"The
dispersal
of the succeeding manifestations and their reincarnations is uncertain,
but they will continue to clear away obstacles and benefit all beings.
but they will continue to clear away obstacles and benefit all beings.
Tarthang-Tulku-Mother-of-Knowledge-The-Enlightenment-of-Yeshe-Tsogyal
Finally, you will become one with Padmasambhava and mTsho-rgyal.
"For thirteen future births, you will aid beings: In the future, toward the end of that time,
you will manifest to the west of this Mount Meru as a most wrathful being.
You will have the name of Nam-mkha'
and the form of a fierce Vajra l)aka.
Three births more and you will be called sTag-shams,
and you will stop the winds of karma and come to Padma-'od. Then you and I will part no more.
193
? ? ? With means and wisdom we will manifest to break the transmigratory cycle for beings.
"That will be a time to meditate,
developing the profound power of altruistic prayer;
a time to expand, with the essences of many profound secret teachings; a time to mature, as the result of profound meditation;
a time to develop, stirring up the creativity
of the profound Developing and Perfecting Stages;
a time to be born,
as the good result of profound transformative karma;
a time to move, like the great clouds of profound blessing;
a time to make fall the rain
from the expanse of profound compassion.
You will achieve your goal, Arya Sa-le-ba.
The power of truth will come, rGyal-ba byang-chub-pa.
For now, take this carefully to heart and practice. "
Then night fell on the evening of the eighth day.
Then, it is said, there came flying from the I;>akini Island ofOrgyan, the twelve types of nyul-le spirits and one hundred rwenty million different qakinis. At midnight the life-lords arrived with the breath- takers, the flesh-eaters and blood-drinkers, the bone-chewers, and the like, the rwelve types of qakinis who devour parts of a human being. They numbered fifty million and five thousand and five hundred, so it is said. Then came beasts of prey from the regions of the land and sky. When half had passed by, one hundred twenty million and one hun- dred twenty thousand qakinis of the world and of the twelve times of day rose up and mounted upon the backs of the animals.
Some rode upon the various carnivorous beasts, like the lions; others rode upon the various kinds of winged creatures, like the garudas. Some rode upon the various powerful animals, like the elephants; others rode the various game animals, like the antelopes. The whole region was filled with all sorts of creatures of varied forms, fearful ap- paritions, as well as men of all sorts, and other kinds of beings.
194
--
? -----------------~----------------
At dawn, <Jakinis came from the four regions of Orgyan and the twelve islands. Some were pure white, others were varied colors-red, green, blue, and so forth. Some were light yellow or reddish, light green or blue or brown, as well as white; others were red and white, or yellow and white, or green and white, or deep blue and white. Some were half white and half red, blue, yellow, or green.
In their hands the <Jakinis held various signs of their lineages: vari- ous types of ritual implements, daggers, and such. They wore silk robes, bone garlands and diadems, scarves and swirling skirts and veils. They carried musical instruments-thighbone trumpets, skull drums, and such like, too many to enumerate . . . but it is said there were fifty mil- lion and two hundred thousand of them.
From the break of dawn until sunrise, the <Jakinis danced in sixty- eight mandalas around strikingly beautiful female figures of great power and skill who, themselves, danced upon lotuses. Rainbows criss- crossed the sky, all the earth was filled with the smell of incense, and all of space was filled with <Jakinis.
During the time between midday and dusk, it is said the <Jakinis came from thirty-two holy places, ten dwellings of the Herukas, the eight great cemeteries, and two hot springs, each demonstrating her special skills.
They did various dances and showed various gestures, made various different kinds of music, sang many different songs, and performed many dances. They demonstrated their great dexterity, and then made various offerings accompanied by various different kinds of glances, praising mTsho-rgyal and honoring her. Then all together, they stopped and seated themselves upon the ground.
mTsho-rgyal circled the great assembly and magically distributed the offering sweets to all the men and women who were gathered there; to the <Jakinis, she gave even more wondrous things. Then each drank a skull cup of beer and, totally satisfied, sat down to listen to mTsho-rgyal.
mTsho-rgyal spoke the symbolic initiations of the secret <Jakinis to all the beings gathered there. l)akinis and ordinary people mingled
19:5
? ~-~----------------~~------------------~
together, and all were established on the level of Non-turning-back, soon to reach liberation.
At dusk of the ninth day, they went from the heart cave on the side of the mountain of Zab-bu, to the mountain peak of the Copper- colored Mountain. At first light, mTsho-rgyal opened the mandala of one letter, the blessing of the lama's heart. At the same time, there came spirits and demons of all kinds beyond measure, uncountable, innumerable, incomparable beings. Some had three heads, some one head, some no head, some five heads, some nine heads, some one hundred heads, and so on. Some had one leg, some up to one hundred thousand, and some even more.
In the midst of a radiant blue light, the queen of demonesses ap- peared, sent by the Lotus Guru with an invitation for mTsho-rgyal. lights rushed about in the sky as she passed among the crowds of beings. Then, at daybreak, the entire assembly circumambulated mTsho-rgyal. Her eleven faithful close disciples and others-humans, qakas, qakinis, demons, gods, and spirits-all bowed with great faith before the lady. With tears streaming down their faces, they asked her:
"Kye Ma! Kye Hud! Ye-shes Oakini!
Guru of mankind, Ye-shes mTsho-rgyal-ma!
You, the sole mother of all Tibet, are leaving for the sky. What can we preta-like hungry orphans do now?
Please, stay a while longer to protect Tibet.
"But if you cannot stay, if you must go, what will happen? Will the teachings in Tibet flourish or decline?
What will happen to the followers of the doctrine?
What will happen when demons manifest in the world? And what can we do to counteract such occurrences?
We ask you to tell us.
"In particular, how will you manifest,
with what teaching, in what place, and with what name? Please, do not hide anything, do not keep it a secret,
do not speak symbolically or in fragments.
All-wise and powerful one, we ask you to answer.
1%
? ~-~----------------~~~----------------~~~
"Specifically, what will become
of the three pans of your life story?
What will become of your oral lineage,
higher and lower, mother and son, one and many?
Especially what of the heart-drops of your body,
your Qikini incarnations?
Whatofyourspokentreasures?
What wonhy people should prepare them?
Where should they be hidden, and who should hide them? What gter masters will come, and when will they find them? We ask you to explain completely and precisely what will occur.
"We brothers and sisters gathered here, what will we do? Where will we go, where look for hope?
Who will clear up our obstacles
and help us when the time comes to die?
Alas! Alas! Look quickly upon us with compassion! "
Having said all this, they looked to mTsho-rgyal for extensive pre- dictions, which are presented in summary here:
"E Ma Ho! Listen attentively, gods and men ofTibet! Listen well, faithful, blessed ones.
I myself, the great Mother, Ye-shes mTsho-rgyal-ma, have been protecting Tibet now for 111 years.
The Dharma Protector King Ral-pa-can, Khti Ral-phyag-rdor, incarnation ofVajrapaQi,
will continue to suppon the Siitra and Mantra teachings
as did his ancestors.
"But his younger brother, the demon manifestation Giang, will conspire with the ministers.
The elder brother will be killed, and Giang will seize power. Not so much as the names of the early Siitra and Mantra will be left in Tibet.
"This king will encourage the ten unwholesome acts and the five inexpiable sins;
197
? ----------------~--------------
he will instigate improper laws harmful to the Buddhadharma. The greatest Dharma practitioners will be killed,
the lesser ones banished,
and the ordinary ones made servants.
"But yogi priests in the villages will keep the teachings alive. Although lHa-sa and bSam-yas will be left in ruin,
dPal-gyi rdo-rje will remember the prophecy.
"He will kill the demon king and then go to lower Khams. sMar and gYo both will preserve the Vinaya texts
like the last precious flame in a lamp.
Then ten monks will assemble at Glang-thang sGrol-ma. The teachings will enter dBus and gTsang again
like a shining light,
and again the Dharma will grow and spread throughout Tibet.
"The wisdom, power, and nobility of the Mantrayana will fill the earth,
though some will still perform
improper and hypocritical practices.
The incarnation of the speech of Orgyan,
the Master of Peace, Santarak~ita,
will be called Atisa. He will do much to spread both the Siitra and Mantra teachings.
"I, mTsho-rgyal, will be reborn as Jayakara,
appearing in the family of the 'Brom.
