In his seventh year he received the vows of a novice from one known as the all-knowing Trhapa Sakya
at Pangshong Lharika.
at Pangshong Lharika.
Dudjom Rinpoche - Fundamentals and History of the Nyingmapa
However, be- cause he was unable to establi$h their texts on the basis of the yellow scrolls, it is well known that he reconcealed them as treasures.
In short, Orgyen Lingpa discovered twenty-eight great treasure troves, along with related materials, as illustrated by an infinite number of images, sacramental objects, riches and treasures. None the less, having opened the gateway of this doctrine for the first time at Trhadruk KhyamtO, during the performance of the great preparation for the empowerment of the Gathering of Transmitted Precepts (bka'-'dus-kyi dbang-sgrub chen-mo), he was harshly rebuked by Ta'i Situ Cangcup Gyeltsen of Neudongtse, because of a prophecy which contained an insinuation. 1035 For this reason, the rest of the auspicious coincidence was lost and the treasure-finder himself had to flee to the districts of E and Takpo. Not long afterwards, he passed away at Locung in the vicinity of E. His remains were transported to Takpo and placed whole into an earthen reliquary at the monastery of Zhapje.
Later, the worthy aristocrat Kurap heard the well-known [assertion that the flesh of] one born seven times [as a brahman] grants liberation when tasted. He asked for a tiny morsel of the flesh and, tasting it, blazed with mystical experience. He was able to move about one cubit above the ground and fly from one valley to another. Therefore, Orgyen Lingpa's mummified corpse became most valuable.
At a later date, Jamyang Khyentse Wangpo dispatched the preceptor Lama Trashi Ozer from Dokam as a messenger to request some of the flesh; and he greatly multiplied it [by using it as] a continuous catalyst for sacramental substances which liberate when tasted. Afterwards, Temo Rinpoche, the regent of Tibet,1036 had the mummified corpse transported to Pentsang Monastery in Neudong, and enshrined in a wooden reliquary. He kept twenty measures of pills made from the flesh in the Norbu Lingka [i. e. the summer palace in Lhasa].
Subsequently, the supreme conqueror, the Great Thirteenth [Dalai Lama] realised that the body would be excessively harmed by the plunder of its flesh, and that this would be detrimental to the merits of Tibet in general. He wanted to enshrine the precious mummified remains in the Tse Palace [i. e. the Potala in Lhasa], and sent Dron Kungtal). gpa to transfer the body. But the Great Protector of the Doc- trine at Samye unexpectedly possessed [his oracle] 'and swore that it would be improper to transfer the corpse from that southern region to another place. 1037 Consequently, it was left where it was.
While travelling in the southern districts, Dalai Lama XIII purposely visited Pentsang Monastery and, for the benefit of living creatures, gave to that monastery about four measures of the pills which had
776
History: Close Lineages ofthe Treasures
Orgyen Lingpa
Yugong Rock in Tra he retrieved the Great Sequence 1 -rim chen-mo), the Short of the Path of Secret Mantra am h -ba) the Testa-
d bh (padma'l rnam-thar c ung ,
Biography of Pa masam ava. . . ' . (h '-b ed bka'-chems
ment which Elucidates the SigniflcanQce of Coincidence
Gathering of the umtessence 'J
rious treasure sites at Samye,
f Moreover, rom
d t h
(rten-'brelyang-snying the;ah d -l a)'1033 from the the Fivefold Group of InJunctlOnS (bka Supreme Light
don-gsa
l)
,an
e
Stupas of Zurkardo, the G. reat de-mcho'g) and the Glorious . C . , (h rlechen-poye-s es 0 ,
ofPristme ogmtlOn t ugs-'J h )'1034 f m the "tiger den" at ! . iger-riding Lord (dpal-mgon the ofthe Teaching Onpuk the Cycles of the WrathJu from Trakpoche in Traci, (gu-ru drag-po_dang tshe-bdag-gi skor). Countmg
Cycle of Yamantaka, or 1 eC' these and others, Orgyen mgpa lOU
nd more than one hundred volumes
778 History: Close Lineages ofthe Treasures
previously been compounded from the flesh. All that remained was mixed with medicinal powder and, assisted by his tutor, Camgon Rin- poche of Phurbucok, the supreme conqueror used it to completely restore [the mummified remains] with his own hands. He enshrined it in a reliquary of fine wood which was covered with gilded copper from the base of the spire upwards. Between the spire and the dome he inserted the remains inside a lattice window and personally sealed the lattices. 1038 Later, he sent a letter to the residents of Neudong Fort and the monastic college of Pentsang, containing an enumeration of the various duties to be performed carefully and equally by those who supervised and venerated [the reliquary]. This letter, marked with the Dalai Lama's personal seal, consisted of seventeen pages in the form of a booklet folded back and forth, with each page sealed individually. I have had the good fortune to have actually seen that letter in the archives of the college at Pentsang. At some later time, when the relic- box containing the pills made of the flesh which the Dalai Lama had given to the monastery was opened, [it was found that] they had mul- tiplied by four.
It is said that because Ta'i Situ had disturbed the auspicious coinci- dence, the dominion of the Phakmotrupa and their followers began to dwindle, like floodwaters at the end of autumn. 1039
The family of this treasure-finder, Orgyen Lingpa, lived in Trap Tsangka and its environs. Although it is not clear how they served the doctrine it appears that they were a wonderful lineage of awareness- holders, all of whom could display various signs of accomplishment.
It is clear that among the cycles of his treasure doctrines the continu-
ous lineages of empowerment and transmission belonging to the cycles
of the Supreme Light ofPristine Cognition (ye-shes 'od-mchog), the Wrath-
ful Guru (gur-drag), the Means for the Attainment ofLongevity (tshe-sgrub),
and the Tiger-riding Lord alone were preserved until the time of Rikdzin
104o
Terdak Lingpa.
transmissions of the Injunction ofPadma which was Discovered at Crystal Rock (padma bka'-thang shel-brag-ma), the Fivefold Group ofInjunctions (sde-lnga), and the Gathering ofthe Quintessence ofAuspicious Coincidence do still exist. In particular, as had been clearly prophesied in Orgyen Lingpa's own treasures, an ancient manuscript, containing a cycle sum- marising the essence of the Great Gathering of Transmitted Precepts (bka'-'dus chen-mo'i snying-po mdor-bsdus skor) actually came into the hands of the venerable Perna Osel Do-nga Lingpa. On the basis of some [of the text], which appeared in the symbolic script of the ejakinls, he established the continuous transmission of its maturation and liber- ation, and this, together with the necessary texts, is preserved in the
Orgyen Lingpa 779 chen-mo)1041 and elsewhere, this is not merel
the attamment of the Guru (bla-sgrub) [ h' Y a means for T. ' or a teac mg of] th E' h
Precepts (bka'-brgyad) to which the name Gatheringo;r, 19 t mItted Precepts has been affixed. Rather, it sets forth the twent rans- o,f the Gathering of Transmitted Precepts in
guag;, ence, It IS as an object of great conviction and won er, and has rekIndled the dying embers of the teaching,
Still, they are not to be seen today. The continuous
Great Store ofPrecious Treasure. As it is made clear in the Great Biography
9 Ngodrup Gyeltsen) or Rikdzin Giidemcen
[563. 5-567. 6] Ngodrup Gyeltsen, the great awareness-holder and treasure-finder, was the reincarnation of Nanam Dorje Dtijom and one of the three supreme emanations. He was born, attended by extraordin- ary omens, on Tuesday 11 February 1337 (tenth day, month ofmiracles, fire female ox year, sixth cycle),1042 into the household of Namolung, which hailed from the district of Thoyor Nakpo, to the north-east of Mount Trazang. He was the son of the master Dtidtil, who belonged to an unbroken lineage ofaccomplished masters ofVajrakIla, descended from the clan of the Horpa king Kurser. 1043 In accordance with a prophecy, when Ngodrup Gyeltsen was in his twelfth year three vulture feathers grew from the crown of his head, ard five when he was at the age of twenty-four. Therefore, he became universally known as Rikdzin Godemcen, the "Vulture-quilled Awareness-holder". During his youth he attained the limits of study, reflection, and meditation upon all the Nyingmapa doctrinal cycles which were the doctrines ofhis forefathers.
There was one Zangpo Trakpa of Manglam who had discovered, in Gyang Yonpolung, eight doctrinal topics, including the Essential Invent- ory which Treats the Essence ofthe Esoteric Instructions in Seven Sections (snying-byang man-ngag gnad-kyi don bdun-ma). He realised that these were required as ancillary texts for the treasures to be revealed at Lhadrak, and for this reason he offered them to the great awareness- holder Godemcen, sending them through Tonpa Sonam Wangcuk. Accordingly, on Sunday 19 April 1366 (eighth day, snake month, fire horse year),1044 on the summit of Mount Trazang, at the three stone pillars of Dzengdrak Karpo, Rikdzin Godemcen found the key to three great treasures and one hundred minor treasures, and at that place he concealed a substitute treasure. That treasure ground, which was then left as it was, is known today as Lungseng, "Windy Hollow". Even at
present, new shoots sprout there at the beginning of each new year. At dusk on Sunday 14 June (fourth day, sheep month) of that same year [1366], in the cave of Zangzang Lhadrak, on the slopes of the rock mountain of Tukdrtil Pungdra, Rikdzin Godemcen discovered a great,
Rikdzin Gbdemcen
profound treasure containing five tr .
partments inside a square blu t easure chambers III separate com-
treasure chamber in the e chest. From the maroon core three kIlas wrapped in three. paper scrolls and
chamber to the east the D .
itional Aspects of the Causal and Fru- rgyu-'bras la-Zlo-ba'i chos dgon s- a lS Vast as Space (las the yellow gold treasure t t:-mkha dang mnyam-pa); from
the Four Aspects ofRitual Service A e the. Cycle of
the Sun and Moon (b b ttaznment whzch 1S Lumznous like snyen-sgru rnam pa b h·'· h
gsal-ba)- from the r d -
, e copper treasure chamb
ofAuspicious Coincidence which· l"k S
Z 1Z c os-skor nyi-zla-ltar h
er to t e west, the Doctrine
gyi chos tsan-dan-gyi sdong_ 0 a andalwood Tree (rten- 'brel-can-
chamber to the north th PD . u), from the black iron treasure
tacles, and which is lik' ep whzch Pulverises Enemies and Obs-
h e a Olsonous Plant Cd b h
c os dug-gi sdong-po lta b ) I h gra- gegs tal-bar rlog-pa'i P · - u. n s ort he fou d 1 .
enetratlOn ofSamantabhadra's In '. n count ess doctnnes, the foremost among them and tentlOn (kun-bzang dgongs-pa zang-thal) five treasure chambers' held Because each of the
m the. whIte conch treasure
one undred doctrmal topics, there were
781
782 History: Close Lineages a/the Treasures
h d d ' 11 He established their yellow scrolls, . those of five un re In a . d h amongst worthy recIpIents. In
Ngodrup Gyeltsen 783
guru and by doing so promoted the happiness and feliCity of Tibet. When Godemcen had arrived at the completion of such deeds, in his seventy-second year [1408], his intention dissolved into the expanse of
reality, accompanied by many wondrous omens.
The doctrinal streams which came through the lineages of his sons, consort and disciples have continued until the present day without decline. Among these doctrinal lineages there were many who passed
away in the rainbow body and many who became accomplished masters. During the time of Rikdzin II, Lekdenje, who was the second Godem- cen, and of Trashi Topgyel Wangpoide, the master of the Northern Treasure, who was the reincarnation of Ngari PaD-cen, the entire monas-
tic community of their seminary became a wandering encampment, as a result of the depredations of Zhingshakpa, the governor of Tsang. 1046 Therefore, [its members] became known as Eva1)1cokgarwa, the "Camp
Troops of Eva1)1 Tower". During the lifetime of Rikdzin III, Ngagi- wangpo, who was the son of that master of the Northern Treasure, the seat was re-established in Central Tibet and became universally re-
nowned as Thupten Dorje Trak. Rikdzin IV, Zhapdrung Perna Trhinle, greatly increased the enlightened activity of the three spheres [exegesis, attainment, and work] there, so that it became a fountain-head of the teaching of the Ancient Translation School. Up to the present day, the
seat of Thubten Dorje Trak has been maintained by the successive emanations ofRikdzin Godemcen and others. Accordingly, from Ladak in To Ngari, all the way to Dartsedo in lower Gyelmorong, there have
been a great many centres of the doctrine which adhere to this doctrinal
lineage.
