse Yeshe Wangcuk. He passed it down to Zik Yeshe Wangpo; he to the great preceptor Ngurpa; he to TutOn Vajresvara; he to the great preceptor Sonam Gyeltsen; he to the great preceptor Zhonu Sherap; he to the master Zhonu Trakpa; he to the great preceptor Sangye Zangpo; he to Lama Tsondrti Wangcuk; he to Thazhi Trakpa Rincen; and he to master Sakya Gye1po. When the latter was young he was ordained as a novice at Trhaplakha; and eventually he received the complete ordination. He became learned in the Treasury ofthe Abhidhanna and the Vinaya, and became a scholar at the college of Kyorlung. His spiritual resolve steadily increased. In old age he grew blind, but continued to teach by explaining the texts after they had been read by another, so great was his enlightened
. TheMentalandSpati ICl . aspIration. When h a asses ofAtzyoga 553
e passed away at th
numberless relics were recover e age o! almost one hundred
. )akya Gyelpo taught [the V; . e. d from hIS heart.
gave [this and other teach' ]a}ra Brzdge] to Golo Zhonupel 610 h
L d" f
mgs to Ce-nga Ch"k' T
,w 0 rakpa' he to Ch"k' ' 0 1
Sheldrak' he to Kh 0 'yungtsangwaLd"
o ro 0
Gurupa; he to PangtOn Chowan
1
0 Pelden; he to PangtOn
K
Kunzang; he to Pangto"n K"
'.
mgs to RIkdzin T erdak Lingpa. 611
g Lhundrup; he to Cho"w
unzang Cho
1 Th gye .
ang e latter gave these teach-
3 The Esoteric Instructional ? f Atiyoga, the Innermost Spmtuahty
means of his power to transfer blessings directly; and he empowered her to reveal this doctrine in a future birth. Then he concealed it as a profound treasure.
said, "This boy is my only son, and the brother of six sisters. I will entrust him to the master Sherap Jungne, and shall be content if he does not die. " Therefore, in his sixteenth year he was entrusted to
Nyang Sherap Jungne.
At that time, the aforementioned Nyang Cangcup Trakpa passed
through Phukpoche, Yangdzong, and Chimpli, leading a stag. For this, he became famed as Nyang Shawacen, "Nyang with the Stag". On his next visit to Phukpoche, Nyang Cangcup said, "Look! I will put on a
show for you both. "
As master Sherap Jungne and Bagom looked on from the left and
. y. remam undistracted. "
erelore It IS .
, most Important to
the right, the master, who was between them, became invisible. As
. h W IC
. . ' ,after spmmng to and fr
d . .
nge mto a wh 1 . d .
Ir wm one cubIt high Th fi '
. h
mto a ronze bowl for water of'C'· fill
Th . lenngs, 1 edtothe
b
en, m a fury, it turned abrupt! · h mto
. f pOInt 0
overflowing.
.
. a . not lIt a fire ThinkI·ng th h
. b
age, ut the master
B
aze, agom went to
my guru, Nyang n n
TheMentalandSp t· ICl
a! a assesofAliyoga 543
d.
0, turne mto a fi
had thus revealed his power Yh t. e. master himself. When he over t e actIvIty fi ld· h·
eements are overcome he s ·d "F . Ie m w Ich the four 1
fh ' aI, romthetIme h h·
o t e elements are removed and ·1 h . w en t e Impurities
t elr pure essences vanish, this perceIve, through d· . . .
b . . IscnmmatIve aware- adhering without distraction s baSIS for meditation, it is by independence without difficult ymTho ICl"conte? t . that one obtains such
may occur. Though one may' . .