I will be close to the great lotsawa and will spread the teachings. When the lifespan is seventy years,
I will fill the world with brilliance
by explaining the Siitra and Mantra Dharmas.
"After that, a time will come when the lifespan is sixty years. The Dharma King will manifest as one named Sa
and uphold the teachings.
Later his lineage will decline in power
and the patron-leader relationship with Mongolia will be disconnected.
198
? ----------------~~~--------------~
"At this time Padmasambhava will produce a body manifestation called 'Brog-mi who will spread the teaching
of path and result, increasing and establishing
a strong tradition of both Siitra and Mantra.
"For a while it will seem
like the time of Sikyamuni Buddha,
but then a time will come when the land will become fragmented. The secret teachings will prosper again
when the lifespan is fifty years,
and the Dharma tradition will spread as it did in former times.
"A heart manifestation of Padmasambhava
will come from the southern valleys.
He will be called Mar-pa and will spread the Mantrayana teachings. Again, I, mTsho-rgyal, will be his body consort,
and one known as Mi-la will develop siddhi
after practicing austerities.
"Padmasambhava's quality incarnation will arise at Dvags-po, and the 'Bri, sTag, Kar, and 'Brug schools
will flow forth like rivers from Mount Ti-se,
forming an ocean of Dharma
and leading beings to the place of ultimate bliss.
"When men are old by age forty,
the teachings will become divided;
men will come to rely on the Mongols,
and the teachings will lose their subtlety.
The land ofTibet will again be fragmented,
and a time will come when the vision of the world is diseased.
"Then Padmasambhava's activity incarnation will be known as Karma. The teachings will spread in the country of Tibet
and be prolonged for thirty years.
The whole realm will be filled with the sounds of MA~I.
"Then, when men age in thirty years, the teachings of dGe-ldan will arise;
199
? ----------------~~~-----------
Padmasambhava's heart incarnation will come from dBus, and Tibet will be joyful and happy like a land of the gods.
"A powerful man from Zahor
will spread the Buddha's teachings
throughout dBus, gTsang, and Khams.
After that("~~~~~
the land ofTibet will fall upon unhappy times, and again be divided into many parts;
the Mongols will become very influential
and be looked to for support.
"When men are old at twenty years,
a speech incarnation of Padmasambhava
will come from lHo-brag
and establish all beings in bliss.
A Dharma ruler with a birthmark on his shoulder will appear from the land of Li-yul.
"When aging occurs at ten years,
the teaching will be found only in the border regions. Then, after manifesting a kalpa and an era,
the essence of earth will deteriorate,
and there will come the dark age
ofbDud-'joms Nag-po gya-chu.
"After that, Maitreya will come and lift up the world. For an era, things will look up,
and for two ages they will go downhill.
Then will come three more eras and four periods, long and short, so it is said.
These are only the very general characteristics of things to come.
"Throughout these times of change and trouble, look to the teachings of Padmasambhava
for ways to counteract these trends-
these words of truth will never fail you.
200
? ~-~-------------------~~------------------~&
"I myself, Ye-shes mTsho-rgyal,
will also never take my compassion from Tibet;
I will continue to manifest in the future for all beings. I will lead all beings to bliss
by emanating the light rays of skillful means.
"In particular, I will produce
five body, five speech, and five heart incarnations,
five quality, and five activity incarnations.
These twenty-five will continually protect Tibet.
They will produce again ten millions of manifestations, remanifesting, and manifesting again beyond that,
until the world of beings is completely exhausted.
All of these will be Great Mothers, possessing bliss, representations of the All-good,
uniting space and being, openness and Pristine Awareness in the centerless expanse of bliss.
"I will simply summarize the next five hundred years: Tibet will come to be like a great military camp, bristling with spears.
For a time it will be filled with fortresses,
on the plains and in the mountains,
at the ends and mouths of canyons.
Heretic demonesses will lead beings on wrong and twisted paths. For a time a reversed gcod teaching will spread across the land.
"The speech incarnation of my body aspect will appear with the characteristics of Tara. The body incarnation of my body aspect will come as Kun-dga' bzang-mo.
The heart incarnation of my body aspect will come as dPal-mo of dBus.
The quality incarnation of my body aspect will be called gYas-ru-bu.
The activity incarnation of my body aspect will be from Tam-yul in Khams.
201
? ~~--------------~~~--------
And they will establish
the profound and secret Mantrayana teachings, and will bring forth the teachings of the gCod and the profound Perfections.
"Bu will train beings by the four lion edicts,
but after some time, Tibet will become
cemetery food for the Mongols.
dBus and gTsang will be separated like the eyes on dice,
but the pure Buddhadharma will be like a burning butter lamp.
"In a time when a whirlwind of terrible obstacles clouds the air, Padmasambhava has prophesied the coming of one hundred gter masters.
The hidden treasure teachings of the Mantrayana will fill the world with bliss.
"But a hundred heretical and false gter masters will also come fabricating their own treasures- the use of black magic and witchcraft
based upon the false gter will spread.
"At that time, the body incarnation of my speech aspect will manifest at mNga'-ri:
She will be named sNyan-grags
and will distinguish the true and false gter.
"The speech incarnation of my speech aspect
will come as a lady from dBus:
She will manifest the signs of Orgyan
and will reinstate the ways of practice,
showing the marks and powers of Manrrayana achievement.
"The heart incarnation of my speech aspect will come from rTa-shod;
She will manifest the signs of the Lotus and will perform profound gter activities, giving siddhis to those who are ready.
202
? ----------------~~----------------~
"The quality incarnation of my speech aspect
will come from Kong-po:
Named Bu, she will comfort those in low conditions, and will completely remove the obstacles
working against the gter Masters.
"The activity incarnation of my speech aspect
will come from gTsang:
She will be namedJo-mo
and will perform the Vajravarahi practices,
filling the world with the blessings of Varahi's countenance.
"After that, there will come a time ofgreat border wars, violent as a stormy sea.
The Sa and the 'Bri will fight incessantly,
each holding tightly to his own sectarian bias.
The old and new traditions will split apart, and divisiveness will reign.
It will be a time of impurity
for both Dharma and non-Dharma.
"The body incarnation of my heart aspect
will come from Nyag-sa:
Named Orgyan, she will be a great Siddha
and increase meditative experience and realization.
"The speech incarnation of my heart aspect will be called bSod-nams dpal-'dren:
She will be a commoner from the North, and will teach those who are ready
how to realize siddhi at the time of death.
She will aid many worthy ones and give them siddhi.
"The heart incarnation of my heart aspect
will be called E:
She will come from dBus
to lead those with proper connection to the lands of the qakinis. She will show the path of freedom
to many practitioners of patterning and energy. 203
? ----------------~~~--------------~
"The quality incarnation of my heart aspect
will come from lHo-brag:
But it is uncertain what form this incarnation will take in leading beings to bliss.
"The activity incarnation of my heart aspect will come from the land of Nepal:
She will establish many beings in the Dharma by using skillful means.
"Some time after, the Dharma King will manifest five emanations. The ruler in gTsang will be like a firefly;
the palaces will be like mirages;
good news will be like the distant song ofgandharvas;
the bad advice of the clever will spread like poison;
and the Dharma teachings will be like a light about to go out. Tibet will patronize the Mongols, and give them gifts of brocade.
"The body incarnation of my quality aspect will be a qakini from dBus.
The speech incarnation of my quality aspect will be sGrol-ma from Khams.
The heart incarnation of my quality aspect will be sNye-mor sprul-sku.
The quality incarnation of my quality aspect will be a teacher from the North.
The activity incarnation of my quality aspect
will be from gTsang-rong.
It is uncertain exactly how they will manifest,
but by their magical abilities and extraordinary perception, they will lead those who are ready to Great Bliss.
"After that, the highlands and lowlands will go their own ways; the mountains, valleys, and roads will be divided up.
The populace will rise up, and everyone will want to be a ruler; the deceitful will take the part of the Mongols.
"Even the Dharma practitioners will fight- the monks will become militant,
204
? ~------------~~~--------------s
while the par:tqitas carry on the burden of plowing. Businessmen, ladies, and ordinary people
will pronounce upon the Dharma.
People will act like children and create much bad karma. lHa-sa will be destroyed by water, bSam-yas by wind, Khra-'brug will not last; its four corners will fall to ruin.
"The body incarnation of my activity aspect will come to mChims-phu.
The speech incarnation of my activity aspect will manifest at mNga'-ri.