. b h andpropagatetem . theIr ranc. e s , . . ervaded all the regions of TIbet.
this way, hIS doctr. mal :afound treasures exist only as means
? enerally all t of [the people of] Tibet and Kham
to mcrease the happmes. s and . y t' ular this Northern Treasure . h' d f t re lIves' but m par IC , .
". .
(byang-gter h h' turning back invading armIes, ter-
dunngtISan uu
) . without omISSIOn, .
everything that anyone mIght require for Increasmg. t e teachmg, 'fication of civil war, exorcism of
minating ;f authority, and the con- Gongpo It contains various ways to promote the trol of epidemIc. s and. Plagues;al and in particular, from Khyunglung
of ! Ibet, m to Longtang Drolma in Mekam [far
Ngtilkar In To [western . d keys for many sacred places
eastern Tibet], and also the great hidden lands. There-
and lands, foremost w known to resemble a minister core this single treasure IS umversa y
11 , 11 T'b d Kham
who . . servesa 1 et openedthegatetothat
In later lIfe Godemcen wehnt I f Kungtang revered him as his sacred land. Chokdrupde, t e mg 0 ,
Rikdzin III, Ngagiwangpo
lOSangye Lingpa
. . Sangye Lingpa 785 whIle tha. t guru went to Central Tibet, he remained behind in
sohtary retreat m the upper valley of Lhtindrup T
o . h eng.
. ne. mg t the treasure protector Tsengo Chenpo actually presented
hIm WIth three paper scrolls. They contained an inventory oftre
Pro h ' d . . asures . p eCIes, an mstructIOns on the way to attain the treasures A d' mgly S L' , . CCor-
, angye mgpa s guru offered provisions so that he could perform the means to attam the treasures in the prescribed manner Th Padmasambhava of O<;i<;iiyana, along with a host of <;iakinls,
[567. 6-575. 3] The great treasure-finder Sangye Lingpa, who was the emanation of Lhase Tamdzin Rolpa Yeshetsel,1047 was born, attended by wondrous omens, in 1340 (iron male dragon year, sixth cycle) at Traksum Dorje Trak, above the cultivated valley of Kyingpu Yulung, one of Orgyen's places ofattainment, in the Nyangpo district ofKongpo. His father, Khamzhik Taklung Nyonpa, was an emanation of Haya- grlva, and his mother, A-Hu11l Gyen, had the marks of one who had been blessed by Vajravarahi. The boy was given the name of Rikdzin. In his fifth year he received the vows of a layman from the preceptor Zhonupel,1048 and had a pure vision of the Great Compassionate One. He learned to read and write the letters just by being shown the script and was quite clever; but his father passed away, his mother remarried, and, disliked by his stepfather, the boy experienced hardship.
During that time he received a prophetic declaration from a red woman, in compliance with which he went to meet the lord among conquerors, Rolpei Dorje [Karmapa IV], in the valley below Longpo Trongsar. At Cangcupling, a monastery near Tsari, he was ordained as a novice by the preceptor Cangcup Dorje and the master Sakya Yeshe. The name Sangye Zangpo was conferred upon him. Therefore, when later he had discovered profound treasures, he became universally known as Sangye Lingpa. From those two, preceptor and master, he received many transmitted doctrines. Then, when the venerable Rolpei Dorje returned from Central Tibet, he said to Lama Cangcup Dorje, "Give this nephew of yours to me. " He complied and the Karmapa, greatly delighted, prophesied that the boy would guide many living creatures.
When Sangye Lingpa arrived in Lhasa, he had visions of Avalokites- vara, and, above all, of the precious master Padmasambhava. Starting then, he had repeated visions and vowed to practise [in retreat] for three years. After the death of the lama Cangcup Dorje, Sangye Lingpa proceeded into the presence of the lama Choki Lodro, a learned and accomplished master at Tsari, and became his spiritual son. At that
Sangye Lingpa
and permission to fulfil the prophecies. On Friday 23
(twenty-fifth day, seventh month, wood male dragon
. from the great cavern ofPuri he extracted the texts and esoteric InstructIOnsoftheltd' G h .
G h . n enne late at erzng of Transmitted Precepts the 'dat erz)ng 0t. the . Guru's Intention (bka'-'dus bar-ba bla-ma
us-pa , whIch IS unique am 11 h b
Tib . ong a t e su terranean treasures of
o htoget? er WIth the Doctrinal Cycle of the Great Compassionate
t tugs-rye chen-po'i chos-skor). Sangye Lingpa showed these books
who ,,:as delighted. He then studied and and culti-
. em expenentlally, and so became the first master of these doctnnes.
786 History: Close Lineages ofthe Treasures
Sangye Lingpa 787
Then, beginning that year, Sangye Lingpa gradually discovered treasures at Karzuk Trhang, Jeworong, Tsecen Trak, Longpo Cangde Bumpa, Longpo Kada Trhang, and Kyengi Karteng Trhang. In these locations he found the Heart Essence ofthe Attainment ofKfla (phur-sgrnb thugs-kyi nying-khu), the Black Tortoise Divination Chart (gtad-khram rns-sbal nag-po), Black Hayagrfva (rta-mgrin nag-po), and also the Great
Compassionate One, Utterly Secret and Unsurpassed (thugs-rje chen-po yang-gsang bla-med). Further, he discovered material treasures, includ- ing sacramental objects and pills, a mask of Orgyen, a gold-filled copper
vase, an iron kIla, and twenty-one multiplying remains ofthe Tathagata. When Sangye Lingpa discovered the treasures at Kongpo Chimytil, the treasure-finder Trime Lhtinpo was also summoned there by a prophetic declaration of the qakinls. Together, they extracted the Blue- robed Vajrapar;,i (phyag-rdor gos-sngon-can), the Wrathful Mantra which Halts All the Monpa Spirits (ngan-sngags mon-pa dgu-rdug), the En-
lightened Mind of Orgyen and His Consort (o-rgyan yab-yum-gyi byang- sems), et cetera. At Puri Rincen Barwa he discovered the Doctrinal Cycle of Sublime Avalokitesvara (,phags-pa spyan-ras-gzigs-kyi chos-skor); and at Cagoshong, the Great Compassionate One (thugs-chen), the Alchemy Cycle (bcud-len skor), and the Wind-Lasso oflsvara (dbang-phyug rlung- zhags). In this last treasure trove he also found the Prophecy ofCangcup
Lingpa Pelgi Gyeltsen (byang-chub gling-pa dpal-gyi rgyal-mtshan-gyi lung- bstan). A person who was sent to investigate in LaW, met the treasure- finder [prophesied therein], and became convinced. Moreover, from Tsari, Sangye Lingpa extracted the Means for the Attainment of the Naga King Sugriva (klu-rgyal mgrin-bzang sgrnb-thabs); and from Gyer Cemakarpo, the Means for the Attainment of Longevity which Conjoins the Sun and Moon (tshe-sgrnb nyi-zla kha-sbyor), among others. And from Gyala Shinjei Badong he brought forth the Yamantaka, Lord of
Life (gshin-rje tshe-bdag), the Charm which Overthrows when Hurled (thun-phog 'gyel), and the Ceremony for Brandishing the Ritual Kfla of Orgyen (o-rgyan-gyi las-phur gdengs-chog), and so forth, in co-operation with the treasure-finder Trime Lhtinpo.
Furthermore, in a retreat cave of Orgyen, Sangye Lingpa found the
Essential Epitome ofthe Great Perfection (rdzogs-chen snying-po bsdus-pa). At Kongpo Tamrtil he discovered the Six Root Tantras ofthe Gathering of Intentions (dgongs-'dus rtsa-ba'i rgyud-drng); in Samye Chimpu an especially sublime image of Orgyen; and in Orsho Lungdrom a called "Tiger-Meat God", a qakinI's body ornament, and so on. In way, Sangye Lingpa found eighteen great treasure troves hls twenty-fifth and thirty-second year. In addition, it is not posslble to
describe the countless minor treasures he discovered.
Those occasions were constantly marked by rains of flowers , canopies of rainbow light, sounds of music, or the appearance of qakinls. In accord with the prophetic declaration of Va;ravarahI and the twelve
qakinls [of her circle], Sangye Lingpa divided the Gathering ofIntentions precisely into thirteen volumes with the edges dyed red, a custom that has been maintained down to the present day. 1050
It says in a Prophetic Declaration (lung-bstan): .
One hundred billion will become firm in the stage of creation.
Eight hundred thousand will actually reveal signs of accomplishment.
Ninety thousand will be liberated in the incorruptible apparitional body.
Ten billion will obtain sundry accomplishments.
Those in whom the seed of liberation is planted will be
countless.
Not confined to one age, this will occur in a gradual
lineage.
Exactly so, it is well known that there were, above all, twenty great streams which continued the succession of the Gathering of Intentions alone. There were countless masters of the various other treasure doc- trines of Sangye Lingpa. The foremost among them were the lord among conquerors, Karmapa IV, Rolpei Dorje; Zhamarpa Khaco Wangpo; the great lord of Neudong [Ta'i Situ Cangcup [Gyeltsen]; the Sakyapa lama Tampa Sonam Gyeltsen; Yakde Pa1)cen; the great preceptor of Coten, Sonam Zangpo; and Drigung Choki Gyelpo. The other aristocrats, great gurus, and imp9rtant men who followed him were countless.
Particularly, when the Great Ming emperor ofChina invited Karmapa V, Tezhinshekpa,1051 he made the following written request: "Please bring with you an immaculate treasure doctrine of Padmakara, the accomplished master from Oqqiyana. " The doctrine master Tezhin- shekpa brought the profound doctrine of the Gathering of Intentions, a miraculous, dark-blue vase, and a golden vajra [emblematic] of the commitments, which he presented to the emperor, who rejoiced and, as is well known, offered the Karmapa a privy seal1052 and special robes.
Sangye Lingpa founded the monastery of Decen Samdrup in Nyipu
and made it his principle seat. When he performed the attainment of
nectar-elixir (bdud-rtsi sman-gyi sgrnb-pa), the signs and miracles which
actually appeared were more sublime than those of others. The catalyst
[which he compounded at that time] has remained potent to the present day. 1053
After infinitely benefitting the teaching and living creatures in these ways, on Saturday 8 April 1396 (thirtieth day, third month, fire male mouse),1054 during his fifty-seventh year, while he was residing at Cangcupling, Sangye Lingpa's intention dissolved into the expanse of reality.
788 History: Close Lineages ofthe Treasures
The second incarnation of Sangye Lingpa took birth in Nelpa Meu, as the son of Tondrup Gyelpo, but passed away in childhood, The thIrd incarnation was born in Longpo Kying. Trtilku Pelden [as,he was known] returned to his predecessor's seat and IS known for havmg widely served the teaching and living , .
Afterwards, there was no clear lineage of but the of Sangye Lingpa's descendants continued until later times. From hIS son Yeshe Dorje and Cakyungpa Pelden Senge, was, foremost
h d' , les who were the masters of his doctnne, hneages of amongteISClP , dd
descendants and disciples, in which there were succeSSIve learne ,an accomplished masters, emerged. The lineage was transmItted through [the hierarchs of] the earlier and later Tsele,105 the elder and younger T abla,1056 et cetera. Th,us the profound treasures of San, gyIe L' d the Gathering of Intentions above all, were extensIve y
11 Dorje Lingpa
fD k
0 am
1057 At a later date, Zhapdrung Thucen Ngawang of B? utan,
became the master of the doctrine of the entire maturation and ,lIberation of the Gathering of the Guru's Intention, which he had receIved from KongRikdzinNyingpo,the generationdescendantof Lingpa, In the monastic commumtIes of the [of Bhutan] of whIch the foremost was his own seat of Dewachenpo m Punakha, he estab- lished the elaborate practice of worship on tenth day [of each month],1058 in connection with the great attamment of the Gatherzng of Intentions. This enlightened activity of the ceremony the fulfilment [of commitments, skong-chog] ,1059 and so forth, has c,ont,mued to spread throughout the southern districts [of Bhutan and Slkklm].
mgpa, an , d" propagated throughout Tibet in general, and m the lstncts 0
[575. 3-580. 3] Dorje Lingpa was the third kingly treasure-finder and the actual presence of the great translator Vairocana. He was born in 1346 (fire male dog year, sixth cycle) at a place called Tranang Entsa in Central Tibet. His father was KhutOn Sonam Gyeltsen, who came
from a line of mantrins who were holders of indestructible reality, and his mother was Karmogyen. They gave him the name Orgyen Zangpo. The signs and wonders associated with his awakening to the genuine enlightened family were inconceivable.