Once when Bagom went to
saw the red glow of a fire whood m the forest of Pelbu, he
.
hd . e ousewasabl mvestIgate, but the thatched
h
elf t atched cott
of fire. When he asked him d'peared as before without a sign
"I became absorbed in the conWt at 1a. happened, the master replied emp atIOn offire D '
Ad·
0 you not remember that his teacher's seat was cov·e d ,. oh another occasion, Bagom saw
wIt water
FIre
ma ly, the master said "IfI d·
But when the master d·d d'. Isappear, look at the summit ofLhari "
1 Isappear Bagom th h . the mountain for recreation and wo ld oug t that ? e had gone to
master failed to return Bagom u . that evemng. When the b o d h i s e e d r o s a r y , a n d s o f o r t h w : : t ? f o u n d h i s h a t , h i s Jungne's body had vanished '. th gmg from a Jumper tree, but Sherap
WIoutatraceA d·
Great Perfection, this is only one of the ways . ccor . mg to the natural
space, fire, sky-farers and awarene h ld of death. ways resembling In his t l" ss- 0 ersarespokenof 589
wentY-lourth year Bagom h d . . .
Sherap Jungne Bagom 1· d a receIved mstructions from y . lVe asalayma dh·
eshe Cangcup. He possessed extrao . n, an name was
could turn stone into cl
. ay an
d 1 rdlnary realIsatIon, whereby he eave the i . f ·
d mpnnt 0 hIS body in rock . omo Kangmo, did not show the bod t WI out Sickness. His wife, It III the household shrine. All of th / 0 outsiders, but she cremated
n hIS ninety-eighth year h
CI epasseaway. th' .
ball of lIght go off into the sk
DZENG DHARMABODHI
y.
N
pe? ple outsIde saw a pot-sized 0 remaIns at all were left behind.
'
zeng s mother was a nun
. 1
om hangcung in Yarlun H .
[195. 6-208. 4] Bagom's d·
fr T ISCIPewasDzeng D
Was born from her union th er name was Tshargu Kyide. Dzeng
In his sixteenth year he went son of the ruler of Thangcung.
Dong- in To··1 At T h . a caravan of travellers to trade at na, . s ercung 1nTo··1, he l"ound a large gathering of
.
reo
e Ire then turned
544 History: The Three Inner Classes ofTantra in Tibet
592
concerning the Six-Syllable Mantra
a great blessing by performing the practice. Then Phadampa prophet- ically said, "To the east of this great river lies a sandalwood forest. There lives your guru. "
Afterwards, Dzeng went to Central Tibet, where he received teach- ings on Heruka and Pehar from Akhu Pelbar, and on Kriyatantra and the great torma offering of JvalamukhI from Nup Shangpoche. Having been sent to convey offerings to Lama Pari in Tsang, he received from him the means for attainment of MafijusrI and of Garu<;la. From Geshe Po he received teaching concerning the ancient translations.
In his thirty-fifth year he went to Cangtsik via Ngamsho. At the approach to the pass at Phukpoche, he heard that one Comowa had invited the spiritual benefactor Tsen Khawoche,593 who had just re- turned from India, to visit and that there would be teachings, food, and entertainment. Early the next morning, when Dzeng was on his way there, a woman said to him, "If you go up on this side of the road from Trhap, you will meet a master called Bagom, who gives food most generously. "
He proceeded in that direction, and a group of yogins also arrived. Bagom invited them to partake of a warm meal and gave to each a copper-ladleful of roasted barley flour as well. When he had served the group, he said, "There is also a novice among you," and sent him out to fetch a pot of water. He then performed the water offering and led Dzeng to a corner of his small cave and gave him a bowl of vegetables. The same evening he also provided him with food. Afterwards, Dzeng went to sleep at the foot of a rock.
In the morning Dzeng thought he would have to go, but Bagom again gave him food and said, "I have a young disciple who has gone to bring gold from Zotang, but owing to the heavy rain he has not returned. Gather some wood. "
Dzeng brought a great bundle of wood from the forest. Bagom was delighted and gave him esoteric instructions on the symbolism of the Great Seal (phyag-rgya chen-po brda'i man-ngag) and the teaching called the Seven Cycles of the Great Perfection which are Naturally Present (rdzogs-pa chen-po skor-bdun rang-chas). At that time Bagom's disciple returned and said, "I thought the master would be troubled by my absence, but you have filled in. Stay for some more days. " The disciple then made one more circumambulation of Yarlung and returned.
