No More Learning

When, in particular, DharmasrI heard the great treasure-finding guru
deliver an oral exegesis of the Secret Nucleus which combined the Parkap Commentary and YungtOnpa's Commentary, he plumbed the depths of all the overt and hidden meanings of that tantra. He studied, in the manner of a vase being filled to the brim, all the existing transmitted empowerments, exegetical transmissions, and transmitte? esoteric in- structions of the classes of the tantras and means for attamment of the
Ancient Translation School, including the trilogy of the Sutra which Gathers All Intentions, the Magical Net, and the Mental Class. the treasures he received the empowerments, transmissions, and esotenc instructions for all the treasure doctrines of most of the famous treasure- finders, of which the foremost were the Earlier and Later Treasure Troves. And he received, too, the entire transmission of the Collected
Tantras of the Nyingmapa, which is the root of all [the tioned here]. Moreover, from Rikdzin Perna Trhinle, Dharmasn re- ceived the empowerment of the complete Kiilacakra and the empower- ment of the peaceful and wrathful deities of the Magical Net.
These must suffice as illustrations: It is impossible to describe the extent to which I? harmasrI studied, considered, and meditated upon an ocean of doctnnal systems, belonging to various traditions, under some twenty tutors of the ancient and new translation schools without partiality. '
For the sake of the teaching, Locen DharmasrI gave the vows of complete ordination to four hundred and forty-seven monks, and those the to one thousand two hundred and ninety-eight. From hIS forty-eIghth year to his sixty-fourth, during both the summer and winter sessions, he continuously turned the doctrinal wheel ofthe Tantra ofthe Secret Nucleus on behalfofabout sixty members ofthe community of awareness-holders, who were intelligent and endowed with supreme good fortune. He also taught many great texts, including the Ascertain- ment ofthe Three Vows,948 Transcendental Perfection, and the Vinaya. Eight times he conferred solely the empowerment of the peaceful and wrathful deities of the Magical Net, thrice that of the Sutra which Gathers All Intentions and five times that of the Chumer of the Depths of Hell (na-rak dong-sprugs), et cetera. In this way, it seems, he taught all the empowerments, transmissions, and [systems of] experiential guidance of the transmitted precepts and treasures of the ancient and new trans- lation schools, which he had himself received, not less than three or four times each.
In particular, he conferred on Ngawang Ktinga Trashi, the great lord of the glorious Sakyapa, a great many doctrines and transmissions including the complete empowerments and transmissions of the New Treasures [gter-gsar, i. e. those of Gyurme Dorje],949 the Guidance which Lays Bare the Teaching on the Great Compassionate One (thugs-rje-chen- po'i smar-khrid), and the empowerment of the Razor Kfla (phur-pa :pu-gri). In his fifty-ninth year, 1712 (water dragon), DharmasrI was Invited to Chamdo in Dokam, where he matured and liberated the minds of Phakpalha Gyelwa Gyamtso, Zhiwa Zangpo and Ngawang Trtilku by means of many nectar-like empowerments, transmissions, and esoteric instructions of the ancient and new traditions without bias. These included the entire cycle of the New Treasures (gte:-gsar-skor yongs-rdzogs), the Guru as the Gathering of Secrets (bla-ma gsang-'dus), the Red Wrathful Guru according to the Treasure of Nyang (nyang-gter drag-dmar), the Razor Kfla, the Chumer of the Depths of Hell, and the Great Compassionate One according to the Tradition ofthe King (thugs-rje chen-po rgyal-po lugs).
DharmasrI even taught the conventional sciences, like grammar, pro- and poetics, not less than five or six times each, according to the capabilities of particular aspirants. In short, this holy indi- VIdual lIved out his entire life performing bountiful acts in the service of the teaching, in accord with the three ways of the wise [i. e. teaching, debate, and composition]; and in so doing he disclosed the naturally
732 History: The Distant Lineage ofTransmitted Precepts
manifest, impartial intention of the Great Perfection. Thus,. he was indisputably one who dwelt on the great level of a sublime In order that the teaching might endure for a long time, Locen
DharmasrI composed the texts making up his Collected Works (bka'-bum), beginning with his unprecedented on the intentional meaning of the Sutra which Gathers All and the
. IN t which are in the form of great commentanal vehIcles, Magzca e, . I· It
. . through to his works on the conventIona SCIences. IS contInumg .
manifestly a great treasure trove of perfect treatises and eloquence.
Concerning the sons who were born from his most of the great individuals who maintained the doctnne d. unng that epoch, it seems that there were none who failed to bow at hIS feet. the host of his disciples who were learned in and lOgIC, and
who were endowed with experiential accomplIshment, cannot be enumerated.