The heart incarnation of my activity aspect will appear at sPu-bo.
The quality incarnation of my activity aspect will come from mDo-khams.
The activity incarnation of my activity aspect
will be dPon-mo from dBus.
There is some uncertainty as to their various forms. They will lead bounded beings to unbounded places; all those who are ready they will lead to Great Bliss.
"The dispersal of the succeeding manifestations and their reincarnations is uncertain,
but they will continue to clear away obstacles and benefit all beings.
From now until this cyclical world is emptied, they will manifest and reincarnate innumerable times without cessation.
"In the future, whoever meditates upon patterning and energy will experience a loosening of hard materiality
until the world assumes the form of a dream.
Again and again I will manifest as the Great Seal, the Mahamudra. The obstacles of the worthy will be removed,
and their spiritual development procured. Quickly they will develop bliss and warmth, and make friends with realization.
205
? ==---------------~~--------------~
"Concerning the three sections of my life story, the story of the mother,
the expanded version should be concealed here at the peak ofZab-bu Mountain.
The summary version should be hidden at lHo-brag, at the stairs to heaven.
The medium version should be hidden in Khams,
in a southern valley.
The higher and lower versions
of my special transmission teachings
and the mKha'-'gro'i snying-thig,
each of these I have given as oral instructions.
In the future, those three fortunate ones,
sBe, Byang-chub, and rMa, will bring them forth.
"In particular, there are nine auspicious circumstances connected with this history:
First, if one named Chos-dbang finds a gter treasure,
his benefit to beings will be famous throughout the realm, and his reputation as a teacher will reach even to China.
"But even if this auspicious omen
does not come about in the proper order,
a certain bKra-shis, who comes from upper Tibet, will appear; or if one Ral-pa lcang-lo-can draws a gter forth,
he will benefit beings throughout dBus and gTsang,
and finally spread his teachings to Nepal.
"But even if this auspicious event
does not occur in the proper order,
one called rDo-rje, said to be a great Hero, a dPa'-bo, will appear in the southern valleys and snow mountains. If he draws forth a gter,
the teachings will extend throughout mDo-khams,
and finally even Hor will receive his aid.
"But should this not occur in the proper order, one called Ra-dza from the lowlands will find gter,
206
? --------------~~~--------
after having accumulated great power through ascetic practices. Another rDo-rje from sPu-bo in the east,
who is also called Kun-dga', will draw them out.
Beings will be benefitted, but less and less.
"But should none of these happen, still there is one final chance. The gter will be found by three ladies,
or just spontaneously appear.
If that happens, only the immediate region will reap the benefit.
"Such are the nine auspicious omens which may occur in the future. Should only one be successful,
the teachings will still grow and spread,
continuing for five times five hundred years.
"There will be a place called Ka-thog in the east,
a center for the teachings of Guru Seng-ge sgra-sgrog; Padmasambhava buried thirty treasures there,
on the shoulder of a mountain like a haughty lion. The discovery of these profound treasures
will be a great and good omen in the future,
and Padmasambhava and his consort
will again help the beings of that region.
"I, mTsho-rgyal, will manifest as Dam-pa rgyal-mtshan. The secret mantric Ati teachings will last until the end; though from time to time, they may decline,
yet again their power will gradually rise.
This has been the final disclosure of mTsho-rgyal's teachings. I have given you many kind words of counsel and instruction.
"Now mTsho-rgyal cannot stay much longer.
Meditate and pray-speed up your practice!
All of you gathered here and all who will study in the future, keep my teachings and predictions within your hearts. "
After disclosing all this, mTsho-rgyal placed her right hand upon the Bhutani bKra-shis spyi-'dren, and an eight-petalled blue lotus appeared which changed into the syllables HOM PHAT and dissolved into the
207
? ----------------~~--------
right side of the Lady's heart. Her left hand she placed upon the Nepali Kalasiddhi, and a sixteen-petalled red lotus appeared, which became sixteen vowels and the symbol for HRf which dissolved into the left side of the Lady's heart.
At dusk of the ninth day, the Lord of the four Great Guardians, and those beings bound by inner, outer, and secret oaths, twelve representatives of the eight classes of spirits, came and welcomed mTsho-rgyal, saying: "Now, this is the final invitation to rNga-yab I;>akini Island. Come, Knowledge-holder, Great Radiant Blue Light. "
All the gods and men of Tibet tried their hardest to postpone her departure one last time. They pleaded with her and circumambulated her nine times. All the great mountain spirits and land gods of Tibet appeared to entreat her: rDo-rje legs-pa of gTsang, rMa-chen spom-ra of the east, Rong-btsan me-'bar of the south, mTsho-sman rgyal-mo of the north, Gang-bzang-ha'o of the west, and Li-byin har-legs of dBus, and more. Many great and fierce lords from all the land of Tibet and its neighbors assembled.
In particular, there came the twelve earth goddesses who asked for and received many teachings relevant to gods and men. Much more occurred, but it all cannot be included here for fear of making this account too long.
The next morning, at the dawn of the tenth day, there appeared a radiant eight-petalled lotus ofshining light, drawn by four qakinis who beckoned to mTsho-rgyal and invited her to enter.
Again, the Lady raised up her body. In her right hand she held a skull drum, and in her left hand a skull cup. Surrounded by a sphere of light, mTsho-rgyal entered into the radiance of the lotus. At the same time, all ofthosegathered there cried out: "What will become ofTibet now? What will we do? "
And she answered:
"Kye Ma! Listen, faithful Tibetans!
I am merging with the fundamental, the ground of all that is- physical pain and suffering are disappearing.
208
? -----------------~~--------- -
"The conditioned mTsho-rgyal is expanding
into the unconditioned,
and all of the pain and agony of the body's constituents are disappearing.
"Even the illusion of a body is dissolving,
and all needs for medicines, for cures and bleeding, are disappearing.
"This is the time for the essentials of training,
and concern with permanence and material things is disappearing.
"The holy Dharma has transformed my body into light; this bag of skin and pus and dark flesh
is disappearing.
"The Mother mTsho-rgyal is disappearing into the A; she need no longer cry out 'Ah! ' in pain.
"The son, the inner elements of my body,
is reuniting with the mother, the outer elements.
Her physical remains will disappear into earth and stone.
"The compassion of the Guru has never left me;
his manifestations fill all the world and call out to welcome me.
"This wild lady has done everything;
many times have I come and gone, but now, no longer.
I am a Tibetan wife sent back to her family.
I shall now appear as the Queen, the All-good, the Dharmakaya.
"This self-sufficient black lady
has shaken things up far and wide;
now the shaking will carry me away into the southwest.
"I have finished with intrigues,
with all the fervent cascades of schemes and deceptions;
I will take my winding way into the expanse of the Dharma.
209
? ? ? "I have mourned many men ofTibet who have left me behind- but now I am the one who will go to the land of the Buddhas.
"Do not suffer needlessly. Depend on prayer-
mTsho-rgyal will never depart from those who have devotion.
Just call upon me and I will appear-
dear friends, just summon me and I will return- ! wish the greatest happiness for you all. "
Thus she spoke, and at the same time a beautiful five-colored rain- bow appeared. Within it was an exquisite deep blue light in the shape of a sesame seed, and mTsho-rgyal disappeared within it. Four qakinis grasped the lotus by its petals and drew it up into the sky, higher and higher, until it disappeared.
All prayed and cried out in one voice:
"Kye Ma! Kye Hud! Ye-shes mTsho-rgyal-ma!
What a terrible thing you are doing!
What little compassion you show us!
If you will no longer protect the Tibetans,
who will help those sentient beings stricken with evil karma?
"When you, Mother, go to the Pure Land,
who will protect the impure and wicked Tibetans? Mother, when you have gone to the Pure Expanse, who will lead those beings
caught in the ripening of their bad karma?
"When you, Mother, go to the land of Great Bliss,
who will lead the anguished ones wandering in samsara? When you, Mother, go to the Lotus Light,
who will lead the beings of Tibet
caught in dark and wild canyons?
"When you, Mother, go to join Padmasambhava,
who will save those of us lost in the desert without refuge? Kye Ma! Kye Hud! Look upon us still with compassion! Please, we ask for a few words
of blessing for the land of Tibet.
210
? -~--------------~~~------------~
We also ask for a few words
of farewell for your countrymen.
Have you any way to soothe the sorrow
of those of us gathered here t9gether?