During the intervening period Dzeng had learned that Bagom was a special person. So he did not . return to his own country, but went as far as On and Zang-ri, begging for alms. He bought a sack and then offered it, full of barley, to master Bagom. "It is enough that you serve me," said the master. "Keep this barley for your own provision. I have an esoteric instruction called the Vajra Bridge. By understanding its meaning in an instant one may attain buddhahood in a single lifetime,
Dzeng Dhannabodhi
followed Phadampa as a servant for fourteen mont shim a blanket
reached the Zangcen district in Tsang, return to your
and, because Dzeng was vekry you. ng, :nTakpo There is a caravan own country. Come and ta e apncots ro .
.
.
people. Going to investIgate, he met P a ampa ang h When they
of travellers bound for Tol. " . Then,whileDzengwassettingoutonthe}ournd'hi; cheeks
him a little of the way. When Dzeng embrace Phadampa said:
That which is nothing at all transforms.
In its transformations no duality is grasped.
. . D They knocked heads together tWIce, and
'astonished mmd zeng s . t
· H s mouth grew mOlS .
a sharp and clear understandmg arose· I h also predicted that
So it was that he was blessed by Phadampa. , w 0 DZ Vol 1). 591 TT ' B 'dge (rdo-rye zam-pa, .
he would encounter the va}ra. n d d all this at the time. But later, he maintained that he. not essential points
Phadampa gave him some auspICIOUS to hens . concerning the way 0 f mantras. When e was gIVe
n the instructions
hd S yeofIndia. 590He
Ph d a escorted
The Mental and Spatial Classes ofAtiyoga 545
at Gyang-ro Tshelma, he obtained
546 History: The Three Inner Classes ofTantra in Tibet ,
, This has occurred in an leavmg no trace the body, 'I d N ow I shall give It to you,
I have mentioned It to no one "I have it Dzeng earnestly offered, the , y me I will return wIth new
for you, Please confer the mstructIOnS upon '
provisions," , d on the crown of Dzeng's head and
mother;597 the Seven Cycles (sde-skor bdun-pa) from Gyelwa Poton; the Fifteen Doctrines on the Kriyatantra according to the System ofPari (ba-ri- pa'i kriya'i chos bco-lnga) from Nup Shangcen; and various other teach- ings from Ktinga of Tingri. 598 He received the Six Doctrines CSaejdhar- mopadesa, T 2330) and the Yoga ofCo-Emergence (lhan-skyes rnal-'byor) from the physician of Takpo [Gampopa]. 599
Dzeng juxtaposed the various realisations [of the teachings he re- ceived] and became highly delighted. By practising the conduct of a mantra adept at the school of Ce-nga Neljor he became renowned as an exponent of the discipline [of the way of mantras]. His spiritual brothers included master Takshamcen, Lama Udrenpa, Lama Thti Khambar, Lama Trojor, and Zhang Dronyon. Thus, he only associated with masters of yoga.
Dzeng went naked for five years in Tsang. Moreover, owing to his extremely great power over phenomenal appearances he left undone none of the many austerities such as bathing in icy water during the winter and in mid-stream during the summer, jumping into ravines of uncertain depth, bashing his head, and wounding himselfwith weapons, Therefore, he became renowned as Pawo Dzengcung, "Little Dzeng the Warrior",
When he instructed So Mangtsen on the Great Seal, the latter's delusions became pristine cognition. When he gave teaching on the Four Syllables,6oo and on the Great Perfection, to Ritro Lungcung and Ngtilmo Gyalecam, they became great destroyers ofdelusion; and finally their bodies vanished without a trace, In the same way, when he revealed the Vajra Bridge to a faithful nun and to a steadfast Khampa, their bodies vanished without traces, the nun at Lake Monka Sermo, and the Khampa at the Lake Castle of Kongpo. They died according to the ways of space and of the sky-farers.