11 Later Lineages of the Transmitted Precepts
THE MINDROLING LINEAGE OF THE TRANSMITTED PRECEPTS
[498. 6-506. 5] So it was that the transmitted precepts of [the empower- ments which cause] maturation and [the guidance which causes] libera- tion, along with the exegetical transmissions, instructions and practical guidance of the transmitted precepts of the Ancient Translation School, in general, as well as the trilogy of the Sutra which Gathers All Intentions, the Magical Net, and the Mental Class, in particular, fell to the great treasure-finder, Rikdzin Gyurme Dorje. He bestowed them on his younger brother, the great translator DharmasrI, an emanation ofYudra Nyingpo, who gave them to Gyelse Rincen Namgyel, an emanation of Vimalamitra. He, in turn, gave them to the great translator's reincarna- tion, the great preceptor Orgyen Tendzin Dorje. From those two, master and disciple, the lineage divided into many streams, extending all the way from [the monasteries of] Katok, Pelytil, Zhecen,9so and Dzokcen in Kham, to Gyelmorong in the far east and to the Golok region of Amdo. In these districts the enlightened activities of exegesis and attainment have extensively and uninterruptedly continued until the present day.
It is not possible to describe all the lineage-holders individually, but here, for example, is one major lineage [of the transmitted precepts]: From the great preceptor O<;l<;liyana [Orgyen Tendzin Dorje], they were transmitted through:
Trhicen Trhinle Namgyel, who was an emanation ofTrhinle Lhtindrup;
Trhi Perna Wangyel, the emanation of the great treasure- finder [Rikdzin Gyurme Dorje];
Trhi Sangye Ktinga, an emanation of Yudra Nyingpo.
From the great treasure-finder to this [last-mentioned] master the lineage represents the continuous family line of the Nyo clan,9S1 who were holders of indestructible reality.
734 History: The Distant Lineage ojTransmitted Precepts
Then, the lineage continued through:
' Norbu the Dokam Kyangkar Trlilku, who
Tshewang Trakpa, his son and heir, who lived to the age of one hundred and ten;
Ngawang Trakpa, [Tshewang Trakpa's] younger brother; Ngawang Norbu, [the latter's] son;
Norbu Yongdrak, an emanation of Vimalamitra;
Gyelse Norbu Wangyel;
the all-knowing Tshliltrim Dorje, the third speech emanation of Pema Lingpa;955
Karwang Tshtiltrim Gyeltsen of Ponlung;
Tendzin Gyurme Dorje, the fourth successive reincarnation
of Pema Lingpa's spiritual son Dawa Gyeltsen, and Rikdzin Terdak Lingpa [Gyurme Dorje] of Mindroling.
The lineage of the former [i. e. Tendzin Gyurme Dorje] continued through:
Ngawang Klinzang Dorje, the fourth speech emanation of Pema Lingpa;
Gyurme Chokdrup Pelbar, the fifth successive spiritual son; Pema Tondrup Trakpa, a holder of indestructible reality; Klinzang Tenpei Gyeltsen, the sixth speech emanation of
Pema Lingpa;
Baka Klinzang Rikdzin Dorje;
Klinzang Tenpei Nyima, the eighth speech emanation of
Pema Lingpa;
Baka Rikdzin Khamsum YongdrOl;
Orgyen Namdrol Gyamtso, a holder ofindestructible reality; Gendlin Gyamtso, a lord of yoga who had renounced every-
thing.
[Gendlin Gyamtso] embraced me with his great kindness.
LINEAGES IN KHAM
The stream of the lineage which descended through Rikdzin Terdak Lingpa was also vastly increased by Jamgon Lodro Thaye. 956 Therefore, as it is explained here, the genuine teaching of the trilogy of the Sutra which Gathers All Intentions, the Magical Net, and the Mental Class has continued without decline through to the present day.
The following passage appears in Thuken's Crystal Mirror of Philo- sophical Systems (thu'u-bkvan-gyi grub-mtha' shel-dkar me-long):
A long time has passed since all the essential doctrines of the trilogy of the Sutra which Gathers All Intentions, the Magical Net, and the Mental Class and so forth vanished into the primordial purity of original space. The Nyingmapa
Do-ngaTendzm , " d
was supreme for his learning, dlgmty aa accomp
lish-
ment; h d'b 952orJampel the lord of the circle, Gyurme P en h L rd of
Dewei Nyima, the emanation of VaJrapaI:n, t e o
Secrets.
. h' 11 wing and I obtained [This last master] took me personally mto IS 0 0
the liberating inspiration of the seal of entrustment.