In his seventh year he received the vows of a novice from one known as the all-knowing Trhapa Sakya
at Pangshong Lharika. Under that guru, and others as well, he com- pleted the study of sutra and mantra doctrines, ancient and new.
In his thirteenth year he had seven visions of the precious Orgyen. Then, following an inventory, which had been discovered in the treas- ures of Guru Chowang, he found his first treasure trove behind the image of Como [Tara] at Trhadruk. 1060 It included the Means for the
Attainment of the Three Roots (rtsa-gsum sgrub-thabs), minor means for attainment, inventories and their supplements, wrathful mantras, and instructions on alchemy, there being one hundred and eight of each, along with their particular prophecies. In his fifteenth year Dorje Lingpa opened the way to the treasures of Okar Rock in the lower valley of
Cing. Guru Rinpoche actually arrived inside that most spacious cave of attainment, constructed a maIf9ala and gave him empowerment. Preceding each separate scroll of yellow paper, he gave him the trans- mission and sacraments consecrated as treasures. Moreover, Dorje Lingpa also brought forth an image of Guru Rinpoche, four volumes
that had been the King's,1061 a hundred paper scrolls, four vases con- taining the water of life, amulets containing sacramental substances, et cetera. Among the treasures, he discovered such doctrinal works as the Biographical Injunction in Eight Chapters (rnam-thar thang-yig le'u brgyad-
pa), the Vast Expanse ofthe View, a Father Tantra ofthe Great Perfection (rdzogs-chen pha-rgyud lta-ba klong-yangs), the Sun which Illumines the Expanse, a Mother Tantra (ma-rgyud klong-gsal nyi-ma), the Further
in particular,
· softhe Treasures e
1L
790 History: C ose meag " d Moon
In the cave of Metsornyen at Zaplung, Dorje Lingpa received dona- tions from both Thangla and Kangkar Shame [two protective divinities]. He assembled the many great gods and demons of the Land of Snows and undertook the great attainment of the Eight Transmitted Precepts (bka'-brgyad sgrub-chen). To all of them he gave empowerment. He travelled emanationally to the eight great charnel grounds, where he met the eight awareness-holders, and received the Instructions of the Eight Confidences (gding-brgyad-kyi gdams-pa). When he discovered the treasure troves, Guru Rinpoche, Yeshe Tshogyel, Vairocana, and others actually appeared and bestowed empowerments and instructions upon him. By displaying a wonderful array of miraculous abilities he loosened all fetters of doubt and secured others in irreversible faith. He also left behind many impressions of his body, hands, and feet. In Zaplung, Kharcu, and ZhotO Tidro, respectively, he found one hundred and eight [rites for] empowerment, consecration, fulfilment [of commit- ments] and repentance, burnt offerings, and subjugation. Such are the examples of his extensive service on behalf of the happiness of Tibet.
The foremost among Dorje Lingpa's profound, vast and limitless doctrinal treasures was the Trio ofthe Guru, Great Perfection, and Great Compassionate One (bla-rdzogs-thugs-gsum). He found wonderful images such as that of Vajrasattva, which he discovered at Phungpo Riwoche, and the eleven-faced Avalokitesvara and the sandalwood image of Tara which he discovered in the "Vase Pillar" of Lhasa [i. e. in the Jo- khang]. 1062 He also discovered sacramental objects, such as [the flesh of one] born [as a brahman] seven times, and spiritual elixir; treasures of wealth, including the wish-fulfilling gem; such Pon works as the Golden Surgical Needle of the Great Perfection (rdzogs-chen gser-thur), and the Greater, Medium and Lesser Aural Lineages of Tavihrca (ta-bi-hri- tsa'i snyan-brgyud che-'bring-chung-gsum). In addition, he profusely dis- covered texts on medical science and astrology, and his enlightened activity was extensive.
The family lineage descended from his son Choyingpa, an emanation of Nupcen Sangye Yeshe, has existed up to the present day in the region of Mon. 1063 It is also said that Dorje Lingpa offered the Cycle of Yamantaka (gshed-skor) and the Cycle of the Jambhalas of the Five Families (Dzam-Iha rigs-Inga'i skor) to the lord among conquerors, Kar- mapa IV, ROlpei Dorje. He made his principle seat at Lingmokha. Also, he took charge of the monasteries of Lhodrak, Paro in Mon, Uke in Ze, and others, and so widely benefitted living beings. The name under which he is best known is Dorje Lingpa, but he is also called Perna Lingpa, Ktinkyong Lingpa, Yungdrung Lingpa, and Jampel Choki Shenyen. When he had completed his service to the teaching and to living creatures, in his sixtieth year [1405] he delivered his testament, the Great Prophetic Declaration (zhal-chems lung-bstan chen- mo) and, accompanied by wondrous omens, he passed away at Traklong.
h D -kinf the ConJunctwn of Sun an (mkha'-'gro yang-tig nyz-zla kha-s " ethig skor bcu) the Four Cycles
,
Innermost Spiritualay of t e . a b ' ) th Ten Father Tantra Cycles of
S " t the Innermost pzn ua
'b
, h Ei ht Appendices (zur-pa rgya ,
lity (pha-rgyu snymg- o f the Gathering ('dus-pa skor bzhz) , t e g
d)
_ _ _ _
. .
a discovered forty-three great treasure
Dorje Lingpa
Then, gradually, Done L l n g p , e hundred and eight al- , t've treasure SItes - on , . .
troves at theIr respec I b tions and the subdIVISIons together ifone c0. unts the. of the Ten of the ThIS beg -khrid skor bcu) and other texts at Muuk
ofExperientwl Guzdance to the time when Yeshe Tshogyel Shelgi Bamgong, and [conunuedl up C mpa Temple in Bumthang and actually arrived in l' air which had been at
gave him the water of hfe, splntua e IX, aments of the religIOUS , . g turqUOIse orn ,
Yanglesho, the hfe-supportm I h elf a wish-fulfillIng gem,
king Trhisong and of Yeshe Tshogye ers 'W hen he discovered wrathful mantras. . h
doctrinal cycles, and many h' teen times. At Chuwon e , h met Orgyen t lr
treasure at Chlmpu, e , bl' ly extracted treasure from twO b d' nd havmgpu lC . d
emanated two 0 les a, ' , ' f his feet one CUbIt eep. places at once, left behlnd lmpresslOns 0
DorJe Lingpa 791
792 History: Close Lineages ofthe Treasures . .
. h ee ears [without decay], dunng whIch His corpse td r bY fit beings by speaking and reciting
time contlllUe Dorje Lingpa's were four-lIne dedlcatlons of m · divine images and relIcs ap- finally on the funeral foot flew from the cre-
peared. WIth of the Trashi ungne , and his left to Thokme
matorium to hIS splntual sfon . J The relics from these multip- h· h es0 theremains.
Gyagarwa, as t elr s a: that they lasted until later times. lied many times, and It appears
. . 'descendants persisted until later with its
The lineage of DOfje B h ng The river of his profound Ch·T n Mon umt a .
seat at Orgyen . 0 lllg 1 d. ant lineage until the present day without doct:ine has contlllued as a teachings1 have been well preserved
12 Ratna Lingpa
declllle. Moreover, some IS h
by the blessing of a dose lllleage, t e s
venerable Khyentse Wangpo.
uccession of which fell to the
[580. 3-583. 4] The great emanational treasure-finder Ratna Lingpa was the reincarnation of Langdro Koncok Jungne. He was born on Thursday 2 August 1403 (fifteenth day, seventh month, water sheep year, seventh cycle)1064 at Trushtil in Lhodrak. His father was a wealthy man named Dode Tar, and his mother Sitar Men. From childhood he learned to read and write without difficulty. From about his tenth year onwards he had many pure visions. By the power of his training during past lives, he learned all the sciences easily and also studied the doctrine extensively.
When Ratna Lingpa was in his twenty-seventh year Guru Rinpoche emanated as an ascetic from Kham, wearing a yellow hat and robe. He actually gave him an inventory of treasures and instructed him. Accord- ingly, in his thirtieth year he extracted his first treasure trove from Khyungcen Rock. It consisted of the Cycle ofthe Meansfor the Attainment of the Three Roots (rtsa-gsum sgrub-skor), et cetera. From then on, he gradually discovered twenty-five treasure troves, of which the foremost were the Attainment ofHayagnva and Vajravarahf as Consorts in Coales- cent Union (rta-phag yab-yum zung- }ug-tu sgrub-pa), found at Dritang Koro Trak; and the Four Cycles of the Gathering ('dus-pa skor-bzhi), the Peaceful and Wrathful Guru (gu-ru zhi-drag), the Great Compassionate One as the Gathering ofSecrets (thugs-chen gsang-'dus), and the Sun which Illuminates the Expanse of the Great Perfection (rdzogs-chen klong-gsal nyi-ma), which were discovered at Namkecen in Lhodrak.
When Ratna Lingpa discovered the treasure at glorious Phukring in Kharcu he displayed inconceivable supernormal cognitive powers and miracles, including a wonderful array of magical feats. He met Orgyen Rinpoche [in visions] twenty-five times, visited the Copper-coloured Mountain in a vision, and so forth, as it is related in his Biography of the Thirteen Stores (mdzod-khang bcu-gsum-gyi mam-thar). He often per- formed the Attainment of Elixir [according to} the Attainment of Mind (thugs-sgrub sman-sgrub) and the Attainment ofMedicinal Pills [from the Flesh of One} Born [as a Brahman} Seven Times (skye-bdun ril-sgrub),
794
History: Close Lineages ofthe Treasures
to collect textual traditions from all quarters, including the abbreviated set of the Collected Tantras which was preserved at Ukpalung. Realising that the complete, continuous lineage of their transmission was not to be found anywhere in Kham or in Tibet, except with Megom Samten Zangpo of Tsang, his heart could not bear the approaching end of the continuous line of transmission. Although the venerable Megom was exceedingly aged, the master and disciple both made great efforts over a long period of time and thus he received it. Later, Ratna Lingpa arranged the Collected Tantras altogether at Lhlindrup Palace in Trushiil, and had new copies prepared, the earlier ones in ink, and the later ones in gold. In connection with this he propagated the continuous transmission many times. Therefore, it is certainly only by the compas- sion of this great treasure-finder that today we can still enjoy these secret tantras, which are like wish-fulfilling gems. Thus, he was uniquely most propitious to the teaching of the Ancient Translation School, in general.
After bringing such deeds to completion, Ratna Lingpa, then in his seventy-sixth year [1478], passed away into the Palace of Lotus Light, accompanied by the most wonderful miracles. Many fine lineages of his sons and disciples, including those of the four spiritual sons dear to his heart, have continued until the present day, and the enlightened activity of his profound doctrine has been preserved without decline.
.
of these occaSIOns was
thereevent esI . .
L' utterly perfect, Ratna mgpa
. .
Since the auspICIOUS co
. e .
d ' d treasures of three ll1etImes,
found in a single l1etIme
k
and hence became nown un
h
der tree na
Ratna Lingpa
owerments, guidance, and instruC-
and when he granted or emP . rainbow lights shone, rains of d
tion, there were inexpressIble fragrance of incense. On none
flowers fell, and all was perva e h l'ghtest kind of obstacle.
mCldence was (I'e' ] the estme
d"l meso Zhikpo Lingpa, Dro u . .
t Kailash to Gyelmorong m . d
liberation. ntras of the Nyingmapa, the AncIent Above all, during that era, tal d d in the Kangyur owing to the Translation School, were not mc . e the Denkanna Catalogue of the
following statement dWkhiChhiS floduann_d:r_ma, T 4364):
(bk "gyur ar-c ag Kangyur a -
M
L' a From oun
Lingpa, and Ratna bl living creatures in maturatIon an Kham he established mnumera e .