Mother, Lady, enfold us in your compassion. :Oakini, we ask you to lead us to the Lotus Light. "
For a long time they lamented, calling out such pleas, bowing to the ground, and crying. Then a brilliant luminous radiance appeared before
them, and they heard these words, though no one appeared:
"Kye Ma! Listen, faithful Tibetans!
I am the great Ye-shes mTsho-rgyal-ma!
My destructible parts have united
with the indestructible expanse;
they have become one with the Buddhas
in the realm of Padma-'od, the expanse of the Dharma. Do not suffer needlessly. Be happy!
"The sentient beings of Tibet suffer endlessly,
harmed by many and varied karmic actions.
But your suffering is self-produced-can't you see that? The ThreeJewels are the refuge place of sufferers- pray to them one-pointedly with your whole being.
I, the great Ye-shes mTsho-rgyal-ma,
have gone from the impure, the defiled, into space, but I can still magically manifest to help beings.
Do not suffer needlessly. Rejoice!
"This world is so heavy, weighted down
by the ripening of impure karmic actions.
Don't you see how relying on emotionality leads to misfortune? The holy Dharma is the way to gain maturity.
Take to heart its teachings on the ten virtues,
such as effort and the others.
I, the great Ye-shes mTsho-rgyal-ma,
because of spiritual maturation,
have gone to the realm of total purity.
211
? -=------------~~~-------------~
My deeds were all for the teaching's benefit,
which will continue without end when I am gone. Do not suffer needlessly. Be joyful!
"These many and varied unwholesome actions-
don't you see their fruit will ripen in hell?
Exert yourself in the wholesome use of body and speech,
and the lower realms will be purified.
Focus all three doors on striving for the wholesome Dharma. I, the great Ye-shes mTsho-rgyal-ma,
have gone to the expanse of Great Bliss, free of defilement. Those connected with me know the means to never fall back. Do not suffer needlessly. Sing and dance!
"The ocean of samsaric suffering is endless. To see it is to fear it-if you understand
the suffering pent up in your karmic actions, you have the means to escape: the holy Lama. Should you meet an appropriate teacher, whatever he says, you must do.
I, the great Ye-shes mTsho-rgyal-ma,
have gone to the expanse of space, the Lotus Light. I will be born into the perfectly pure lotus.
Do not suffer needlessly. Have faith!
"The land ofTibet is dark and savage;
can't you see the stupidity
of fighting painful battles and vying for narrow valleys?
Rely on your meditation retreat, without needs, without actions. Practice patterning, energy, and vitality,
the Mahamudra, the Great Perfection.
I am the great Ye-shes mTsho-rgyal-ma.
If you practice with devotion, my compassion will enfold you.
I go to stand before the Teacher, Padmasambhava-
do not suffer needlessly. Pray!
"Like helpless bubbles are bodies and deeds.
When you see impermanence, that the time of death is uncertain,
212
? ==---------------~~------------~
when you stop grasping for permanence,
you achieve: the siddhi of long life.
Practice until you reach the final stage of Ati. Kye Ho! Listen, dear ones, and don't cry!
"My compassion will never change or fade- to see me as gone is an eternalistic viewpoint. I have not died, I have not gone anywhere. Pray to me-even if I do not appear in person, I will give the desired siddhis
to those with one-pointed devotion.
"From now until the final generations,
Tibetans who are disciples of the Lotus Guru
will mature in the land of the great compassion.
Mafijusri's incarnation made this a land of the teachings; the Secret Lord, VajrapaQi, provided glory and power.
The teachings will ever remain as a great undisturbed ocean; the wrong-minded heretics cannot hurt them;
all the demons and demonic powers have been made calm. The Wheel of the Siitra Dharma will continue to be turned, and the secret teachings will gain power and success.
"May all the land ofTibet be filled with those who practice! May all those living in this land of Tibet
in the future rely upon the Triple Gem,
gain power over both pleasure and pain,
pursue the ten virtues, and avoid the ten non-virtues.
May the noble teachings be your guide
for both inner and outer pursuits.
Padmasambhava's words reveal what is right and what is not; Khri-srong's rules tell what is lawful and unlawful.
In Tibet, the laws were made according to the Dharma. Though enemies arise in all four corners,
they will be subjugated by the power of Dharma.
The compassion of the gods and the Three Jewels
will turn back all harm.
213
? =----------------~~~-------------
"Practice harmoniously, the spiritual way,
acting according to the Dharma.
Respect the Dharma as father, mother, and saint. Treat the high ones with unmeasured respect,
and offer what you have to the poor and lowly.
Pray with steadfast mind to the Lord Padmasambhava, always repeating, for your own sake and others',
the six-syllable prayer.
"Dear students of my lineage,
respectfully and humbly take up the four initiations.
Repeat the name of mTsho-rgyal as much as you can,
ask for the four empowerments, and let them permeate your mind. But do not fixate on anything whatsoever.
"For all the future,
Tibetans will retain Padmasambhava's inheritance. Those who strive to practice the Lama sadhana
will themselves be transformed intq the Lotus One, and great waves of compassion will flow forth.
Practice both the long and short versions of the sadhanas, and I promise you will attain Buddhahood in one lifetime.
"Recite the Vajra Guru mantra,
the essence of the essence of mantra.
Remember the tenth, eighth, and fifteenth days of the month are especially auspicious.
On those days, make many offerings and prayers.
If you do the Gar. tacakra perfectly even one time,
all evil births will be gone forever,
and you will never revert to samsara.
You must understand this: It is absolutely certain.
This is the heart of the Teacher, the Guru Siddhi.
"The lives of all the Buddhas of the three times is the syllable HOM,
the siddhis of all victorious yidams is the syllable DHI,
214
? ----------------~~~--------------~
the charismatic activity of all holy <Jakinis is the syllable SID,
cutting through the delusion of all sentient beings is the syllable MA,
the supreme Buddha realms of all the three times is the syllable PAD,
stopping the karmic winds which afflict the three gates is the syllable RU,
the heart initiation of Pristine Awareness is the syllable GU,
the great Mahamudra, indestructible emptiness, is the syllable JRA,
the symbol of the primordial Dharmadhatu is the syllable VA,
the NirmaQakaya which takes form to train beings is the syllable HUM,
the assembly of perfect enjoyment emanating from the Sambhogakaya is the syllable A,
the pure Dharmakaya, the All-good, Samantabhadci is the syllable OM.
"These twelve syllables are the very essence of Padmasambhava. Recite them, and you reverse samsaric proclivities-
one hundred thousand times
and you will clean away the sins of the three doors;
two and you cut the evil karma of the three times;
three and you will not return to this world;
seven hundred thousand and
you will meet Padmasambhava in this lifetime;
one million and you will realize the four charismatic acts; six million and you shake off samsara;
ten million and you are one with Amitabha-
you will certainly attain the siddhi of whatever you desire. The benefits of surpassing this number are truly wonderful.
215
? ==---------------~~------------~
"This mantra is the antidote,
the means to pass from and reverse all misery:
OM is the bringing together
of the five body aspects of all the Tathagatas,
AJ:I is the gathering together
of the essence of the five aspects of their speech,
HUM is the five aspects of their mind,
the unification of the four kayas as the Svabhavakaya,
V A is the sign of the unchangeable Mahamudra,
JRA is the compassionate enlightened activity of the diamond scepter,
GU is the Lama Herukas of the three times,
RU is the seed of the essence of maturation and liberation,
P AD is the opening of the blissful realm of Sukhavati,
M A is the entrance into the womb of the Great Bliss,
SID is the forceful radiant activity
and responsive compassion of the enlightened mind,
DHI is the power to satisfy all desires, HUM is absolute being eternally realized.
"This. mantra is the wish-fulfilling gem.
It can also be interpreted
according to the twelve links of dependent origination,
or in terms of the great Mother,
the very essence of the ten paramitas.
It can be performed in various ways.
You beings here now, and you who are yet to come,
please practice and rely upon this essential mantra.
Now, until the dualistic identity mind melts and dissolves, it may seem that we are parting.
Please be happy.
When you understand the dualistic mind,
216
? ~-------------------~~~----------------~~
there will be no separation from me. May my good wishes fill all the sky. "
After she had spoken, colorful dazzling lights burst forth which slowly dissolved into darkness as mTsho-rgyal disappeared in a vivid radiant halo into the southwest, in the direction of rNga-yab.