THE MINDROLING
,
LINEAGE OF A TIYOGA
, 1I'nea e of the Great Perfection [which
Moreover, the sfeCla Jental and Spatial classes, as well f
has transmItted] t e cyc l' Rikdzin Terdak Lingpa [Gyurme as the great Splntua Ity: el and to the venerable Dorje] transmitted thIS to Gyelse hogyel 953 From these lady Mingyur Peldron, an eman,atlOn 0 es s .
two, it was transmitted successIvely through.
the great preceptor Orgyen Tendzin Dorje;
Trhicen Trhinle Namgyel;
the venerable lady Trhinle Chodron;
the all-knowing Dorje Ziji, or Jamyang Khyentse Wangx,o,
h was the combined emanation of the ? reat pa? ,Ita and the sovereign, or religious kmg, Trhlsong
Detsen; , fL ngdro Jedrung Trhinle Campei Jungne, an emanatIon,? a ,
nd to the all-pervading lord Gyurme Ngedon Wangpo, a '954
the magical emanation 0 f Valrocana.
[1 ] lords of the circle, I received the In the of these ast [guidance], and esoteric
entire matunng d 'th the blessing that transferred instructions, and thus was WI
to me the intention of the true Imeage.
THE LINEAGE OF THE COLLECTED TANTRAS
. 1 h uccessive lineage of the
Again, one may refer Y to . t ethSel'r entirety As will be . ' f h C llected 1 antras m .
transmIssIon 0 . d b 1
t e o h '
[ 793-5] t e flvers 0
f the transmitted precepts of rged in the great treasure-
pp.
'.
explalne e ow
the secret tantras, without exceptIon, . conve
finder Ratna Lingpa. From him the lIneage contmue .
, d through'
Later Lineages 735
736
History: The Distant Lineage afTransmitted Precepts
of today merely treat as essential such mimicry as the chant- ing of ritual manuals, the material elaboration of feast offer- ings, and the rites of suppression, burnt offerings, casting
957
Such uncritical prattle is exceedingly false. Since a great scholar like Thuken, who bears up to examination, would never present a corrupt account, we think that this statement was undoubtedly an interpolation made later on by some foolish fanatic. 958
KATOK
To continue: As has already been described, the seminary of the Vajra Seat at Katok was a unique fountain-head of the teaching of the Ancient Translation School. At a later date its enlightened activity was increased by Rikdzin DtidUl Dorje959 and Longsel Nyingpo. None the less, during the intervening period [which followed] the transmitted precepts gradu- ally became rare there. Sonam Detsen, the reincarnation of Dtidtil Dorje and the spiritual son of Longsel Nyingpo received them at the feet of the great treasure-finder [Terdak Lingpa] of Mindroling,960 and restored the teaching of the transmitted precepts from its very founda- tions. Beginning with his reincarnation, Trime Zhingkyong Gonpo, and the others forming the [incarnate] succession of great individuals who maintained the seat of Katok, as well as with Rikdzin Tshewang Norbu,961 an emanation of Namkei Nyingpo, and Gyurme Tshewang Chokdrup, a great pal)c;iita who was an emanation of the great Nyak ]fUinakumara, [this transmission has continued] through to such teachers of more recent times as Situ Ktinzi Choki Gyamtso, and the great preceptor Rikdzin Ngawang Pelzang, a subsequent emanation of V i m a l a m i t r a . T h e t e a c h i n g o f t h e C o n q u e r o r i n g e n e r a l , a n d , i n p a r t i c u - lar, the teaching of the transmitted precepts and treasures of the Ancient Translation School, have been rendered as clear as sunshine by these supreme teachers of living beings, whose learned and accomplished lives and enlightened activities, belonging to the three spheres [of exegesis, attainment, and work], have been utterly amazing and totally without rival.
DZOKCEN
Moreover, there was the lord among accomplished masters, Perna Rikdzin of Dzokcen, who is renowned as the combined emanation of master Kukkuraja and Vimalamitra, and whose life was one of incon- ceivable learning, dignity, and accomplishment. He went to Dokam at the order, issued with foresight, of the supreme conqueror, the Great
Later Lineages 737
out tarmas, et cetera. . .
Dzokcen Pema Rikdzin
[Dalai Lama]. T. here, founded the retreat centre of Samten o mg Rudam and so became a unique benefactor to teachmg . of th. e . AncIent Translation School. His successive incarna- a n d s p I n t u a l s u c h a s t h e g r e a t t r e a s u r e - f i n d e r N y i m a
Ponlop Nam. ka Osel, and Zhecen Rapjam Tenpei Gyeltsen gave nse to a succeSSIOn of supreme individuals who lI'ke h ' f'
'"
as expanSIve as the sky.
g ld
o en mamtamed the teaching through enlightened activity
and. beyond that, during the period of the fourth Dzokcen e. manatIOn Mmgyur Namkei Dorje, Gyelse Zhenpen Thaye, the emana- tIOn ofthe treasure-finder ofMindrOling [Rikdzin Terdak Lingpa], made vast efforts on behalfofthe exegesis and attainment ofmany textual ofthe SlUras and mantras, and especially on behalfofthe
transmItted precepts of the Ancient Translation School Therefore he
soughtoutandgreatlypropagatedmanuscriptsofthem an'dtheircontinu- ousempowerm t . . " '
r h d en s, transmIsSIOns, and esotenc mstructions He pub-
/] some ten ofceremonial arrangements for the which at ers All IntentlOns, the Magical Net and so Thu h' l' d
d1. ,11
an egacy to the contmuous teaching surpass the imagination.