. antras of the secret Because of their great strictness Inner t
mantras are n
ot set forth here.
d their transmis- Ratna Lingpa made great efforts
.
For this reason bneage
s of both the texts an sions had become exceedmgly rare.
Ratna Lingpa 795
13 Perna Lingpa
J
'
h e no OJ the Transmitted
[583. 4-588. 2] Orgyen Perna Lingpa,1066 who was hailed as the fourth
of the five kingly treasure-finders, was the last of the five pure incarna-
tions of the royal princess Pemasel. 1067 His birth at Mon Bumthang
in 1450 (iron male horse year, eighth cycle) was attended by many
omens. His father was Tondrup Zangpo of the Nyo clan, and his mother
Trongma Peldzom. Since, in his previous life, he had been the all-know- may ing Trime Ozer [Longcenpa], he awoke to the genuine enlightened
family during his childhood. He learned several scripts, the crafts, and so forth, without having been taught.
In particular, on Wednesday 31 July 1476 (tenth day, seventh month, monkey year),1068 in the place called Yige Trukma, Perna Lingpa actu- ally beheld the visage of Orgyen Rinpoche, who blessed him and placed in his hands an inventory of one hundred and eight great treasure troves. Accordingly, in his twenty-seventh year he brought forth the first of all his profound treasures, namely, the Cycles of the Luminous Expanse of the Great Perfection (rdzogs-chen klong-gsal-gyi skor-mams), from the famous Lake Mebar, where the Tang River meanders in the form of a knot near Naring Trak. Surrounded by a multitude of people he entered the lake without hesitation, holding a burning lamp in his hand. Then, when he re-emerged, the lamp in his hand was unextin- guished, and he carried under his arm a great treasure chest, about the size of a clay pot. Everyone was amazed and became established in the faith of conviction. Consequently, Perna Lingpa's indisputable reputa- tion covered the land like the sun and moon.
In the same way, he discovered the Great Perfection, the Gathering of SamantabhadraJs Intention (rdzogs-chen kun-bzang dgongs-Jdus) at Samye Chimpu. Moreover, from their respective treasure sites he brought forth the Cycle ofthe Small Son which is a Non-Dual Tantra of the Great Perfection (rdzogs-chen gnyis-med-rgyud bu-chung-gi skor); the Guru, an Ocean of Gems; the Great Compassionate One, the Lamp which Dispels Darkness (thugs-rie chen-po mun-sel sgron-me); the Eight Transmit- ted Precepts, the Mirror ofMind (bkaJ-hrgyad thugs-kyi me-long), the Kfla
which is the Utterly Secret TT. 't 1R Pema Lingpa 797 h C v1a azor(Phur-p
t e 0lcle of the Attainment oif I\T El' k ) [ h' J. vectar- lXlr (bd d ' ,
s or, w Ich three cycles togeth
p recepts, Kfla, and Elixir (bk er constItute] th n' . f :7 Vajrapa7Ji as the Subduer of th -p ur-sman-gsum); [the teachings of]
dregs-Jdul dang gtum-chung)' th: Grrogant and as Slight Rage (phyag-rdor on the Wrathful [Guru] (drag- 0 andLesser[Teachings
on Longevity, the Vajra the Guidance ment of Longevity, Integrating n. hr phreng-ba); the Attain- lam-khyer); the Black Tnwgy ( skWlt t e Path (tshe-sgrub nor-bu
(las phran-gyi skor)' and rna nag-po s the Cycle ofMinor Rites 1 · ' ny others. Llkew' h .
menta objects, and of images b k Ise, t e profUsIOn of sacra- o
of one] born seven times [as 'b °h sand Stilpas, including [the flesh
a raman]whohl'b
representative images of Guru Pad IC 1 erates when tasted,
d
ered], the imagination. masambhava [that he discov-
an
In partIcular, in a ravine this t
of Lho Kyercu which had unearthed the temple . 'I ' not preVIOusly b . 'b
SImI ar to the temple of P I s
een VISI Ie, and which was umpa [at S ] 1069
b
" e tsap e VIsIted by everyone at th
PemaLingpa
amye . That temple e present day. Among the riches Perna
u -rtsl sman-sgrub-kl1i
798 History: Close Lineages ofthe Treasures
Lingpa discovered as treasures were the life-supporting turquoise gems of the religious king Trhisong Detsen called "Blazing Light", "Blazing Light of a Thousand Mountains", and "Red House Snowpeak"; the seamless robes of the Princess; 1070 a clairvoyant mirror; and many other especially sublime riches of the royal dynasty.
Although an inventory of one hundred and eight treasure troves had come into Perna Lingpa's hands, he could not discover more than half of them. Later, when the treasure-finder was approaching death, his son asked for permission to find the others, but the master said, "It will be hard for you to find the treasure doctrines. But if you purely guard your commitments and pray to me, you may possibly find some minor ones. " Accordingly, his spiritual son Dawa is known to have
1071
brought forth some treasure troves, toO.
Moreover, the vastly wonderful deeds of Perna Lingpa were incon-
ceivable. He prophesied that in the future he would become the buddha named Vajragarbha in the Buddha-field of the Lotus Array, and said that all those presently associated with him, as well, would be reborn in that realm and become the disciples of that buddha.
Concerning the host of disciples who were his spiritual sons, there is a prophetic declaration among his treasures:
Ten thousand will be associated by [the force of] past deeds. One thousand and two will be associated by aspiration. Those associated through the profound essential point
will be eleven.
Seven will be maJ). Qala-holders.
And three will be spiritual sons, dear to his heart.
In conformity with this prophecy, an inconceivable number of dis- ciples appeared. Among them, the foremost were the six emanational treasure-finders; the six great accomplished masters; the six great sons who had manifestly disclosed the signs of accomplishment; Tshliltrim Peljor, the great preceptor of the Conangpa residence [Phlintsoling], Nangso Gyelwa Tondrup, and Triilku Chokden Gonpo, who were the three spiritual sons whose intention was the same as that of the treasure- finder himself; and his four physical sons, who were emanations of the Lords of the Three Families. Of these, his spiritual son Dawa, who was the emanation of Avalokitesvara, had inconceivable, expressive powers of blessing. He realised the intention of his father and as a result his enlightened activity became extensive. He was praised as a great, holy individual and revered as a guru by Sakya Dakcen, Drigung Rincen Phtintsok, Zhamarpa Koncok Yenlak, Pawo Chogyel Tondrup, and others. He was also supplicated by all sorts of important persons from Central Tibet, Tsang, and Mon in the south, and his enlightened
' . . b '
actIVIty In the service of oth
Perna Lingrl1a 799
1-'
bi
e. None the less,
h
ecame Incon
. ceIva
ers
e practised the way of yoga in secret
The transmission of Perna Lingpa's 'rofi
passed down and propagated by kdoctnnes was gradually Tondrup Pelbar, who were renowned atso. RangdrOl and Umdze
masters, as well as by his own
f h· "
o IS spIntua1 Son [Dawa] wh
h
.
he two Incomparable doctrine- emanation d h .
speec
. s an t e emanatIOns 0 occupIedtheseatatLh 1 .
'
ra. ptothepresentda th l' aungInLho-
dkU
the regions of Mon in the y the Icneage has. been spread throughout
Th .
e entIre stream of its em
.
contInues without decline.
sou , entral TIbet T '
powerments trans . .
d
sang an
, m I s S I O n s , and gUIdance
Dokam. .
14 Karma Lingpa
ment of unimpeded supernormal cognitive power and enlightened activity.
In his fifteenth year, the prophetic declaration and the auspicious coincidence came together. From Mount Gampodar, which resembles a dancing god, he extracted the Peaceful and Wrathful Deities, the Natural Liberation ofIntention (zhi-khro dgongs-pa rang-grol); the Great Compas- sionate One, the Peaceful and Wrathful Deities ofPadma (thugs-rje chen-po padma zhi-khro); and other treasures. He gave the complete doctrinal cycle of the Peaceful and Wrathful Deities of Padma (padma zhi-khro'i chos-skor) to fourteen great disciples, who were the masters of his doc- trine. But he gave the doctrinal cycles of the Natural Liberation of Intention to his son, Nyinda Choje alone; and he sealed the lineage with an injunction that for three generations it should be transmitted to only a single person. Because he did not form the auspicious connec- tion with the consort prophesied for him, Karma Lingpa passed into another realm after not very long.
The Peaceful and Wrathful Deities, the Natural Liberation of Intention was vastly propagated by Namka Choki Gyamtso, the third generation successor. The continuous lineage of its empowerment, transmission and guidance is found throughout Central Tibet, Tsang and Kham, and, in particular, in the southern and northern districts of Dokam. The enlightened activity of the Great Liberation by Hearing during the Intermediate State [bar-do thos-grol chen-po, i. e. the so-called "Tibetan
Book of the Dead"] continues to be extensively propagated in most
1072
[588. 3-589. 4] The treasure-finder Karbma ometime during the sixth k L. . ' Gyeltsen was orn s
translator Co ro U1 '1 3 8 7 ] at Khyerdrup, above Takpo. cycle [24 January 1327 to 20 January
He was the eldest son of the great ahcco
h ld of t e man
ra·
nd dwelt as the very embodl-
and he lived as an up 0 er 'b wasendowedwithinnumerableattn utesa
.
Karma Lingpa
Lingpa
an emanation of the
m lished master Nyinda Sangye, p t tradl'tl'on Karma Lingpa
places up to the present.
Karma Lingpa 801
15 Thangtong Gyelpo
covered many other pro[;ound t Thangtong Gyelpo 803 I reasures as well d ·
concea ed many treasure troves [at those site] ,an ,In exchange, he ? yelpo subdued an evil extr s. . .
! 'Camata In IndIa, and barbarian tribes on emIst kmg, wh? resided at
[589. 4-593. 1] The mighty lord among accomplished masters, Thang- tong Gyelpo,I073 was the combined emanation of Avalokitesvara and the glorious Hayagrlva, who came forth as if Guru Padmasambhava had taken birth from the womb. He incarnated at Olpa Lhartse in upper Tsang in 1385 (wood ox year, sixth cycle). Adhering to more than five hundred tutors, he pursued study and reflection without limit. Although he was a naturally arisen, mighty lord among accomplished masters, by virtue of necessity he received the Northern Treasures in their entirety from Ktinpang Tonyo Gyeltsen and the Shangpa doctrines from the lama Dorje Zhonu;1074 and he revealed the attainment of accomplishment in both of these traditions. Through the disciplined conduct [of an adherent of the secret mantra] he journeyed to all parts of Jambudvlpa and its subcontinents and, in particular, to such places as the Lotus Light Palace on Camaradvlpa, where he heard the doctrine from Guru Rinpoche and numberless accomplished masters; and the gakinls and doctrine protectors did him obeisance.
Thangtong Gyelpo built many temples at geomantic focal points,
1075
He bound all the venomous gods and demons under oaths of allegiance. From Samye Chimpu he extracted five paper scrolls, including the Attainment of Longevity, the Giver of the Glory of Immortality (tshe-sgrub 'chi-med dpal- ster). From Trampagyang he brought forth the Attainment of Mind, Utterly Secret and Unsurpassed (thugs-sgrub yang-gsang bla-med); from Druptso Pemaling, the Jewel Hoard of Esoteric Instruction (man-ngag tin-chen gter-spungs); from Taktsang (the "tiger den") at Paro in Mon, a ten-span-Iong paper scroll which combined the profound, essential points of all the SlUras and tantras; from the Palace of Secret Mantra in Tsari, the Cycle of Profound Doctrines which are Mind Treasures (zab- chos thugs-gter skor); and from Zilcen Phuk in Tsari, the Illuminating Lamp which Contains the Prophecy of the Great Accomplished Master Himself (grub-chen-nyid-kyi lung-bstan gsal-ba'i sgron-me) and the Means for the Attainment of K:jetrapala (zhing-skyong-gi sgrub-thabs). He dis-
- ce uncount bl [.
stupas] representing the buddha-bod a e books, and
the range of the intellect. He built fil' and mmd, surpassing and established one hundred d Iron sUspension bridges and other inconceivable elg. teen ferry-crossings. I076 These beyond that, on these occasions . re renowned.