All those left behind bowed down countless times and prayed fer- vently. They were so upset that tears ran down their faces, their breath came in gasping sobs, and they stumbled about, barely able to stand.
"For thirteen future births, you will aid beings: In the future, toward the end of that time,
you will manifest to the west of this Mount Meru as a most wrathful being.
You will have the name of Nam-mkha'
and the form of a fierce Vajra l)aka.
Three births more and you will be called sTag-shams,
and you will stop the winds of karma and come to Padma-'od. Then you and I will part no more.
193
? ? ? With means and wisdom we will manifest to break the transmigratory cycle for beings.
"That will be a time to meditate,
developing the profound power of altruistic prayer;
a time to expand, with the essences of many profound secret teachings; a time to mature, as the result of profound meditation;
a time to develop, stirring up the creativity
of the profound Developing and Perfecting Stages;
a time to be born,
as the good result of profound transformative karma;
a time to move, like the great clouds of profound blessing;
a time to make fall the rain
from the expanse of profound compassion.
You will achieve your goal, Arya Sa-le-ba.
The power of truth will come, rGyal-ba byang-chub-pa.
For now, take this carefully to heart and practice. "
Then night fell on the evening of the eighth day.
Then, it is said, there came flying from the I;>akini Island ofOrgyan, the twelve types of nyul-le spirits and one hundred rwenty million different qakinis. At midnight the life-lords arrived with the breath- takers, the flesh-eaters and blood-drinkers, the bone-chewers, and the like, the rwelve types of qakinis who devour parts of a human being. They numbered fifty million and five thousand and five hundred, so it is said. Then came beasts of prey from the regions of the land and sky. When half had passed by, one hundred twenty million and one hun- dred twenty thousand qakinis of the world and of the twelve times of day rose up and mounted upon the backs of the animals.
Some rode upon the various carnivorous beasts, like the lions; others rode upon the various kinds of winged creatures, like the garudas. Some rode upon the various powerful animals, like the elephants; others rode the various game animals, like the antelopes. The whole region was filled with all sorts of creatures of varied forms, fearful ap- paritions, as well as men of all sorts, and other kinds of beings.
194
--
? -----------------~----------------
At dawn, <Jakinis came from the four regions of Orgyan and the twelve islands. Some were pure white, others were varied colors-red, green, blue, and so forth. Some were light yellow or reddish, light green or blue or brown, as well as white; others were red and white, or yellow and white, or green and white, or deep blue and white. Some were half white and half red, blue, yellow, or green.
In their hands the <Jakinis held various signs of their lineages: vari- ous types of ritual implements, daggers, and such. They wore silk robes, bone garlands and diadems, scarves and swirling skirts and veils. They carried musical instruments-thighbone trumpets, skull drums, and such like, too many to enumerate . . . but it is said there were fifty mil- lion and two hundred thousand of them.
From the break of dawn until sunrise, the <Jakinis danced in sixty- eight mandalas around strikingly beautiful female figures of great power and skill who, themselves, danced upon lotuses. Rainbows criss- crossed the sky, all the earth was filled with the smell of incense, and all of space was filled with <Jakinis.
During the time between midday and dusk, it is said the <Jakinis came from thirty-two holy places, ten dwellings of the Herukas, the eight great cemeteries, and two hot springs, each demonstrating her special skills.
They did various dances and showed various gestures, made various different kinds of music, sang many different songs, and performed many dances. They demonstrated their great dexterity, and then made various offerings accompanied by various different kinds of glances, praising mTsho-rgyal and honoring her. Then all together, they stopped and seated themselves upon the ground.
mTsho-rgyal circled the great assembly and magically distributed the offering sweets to all the men and women who were gathered there; to the <Jakinis, she gave even more wondrous things. Then each drank a skull cup of beer and, totally satisfied, sat down to listen to mTsho-rgyal.
mTsho-rgyal spoke the symbolic initiations of the secret <Jakinis to all the beings gathered there. l)akinis and ordinary people mingled
19:5
? ~-~----------------~~------------------~
together, and all were established on the level of Non-turning-back, soon to reach liberation.
At dusk of the ninth day, they went from the heart cave on the side of the mountain of Zab-bu, to the mountain peak of the Copper- colored Mountain. At first light, mTsho-rgyal opened the mandala of one letter, the blessing of the lama's heart. At the same time, there came spirits and demons of all kinds beyond measure, uncountable, innumerable, incomparable beings. Some had three heads, some one head, some no head, some five heads, some nine heads, some one hundred heads, and so on. Some had one leg, some up to one hundred thousand, and some even more.
In the midst of a radiant blue light, the queen of demonesses ap- peared, sent by the Lotus Guru with an invitation for mTsho-rgyal. lights rushed about in the sky as she passed among the crowds of beings. Then, at daybreak, the entire assembly circumambulated mTsho-rgyal. Her eleven faithful close disciples and others-humans, qakas, qakinis, demons, gods, and spirits-all bowed with great faith before the lady. With tears streaming down their faces, they asked her:
"Kye Ma! Kye Hud! Ye-shes Oakini!
Guru of mankind, Ye-shes mTsho-rgyal-ma!
You, the sole mother of all Tibet, are leaving for the sky. What can we preta-like hungry orphans do now?
Please, stay a while longer to protect Tibet.
"But if you cannot stay, if you must go, what will happen? Will the teachings in Tibet flourish or decline?
What will happen to the followers of the doctrine?
What will happen when demons manifest in the world? And what can we do to counteract such occurrences?
We ask you to tell us.
"In particular, how will you manifest,
with what teaching, in what place, and with what name? Please, do not hide anything, do not keep it a secret,
do not speak symbolically or in fragments.
All-wise and powerful one, we ask you to answer.
1%
? ~-~----------------~~~----------------~~~
"Specifically, what will become
of the three pans of your life story?
What will become of your oral lineage,
higher and lower, mother and son, one and many?
Especially what of the heart-drops of your body,
your Qikini incarnations?
Whatofyourspokentreasures?
What wonhy people should prepare them?
Where should they be hidden, and who should hide them? What gter masters will come, and when will they find them? We ask you to explain completely and precisely what will occur.
"We brothers and sisters gathered here, what will we do? Where will we go, where look for hope?
Who will clear up our obstacles
and help us when the time comes to die?
Alas! Alas! Look quickly upon us with compassion! "
Having said all this, they looked to mTsho-rgyal for extensive pre- dictions, which are presented in summary here:
"E Ma Ho! Listen attentively, gods and men ofTibet! Listen well, faithful, blessed ones.
I myself, the great Mother, Ye-shes mTsho-rgyal-ma, have been protecting Tibet now for 111 years.
The Dharma Protector King Ral-pa-can, Khti Ral-phyag-rdor, incarnation ofVajrapaQi,
will continue to suppon the Siitra and Mantra teachings
as did his ancestors.
"But his younger brother, the demon manifestation Giang, will conspire with the ministers.
The elder brother will be killed, and Giang will seize power. Not so much as the names of the early Siitra and Mantra will be left in Tibet.
"This king will encourage the ten unwholesome acts and the five inexpiable sins;
197
? ----------------~--------------
he will instigate improper laws harmful to the Buddhadharma. The greatest Dharma practitioners will be killed,
the lesser ones banished,
and the ordinary ones made servants.
"But yogi priests in the villages will keep the teachings alive. Although lHa-sa and bSam-yas will be left in ruin,
dPal-gyi rdo-rje will remember the prophecy.
"He will kill the demon king and then go to lower Khams. sMar and gYo both will preserve the Vinaya texts
like the last precious flame in a lamp.
Then ten monks will assemble at Glang-thang sGrol-ma. The teachings will enter dBus and gTsang again
like a shining light,
and again the Dharma will grow and spread throughout Tibet.
"The wisdom, power, and nobility of the Mantrayana will fill the earth,
though some will still perform
improper and hypocritical practices.
The incarnation of the speech of Orgyan,
the Master of Peace, Santarak~ita,
will be called Atisa. He will do much to spread both the Siitra and Mantra teachings.
"I, mTsho-rgyal, will be reborn as Jayakara,
appearing in the family of the 'Brom.
I will be close to the great lotsawa and will spread the teachings. When the lifespan is seventy years,
I will fill the world with brilliance
by explaining the Siitra and Mantra Dharmas.
"After that, a time will come when the lifespan is sixty years. The Dharma King will manifest as one named Sa
and uphold the teachings.