By merely giving instruction to Repa Gomtak, Shore, Gyare, Lungre, and others, Dzeng caused the inner heat to blaze up within them. Similarly, when he just pointed out reality, a great many of his followers gained liberation and realisation. Dzeng Dharmabodhi himself said, "About four translators have come to me, and also monks, great teachers, yogins, and yoginls, who were arrogant, thinking only of themselves. A great many of them have correctly taken the teachings to heart. There were eleven housewives who practised a bit in Takpo. When the time of death grew near, they passed away painlessly, and rainbows enveloped their bodies. If anyone should practise these in- structions of mine for five or six years, with the care of a spinner spinning wool, or of parents raising a sole surviving child, then his body will certainly vanish without a trace, He will leave no physical remains behind. " .
Because he had mastered an oceanic array of miraculous powers, Dzeng's body was sometimes enveloped by a rainbow. At other times
Bagom placed hIS left h'
'h t saying "Many thanks, Your ng,',"
d h' the back WIt thumpe 1m on
IS
h
up the woollen patc es 0
five measures 0 ,
to benefit by my instructIOns. eserve, t of the Red Yamari to a
d
t r the attammen
commitments are strong. You Dzeng gave the means 0 d
mantra adept an ld
at Trhun, w ld Hect the requisites needed to request gious life. But still, he C? U co The master said that if he were to the blessing of the Va}ra rz ge. uld be obstacles later on.
grant the blessing just then, _ 0) to a friend in Kangbar and
Dzeng went to sell one pot 0 a e szr r:z d nun's robe He divided , b ' teadhereceIve a '
ceived in return eight loads of peas
reerform protective rites at Lomo an?
sufficient provisions for the relI- . . h by he wou receIve
and barley. Sometimes e w1dou
get payment for It,
ut ms " d sold them and collected
fwhIchItwasma e,
f barley and a meat carcass.
,
ale for offenngs, tormas, , ld have to substitute for butter lamps,
The master said that daylIght wohu c mpowerments of the path of
d f 11 n Dzeng t e lour e
and bestowe u Y 0 h ' t UCtI'ons Even afterwards, Dzeng
r· requested the blessIng four times, an
, ,594 I with all t e ms
lIberation, a ong , ' d made offerings of barley an
d
gold five times. , 'd "This world of appearances is On one occaSIOn Bagom sal , k bl "water-stone,,595 with hIS
I "S ddenly he struc a ue , pletely fa se. u " h d t the elbow Then, with a tWISt,
h
hand, w ereupon
hisarmvams e up 0 ' , h' d h k and left a distinct impreSSIOn be m .
his body passed through t e juniper trees with his gaze, and In Phukcungrong ? e Como's shrine room. " From such said, is the timber ,or teaching of the Vajra Bridge.
a master dId Dzeng obtam td h h' ngs as those of the direct and
D btaine suc teac 1
zeng 0 ntal Perfection according to the system
,
CIrcUItous paths of Transcen,de d h S' -l'mbed Yoga [of the Kalacakraj of Atisa. 596 Similarly, he t e ,zx :hun-br ad-ma) from Kham-
from Yumo; the Eight-Sesswn p;actzce, ( 1 (dmigs-pa skor-gsum)
palungpa; the Three Cycles ofthe ntehntwCna ntary from Shongbu the , fN Z pa' the Sort omme , '
from a discIple 0 _ ur h' ifSkilful Means (thabs-lam)from the
translator; and Naropa sPat 0 D pounded the VajraBrzdge,
tual benefactor Drolgom. In return, h zeng ehxI'ngs' the Emanation of the tmanyot erteac· . .