In short, Orgyen Lingpa discovered twenty-eight great treasure troves, along with related materials, as illustrated by an infinite number of images, sacramental objects, riches and treasures. None the less, having opened the gateway of this doctrine for the first time at Trhadruk KhyamtO, during the performance of the great preparation for the empowerment of the Gathering of Transmitted Precepts (bka'-'dus-kyi dbang-sgrub chen-mo), he was harshly rebuked by Ta'i Situ Cangcup Gyeltsen of Neudongtse, because of a prophecy which contained an insinuation. 1035 For this reason, the rest of the auspicious coincidence was lost and the treasure-finder himself had to flee to the districts of E and Takpo. Not long afterwards, he passed away at Locung in the vicinity of E. His remains were transported to Takpo and placed whole into an earthen reliquary at the monastery of Zhapje.
Later, the worthy aristocrat Kurap heard the well-known [assertion that the flesh of] one born seven times [as a brahman] grants liberation when tasted. He asked for a tiny morsel of the flesh and, tasting it, blazed with mystical experience. He was able to move about one cubit above the ground and fly from one valley to another. Therefore, Orgyen Lingpa's mummified corpse became most valuable.
At a later date, Jamyang Khyentse Wangpo dispatched the preceptor Lama Trashi Ozer from Dokam as a messenger to request some of the flesh; and he greatly multiplied it [by using it as] a continuous catalyst for sacramental substances which liberate when tasted. Afterwards, Temo Rinpoche, the regent of Tibet,1036 had the mummified corpse transported to Pentsang Monastery in Neudong, and enshrined in a wooden reliquary. He kept twenty measures of pills made from the flesh in the Norbu Lingka [i. e. the summer palace in Lhasa].
Subsequently, the supreme conqueror, the Great Thirteenth [Dalai Lama] realised that the body would be excessively harmed by the plunder of its flesh, and that this would be detrimental to the merits of Tibet in general. He wanted to enshrine the precious mummified remains in the Tse Palace [i. e. the Potala in Lhasa], and sent Dron Kungtal). gpa to transfer the body. But the Great Protector of the Doc- trine at Samye unexpectedly possessed [his oracle] 'and swore that it would be improper to transfer the corpse from that southern region to another place. 1037 Consequently, it was left where it was.
While travelling in the southern districts, Dalai Lama XIII purposely visited Pentsang Monastery and, for the benefit of living creatures, gave to that monastery about four measures of the pills which had
776
History: Close Lineages ofthe Treasures
Orgyen Lingpa
Yugong Rock in Tra he retrieved the Great Sequence 1 -rim chen-mo), the Short of the Path of Secret Mantra am h -ba) the Testa-
d bh (padma'l rnam-thar c ung ,
Biography of Pa masam ava. . . ' . (h '-b ed bka'-chems
ment which Elucidates the SigniflcanQce of Coincidence
Gathering of the umtessence 'J
rious treasure sites at Samye,
f Moreover, rom
d t h
(rten-'brelyang-snying the;ah d -l a)'1033 from the the Fivefold Group of InJunctlOnS (bka Supreme Light
don-gsa
l)
,an
e
Stupas of Zurkardo, the G. reat de-mcho'g) and the Glorious . C . , (h rlechen-poye-s es 0 ,
ofPristme ogmtlOn t ugs-'J h )'1034 f m the "tiger den" at ! . iger-riding Lord (dpal-mgon the ofthe Teaching Onpuk the Cycles of the WrathJu from Trakpoche in Traci, (gu-ru drag-po_dang tshe-bdag-gi skor). Countmg
Cycle of Yamantaka, or 1 eC' these and others, Orgyen mgpa lOU
nd more than one hundred volumes
778 History: Close Lineages ofthe Treasures
previously been compounded from the flesh. All that remained was mixed with medicinal powder and, assisted by his tutor, Camgon Rin- poche of Phurbucok, the supreme conqueror used it to completely restore [the mummified remains] with his own hands. He enshrined it in a reliquary of fine wood which was covered with gilded copper from the base of the spire upwards. Between the spire and the dome he inserted the remains inside a lattice window and personally sealed the lattices. 1038 Later, he sent a letter to the residents of Neudong Fort and the monastic college of Pentsang, containing an enumeration of the various duties to be performed carefully and equally by those who supervised and venerated [the reliquary]. This letter, marked with the Dalai Lama's personal seal, consisted of seventeen pages in the form of a booklet folded back and forth, with each page sealed individually. I have had the good fortune to have actually seen that letter in the archives of the college at Pentsang. At some later time, when the relic- box containing the pills made of the flesh which the Dalai Lama had given to the monastery was opened, [it was found that] they had mul- tiplied by four.
It is said that because Ta'i Situ had disturbed the auspicious coinci- dence, the dominion of the Phakmotrupa and their followers began to dwindle, like floodwaters at the end of autumn. 1039
The family of this treasure-finder, Orgyen Lingpa, lived in Trap Tsangka and its environs. Although it is not clear how they served the doctrine it appears that they were a wonderful lineage of awareness- holders, all of whom could display various signs of accomplishment.
It is clear that among the cycles of his treasure doctrines the continu-
ous lineages of empowerment and transmission belonging to the cycles
of the Supreme Light ofPristine Cognition (ye-shes 'od-mchog), the Wrath-
ful Guru (gur-drag), the Means for the Attainment ofLongevity (tshe-sgrub),
and the Tiger-riding Lord alone were preserved until the time of Rikdzin
104o
Terdak Lingpa.
transmissions of the Injunction ofPadma which was Discovered at Crystal Rock (padma bka'-thang shel-brag-ma), the Fivefold Group ofInjunctions (sde-lnga), and the Gathering ofthe Quintessence ofAuspicious Coincidence do still exist. In particular, as had been clearly prophesied in Orgyen Lingpa's own treasures, an ancient manuscript, containing a cycle sum- marising the essence of the Great Gathering of Transmitted Precepts (bka'-'dus chen-mo'i snying-po mdor-bsdus skor) actually came into the hands of the venerable Perna Osel Do-nga Lingpa. On the basis of some [of the text], which appeared in the symbolic script of the ejakinls, he established the continuous transmission of its maturation and liber- ation, and this, together with the necessary texts, is preserved in the
Orgyen Lingpa 779 chen-mo)1041 and elsewhere, this is not merel
the attamment of the Guru (bla-sgrub) [ h' Y a means for T. ' or a teac mg of] th E' h
Precepts (bka'-brgyad) to which the name Gatheringo;r, 19 t mItted Precepts has been affixed. Rather, it sets forth the twent rans- o,f the Gathering of Transmitted Precepts in
guag;, ence, It IS as an object of great conviction and won er, and has rekIndled the dying embers of the teaching,
Still, they are not to be seen today. The continuous
Great Store ofPrecious Treasure. As it is made clear in the Great Biography
9 Ngodrup Gyeltsen) or Rikdzin Giidemcen
[563. 5-567. 6] Ngodrup Gyeltsen, the great awareness-holder and treasure-finder, was the reincarnation of Nanam Dorje Dtijom and one of the three supreme emanations. He was born, attended by extraordin- ary omens, on Tuesday 11 February 1337 (tenth day, month ofmiracles, fire female ox year, sixth cycle),1042 into the household of Namolung, which hailed from the district of Thoyor Nakpo, to the north-east of Mount Trazang. He was the son of the master Dtidtil, who belonged to an unbroken lineage ofaccomplished masters ofVajrakIla, descended from the clan of the Horpa king Kurser. 1043 In accordance with a prophecy, when Ngodrup Gyeltsen was in his twelfth year three vulture feathers grew from the crown of his head, ard five when he was at the age of twenty-four. Therefore, he became universally known as Rikdzin Godemcen, the "Vulture-quilled Awareness-holder". During his youth he attained the limits of study, reflection, and meditation upon all the Nyingmapa doctrinal cycles which were the doctrines ofhis forefathers.
There was one Zangpo Trakpa of Manglam who had discovered, in Gyang Yonpolung, eight doctrinal topics, including the Essential Invent- ory which Treats the Essence ofthe Esoteric Instructions in Seven Sections (snying-byang man-ngag gnad-kyi don bdun-ma). He realised that these were required as ancillary texts for the treasures to be revealed at Lhadrak, and for this reason he offered them to the great awareness- holder Godemcen, sending them through Tonpa Sonam Wangcuk. Accordingly, on Sunday 19 April 1366 (eighth day, snake month, fire horse year),1044 on the summit of Mount Trazang, at the three stone pillars of Dzengdrak Karpo, Rikdzin Godemcen found the key to three great treasures and one hundred minor treasures, and at that place he concealed a substitute treasure. That treasure ground, which was then left as it was, is known today as Lungseng, "Windy Hollow". Even at
present, new shoots sprout there at the beginning of each new year. At dusk on Sunday 14 June (fourth day, sheep month) of that same year [1366], in the cave of Zangzang Lhadrak, on the slopes of the rock mountain of Tukdrtil Pungdra, Rikdzin Godemcen discovered a great,
Rikdzin Gbdemcen
profound treasure containing five tr .
partments inside a square blu t easure chambers III separate com-
treasure chamber in the e chest. From the maroon core three kIlas wrapped in three. paper scrolls and
chamber to the east the D .
itional Aspects of the Causal and Fru- rgyu-'bras la-Zlo-ba'i chos dgon s- a lS Vast as Space (las the yellow gold treasure t t:-mkha dang mnyam-pa); from
the Four Aspects ofRitual Service A e the. Cycle of
the Sun and Moon (b b ttaznment whzch 1S Lumznous like snyen-sgru rnam pa b h·'· h
gsal-ba)- from the r d -
, e copper treasure chamb
ofAuspicious Coincidence which· l"k S
Z 1Z c os-skor nyi-zla-ltar h
er to t e west, the Doctrine
gyi chos tsan-dan-gyi sdong_ 0 a andalwood Tree (rten- 'brel-can-
chamber to the north th PD . u), from the black iron treasure
tacles, and which is lik' ep whzch Pulverises Enemies and Obs-
h e a Olsonous Plant Cd b h
c os dug-gi sdong-po lta b ) I h gra- gegs tal-bar rlog-pa'i P · - u. n s ort he fou d 1 .
enetratlOn ofSamantabhadra's In '. n count ess doctnnes, the foremost among them and tentlOn (kun-bzang dgongs-pa zang-thal) five treasure chambers' held Because each of the
m the. whIte conch treasure
one undred doctrmal topics, there were
781
782 History: Close Lineages a/the Treasures
h d d ' 11 He established their yellow scrolls, . those of five un re In a . d h amongst worthy recIpIents. In
Ngodrup Gyeltsen 783
guru and by doing so promoted the happiness and feliCity of Tibet. When Godemcen had arrived at the completion of such deeds, in his seventy-second year [1408], his intention dissolved into the expanse of
reality, accompanied by many wondrous omens.
The doctrinal streams which came through the lineages of his sons, consort and disciples have continued until the present day without decline. Among these doctrinal lineages there were many who passed
away in the rainbow body and many who became accomplished masters. During the time of Rikdzin II, Lekdenje, who was the second Godem- cen, and of Trashi Topgyel Wangpoide, the master of the Northern Treasure, who was the reincarnation of Ngari PaD-cen, the entire monas-
tic community of their seminary became a wandering encampment, as a result of the depredations of Zhingshakpa, the governor of Tsang. 1046 Therefore, [its members] became known as Eva1)1cokgarwa, the "Camp
Troops of Eva1)1 Tower". During the lifetime of Rikdzin III, Ngagi- wangpo, who was the son of that master of the Northern Treasure, the seat was re-established in Central Tibet and became universally re-
nowned as Thupten Dorje Trak. Rikdzin IV, Zhapdrung Perna Trhinle, greatly increased the enlightened activity of the three spheres [exegesis, attainment, and work] there, so that it became a fountain-head of the teaching of the Ancient Translation School. Up to the present day, the
seat of Thubten Dorje Trak has been maintained by the successive emanations ofRikdzin Godemcen and others. Accordingly, from Ladak in To Ngari, all the way to Dartsedo in lower Gyelmorong, there have
been a great many centres of the doctrine which adhere to this doctrinal
lineage.