Later his lineage will decline in power
and the patron-leader relationship with Mongolia will be disconnected.
198
? ----------------~~~--------------~
"At this time Padmasambhava will produce a body manifestation called 'Brog-mi who will spread the teaching
of path and result, increasing and establishing
a strong tradition of both Siitra and Mantra.
"For a while it will seem
like the time of Sikyamuni Buddha,
but then a time will come when the land will become fragmented. The secret teachings will prosper again
when the lifespan is fifty years,
and the Dharma tradition will spread as it did in former times.
"A heart manifestation of Padmasambhava
will come from the southern valleys.
He will be called Mar-pa and will spread the Mantrayana teachings. Again, I, mTsho-rgyal, will be his body consort,
and one known as Mi-la will develop siddhi
after practicing austerities.
"Padmasambhava's quality incarnation will arise at Dvags-po, and the 'Bri, sTag, Kar, and 'Brug schools
will flow forth like rivers from Mount Ti-se,
forming an ocean of Dharma
and leading beings to the place of ultimate bliss.
"When men are old by age forty,
the teachings will become divided;
men will come to rely on the Mongols,
and the teachings will lose their subtlety.
The land ofTibet will again be fragmented,
and a time will come when the vision of the world is diseased.
"Then Padmasambhava's activity incarnation will be known as Karma. The teachings will spread in the country of Tibet
and be prolonged for thirty years.
The whole realm will be filled with the sounds of MA~I.
"Then, when men age in thirty years, the teachings of dGe-ldan will arise;
199
? ----------------~~~-----------
Padmasambhava's heart incarnation will come from dBus, and Tibet will be joyful and happy like a land of the gods.
"A powerful man from Zahor
will spread the Buddha's teachings
throughout dBus, gTsang, and Khams.
After that("~~~~~
the land ofTibet will fall upon unhappy times, and again be divided into many parts;
the Mongols will become very influential
and be looked to for support.
"When men are old at twenty years,
a speech incarnation of Padmasambhava
will come from lHo-brag
and establish all beings in bliss.
A Dharma ruler with a birthmark on his shoulder will appear from the land of Li-yul.
"When aging occurs at ten years,
the teaching will be found only in the border regions. Then, after manifesting a kalpa and an era,
the essence of earth will deteriorate,
and there will come the dark age
ofbDud-'joms Nag-po gya-chu.
"After that, Maitreya will come and lift up the world. For an era, things will look up,
and for two ages they will go downhill.
Then will come three more eras and four periods, long and short, so it is said.
These are only the very general characteristics of things to come.
"Throughout these times of change and trouble, look to the teachings of Padmasambhava
for ways to counteract these trends-
these words of truth will never fail you.
200
? ~-~-------------------~~------------------~&
"I myself, Ye-shes mTsho-rgyal,
will also never take my compassion from Tibet;
I will continue to manifest in the future for all beings. I will lead all beings to bliss
by emanating the light rays of skillful means.
"In particular, I will produce
five body, five speech, and five heart incarnations,
five quality, and five activity incarnations.
These twenty-five will continually protect Tibet.
They will produce again ten millions of manifestations, remanifesting, and manifesting again beyond that,
until the world of beings is completely exhausted.
All of these will be Great Mothers, possessing bliss, representations of the All-good,
uniting space and being, openness and Pristine Awareness in the centerless expanse of bliss.
"I will simply summarize the next five hundred years: Tibet will come to be like a great military camp, bristling with spears.
For a time it will be filled with fortresses,
on the plains and in the mountains,
at the ends and mouths of canyons.
Heretic demonesses will lead beings on wrong and twisted paths. For a time a reversed gcod teaching will spread across the land.
"The speech incarnation of my body aspect will appear with the characteristics of Tara. The body incarnation of my body aspect will come as Kun-dga' bzang-mo.
The heart incarnation of my body aspect will come as dPal-mo of dBus.
The quality incarnation of my body aspect will be called gYas-ru-bu.
The activity incarnation of my body aspect will be from Tam-yul in Khams.
201
? ~~--------------~~~--------
And they will establish
the profound and secret Mantrayana teachings, and will bring forth the teachings of the gCod and the profound Perfections.
"Bu will train beings by the four lion edicts,
but after some time, Tibet will become
cemetery food for the Mongols.
dBus and gTsang will be separated like the eyes on dice,
but the pure Buddhadharma will be like a burning butter lamp.
"In a time when a whirlwind of terrible obstacles clouds the air, Padmasambhava has prophesied the coming of one hundred gter masters.
The hidden treasure teachings of the Mantrayana will fill the world with bliss.
"But a hundred heretical and false gter masters will also come fabricating their own treasures- the use of black magic and witchcraft
based upon the false gter will spread.
"At that time, the body incarnation of my speech aspect will manifest at mNga'-ri:
She will be named sNyan-grags
and will distinguish the true and false gter.
"The speech incarnation of my speech aspect
will come as a lady from dBus:
She will manifest the signs of Orgyan
and will reinstate the ways of practice,
showing the marks and powers of Manrrayana achievement.
"The heart incarnation of my speech aspect will come from rTa-shod;
She will manifest the signs of the Lotus and will perform profound gter activities, giving siddhis to those who are ready.
202
? ----------------~~----------------~
"The quality incarnation of my speech aspect
will come from Kong-po:
Named Bu, she will comfort those in low conditions, and will completely remove the obstacles
working against the gter Masters.
"The activity incarnation of my speech aspect
will come from gTsang:
She will be namedJo-mo
and will perform the Vajravarahi practices,
filling the world with the blessings of Varahi's countenance.
"After that, there will come a time ofgreat border wars, violent as a stormy sea.
The Sa and the 'Bri will fight incessantly,
each holding tightly to his own sectarian bias.
The old and new traditions will split apart, and divisiveness will reign.
It will be a time of impurity
for both Dharma and non-Dharma.
"The body incarnation of my heart aspect
will come from Nyag-sa:
Named Orgyan, she will be a great Siddha
and increase meditative experience and realization.
"The speech incarnation of my heart aspect will be called bSod-nams dpal-'dren:
She will be a commoner from the North, and will teach those who are ready
how to realize siddhi at the time of death.
She will aid many worthy ones and give them siddhi.
"The heart incarnation of my heart aspect
will be called E:
She will come from dBus
to lead those with proper connection to the lands of the qakinis. She will show the path of freedom
to many practitioners of patterning and energy. 203
? ----------------~~~--------------~
"The quality incarnation of my heart aspect
will come from lHo-brag:
But it is uncertain what form this incarnation will take in leading beings to bliss.
"The activity incarnation of my heart aspect will come from the land of Nepal:
She will establish many beings in the Dharma by using skillful means.
"Some time after, the Dharma King will manifest five emanations. The ruler in gTsang will be like a firefly;
the palaces will be like mirages;
good news will be like the distant song ofgandharvas;
the bad advice of the clever will spread like poison;
and the Dharma teachings will be like a light about to go out. Tibet will patronize the Mongols, and give them gifts of brocade.
"The body incarnation of my quality aspect will be a qakini from dBus.
The speech incarnation of my quality aspect will be sGrol-ma from Khams.
The heart incarnation of my quality aspect will be sNye-mor sprul-sku.
The quality incarnation of my quality aspect will be a teacher from the North.
The activity incarnation of my quality aspect
will be from gTsang-rong.
It is uncertain exactly how they will manifest,
but by their magical abilities and extraordinary perception, they will lead those who are ready to Great Bliss.
"After that, the highlands and lowlands will go their own ways; the mountains, valleys, and roads will be divided up.
The populace will rise up, and everyone will want to be a ruler; the deceitful will take the part of the Mongols.
"Even the Dharma practitioners will fight- the monks will become militant,
204
? ~------------~~~--------------s
while the par:tqitas carry on the burden of plowing. Businessmen, ladies, and ordinary people
will pronounce upon the Dharma.
People will act like children and create much bad karma. lHa-sa will be destroyed by water, bSam-yas by wind, Khra-'brug will not last; its four corners will fall to ruin.
"The body incarnation of my activity aspect will come to mChims-phu.
The speech incarnation of my activity aspect will manifest at mNga'-ri.
The heart incarnation of my activity aspect will appear at sPu-bo.
The quality incarnation of my activity aspect will come from mDo-khams.