, a c am 0
. S, IS<mness
738 History: The Distant Lineage o/Transmitted Precepts
Rikdzin Kiinzang Sherap
PEL YUL
. . . . . Shera , an emanation of Lasum
SimIlarly, RIkdzm Kunzang. I p t of Namgyel Cangcup Lmg at Cangcup, founded the doctnna c;n of learned and accomplished
. . 963H risetoagreatlamiy . d Pelyul. e gave h. including his spintual sons, an
individuals who the teac Thus he vastly increased the the play of his succeSSIve ' d k
. . . f . attaInmentan wor .
enlightened actIVIties 0 exegesIs'h . . Khyentse Wangpo and the
. . dbybot Jamgon . At a later date, mspire . 964 Gyatrtil Perna Do-nga Tendzm
great treasure-finder Chogyur Lmgpa, I . ent and worship of the
t the annua attamm . instituted, at that very sea, . tted precepts of the AnCIent
dalas of the transmi
twenty-seven great mal). . f h· h the continuous empow-
1 h·h eallthose0 wIC d Translation Schoo, w IC ar. . 965 and he newly founde
. . erment and transmISSIOn
h d Tartang Do-nga S e rup
eXIsts at present, .
h d ·n other ways hIS en-
Ling In t ese an I
s . heres was most amazing. .
lightened actlvIty In the three p fh. s undeviating enhghtened
Above and beyond that, by in about twenty aspiration, Orgyen Do-nga Chokl y p
Later Lineages 739 volumes, all the texts which constitute the doctrinal treasury of the
transmitted precepts. I have had the good fortune to obtain a set of these books of the transmitted precepts of the Ancient Translation School, of which the foremost is the trilogy of the Sutra which Gathers All Intentions, the Magical Net, and the Mental Class. On the basis of
these, at this juncture when the unbearable twists of time in this unfor- tunate age have turned Tibet and Kham into wild and savage lands, the dying embers of the teaching have spread in this direction [i. e. India]! 66 Thus, it is the amazing mass of the kindness of that master
alone, such as can never be repaid, that the life of the teaching has ripened into an unending harvest.
This completes the exposition of the descent of the teaching of the trilogy of the Siltra which Gathers All Intentions, the Magical Net, and the Mental Class, belonging to the extensive, distant lineage of the transmitted precepts, the fifth part of this book, Thunder from the Great
Conquering Battle-fum ofDevendra, a history of the precious teaching
of the vehicle of indestructible reality according to the Ancient Trans- lation School.
Part Six
The Close Lineages of the Treasures
(
1 The Nature, Purpose and Kinds of Treasure
[S11. 1-S23. 2] Now, I shall briefly describe the history of the treasures,
967
The nature or essence of [teachings discovered as] treasure is indicated by the following passage from the Sutra of the Dialogue with the Naga King (Nagarajapariprcchasfltra, T IS3-S):
These four are the great treasures, which are inexhaustible: (i) The inexhaustible, great treasure of the unbroken line of the Three Precious Jewels; (ii) the inexhaustible, great treasure of immeasurable and supreme realisation of the doc- trine; (iii) the inexhaustible, great treasure of bringing delight to sentient beings; and (iv) the inexhaustible, great treasure which is like the sky.
Similarly, it says in the Sublime Sutra ofContemplation which Subsumes All Merits [Aryasarvapu1Jyasamuccayasamadhisutra, T 134, quoted in p. l0S]:
o Vimalatejas! the doctrinal treasures of bodhisattvas, great spiritual warriors who desire the doctrine, have been inserted in mountains, ravines, and woods. Dhara1)ls and limitless approaches to the doctrine, which are set down in books, will also come into their hands.
This explains well the [existence of] treasure doctrines, treasure sites, and the individuals who discover them; and [in that same sutra] one finds the following passage, indicating the [presence of] celestial doc- trines, and so forth:
For one whose aspiration is perfect the doctrine will emerge from the midst of the sky, and from walls and trees, even though no buddha be present.
[which constitute] extremely profound, close lineages.
THE NA TURE OF THE TREASURES
744 History: Close Lineages ofthe Treasures
The Nature, Purpose and Kinds o/Treasure 745
Moreover, in various well-known sutras and tantras the essence, formal definition, enumerations, and purposes of treasures are re- peatedly indicated; and these have been renowned in both India and Tibet. The treasures, therefore, have not been invented by specific individuals, such as the Tibetans.