. b h andpropagatetem . theIr ranc. e s , . . ervaded all the regions of TIbet.
this way, hIS doctr. mal :afound treasures exist only as means
? enerally all t of [the people of] Tibet and Kham
to mcrease the happmes. s and . y t' ular this Northern Treasure . h' d f t re lIves' but m par IC , .
". .
(byang-gter h h' turning back invading armIes, ter-
dunngtISan uu
) . without omISSIOn, .
everything that anyone mIght require for Increasmg. t e teachmg, 'fication of civil war, exorcism of
minating ;f authority, and the con- Gongpo It contains various ways to promote the trol of epidemIc. s and. Plagues;al and in particular, from Khyunglung
of ! Ibet, m to Longtang Drolma in Mekam [far
Ngtilkar In To [western . d keys for many sacred places
eastern Tibet], and also the great hidden lands. There-
and lands, foremost w known to resemble a minister core this single treasure IS umversa y
11 , 11 T'b d Kham
who . . servesa 1 et openedthegatetothat
In later lIfe Godemcen wehnt I f Kungtang revered him as his sacred land. Chokdrupde, t e mg 0 ,
Rikdzin III, Ngagiwangpo
lOSangye Lingpa
. . Sangye Lingpa 785 whIle tha. t guru went to Central Tibet, he remained behind in
sohtary retreat m the upper valley of Lhtindrup T
o . h eng.
. ne. mg t the treasure protector Tsengo Chenpo actually presented
hIm WIth three paper scrolls. They contained an inventory oftre
Pro h ' d . . asures . p eCIes, an mstructIOns on the way to attain the treasures A d' mgly S L' , . CCor-
, angye mgpa s guru offered provisions so that he could perform the means to attam the treasures in the prescribed manner Th Padmasambhava of O<;i<;iiyana, along with a host of <;iakinls,
[567. 6-575. 3] The great treasure-finder Sangye Lingpa, who was the emanation of Lhase Tamdzin Rolpa Yeshetsel,1047 was born, attended by wondrous omens, in 1340 (iron male dragon year, sixth cycle) at Traksum Dorje Trak, above the cultivated valley of Kyingpu Yulung, one of Orgyen's places ofattainment, in the Nyangpo district ofKongpo. His father, Khamzhik Taklung Nyonpa, was an emanation of Haya- grlva, and his mother, A-Hu11l Gyen, had the marks of one who had been blessed by Vajravarahi. The boy was given the name of Rikdzin. In his fifth year he received the vows of a layman from the preceptor Zhonupel,1048 and had a pure vision of the Great Compassionate One. He learned to read and write the letters just by being shown the script and was quite clever; but his father passed away, his mother remarried, and, disliked by his stepfather, the boy experienced hardship.
During that time he received a prophetic declaration from a red woman, in compliance with which he went to meet the lord among conquerors, Rolpei Dorje [Karmapa IV], in the valley below Longpo Trongsar. At Cangcupling, a monastery near Tsari, he was ordained as a novice by the preceptor Cangcup Dorje and the master Sakya Yeshe. The name Sangye Zangpo was conferred upon him. Therefore, when later he had discovered profound treasures, he became universally known as Sangye Lingpa. From those two, preceptor and master, he received many transmitted doctrines. Then, when the venerable Rolpei Dorje returned from Central Tibet, he said to Lama Cangcup Dorje, "Give this nephew of yours to me. " He complied and the Karmapa, greatly delighted, prophesied that the boy would guide many living creatures.
When Sangye Lingpa arrived in Lhasa, he had visions of Avalokites- vara, and, above all, of the precious master Padmasambhava. Starting then, he had repeated visions and vowed to practise [in retreat] for three years. After the death of the lama Cangcup Dorje, Sangye Lingpa proceeded into the presence of the lama Choki Lodro, a learned and accomplished master at Tsari, and became his spiritual son. At that
Sangye Lingpa
and permission to fulfil the prophecies. On Friday 23
(twenty-fifth day, seventh month, wood male dragon
. from the great cavern ofPuri he extracted the texts and esoteric InstructIOnsoftheltd' G h .
G h . n enne late at erzng of Transmitted Precepts the 'dat erz)ng 0t. the . Guru's Intention (bka'-'dus bar-ba bla-ma
us-pa , whIch IS unique am 11 h b
Tib . ong a t e su terranean treasures of
o htoget? er WIth the Doctrinal Cycle of the Great Compassionate
t tugs-rye chen-po'i chos-skor). Sangye Lingpa showed these books
who ,,:as delighted. He then studied and and culti-
. em expenentlally, and so became the first master of these doctnnes.
786 History: Close Lineages ofthe Treasures
Sangye Lingpa 787
Then, beginning that year, Sangye Lingpa gradually discovered treasures at Karzuk Trhang, Jeworong, Tsecen Trak, Longpo Cangde Bumpa, Longpo Kada Trhang, and Kyengi Karteng Trhang. In these locations he found the Heart Essence ofthe Attainment ofKfla (phur-sgrnb thugs-kyi nying-khu), the Black Tortoise Divination Chart (gtad-khram rns-sbal nag-po), Black Hayagrfva (rta-mgrin nag-po), and also the Great
Compassionate One, Utterly Secret and Unsurpassed (thugs-rje chen-po yang-gsang bla-med). Further, he discovered material treasures, includ- ing sacramental objects and pills, a mask of Orgyen, a gold-filled copper
vase, an iron kIla, and twenty-one multiplying remains ofthe Tathagata. When Sangye Lingpa discovered the treasures at Kongpo Chimytil, the treasure-finder Trime Lhtinpo was also summoned there by a prophetic declaration of the qakinls. Together, they extracted the Blue- robed Vajrapar;,i (phyag-rdor gos-sngon-can), the Wrathful Mantra which Halts All the Monpa Spirits (ngan-sngags mon-pa dgu-rdug), the En-
lightened Mind of Orgyen and His Consort (o-rgyan yab-yum-gyi byang- sems), et cetera. At Puri Rincen Barwa he discovered the Doctrinal Cycle of Sublime Avalokitesvara (,phags-pa spyan-ras-gzigs-kyi chos-skor); and at Cagoshong, the Great Compassionate One (thugs-chen), the Alchemy Cycle (bcud-len skor), and the Wind-Lasso oflsvara (dbang-phyug rlung- zhags). In this last treasure trove he also found the Prophecy ofCangcup
Lingpa Pelgi Gyeltsen (byang-chub gling-pa dpal-gyi rgyal-mtshan-gyi lung- bstan). A person who was sent to investigate in LaW, met the treasure- finder [prophesied therein], and became convinced. Moreover, from Tsari, Sangye Lingpa extracted the Means for the Attainment of the Naga King Sugriva (klu-rgyal mgrin-bzang sgrnb-thabs); and from Gyer Cemakarpo, the Means for the Attainment of Longevity which Conjoins the Sun and Moon (tshe-sgrnb nyi-zla kha-sbyor), among others. And from Gyala Shinjei Badong he brought forth the Yamantaka, Lord of
Life (gshin-rje tshe-bdag), the Charm which Overthrows when Hurled (thun-phog 'gyel), and the Ceremony for Brandishing the Ritual Kfla of Orgyen (o-rgyan-gyi las-phur gdengs-chog), and so forth, in co-operation with the treasure-finder Trime Lhtinpo.
Furthermore, in a retreat cave of Orgyen, Sangye Lingpa found the
Essential Epitome ofthe Great Perfection (rdzogs-chen snying-po bsdus-pa). At Kongpo Tamrtil he discovered the Six Root Tantras ofthe Gathering of Intentions (dgongs-'dus rtsa-ba'i rgyud-drng); in Samye Chimpu an especially sublime image of Orgyen; and in Orsho Lungdrom a called "Tiger-Meat God", a qakinI's body ornament, and so on. In way, Sangye Lingpa found eighteen great treasure troves hls twenty-fifth and thirty-second year. In addition, it is not posslble to
describe the countless minor treasures he discovered.
Those occasions were constantly marked by rains of flowers , canopies of rainbow light, sounds of music, or the appearance of qakinls. In accord with the prophetic declaration of Va;ravarahI and the twelve
qakinls [of her circle], Sangye Lingpa divided the Gathering ofIntentions precisely into thirteen volumes with the edges dyed red, a custom that has been maintained down to the present day. 1050
It says in a Prophetic Declaration (lung-bstan): .
One hundred billion will become firm in the stage of creation.
Eight hundred thousand will actually reveal signs of accomplishment.
Ninety thousand will be liberated in the incorruptible apparitional body.
Ten billion will obtain sundry accomplishments.
Those in whom the seed of liberation is planted will be
countless.
Not confined to one age, this will occur in a gradual
lineage.
Exactly so, it is well known that there were, above all, twenty great streams which continued the succession of the Gathering of Intentions alone. There were countless masters of the various other treasure doc- trines of Sangye Lingpa. The foremost among them were the lord among conquerors, Karmapa IV, Rolpei Dorje; Zhamarpa Khaco Wangpo; the great lord of Neudong [Ta'i Situ Cangcup [Gyeltsen]; the Sakyapa lama Tampa Sonam Gyeltsen; Yakde Pa1)cen; the great preceptor of Coten, Sonam Zangpo; and Drigung Choki Gyelpo. The other aristocrats, great gurus, and imp9rtant men who followed him were countless.
Particularly, when the Great Ming emperor ofChina invited Karmapa V, Tezhinshekpa,1051 he made the following written request: "Please bring with you an immaculate treasure doctrine of Padmakara, the accomplished master from Oqqiyana. " The doctrine master Tezhin- shekpa brought the profound doctrine of the Gathering of Intentions, a miraculous, dark-blue vase, and a golden vajra [emblematic] of the commitments, which he presented to the emperor, who rejoiced and, as is well known, offered the Karmapa a privy seal1052 and special robes.
Sangye Lingpa founded the monastery of Decen Samdrup in Nyipu
and made it his principle seat. When he performed the attainment of
nectar-elixir (bdud-rtsi sman-gyi sgrnb-pa), the signs and miracles which
actually appeared were more sublime than those of others. The catalyst
[which he compounded at that time] has remained potent to the present day. 1053
After infinitely benefitting the teaching and living creatures in these ways, on Saturday 8 April 1396 (thirtieth day, third month, fire male mouse),1054 during his fifty-seventh year, while he was residing at Cangcupling, Sangye Lingpa's intention dissolved into the expanse of reality.
788 History: Close Lineages ofthe Treasures
The second incarnation of Sangye Lingpa took birth in Nelpa Meu, as the son of Tondrup Gyelpo, but passed away in childhood, The thIrd incarnation was born in Longpo Kying. Trtilku Pelden [as,he was known] returned to his predecessor's seat and IS known for havmg widely served the teaching and living , .
Afterwards, there was no clear lineage of but the of Sangye Lingpa's descendants continued until later times. From hIS son Yeshe Dorje and Cakyungpa Pelden Senge, was, foremost
h d' , les who were the masters of his doctnne, hneages of amongteISClP , dd
descendants and disciples, in which there were succeSSIve learne ,an accomplished masters, emerged. The lineage was transmItted through [the hierarchs of] the earlier and later Tsele,105 the elder and younger T abla,1056 et cetera. Th,us the profound treasures of San, gyIe L' d the Gathering of Intentions above all, were extensIve y
11 Dorje Lingpa
fD k
0 am
1057 At a later date, Zhapdrung Thucen Ngawang of B? utan,
became the master of the doctrine of the entire maturation and ,lIberation of the Gathering of the Guru's Intention, which he had receIved from KongRikdzinNyingpo,the generationdescendantof Lingpa, In the monastic commumtIes of the [of Bhutan] of whIch the foremost was his own seat of Dewachenpo m Punakha, he estab- lished the elaborate practice of worship on tenth day [of each month],1058 in connection with the great attamment of the Gatherzng of Intentions. This enlightened activity of the ceremony the fulfilment [of commitments, skong-chog] ,1059 and so forth, has c,ont,mued to spread throughout the southern districts [of Bhutan and Slkklm].
mgpa, an , d" propagated throughout Tibet in general, and m the lstncts 0
[575. 3-580. 3] Dorje Lingpa was the third kingly treasure-finder and the actual presence of the great translator Vairocana. He was born in 1346 (fire male dog year, sixth cycle) at a place called Tranang Entsa in Central Tibet. His father was KhutOn Sonam Gyeltsen, who came
from a line of mantrins who were holders of indestructible reality, and his mother was Karmogyen. They gave him the name Orgyen Zangpo. The signs and wonders associated with his awakening to the genuine enlightened family were inconceivable.