The activity incarnation of my activity aspect
will be dPon-mo from dBus.
There is some uncertainty as to their various forms. They will lead bounded beings to unbounded places; all those who are ready they will lead to Great Bliss.
"The dispersal of the succeeding manifestations and their reincarnations is uncertain,
but they will continue to clear away obstacles and benefit all beings.
From now until this cyclical world is emptied, they will manifest and reincarnate innumerable times without cessation.
"In the future, whoever meditates upon patterning and energy will experience a loosening of hard materiality
until the world assumes the form of a dream.
Again and again I will manifest as the Great Seal, the Mahamudra. The obstacles of the worthy will be removed,
and their spiritual development procured. Quickly they will develop bliss and warmth, and make friends with realization.
205
? ==---------------~~--------------~
"Concerning the three sections of my life story, the story of the mother,
the expanded version should be concealed here at the peak ofZab-bu Mountain.
The summary version should be hidden at lHo-brag, at the stairs to heaven.
The medium version should be hidden in Khams,
in a southern valley.
The higher and lower versions
of my special transmission teachings
and the mKha'-'gro'i snying-thig,
each of these I have given as oral instructions.
In the future, those three fortunate ones,
sBe, Byang-chub, and rMa, will bring them forth.
"In particular, there are nine auspicious circumstances connected with this history:
First, if one named Chos-dbang finds a gter treasure,
his benefit to beings will be famous throughout the realm, and his reputation as a teacher will reach even to China.
"But even if this auspicious omen
does not come about in the proper order,
a certain bKra-shis, who comes from upper Tibet, will appear; or if one Ral-pa lcang-lo-can draws a gter forth,
he will benefit beings throughout dBus and gTsang,
and finally spread his teachings to Nepal.
"But even if this auspicious event
does not occur in the proper order,
one called rDo-rje, said to be a great Hero, a dPa'-bo, will appear in the southern valleys and snow mountains. If he draws forth a gter,
the teachings will extend throughout mDo-khams,
and finally even Hor will receive his aid.
"But should this not occur in the proper order, one called Ra-dza from the lowlands will find gter,
206
? --------------~~~--------
after having accumulated great power through ascetic practices. Another rDo-rje from sPu-bo in the east,
who is also called Kun-dga', will draw them out.
Beings will be benefitted, but less and less.
"But should none of these happen, still there is one final chance. The gter will be found by three ladies,
or just spontaneously appear.
If that happens, only the immediate region will reap the benefit.
"Such are the nine auspicious omens which may occur in the future. Should only one be successful,
the teachings will still grow and spread,
continuing for five times five hundred years.
"There will be a place called Ka-thog in the east,
a center for the teachings of Guru Seng-ge sgra-sgrog; Padmasambhava buried thirty treasures there,
on the shoulder of a mountain like a haughty lion. The discovery of these profound treasures
will be a great and good omen in the future,
and Padmasambhava and his consort
will again help the beings of that region.
"I, mTsho-rgyal, will manifest as Dam-pa rgyal-mtshan. The secret mantric Ati teachings will last until the end; though from time to time, they may decline,
yet again their power will gradually rise.
This has been the final disclosure of mTsho-rgyal's teachings. I have given you many kind words of counsel and instruction.
"Now mTsho-rgyal cannot stay much longer.
Meditate and pray-speed up your practice!
All of you gathered here and all who will study in the future, keep my teachings and predictions within your hearts. "
After disclosing all this, mTsho-rgyal placed her right hand upon the Bhutani bKra-shis spyi-'dren, and an eight-petalled blue lotus appeared which changed into the syllables HOM PHAT and dissolved into the
207
? ----------------~~--------
right side of the Lady's heart. Her left hand she placed upon the Nepali Kalasiddhi, and a sixteen-petalled red lotus appeared, which became sixteen vowels and the symbol for HRf which dissolved into the left side of the Lady's heart.
At dusk of the ninth day, the Lord of the four Great Guardians, and those beings bound by inner, outer, and secret oaths, twelve representatives of the eight classes of spirits, came and welcomed mTsho-rgyal, saying: "Now, this is the final invitation to rNga-yab I;>akini Island. Come, Knowledge-holder, Great Radiant Blue Light. "
All the gods and men of Tibet tried their hardest to postpone her departure one last time. They pleaded with her and circumambulated her nine times. All the great mountain spirits and land gods of Tibet appeared to entreat her: rDo-rje legs-pa of gTsang, rMa-chen spom-ra of the east, Rong-btsan me-'bar of the south, mTsho-sman rgyal-mo of the north, Gang-bzang-ha'o of the west, and Li-byin har-legs of dBus, and more. Many great and fierce lords from all the land of Tibet and its neighbors assembled.
In particular, there came the twelve earth goddesses who asked for and received many teachings relevant to gods and men. Much more occurred, but it all cannot be included here for fear of making this account too long.
The next morning, at the dawn of the tenth day, there appeared a radiant eight-petalled lotus ofshining light, drawn by four qakinis who beckoned to mTsho-rgyal and invited her to enter.
Again, the Lady raised up her body. In her right hand she held a skull drum, and in her left hand a skull cup. Surrounded by a sphere of light, mTsho-rgyal entered into the radiance of the lotus. At the same time, all ofthosegathered there cried out: "What will become ofTibet now? What will we do? "
And she answered:
"Kye Ma! Listen, faithful Tibetans!
I am merging with the fundamental, the ground of all that is- physical pain and suffering are disappearing.
208
? -----------------~~--------- -
"The conditioned mTsho-rgyal is expanding
into the unconditioned,
and all of the pain and agony of the body's constituents are disappearing.
"Even the illusion of a body is dissolving,
and all needs for medicines, for cures and bleeding, are disappearing.
"This is the time for the essentials of training,
and concern with permanence and material things is disappearing.
"The holy Dharma has transformed my body into light; this bag of skin and pus and dark flesh
is disappearing.
"The Mother mTsho-rgyal is disappearing into the A; she need no longer cry out 'Ah! ' in pain.
"The son, the inner elements of my body,
is reuniting with the mother, the outer elements.
Her physical remains will disappear into earth and stone.
"The compassion of the Guru has never left me;
his manifestations fill all the world and call out to welcome me.
"This wild lady has done everything;
many times have I come and gone, but now, no longer.
I am a Tibetan wife sent back to her family.
I shall now appear as the Queen, the All-good, the Dharmakaya.
"This self-sufficient black lady
has shaken things up far and wide;
now the shaking will carry me away into the southwest.
"I have finished with intrigues,
with all the fervent cascades of schemes and deceptions;
I will take my winding way into the expanse of the Dharma.
209
? ? ? "I have mourned many men ofTibet who have left me behind- but now I am the one who will go to the land of the Buddhas.
"Do not suffer needlessly. Depend on prayer-
mTsho-rgyal will never depart from those who have devotion.
Just call upon me and I will appear-
dear friends, just summon me and I will return- ! wish the greatest happiness for you all. "
Thus she spoke, and at the same time a beautiful five-colored rain- bow appeared. Within it was an exquisite deep blue light in the shape of a sesame seed, and mTsho-rgyal disappeared within it. Four qakinis grasped the lotus by its petals and drew it up into the sky, higher and higher, until it disappeared.
All prayed and cried out in one voice:
"Kye Ma! Kye Hud! Ye-shes mTsho-rgyal-ma!
What a terrible thing you are doing!
What little compassion you show us!
If you will no longer protect the Tibetans,
who will help those sentient beings stricken with evil karma?
"When you, Mother, go to the Pure Land,
who will protect the impure and wicked Tibetans? Mother, when you have gone to the Pure Expanse, who will lead those beings
caught in the ripening of their bad karma?
"When you, Mother, go to the land of Great Bliss,
who will lead the anguished ones wandering in samsara? When you, Mother, go to the Lotus Light,
who will lead the beings of Tibet
caught in dark and wild canyons?
"When you, Mother, go to join Padmasambhava,
who will save those of us lost in the desert without refuge? Kye Ma! Kye Hud! Look upon us still with compassion! Please, we ask for a few words
of blessing for the land of Tibet.
210
? -~--------------~~~------------~
We also ask for a few words
of farewell for your countrymen.
Have you any way to soothe the sorrow
of those of us gathered here t9gether?