THE PURPOSE OF THE TREASURES
As to the reason for concealing these treasures, it says in the Satra of the River's Play (chu-klung rol-pa'i mdo, DZ Vo1. 9):
Conceal the doctrinal texts of my teaching,
As treasures of mind, [emerging] from mind, Or make them cores of the earth:
Though extremists with wild thoughts
Will certainly confound the definitive meaning, The flow of the river will not be cut off!
And in the words of a treasure discovered by the doctrinal king, Ratna
968
Because, generally, I harbour great compassion
For the Tibetans, who love what is new,
And for the creatures of this defiled age,
I have filled the frontiers and the centre with treasures, Focal points which are the culmination of utter profundity; And I have prayed that these be found by my worthy sons. In the future, sophists, verbally skilled,
Anchorites and others who are biased, inflated with prejudice,
Will promote themselves and dispute my treasures. But most religious persons in the defiled age will be
guided by treasures.
They are profound and complete, unobscured,
comprehensive:
Each instruction will certainly liberate someone. Therefore, 0 worthy and well-trained ones, whose
propensities have awakened,
If you remember death, then experience these
treasure doctrines!
You will obtain liberation's path in one lifetime,
o my followers!
In the defiled age all worthy devotees of treasure Will be those who now have beheld the guru's visage
and formed an aspiration.
Since you all have such propensities, cultivate joy! These words of mine are more rare than gold, or jewels!
Such statements may be found in other treasure texts, too, without limit. Accordingly, concerning the transmitted precepts [of the distant lineage]: During this defiled age their transmitted empowerments and instructions have become adulterated like milk in the market-place. Because [their lineages] have been interrupted by many lineage-holders, the fresh descent of their blessing has been weakened by many violations of the commitments, as well as by pollution [of the teachings] due to interpolations. But, regarding the contents of the treasures: The dis- coverers of treasure were emanations who had been taken into the following of the great Padmasambhava of OQQiyana himself, and had thus obtained complete transmission of the empowerments and instruc- tions, which bring about maturation and liberation. By bringing forth in this way profound doctrines which embody the unfading, moist breath of the Qakinls, they form close lineages, unequalled in the splend- our of their blessings.
THE LINEAGES OF THE TREASURES
It is well known that [the teachings discovered as] treasure have six
lineages, because they possess three special lineages over and above the
intentional, symbolic and aural lineages which have already been de-
969
scribed.
tion, the lineage of prophetically declared spiritual succession, and the lineage of the Qakinls' seal of entrustment].
In the lineage empowered by enlightened aspiration the concealer has sealed [the treasure doctrines] with the following statement of aspiration embodying a declaration of truth: "May the individual who has power over such and such a treasure trove come to reveal it! "
In the lineage ofprophetically declared spiritual succession the person destined to reveal the treasure has been entrusted with the central intention, namely, the genuine pristine cognition that is the object of illustration, and has also received encouragement through a prophetic declaration of future events.
In the lineage of the qiikinfs' seal of entrustment illustrations [of that intention] are verbally arranged in symbolic writing and then invisibly sealed in indestructible rocks, wealth-filled lakes, and immutable chests, their identifying inventories having first been entrusted to their respec-
970
tive treasure lords.
[the concealer's] aspiration matures, the propensities [of the discoverer] awaken, and the lord of the treasure offers encouragement. The appro- priate chest, containing all kinds of profound treasure, with or without an inventory, then comes into the hands of the treasure-finder.
Lingpa:
These comprise: [the lineage empowered by enlightened aspira-
When the predicted time arrives, the power of
746 History: Close Lineages ofthe Treasures
THE CONCEALMENT OF THE EARTH TREASURES
In particular, most of the profound doctrines contained in the treasures were encoded in the symbolic script of the ejakinIs. They cannot be deciphered by any other than the person who has the right fortune; and because that person must encounter the actual inscribed seal in- dicative of the transmitted precepts of the great Orgyen [Padmasam- bhava], the lineage is therefore uninterrupted by ordinary people. Its source is venerable, its symbolic conventions uncontrived, its words unconfounded, and its meaning unerring. Since [such treasures] were translated from the secret symbols of the ejakinls, the texts are profound and their blessing great. The unworthy, no matter how keen their intelligence, are like blind men examining an elephant and cannot appraise even a portion of them. The revealers of treasure are genuinely beyond the perceptual range of ordinary beings.
In this country of Tibet the one who instructed numberless persons in need of training by enlightened activities associated with the nucleus of the teaching, the vehicle of indestructible reality in general, and the profound treasures in particular, was the Second Buddha, Padmasam-
famili ] . .