Dzeng also heard a grea ' C ( gyab sha) from So-nyun Lamp (sgron-sp[bjrul) from Dang; the Three Drops OJ rna-br ud tshigs-gsum) from RitrO the Three Verses on the Lmea? e ( of Doha from Lung-ha111
Lungcung; the esotenc l) from Lapdronma, the sole Chenpo; the Object of Cuttmg gco -yu
The Mental and Spatial Classes ofAtiyoga 547
548 History: The Three Inner Classes ofTantra in Tibet
he travelled without his feet touching the ground. By integrating his mind and phenomenal appearances he could travel to very distant places in just a moment. Through unimpeded, supernormal cognitive powers, such as the knowledge of other minds, he could foretell all future
events. For example, being endowed with pure clairvoyance, he saw the son of Cosema Dorjekyi, who had fallen asleep, almost fall through a skylight at midnight. Since night and day were the same for
Dzeng, he easily saw, even at night, a needle that had fallen into a pile
of chaff.
Later on, after Dzeng had lived in Tsang for seven years, he returned
to Phukpoche. Master Bagom said to him, "Comprehend fully [the implications of] space! When you realise fully that it has no basis, the
great nail of non-meditation will have struck home! "
Thus, Dzeng developed profound certainty.
While residing at Takpo Zhu he received the instructions of the
Seven Cycles of the Peaceful Guru (gu-ru zhi-ba sde-skor bdun-pa) from 1
Lama Zheldam. By practising the Four Symbols (brda-bzhilo for three years at Lhazur Monastery, he mastered all doctrines. His mind became
as simple as space.
Again, Dzeng could endure great austerities: He practised the auster-
ity of the deathless nectar60' after he had received the Vajra Bridge at Phukpoche, owing to which he became immune to disease.
After performing the austerity of serving the guru Nup Shangpoche,
that guru protected his mind wherever he went.
By the austerity of learning, under Phadampa Sangye of India, to
examine [reality] critically, he mastered all things.
By practising the austerities of the VajrakIla recitation at Kyikung,
he was obeyed by mundane gods and demons.
From Atisa's Kadampa school he learned the austerity of humility,
owing to which people loved him wherever he went.
By performing the austerity of the "three movements with reference
to the Four Syllables,,603 the inner heat blazed within him and he went
naked for five years.
Having thus developed certainty he practised the austerity of propiti-
ating VajravariihI, whereby he saw the venerable goddess in a vision to the west of Gurmo; and from her he received many symbols.
By following the discipline of the dream yoga in Nup Yiilrong, he
realised that all appearances are like dreams.
In the Crystal Cave of Zhoto Tidro, Dzeng had a vision ofthe wrathful
A spiritual being served him with great veneration. Once he saw a venerable monk flying to and fro in the sky, but after making search could not find him. Dzeng said that he did not knoW
whether it was a man or spirit.
At Zhu, in Takpo, he propitiated Aparajita (A-dzi), and had a vision
. . The Mental and Spatial Classes ofAtiyoga 549 [wIth the deIty], his consort Chale c a · .
during the morning. Then, while he was thinking of exchanging vows
married! " and vanished in a flash The deIty exclaimed, "He's Dzeng practised alchemy in Lhazur . .
AmItayus. The definitive order of d . he had a VISIOn of
. When Dzeng practised at Okar hoctrmes arose in his mind. WIth consort. e ad a VISIOn of Cakrasarpvara
Once, when he had decided to travel
Mongar. He boldly J·umped 0 t f , Dzeng came to the town of
n 0 a rozen pond b h ·
an hefellintothewater Wh h C' 1 ' utt eIcecracked
d . en e Ie t ashamed water and almost clouded the sk Th
that he resembled a red-hot· y:
.
bItter cold of winter Dzen
of a sheer precipice. Dzeng thou It they reached the edge
and floated down like a bird H. g was hk. e a dream. He jumped , . IS consort exclaIm d "0
guru. are you human or not) Y . e , extraordinary Until that time, Dzeng rermmd me of Sangye! " He acted as a village priest d p the Instructions much.