Mother, Lady, enfold us in your compassion. :Oakini, we ask you to lead us to the Lotus Light. "
For a long time they lamented, calling out such pleas, bowing to the ground, and crying. Then a brilliant luminous radiance appeared before
them, and they heard these words, though no one appeared:
"Kye Ma! Listen, faithful Tibetans!
I am the great Ye-shes mTsho-rgyal-ma!
My destructible parts have united
with the indestructible expanse;
they have become one with the Buddhas
in the realm of Padma-'od, the expanse of the Dharma. Do not suffer needlessly. Be happy!
"The sentient beings of Tibet suffer endlessly,
harmed by many and varied karmic actions.
But your suffering is self-produced-can't you see that? The ThreeJewels are the refuge place of sufferers- pray to them one-pointedly with your whole being.
I, the great Ye-shes mTsho-rgyal-ma,
have gone from the impure, the defiled, into space, but I can still magically manifest to help beings.
Do not suffer needlessly. Rejoice!
"This world is so heavy, weighted down
by the ripening of impure karmic actions.
Don't you see how relying on emotionality leads to misfortune? The holy Dharma is the way to gain maturity.
Take to heart its teachings on the ten virtues,
such as effort and the others.
I, the great Ye-shes mTsho-rgyal-ma,
because of spiritual maturation,
have gone to the realm of total purity.
211
? -=------------~~~-------------~
My deeds were all for the teaching's benefit,
which will continue without end when I am gone. Do not suffer needlessly. Be joyful!
"These many and varied unwholesome actions-
don't you see their fruit will ripen in hell?
Exert yourself in the wholesome use of body and speech,
and the lower realms will be purified.
Focus all three doors on striving for the wholesome Dharma. I, the great Ye-shes mTsho-rgyal-ma,
have gone to the expanse of Great Bliss, free of defilement. Those connected with me know the means to never fall back. Do not suffer needlessly. Sing and dance!
"The ocean of samsaric suffering is endless. To see it is to fear it-if you understand
the suffering pent up in your karmic actions, you have the means to escape: the holy Lama. Should you meet an appropriate teacher, whatever he says, you must do.
I, the great Ye-shes mTsho-rgyal-ma,
have gone to the expanse of space, the Lotus Light. I will be born into the perfectly pure lotus.
Do not suffer needlessly. Have faith!
"The land ofTibet is dark and savage;
can't you see the stupidity
of fighting painful battles and vying for narrow valleys?
Rely on your meditation retreat, without needs, without actions. Practice patterning, energy, and vitality,
the Mahamudra, the Great Perfection.
I am the great Ye-shes mTsho-rgyal-ma.
If you practice with devotion, my compassion will enfold you.
I go to stand before the Teacher, Padmasambhava-
do not suffer needlessly. Pray!
"Like helpless bubbles are bodies and deeds.
When you see impermanence, that the time of death is uncertain,
212
? ==---------------~~------------~
when you stop grasping for permanence,
you achieve: the siddhi of long life.
Practice until you reach the final stage of Ati. Kye Ho! Listen, dear ones, and don't cry!
"My compassion will never change or fade- to see me as gone is an eternalistic viewpoint. I have not died, I have not gone anywhere. Pray to me-even if I do not appear in person, I will give the desired siddhis
to those with one-pointed devotion.
"From now until the final generations,
Tibetans who are disciples of the Lotus Guru
will mature in the land of the great compassion.
Mafijusri's incarnation made this a land of the teachings; the Secret Lord, VajrapaQi, provided glory and power.
The teachings will ever remain as a great undisturbed ocean; the wrong-minded heretics cannot hurt them;
all the demons and demonic powers have been made calm. The Wheel of the Siitra Dharma will continue to be turned, and the secret teachings will gain power and success.
"May all the land ofTibet be filled with those who practice! May all those living in this land of Tibet
in the future rely upon the Triple Gem,
gain power over both pleasure and pain,
pursue the ten virtues, and avoid the ten non-virtues.
May the noble teachings be your guide
for both inner and outer pursuits.
Padmasambhava's words reveal what is right and what is not; Khri-srong's rules tell what is lawful and unlawful.
In Tibet, the laws were made according to the Dharma. Though enemies arise in all four corners,
they will be subjugated by the power of Dharma.
The compassion of the gods and the Three Jewels
will turn back all harm.
213
? =----------------~~~-------------
"Practice harmoniously, the spiritual way,
acting according to the Dharma.
Respect the Dharma as father, mother, and saint. Treat the high ones with unmeasured respect,
and offer what you have to the poor and lowly.
Pray with steadfast mind to the Lord Padmasambhava, always repeating, for your own sake and others',
the six-syllable prayer.
"Dear students of my lineage,
respectfully and humbly take up the four initiations.
Repeat the name of mTsho-rgyal as much as you can,
ask for the four empowerments, and let them permeate your mind. But do not fixate on anything whatsoever.
"For all the future,
Tibetans will retain Padmasambhava's inheritance. Those who strive to practice the Lama sadhana
will themselves be transformed intq the Lotus One, and great waves of compassion will flow forth.
Practice both the long and short versions of the sadhanas, and I promise you will attain Buddhahood in one lifetime.
"Recite the Vajra Guru mantra,
the essence of the essence of mantra.
Remember the tenth, eighth, and fifteenth days of the month are especially auspicious.
On those days, make many offerings and prayers.
If you do the Gar. tacakra perfectly even one time,
all evil births will be gone forever,
and you will never revert to samsara.
You must understand this: It is absolutely certain.
This is the heart of the Teacher, the Guru Siddhi.
"The lives of all the Buddhas of the three times is the syllable HOM,
the siddhis of all victorious yidams is the syllable DHI,
214
? ----------------~~~--------------~
the charismatic activity of all holy <Jakinis is the syllable SID,
cutting through the delusion of all sentient beings is the syllable MA,
the supreme Buddha realms of all the three times is the syllable PAD,
stopping the karmic winds which afflict the three gates is the syllable RU,
the heart initiation of Pristine Awareness is the syllable GU,
the great Mahamudra, indestructible emptiness, is the syllable JRA,
the symbol of the primordial Dharmadhatu is the syllable VA,
the NirmaQakaya which takes form to train beings is the syllable HUM,
the assembly of perfect enjoyment emanating from the Sambhogakaya is the syllable A,
the pure Dharmakaya, the All-good, Samantabhadci is the syllable OM.
"These twelve syllables are the very essence of Padmasambhava. Recite them, and you reverse samsaric proclivities-
one hundred thousand times
and you will clean away the sins of the three doors;
two and you cut the evil karma of the three times;
three and you will not return to this world;
seven hundred thousand and
you will meet Padmasambhava in this lifetime;
one million and you will realize the four charismatic acts; six million and you shake off samsara;
ten million and you are one with Amitabha-
you will certainly attain the siddhi of whatever you desire. The benefits of surpassing this number are truly wonderful.
215
? ==---------------~~------------~
"This mantra is the antidote,
the means to pass from and reverse all misery:
OM is the bringing together
of the five body aspects of all the Tathagatas,
AJ:I is the gathering together
of the essence of the five aspects of their speech,
HUM is the five aspects of their mind,
the unification of the four kayas as the Svabhavakaya,
V A is the sign of the unchangeable Mahamudra,
JRA is the compassionate enlightened activity of the diamond scepter,
GU is the Lama Herukas of the three times,
RU is the seed of the essence of maturation and liberation,
P AD is the opening of the blissful realm of Sukhavati,
M A is the entrance into the womb of the Great Bliss,
SID is the forceful radiant activity
and responsive compassion of the enlightened mind,
DHI is the power to satisfy all desires, HUM is absolute being eternally realized.
"This. mantra is the wish-fulfilling gem.
It can also be interpreted
according to the twelve links of dependent origination,
or in terms of the great Mother,
the very essence of the ten paramitas.
It can be performed in various ways.
You beings here now, and you who are yet to come,
please practice and rely upon this essential mantra.
Now, until the dualistic identity mind melts and dissolves, it may seem that we are parting.
Please be happy.
When you understand the dualistic mind,
216
? ~-------------------~~~----------------~~
there will be no separation from me. May my good wishes fill all the sky. "
After she had spoken, colorful dazzling lights burst forth which slowly dissolved into darkness as mTsho-rgyal disappeared in a vivid radiant halo into the southwest, in the direction of rNga-yab.
All those left behind bowed down countless times and prayed fer- vently. They were so upset that tears ran down their faces, their breath came in gasping sobs, and they stumbled about, barely able to stand.