. es In the symbolIc script of the dakinls
vanous treasure chests, sealed them to· b .
bhava. 971 In the Sutra of Final NirvalJa the Buddha
After my nirval)a,
When about twelve years have passed,
An individual greater than myself will appear On the lake isle of Dhanakosa.
prophesied:
Nyangben Tingdzin Zangpo Nanam Doqe DUjom, and treasures. They consecrated thes concealed many profound for disciples to be trained th ; so t at ater, when the time was ripe
benefit living beings. In ,:ould be and so
the king and his subJ·ects h elr prophecIes and prayers ave appeared as a . . ' of fortunate individuals and . n magIcal play
life-style, who have acted on of social class and beings. e a 0 the teachIng and of living
PURE VISIONS AND TREASURES OF INTENTION
All the above refers primarily to the
As for the origins of the profound of the earth however, there is a particular as . p . VISIOns and treasures ofIntention,
to the Conduct 0/ a Bodhisattva of the [Introduction ) . ,v. 37] whIch says:
Mayall corporeal beings continually hear The sounds of the doctrine
From birds and from trees
From all the light rays and'even from the sky.
It is said that owing to the power ofsuch . .
bodhisattvas have no reason to b d · aspIratIOns, and also because
This great master was not merely an individual who traversed the sequence of the path, or a sublime [bodhisattva] abiding on [any of the ten] levels.
Indeed, he was the emanational body of Buddha Amitabha, the peerless Sakya King, and others, made manifest in order to train, by various means, those beings, human and non-human, who are difficult to train. It is thus impossible, even for great sublime beings, to describe just an aspect of his career. None the less, a brief outline has already been given above. It was his particularly great enlightened activity to conceal uncountable treasure troves containing doctrines, wealth, medicines, astrological calculations, images, sacramental sub- stances and so forth in the lands of India, Nepal, and Tibet, with the intention ofproviding a harvest for future disciples and for the teaching.
Above all, skilfully teaching each according to his needs here in Tibet, Guru Rinpoche taught approaches to the doctrine in general, and, in particular, an infinite mass of tantras, transmissions, esoteric instructions and rites associated with the three classes of yoga [Mahayoga, Anuyoga, and Atiyoga]. All of those transmitted precepts were compiled by the mistress of secrets, the queen of the expanse, Yeshe Tshogyel, who retained them in her infallible memory. She arranged them on five kinds of yellow scroll [symbolising the five
ally hear the sound of the d t estItute. ofthe doctrine, they continu- . oc nne even In the sou d f h
. '
Namkel Nyingpo, Nyak Jfi- k -
The Nature) Purpose and Kinds O f ' T ' ,
'J J. 747
masambhava and his consort alon . e IndestructIble. Guru Pad-
h· b· , eorInthecompan fhk·
IS su Jects, concealed them in dift; . yo t e Ing and
t? their respective treasure lOcatIOns and them
uru s eparture for b f
lIved for more than a hund d . eshe Tshogyel, In particular - re years after the g 'd '
Camaradvlpa and concealed a · .
. n InconceIVable nu In Upper, middle and lower Tibet 972 I h.
m er 0 treasure troves to the treasures. . ntIS way she fulfilled her service
Moreover, the great pandita v· 1 .
religious kings the great t·r·a I tlmaVaI? Itra, the generations of the
ns a or alrocana
N S
,u P . angye Yeshe,
and wIld animals. Buddhas and b 'dh. . n s o t e elements in visions and teach the do t . 0 . Isattvas Indeed reveal themselves which Subsumes All nne, as It says in the Sutra o/Contemplation
the great bodhisattvas who are desirous of
. . and reverence, will behold th . per ect asplfatIOn
Lord Buddha and h h· d e of the Transcendent . ear IS Octnneeventh h h . In another region of t h · oug t ey resIde
octnne and who are endowed with t;
e unIVerse.
. .
and, them in
748 History: Close Lineages ofthe Treasures
Particularly, in the perception of great sublime beings there is only a pure vision [of reality]; impure vision does not occur. Through the perpetual round of the three times they continuously engage in many wonderful doctrinal discussions with their myriad favoured deities of the three roots; and thence there emerge limitless, profound instruc- tions. These are the pure visionary doctrines, which, in accord with the devoted attitudes of specific individuals, have been suitable for propagation amongst the fortunate. Their appearance within the percep- tual range of all may be known from the lives of many learned and accomplished masters of India and from those of the spiritual bene- factors, treasure-finders, and accomplished masters of the ancient and new traditions of Tibet, impartially.
In the same way there are those [teachings] known as the treasures of intention, on which a sutra says:
o MafijusrI! know that just as the four elements originate from the treasure of space, so do all doctrines originate from the treasure of the Conqueror's mind. Thereby one should relish the significance of this treasure.