In his seventh year he received the vows of a novice from one known as the all-knowing Trhapa Sakya
at Pangshong Lharika. Under that guru, and others as well, he com- pleted the study of sutra and mantra doctrines, ancient and new.
In his thirteenth year he had seven visions of the precious Orgyen. Then, following an inventory, which had been discovered in the treas- ures of Guru Chowang, he found his first treasure trove behind the image of Como [Tara] at Trhadruk. 1060 It included the Means for the
Attainment of the Three Roots (rtsa-gsum sgrub-thabs), minor means for attainment, inventories and their supplements, wrathful mantras, and instructions on alchemy, there being one hundred and eight of each, along with their particular prophecies. In his fifteenth year Dorje Lingpa opened the way to the treasures of Okar Rock in the lower valley of
Cing. Guru Rinpoche actually arrived inside that most spacious cave of attainment, constructed a maIf9ala and gave him empowerment. Preceding each separate scroll of yellow paper, he gave him the trans- mission and sacraments consecrated as treasures. Moreover, Dorje Lingpa also brought forth an image of Guru Rinpoche, four volumes
that had been the King's,1061 a hundred paper scrolls, four vases con- taining the water of life, amulets containing sacramental substances, et cetera. Among the treasures, he discovered such doctrinal works as the Biographical Injunction in Eight Chapters (rnam-thar thang-yig le'u brgyad-
pa), the Vast Expanse ofthe View, a Father Tantra ofthe Great Perfection (rdzogs-chen pha-rgyud lta-ba klong-yangs), the Sun which Illumines the Expanse, a Mother Tantra (ma-rgyud klong-gsal nyi-ma), the Further
in particular,
· softhe Treasures e
1L
790 History: C ose meag " d Moon
In the cave of Metsornyen at Zaplung, Dorje Lingpa received dona- tions from both Thangla and Kangkar Shame [two protective divinities]. He assembled the many great gods and demons of the Land of Snows and undertook the great attainment of the Eight Transmitted Precepts (bka'-brgyad sgrub-chen). To all of them he gave empowerment. He travelled emanationally to the eight great charnel grounds, where he met the eight awareness-holders, and received the Instructions of the Eight Confidences (gding-brgyad-kyi gdams-pa). When he discovered the treasure troves, Guru Rinpoche, Yeshe Tshogyel, Vairocana, and others actually appeared and bestowed empowerments and instructions upon him. By displaying a wonderful array of miraculous abilities he loosened all fetters of doubt and secured others in irreversible faith. He also left behind many impressions of his body, hands, and feet. In Zaplung, Kharcu, and ZhotO Tidro, respectively, he found one hundred and eight [rites for] empowerment, consecration, fulfilment [of commit- ments] and repentance, burnt offerings, and subjugation. Such are the examples of his extensive service on behalf of the happiness of Tibet.
The foremost among Dorje Lingpa's profound, vast and limitless doctrinal treasures was the Trio ofthe Guru, Great Perfection, and Great Compassionate One (bla-rdzogs-thugs-gsum). He found wonderful images such as that of Vajrasattva, which he discovered at Phungpo Riwoche, and the eleven-faced Avalokitesvara and the sandalwood image of Tara which he discovered in the "Vase Pillar" of Lhasa [i. e. in the Jo- khang]. 1062 He also discovered sacramental objects, such as [the flesh of one] born [as a brahman] seven times, and spiritual elixir; treasures of wealth, including the wish-fulfilling gem; such Pon works as the Golden Surgical Needle of the Great Perfection (rdzogs-chen gser-thur), and the Greater, Medium and Lesser Aural Lineages of Tavihrca (ta-bi-hri- tsa'i snyan-brgyud che-'bring-chung-gsum). In addition, he profusely dis- covered texts on medical science and astrology, and his enlightened activity was extensive.
The family lineage descended from his son Choyingpa, an emanation of Nupcen Sangye Yeshe, has existed up to the present day in the region of Mon. 1063 It is also said that Dorje Lingpa offered the Cycle of Yamantaka (gshed-skor) and the Cycle of the Jambhalas of the Five Families (Dzam-Iha rigs-Inga'i skor) to the lord among conquerors, Kar- mapa IV, ROlpei Dorje. He made his principle seat at Lingmokha. Also, he took charge of the monasteries of Lhodrak, Paro in Mon, Uke in Ze, and others, and so widely benefitted living beings. The name under which he is best known is Dorje Lingpa, but he is also called Perna Lingpa, Ktinkyong Lingpa, Yungdrung Lingpa, and Jampel Choki Shenyen. When he had completed his service to the teaching and to living creatures, in his sixtieth year [1405] he delivered his testament, the Great Prophetic Declaration (zhal-chems lung-bstan chen- mo) and, accompanied by wondrous omens, he passed away at Traklong.
h D -kinf the ConJunctwn of Sun an (mkha'-'gro yang-tig nyz-zla kha-s " ethig skor bcu) the Four Cycles
,
Innermost Spiritualay of t e . a b ' ) th Ten Father Tantra Cycles of
S " t the Innermost pzn ua
'b
, h Ei ht Appendices (zur-pa rgya ,
lity (pha-rgyu snymg- o f the Gathering ('dus-pa skor bzhz) , t e g
d)
_ _ _ _
. .
a discovered forty-three great treasure
Dorje Lingpa
Then, gradually, Done L l n g p , e hundred and eight al- , t've treasure SItes - on , . .
troves at theIr respec I b tions and the subdIVISIons together ifone c0. unts the. of the Ten of the ThIS beg -khrid skor bcu) and other texts at Muuk
ofExperientwl Guzdance to the time when Yeshe Tshogyel Shelgi Bamgong, and [conunuedl up C mpa Temple in Bumthang and actually arrived in l' air which had been at
gave him the water of hfe, splntua e IX, aments of the religIOUS , . g turqUOIse orn ,
Yanglesho, the hfe-supportm I h elf a wish-fulfillIng gem,
king Trhisong and of Yeshe Tshogye ers 'W hen he discovered wrathful mantras. . h
doctrinal cycles, and many h' teen times. At Chuwon e , h met Orgyen t lr
treasure at Chlmpu, e , bl' ly extracted treasure from twO b d' nd havmgpu lC . d
emanated two 0 les a, ' , ' f his feet one CUbIt eep. places at once, left behlnd lmpresslOns 0
DorJe Lingpa 791
792 History: Close Lineages ofthe Treasures . .
. h ee ears [without decay], dunng whIch His corpse td r bY fit beings by speaking and reciting
time contlllUe Dorje Lingpa's were four-lIne dedlcatlons of m · divine images and relIcs ap- finally on the funeral foot flew from the cre-
peared. WIth of the Trashi ungne , and his left to Thokme
matorium to hIS splntual sfon . J The relics from these multip- h· h es0 theremains.
Gyagarwa, as t elr s a: that they lasted until later times. lied many times, and It appears
. . 'descendants persisted until later with its
The lineage of DOfje B h ng The river of his profound Ch·T n Mon umt a .
seat at Orgyen . 0 lllg 1 d. ant lineage until the present day without doct:ine has contlllued as a teachings1 have been well preserved
12 Ratna Lingpa
declllle. Moreover, some IS h
by the blessing of a dose lllleage, t e s
venerable Khyentse Wangpo.
uccession of which fell to the
[580. 3-583. 4] The great emanational treasure-finder Ratna Lingpa was the reincarnation of Langdro Koncok Jungne. He was born on Thursday 2 August 1403 (fifteenth day, seventh month, water sheep year, seventh cycle)1064 at Trushtil in Lhodrak. His father was a wealthy man named Dode Tar, and his mother Sitar Men. From childhood he learned to read and write without difficulty. From about his tenth year onwards he had many pure visions. By the power of his training during past lives, he learned all the sciences easily and also studied the doctrine extensively.
When Ratna Lingpa was in his twenty-seventh year Guru Rinpoche emanated as an ascetic from Kham, wearing a yellow hat and robe. He actually gave him an inventory of treasures and instructed him. Accord- ingly, in his thirtieth year he extracted his first treasure trove from Khyungcen Rock. It consisted of the Cycle ofthe Meansfor the Attainment of the Three Roots (rtsa-gsum sgrub-skor), et cetera. From then on, he gradually discovered twenty-five treasure troves, of which the foremost were the Attainment ofHayagnva and Vajravarahf as Consorts in Coales- cent Union (rta-phag yab-yum zung- }ug-tu sgrub-pa), found at Dritang Koro Trak; and the Four Cycles of the Gathering ('dus-pa skor-bzhi), the Peaceful and Wrathful Guru (gu-ru zhi-drag), the Great Compassionate One as the Gathering ofSecrets (thugs-chen gsang-'dus), and the Sun which Illuminates the Expanse of the Great Perfection (rdzogs-chen klong-gsal nyi-ma), which were discovered at Namkecen in Lhodrak.
When Ratna Lingpa discovered the treasure at glorious Phukring in Kharcu he displayed inconceivable supernormal cognitive powers and miracles, including a wonderful array of magical feats. He met Orgyen Rinpoche [in visions] twenty-five times, visited the Copper-coloured Mountain in a vision, and so forth, as it is related in his Biography of the Thirteen Stores (mdzod-khang bcu-gsum-gyi mam-thar). He often per- formed the Attainment of Elixir [according to} the Attainment of Mind (thugs-sgrub sman-sgrub) and the Attainment ofMedicinal Pills [from the Flesh of One} Born [as a Brahman} Seven Times (skye-bdun ril-sgrub),
794
History: Close Lineages ofthe Treasures
to collect textual traditions from all quarters, including the abbreviated set of the Collected Tantras which was preserved at Ukpalung. Realising that the complete, continuous lineage of their transmission was not to be found anywhere in Kham or in Tibet, except with Megom Samten Zangpo of Tsang, his heart could not bear the approaching end of the continuous line of transmission. Although the venerable Megom was exceedingly aged, the master and disciple both made great efforts over a long period of time and thus he received it. Later, Ratna Lingpa arranged the Collected Tantras altogether at Lhlindrup Palace in Trushiil, and had new copies prepared, the earlier ones in ink, and the later ones in gold. In connection with this he propagated the continuous transmission many times. Therefore, it is certainly only by the compas- sion of this great treasure-finder that today we can still enjoy these secret tantras, which are like wish-fulfilling gems. Thus, he was uniquely most propitious to the teaching of the Ancient Translation School, in general.
After bringing such deeds to completion, Ratna Lingpa, then in his seventy-sixth year [1478], passed away into the Palace of Lotus Light, accompanied by the most wonderful miracles. Many fine lineages of his sons and disciples, including those of the four spiritual sons dear to his heart, have continued until the present day, and the enlightened activity of his profound doctrine has been preserved without decline.
.
of these occaSIOns was
thereevent esI . .
L' utterly perfect, Ratna mgpa
. .
Since the auspICIOUS co
. e .
d ' d treasures of three ll1etImes,
found in a single l1etIme
k
and hence became nown un
h
der tree na
Ratna Lingpa
owerments, guidance, and instruC-
and when he granted or emP . rainbow lights shone, rains of d
tion, there were inexpressIble fragrance of incense. On none
flowers fell, and all was perva e h l'ghtest kind of obstacle.
mCldence was (I'e' ] the estme
d"l meso Zhikpo Lingpa, Dro u . .
t Kailash to Gyelmorong m . d
liberation. ntras of the Nyingmapa, the AncIent Above all, during that era, tal d d in the Kangyur owing to the Translation School, were not mc . e the Denkanna Catalogue of the
following statement dWkhiChhiS floduann_d:r_ma, T 4364):
(bk "gyur ar-c ag Kangyur a -
M
L' a From oun
Lingpa, and Ratna bl living creatures in maturatIon an Kham he established mnumera e .