But thereafter his disciples hIS own practice in secret. y
Once, when he was invited by ,;\man came from afar.
many rainbow canopies and patt one e budor, and gave instruction,
sunrise. When he finished h· d. erns appeared at the first moment of C' IS IScourse he went h .
lor recreation. Someone asked whether th . up to t e mountamside
portent of hIS death but he repl· d "A he was the unhappy . ' Ie, tt everyt
gave t ese mstructions to the s . . 1b Ime my guru Bagom h plfItUa rothers B · · d
t e valleys of Ngamsho and the slo f arton an h es
Then h ·
, on anot er occasion Dzen d h· .
wood, and obtained a heavy an . IS. consort went to gather
Sherap-tra, with light. The sign accom . Ph 0 . Phukpoche were almost filled
A. .
t ese mstructions. "
gam, whIle the guru was hvin at Dzeng . . .
Dzeng was sitting at an emba kg b hIS dIscIple Co-se arrived. n ment eneath th b f -
w enCo-sereachedtheh . h . h ermItage dId see an orb of light [at th _
e could
ease0 astupa so '
not see the master. But he
vanished. "How did thO h e When he drew near the light
. IS appen) asked C D
It was a sign of meditative ab . . . o-se.
anyone. sorptIOn, whIch he should not divulge to
Furthermore, Dzeng used to sa "Wh . .
rosy, I tried to help him b . ? , en brother Ngodrup had lep-
cured. Instead I had . reclftlng mantras, but the leprosy was not , a VISIOn 0 Va· _. 605
Dzeng the meditator h Jrapa1)1. What a joke! "
fully mastered all the ;e[; Dharmabodhi, had
Savour (ro-sn\'oms) S· D g . 0 mstructIons as the Common . :. . Y' lX octnnesOb}t. +C .
OJ uttzng, and Five Stages, Was an old man in hI·S 0 h erdtradItIOnS of the doctrine. When he
whIch are renowned in the oth'
. ,neunredd d
IS followers feared their an secon year, he fell ill and
h
night I had an auspicious pass But he said, "Last m. WI not dIe. I dreamt that I was on
' rose from the e60P4eopie saId In astonishment
Iron Image e t · h
1 . " n enng t e water in the
g mere y saId, I was frozen'"
zeng told him that
550 History: The Three Inner Classes ofTantra in Tibet
the summit of Gyelpori, when the sun and moon rose together. On the roofs of many huts made of bone there were many women who said, 'Lama Dzeng! come after four years. ,,,
Then, on another occasion, Dzeng said, "I have reached old age; and certainly I have nothing to teach. " This signified that he had inwardly reached the end of his intentions, because he was no longer attached to his own discursive thoughts. Then, when his followers requested that he perform acts of merit [to extend his life], he took no interest in conditioned merits. They then asked him to practise alchemy, but he said, "If I practise alchemy I can prolong my life for about ten years, but there is no need for longevity in bad times. "
In this way, having encouraged others to practise true renunciation, Dzeng passed away. During his cremation the sky was filled with rainbows. Many relics606 and stilpas were discovered [among his ashes]. Because he had continued to protect his disciples, his impure body did not dissolve into the rainbow body; but, in fact, he fulfilled all the signs of having passed into nirva1). a on the primordially pure level which is beyond all phenomena.
It was from this time on that the aural lineage of the Vajra Bridge became widely propagated. Dzeng had a great many disciples: master Kunzang, Dzeng Co-se, Tsentangpa Nyang Dharmasil11ha, master Ser- lungpa, Lama Tu Dorje Gyeltsen, Zik Yeshepo, and YaktOn Dawa Ozer, to name just a few. And Dzeng passed away when he had reached the age of one hundred and seventeen. He was a contemporary, more or less, of masters such as Atisa, DromtOn, Chapa Choki Senge,607the venerable Milarepa, and their masters and disciples.