Accordingly, it is said that the treasure troves of the doctrine pour forth from the spatial expanse of the intention of all sublime indi- viduals.
The following passage also occurs in the Sutra which Genuinely Com- prises the Entire Doctrine:
To the bodhisattva whose aspiration is pure all appropriate instructions and teachings come forth just as he wishes.
And again, there is a sutra which says:
If you have the confidence of certainty with respect to ultimate meaning,
One hundred thousand doctrinal treasures will pour forth from your mind.
Just so, up to the present day, in all the lands of India, Nepal and Tibet, an infinite number of profound instructions have emerged from
973
the profound intentions of great learned and accomplished masters. In brief, these masters have opened at will the doors of doctrines, wealth, sacramental substances,974 et cetera; and by wonderful en- lightened activity, the four ways of liberation,975 they will maintain the true doctrine, down to the end of this evil age. Even in places where the teachings of the Vinaya and the sutras do not exist, the teaching of the vehicle of indestructible reality, which is that of the secret mantra, spreads little by little, and expands, without decline. Such is the extens- ive and continuous enlightened activity [of the treasures] which liberates
11 b "
a emgs who are hard to trai G asserted: n.
m sO/Treasure 749
uru [PadmasambhavaJ himself has
The Nature, Purpose and K" d
In the defiled age the teaching's r . Will b ImIts
e preserved by treasures.
Accordingly, until the teachin of t h · "
the activity of the profound t
g e. FIfth GUIde [Maitreya] arises reasures wIll never decline. '
2 Biographies of the Treasure-finders
. d the treasures in general, it will [523. 2-523. 61 Having thus explalne . fi lly and at length on the lives
not be possible here to who have revealed the
of the hosts of accomphshed haware those treasure-finders who have I 1dd mongtemare . . .
[523. 6-525. 5] The earliest of all treasure-finders was Sangye Lama. He was the first of the thirteen incarnations of Gyelse Lharje, during which he was always a treasure-finder. He was born at Tshowar in LatO, approximately during the early part of the life of the great translator Rincen Zangpo,978 and lived as a shaven-headed monk who was an adherent of the mantra tradition. From a cross-beam in the temple of Lowo Gekar in Ngari he brought forth the Trio of the Guru) Great Perfection) and Great Compassionate One (bla-rdzogs-thugs-gsum); from the nearby rock of Tamdringtil the Combined Means for Attainment of the Three Roots called "Perpetual Vision of Accomplishment" (rtsa-gsum dril-sgrub dngos-grub brtan-gzigs); and from Thangwar, Khoklang Rock and elsewhere the Hayagnva who Overpowers Arrogant Spirits (rta-mgrin dregs-pa zil-gnon), many rituals of the siitra tradition which had been translated from Chinese, notes on their ritual variants (kha-bsgyur), et cetera. He travelled throughout Central Tibet and Tsang, benefitted living creatures to the utmost, and lived until about the age of eighty. It is said that, later, Choje Lingpa979 also saw a kIla preserved at Tsari Tshokar, which had come from Sangye Lama's treasures. The family of that treasure-finder continued until a later time in the region of LatO; and it seems that the treasure-finder called Sangye Bar, too, was born into this same family.
Because oftheir extreme antiquity, the empowerments, transmissions and texts ofSangye Lama's treasures did not continue later on, excepting the continuous transmission of a few minor siitras. However, the vision of pristine cognition of the great Orgyen, the knower of the three times, and his spiritual sons, as well as their compassion, have no need for writing. With special consideration for the subjects of Tibet during the extremes of this defiled age, they inspired Perna Osel Do-nga Lingpa [Jamyang Khyentse Wangpo], a unique charioteer of the ocean of pro- found treasures who had arisen as the unimpeded, magical emanation of the compassion of Vimalamitra and of the ancestral kings Trhisong Detsen and Relpacen, to be the master of seven successions of transmit-
treasures. nc u e a . with their eras and charactenstIcS, III been roughly prophesIed, along. . . +padma (padma bka'i thang-
. . f] the InJunctwns 0)
. 1 eared without beIllg clear y
[the vanous recenSIOns 0
976 11 s those who
h
ave app
yig-mams), as we a h less universally renowned as va I .
referred to therein, but are e the earlier and later versions [All their lives1 can be Iearne d -finders (gter-stan brgya-rtsa'l the Biographies of the Hundre h already described the lives
rnam-thar snga-phyi)977 and ere. t rs who were successors to the
comphs e mas e .
of a few supreme, ac f 1 of the foregoing hneages.
. . the course 0 severa treasure doctnnes In . 1
. 1 the essentIa accO
unts of a few of the most
1.