. antras of the secret Because of their great strictness Inner t
mantras are n
ot set forth here.
d their transmis- Ratna Lingpa made great efforts
.
For this reason bneage
s of both the texts an sions had become exceedmgly rare.
Ratna Lingpa 795
13 Perna Lingpa
J
'
h e no OJ the Transmitted
[583. 4-588. 2] Orgyen Perna Lingpa,1066 who was hailed as the fourth
of the five kingly treasure-finders, was the last of the five pure incarna-
tions of the royal princess Pemasel. 1067 His birth at Mon Bumthang
in 1450 (iron male horse year, eighth cycle) was attended by many
omens. His father was Tondrup Zangpo of the Nyo clan, and his mother
Trongma Peldzom. Since, in his previous life, he had been the all-know- may ing Trime Ozer [Longcenpa], he awoke to the genuine enlightened
family during his childhood. He learned several scripts, the crafts, and so forth, without having been taught.
In particular, on Wednesday 31 July 1476 (tenth day, seventh month, monkey year),1068 in the place called Yige Trukma, Perna Lingpa actu- ally beheld the visage of Orgyen Rinpoche, who blessed him and placed in his hands an inventory of one hundred and eight great treasure troves. Accordingly, in his twenty-seventh year he brought forth the first of all his profound treasures, namely, the Cycles of the Luminous Expanse of the Great Perfection (rdzogs-chen klong-gsal-gyi skor-mams), from the famous Lake Mebar, where the Tang River meanders in the form of a knot near Naring Trak. Surrounded by a multitude of people he entered the lake without hesitation, holding a burning lamp in his hand. Then, when he re-emerged, the lamp in his hand was unextin- guished, and he carried under his arm a great treasure chest, about the size of a clay pot. Everyone was amazed and became established in the faith of conviction. Consequently, Perna Lingpa's indisputable reputa- tion covered the land like the sun and moon.
In the same way, he discovered the Great Perfection, the Gathering of SamantabhadraJs Intention (rdzogs-chen kun-bzang dgongs-Jdus) at Samye Chimpu. Moreover, from their respective treasure sites he brought forth the Cycle ofthe Small Son which is a Non-Dual Tantra of the Great Perfection (rdzogs-chen gnyis-med-rgyud bu-chung-gi skor); the Guru, an Ocean of Gems; the Great Compassionate One, the Lamp which Dispels Darkness (thugs-rie chen-po mun-sel sgron-me); the Eight Transmit- ted Precepts, the Mirror ofMind (bkaJ-hrgyad thugs-kyi me-long), the Kfla
which is the Utterly Secret TT. 't 1R Pema Lingpa 797 h C v1a azor(Phur-p
t e 0lcle of the Attainment oif I\T El' k ) [ h' J. vectar- lXlr (bd d ' ,
s or, w Ich three cycles togeth
p recepts, Kfla, and Elixir (bk er constItute] th n' . f :7 Vajrapa7Ji as the Subduer of th -p ur-sman-gsum); [the teachings of]
dregs-Jdul dang gtum-chung)' th: Grrogant and as Slight Rage (phyag-rdor on the Wrathful [Guru] (drag- 0 andLesser[Teachings
on Longevity, the Vajra the Guidance ment of Longevity, Integrating n. hr phreng-ba); the Attain- lam-khyer); the Black Tnwgy ( skWlt t e Path (tshe-sgrub nor-bu
(las phran-gyi skor)' and rna nag-po s the Cycle ofMinor Rites 1 · ' ny others. Llkew' h .
menta objects, and of images b k Ise, t e profUsIOn of sacra- o
of one] born seven times [as 'b °h sand Stilpas, including [the flesh
a raman]whohl'b
representative images of Guru Pad IC 1 erates when tasted,
d
ered], the imagination. masambhava [that he discov-
an
In partIcular, in a ravine this t
of Lho Kyercu which had unearthed the temple . 'I ' not preVIOusly b . 'b
SImI ar to the temple of P I s
een VISI Ie, and which was umpa [at S ] 1069
b
" e tsap e VIsIted by everyone at th
PemaLingpa
amye . That temple e present day. Among the riches Perna
u -rtsl sman-sgrub-kl1i
798 History: Close Lineages ofthe Treasures
Lingpa discovered as treasures were the life-supporting turquoise gems of the religious king Trhisong Detsen called "Blazing Light", "Blazing Light of a Thousand Mountains", and "Red House Snowpeak"; the seamless robes of the Princess; 1070 a clairvoyant mirror; and many other especially sublime riches of the royal dynasty.
Although an inventory of one hundred and eight treasure troves had come into Perna Lingpa's hands, he could not discover more than half of them. Later, when the treasure-finder was approaching death, his son asked for permission to find the others, but the master said, "It will be hard for you to find the treasure doctrines. But if you purely guard your commitments and pray to me, you may possibly find some minor ones. " Accordingly, his spiritual son Dawa is known to have
1071
brought forth some treasure troves, toO.
Moreover, the vastly wonderful deeds of Perna Lingpa were incon-
ceivable. He prophesied that in the future he would become the buddha named Vajragarbha in the Buddha-field of the Lotus Array, and said that all those presently associated with him, as well, would be reborn in that realm and become the disciples of that buddha.
Concerning the host of disciples who were his spiritual sons, there is a prophetic declaration among his treasures:
Ten thousand will be associated by [the force of] past deeds. One thousand and two will be associated by aspiration. Those associated through the profound essential point
will be eleven.
Seven will be maJ). Qala-holders.
And three will be spiritual sons, dear to his heart.
In conformity with this prophecy, an inconceivable number of dis- ciples appeared. Among them, the foremost were the six emanational treasure-finders; the six great accomplished masters; the six great sons who had manifestly disclosed the signs of accomplishment; Tshliltrim Peljor, the great preceptor of the Conangpa residence [Phlintsoling], Nangso Gyelwa Tondrup, and Triilku Chokden Gonpo, who were the three spiritual sons whose intention was the same as that of the treasure- finder himself; and his four physical sons, who were emanations of the Lords of the Three Families. Of these, his spiritual son Dawa, who was the emanation of Avalokitesvara, had inconceivable, expressive powers of blessing. He realised the intention of his father and as a result his enlightened activity became extensive. He was praised as a great, holy individual and revered as a guru by Sakya Dakcen, Drigung Rincen Phtintsok, Zhamarpa Koncok Yenlak, Pawo Chogyel Tondrup, and others. He was also supplicated by all sorts of important persons from Central Tibet, Tsang, and Mon in the south, and his enlightened
' . . b '
actIVIty In the service of oth
Perna Lingrl1a 799
1-'
bi
e. None the less,
h
ecame Incon
. ceIva
ers
e practised the way of yoga in secret
The transmission of Perna Lingpa's 'rofi
passed down and propagated by kdoctnnes was gradually Tondrup Pelbar, who were renowned atso. RangdrOl and Umdze
masters, as well as by his own
f h· "
o IS spIntua1 Son [Dawa] wh
h
.
he two Incomparable doctrine- emanation d h .
speec
. s an t e emanatIOns 0 occupIedtheseatatLh 1 .
'
ra. ptothepresentda th l' aungInLho-
dkU
the regions of Mon in the y the Icneage has. been spread throughout
Th .
e entIre stream of its em
.
contInues without decline.
sou , entral TIbet T '
powerments trans . .
d
sang an
, m I s S I O n s , and gUIdance
Dokam. .
14 Karma Lingpa
ment of unimpeded supernormal cognitive power and enlightened activity.
In his fifteenth year, the prophetic declaration and the auspicious coincidence came together. From Mount Gampodar, which resembles a dancing god, he extracted the Peaceful and Wrathful Deities, the Natural Liberation ofIntention (zhi-khro dgongs-pa rang-grol); the Great Compas- sionate One, the Peaceful and Wrathful Deities ofPadma (thugs-rje chen-po padma zhi-khro); and other treasures. He gave the complete doctrinal cycle of the Peaceful and Wrathful Deities of Padma (padma zhi-khro'i chos-skor) to fourteen great disciples, who were the masters of his doc- trine. But he gave the doctrinal cycles of the Natural Liberation of Intention to his son, Nyinda Choje alone; and he sealed the lineage with an injunction that for three generations it should be transmitted to only a single person. Because he did not form the auspicious connec- tion with the consort prophesied for him, Karma Lingpa passed into another realm after not very long.
The Peaceful and Wrathful Deities, the Natural Liberation of Intention was vastly propagated by Namka Choki Gyamtso, the third generation successor. The continuous lineage of its empowerment, transmission and guidance is found throughout Central Tibet, Tsang and Kham, and, in particular, in the southern and northern districts of Dokam. The enlightened activity of the Great Liberation by Hearing during the Intermediate State [bar-do thos-grol chen-po, i. e. the so-called "Tibetan
Book of the Dead"] continues to be extensively propagated in most
1072
[588. 3-589. 4] The treasure-finder Karbma ometime during the sixth k L. . ' Gyeltsen was orn s
translator Co ro U1 '1 3 8 7 ] at Khyerdrup, above Takpo. cycle [24 January 1327 to 20 January
He was the eldest son of the great ahcco
h ld of t e man
ra·
nd dwelt as the very embodl-
and he lived as an up 0 er 'b wasendowedwithinnumerableattn utesa
.
Karma Lingpa
Lingpa
an emanation of the
m lished master Nyinda Sangye, p t tradl'tl'on Karma Lingpa
places up to the present.
Karma Lingpa 801
15 Thangtong Gyelpo
covered many other pro[;ound t Thangtong Gyelpo 803 I reasures as well d ·
concea ed many treasure troves [at those site] ,an ,In exchange, he ? yelpo subdued an evil extr s. . .
! 'Camata In IndIa, and barbarian tribes on emIst kmg, wh? resided at
[589. 4-593. 1] The mighty lord among accomplished masters, Thang- tong Gyelpo,I073 was the combined emanation of Avalokitesvara and the glorious Hayagrlva, who came forth as if Guru Padmasambhava had taken birth from the womb. He incarnated at Olpa Lhartse in upper Tsang in 1385 (wood ox year, sixth cycle). Adhering to more than five hundred tutors, he pursued study and reflection without limit. Although he was a naturally arisen, mighty lord among accomplished masters, by virtue of necessity he received the Northern Treasures in their entirety from Ktinpang Tonyo Gyeltsen and the Shangpa doctrines from the lama Dorje Zhonu;1074 and he revealed the attainment of accomplishment in both of these traditions. Through the disciplined conduct [of an adherent of the secret mantra] he journeyed to all parts of Jambudvlpa and its subcontinents and, in particular, to such places as the Lotus Light Palace on Camaradvlpa, where he heard the doctrine from Guru Rinpoche and numberless accomplished masters; and the gakinls and doctrine protectors did him obeisance.
Thangtong Gyelpo built many temples at geomantic focal points,
1075
He bound all the venomous gods and demons under oaths of allegiance. From Samye Chimpu he extracted five paper scrolls, including the Attainment of Longevity, the Giver of the Glory of Immortality (tshe-sgrub 'chi-med dpal- ster). From Trampagyang he brought forth the Attainment of Mind, Utterly Secret and Unsurpassed (thugs-sgrub yang-gsang bla-med); from Druptso Pemaling, the Jewel Hoard of Esoteric Instruction (man-ngag tin-chen gter-spungs); from Taktsang (the "tiger den") at Paro in Mon, a ten-span-Iong paper scroll which combined the profound, essential points of all the SlUras and tantras; from the Palace of Secret Mantra in Tsari, the Cycle of Profound Doctrines which are Mind Treasures (zab- chos thugs-gter skor); and from Zilcen Phuk in Tsari, the Illuminating Lamp which Contains the Prophecy of the Great Accomplished Master Himself (grub-chen-nyid-kyi lung-bstan gsal-ba'i sgron-me) and the Means for the Attainment of K:jetrapala (zhing-skyong-gi sgrub-thabs). He dis-
- ce uncount bl [.
stupas] representing the buddha-bod a e books, and
the range of the intellect. He built fil' and mmd, surpassing and established one hundred d Iron sUspension bridges and other inconceivable elg. teen ferry-crossings. I076 These beyond that, on these occasions . re renowned.