DZENG CO-SE
[208. 5-210. 3] Dzeng Co-se was born into the family of a mantra adept. During his childhood he studied writing and arithmetic. He requested Nyingma teachings, such as the Magical Net as well as [teachings of the new translation schools such as] the Hevajra Tantra and the Litany of the Names of Maiijusrf, from an artist of Olka. When his master, the artist, was about to die, he declared, "Though I know all these great texts, now, as I am about to die, nothing has been at all beneficial, except the Seven Sessions of Aro (a-ro thun-bdun, DZ Vol. l). 608 You should apply yourself to the instructions, without studying texts. Your guru is called Dzeng. He lives in Takpo. Go there. "
Then, in Kangbar, Co-se passed three summers and three winters at the centre of master Zam, who was learned in the spontaneous presence of the Great Perfection; but they did not form a spiritual rapport. Without having first cut through his elaborate conceptions of the instructions, Co-se thrice requested teaching on the Vajra Bridge
The Mental and Spatial Cl
from master Dzeng in P I assesofAtiyoga 551
t T eung Dzeng h'
o sang for some time and d h gave IS bleSSing and said "G
Tsang st u y t e texts Wh C ' ay YOur ancestral hermitage" .
O-se realIsed that Dzen w . .
' 0 en you return from
asked Who else knew not gIve him the instructions H
Zhanglakyap of Traci Who k was told, "There is one called C· e re . nows them " Wh' o-se questIng them from him, that uru . lIe he was thinking of
to Takpo and requested them f:am passed away; so again Co-se Went
then thought of asking one of D Who again refused. Co-se master Tu in Shokyam, Who sai s dIsciples, and went to meet by such artificial hopes. Go to teachIng will not come to yOU
Once more he went to T k akpo and ask Dzeng. " you w h ' a po and made h'
ant t e Instruction above 11 1 IS request. Dzeng said "If
gave him the complete I'nst . a ese, you must persevere" And' h C rUctIOns . e
. o-se then stayed with the .
WInters. During the course of . master for a number of summers a
aspects of the teaching H sIlx years he received even the most . nd d . . e a so acted as h mInor
the conferral of blessings [to others master of ceremonies I T ' Ing Rokpoga, the lama of Th'" ]. en about fifty disciples
vaJraB'd D opa andMa' D ' rz. ge, zeng said, "Let Co-' . J. o owa, requested the
CoT-se delIvered the teaching from It! You others listen! " hese two masters D master s own seat
. '
o a out eIghteen years C se, were assocIated over a p . d
fb' , zengandCo-
h . . o-sewasa . eno aVIng received the transmitted' to be the lineage-holder
InstrUctIOns.
MASTER K"
UNZANG AND TR(j "
LKU OBAR SENGE
[210. 3-211 4] S' '1
D . ImI arly, the master Kti
'
. .
Dharmabodhi, and of "mad" C nzang was a dISCIple of both
zang s father, Khuwo Pha' o-se, the younger Dzeng K"
d· . JO wasab'11' . un-
a ISClple of the Central T'b' n Iant meditator, who had b Tec k 1 etan, Phakm t 609 een S o , used to listen to the doctrin tJ 0 rupa. His mother, Ziza
amdrup. Ktinzang's birth w e rom the ascetic woman "mad"
of eight or nine he studie;: by auspicious dreams. At the
onhen fifteen his master the master Korton Radza. D (zhi-byed) from away and he received teaching unng that period he served themaster Tuwa over the next five years he met master Tuwa at Serlun to the best ofhis ability.
into the full Honastery he dreamt that two stars . e e er Dzeng once. Then wh' e requested the Vajra Bn"dge from requested the Vqjra Briden Dzeng. Co-se was invited to Pung-
OUr WInters and obtained the tImes. He went to Takpo for
Be stayed with Co-se for . h aJra Bndge thirteen and a half tim
seven more times. t:ears a. nd the Vajra
, e receIved It twice in Sh . 0, once In
552 History: The Three Inner Classes ofTantra in Tibet
Serlung, and also received parts of the teaching as it was being given to others. Altogether he obtained the Vajra Bridge thirty-five times from the two Dzengs, elder and younger. Ktinzang became the successor to the lineage of their transmitted instructions and also wrote two exeget- ical treatises, long and short.
Master Ktinzang had a son called Trtilku abar Senge, who was endowed with intelligence and perfect discrimination. At the age of fourteen he was taught the Vajra Bridge. He transmitted it to the lineage- holder Cogon; and the latter transmitted it to Carme Tshtilrin.
OTHER LINEAGES STEMMING FROM DZENG
[211. 4-213. 5] Dzeng also taught the Vajra Bridge to Nyang Dharma- sirpha of Tsentang in Yarlung, who received the blessing and developed all-surpassing realisation. He stayed at Turtro Monastery and performed extensive acts of service to the world. Finally, he passed away in his seventy-seventh year. There is also an exegetical treatise according to his lineage. His disciple was Vajrapal). i, and the latter's was Lama Lha.
Again, Dzeng taught Serlungpa. Serlungpa's disciple was the master RangdrOl, who gave the teaching to his son Chorin.
Dzeng also taught Tu Dorje Gyeltsen, who gave the teaching to Tuton Tepa Tsondrti. There is also an exegetical treatise composed by one of his disciples.
Dzeng gave teaching to Zik Yeshe Wangpo, as well. He transmitted it to Khenpo Lhakawa; he to master Gonkyap; he to master Goriwa, who taught SotOn. And there is an exegetical treatise composed by Soton.
Dzeng also taught Yakton Dawa Qzer of Pung-ring. He transmitted the teaching to LoktOn Gendtinkyap, from whose lineage there also originated an exegetical treatise. This YaktOn of Pung-ring lived for almost one hundred years. He also passed the teaching to Laru Pende of upper anak, and it was duly propagated.
Finally, Dzeng gave teaching as well to Kyetse Yeshe Wangcuk. He passed it down to Zik Yeshe Wangpo; he to the great preceptor Ngurpa; he to TutOn Vajresvara; he to the great preceptor Sonam Gyeltsen; he to the great preceptor Zhonu Sherap; he to the master Zhonu Trakpa; he to the great preceptor Sangye Zangpo; he to Lama Tsondrti Wangcuk; he to Thazhi Trakpa Rincen; and he to master Sakya Gye1po. When the latter was young he was ordained as a novice at Trhaplakha; and eventually he received the complete ordination. He became learned in the Treasury ofthe Abhidhanna and the Vinaya, and became a scholar at the college of Kyorlung. His spiritual resolve steadily increased. In old age he grew blind, but continued to teach by explaining the texts after they had been read by another, so great was his enlightened
. TheMentalandSpati ICl . aspIration. When h a asses ofAtzyoga 553
e passed away at th
numberless relics were recover e age o! almost one hundred
. )akya Gyelpo taught [the V; . e. d from hIS heart.
gave [this and other teach' ]a}ra Brzdge] to Golo Zhonupel 610 h
L d" f
mgs to Ce-nga Ch"k' T
,w 0 rakpa' he to Ch"k' ' 0 1
Sheldrak' he to Kh 0 'yungtsangwaLd"
o ro 0
Gurupa; he to PangtOn Chowan
1
0 Pelden; he to PangtOn
K
Kunzang; he to Pangto"n K"
'.
mgs to RIkdzin T erdak Lingpa. 611
g Lhundrup; he to Cho"w
unzang Cho
1 Th gye .
ang e latter gave these teach-
3 The Esoteric Instructional ? f Atiyoga, the Innermost Spmtuahty
means of his power to transfer blessings directly; and he empowered her to reveal this doctrine in a future birth. Then he concealed it as a profound treasure.