Here, I shall gIve on Y mulgators 0
·tted precepts and the treasures. general,withrespecttobotht etransmi
important proven pro h
f h Ancient Translation Schoo III t e
1·d
3 Sangye Lama
752 History: Close Lineages ofthe Treasures
ofound treasures of the hundred treasure-
ted precepts. Thus, all the pr . h· hands and indestructible . d·d· ctlycamemto IS ,
finders an m d to him the true significance of these prophecIes repeatedly h t the yellow scroll of the Twenty- opportune occasions. S? It hWaz t Means for the Attainment of the onefold Dialogue concermng. t e nyer-gcig-pa), which was the
Three Roots (rtsa-gsum drzl-sgru f thO great emanational treasure- essence of the profound hands. 980 The root
finder Sangye Lama, fell beYestablished, but Khyentse
text of the treasure could n h · d Cor the torma empowerment ·esfort entesan I'
I4 Trapa Ngonshe
arranged the . . f the text and propagated them. They in Treasures (rin-chen gter-gyi mdzod
are10un m e
chen-po).
[525. 5-527. 3] Trapa Ngonshe, a simultaneous emanation ofShtipu Pelgi Senge and the great translator Vairocana, was born in 1012 (water male mouse year preceding the first cycle), into a family descended from Chim Dorje Peucung, at Kyi in Tra, Yoru. As a youth he awoke to the family of the true doctrine and entered the seminary of Samye. He was ordained as a novice by Yamshti Gyelwa-o, a preceptor who had been Lume's disciple. He became known as Trapa because he was a native of Tra, and Ngonshe because his learning in the Abhidharma was extensive. 982 His ordination name was Wangcuk Bar. From above the door of the central shrine [at Samye] he extracted the Secret Means for the Attainment of Red Jambhala (dzam-dmar gsang-sgrub) and the Tantra ofthe Yak$a Vajra Mdrajit (gnod-sbyin rdo-rye bdud-)dul-gyi rgyud) along with its means for attainment. 983 In particular, as had been prophesied by ZhanglOn,984 he brought forth the master copies985 of the Four Glorious Tantras ofMedical Science (gso-ba rig-pa dpal-ldan rgyud- bzhti bla-dpe),986 which had been translated by the great translator Vai- rocana, from the "Vase Pillar" in the middle storey of the innermost shrine at Samye, at three chutso past midnight [approximately 1. 12 a. m. ] on Wednesday 19 July 1038 (fifteenth day, seventh month, earth male tiger year). He copied the books and returned the originals to their proper resting place. Then he concealed the copies for about one year. Afterwards, he gave them to Khuton Tarma-tra, the spiritual benefactor from Yarlung. The transmitted precepts fell to Yutok Yonten Gonpo, the second king of physicians in [Tibet] the range of snow mountains, who maintained the enlightened activity [of this medical tradition]. Thus, the enlightened activity and wonderful achievements of this mas- ter alone have been inconceivable.
By propitiating Jambhala, Trapa Ngonshe was granted the ac- complishment of an abundance of gold. On that basis, he founded the great seminary of glorious Tratang987 in the lower valley of Tranang, and built many similar establishments. Since he acted as master of all those, and of the seminary at Samye as well, he seems to have been a
SangyeLama
754 History: Close Lineages o/the Treasures
. of empowerment and trans- great spiritual benefactor. Vanous streams. d ksas [Red Jambhala
. . d with the two aforementlOne ya . and the lineage of the exegetical transmission ? fthe
Science (gso-dpyad rgyud-bzhi), have contmued without interruption.
5 Nyang-rel Nyima Ozer
Trapa Ngonshe
[527. 3-533. 5] The first of those who were famed as the five kingly treasure-finders and the three supreme emanations was Nyang-rel Nyima Czer, the deliberate reincarnation ofthe religious king Tshangpa Lhei Metok [i. e. Trhisong Detsen]. 988 He was born at Sergon in Dzesa, a part of Tamshtil in Lhodrak, in 1136 (fire male dragon year, second cycle). 989 His father was Nyangton Choki Khorlo, and his mother Perna Dewatsel. From his childhood onwards there were limitless wonderful signs: In his eighth year he had many pure visions of the Transcendent Lord Sakyendra,990 the Great Compassionate One, Guru Rinpoche and others, and he was exhilarated for a whole month. In particular, one evening he envisaged Guru Rinpoche riding upon a white horse, the hoofs of which were supported by the gakinis of the four classes. Guru Rinpoche gave him the four empowerments with nectar from his vase, as a result of which Nyang-rel had three experiences, which were like the sky being rent open, the earth shaking, and mountains moving. Consequently, his conduct underwent various changes and everyone held him to be insane. He received the empowerment of Hayagriva from his father and after propitiating that deity at Dzepu Kang-ra had a vision of him. The neighing of a horse resounded from his copper kIla and Nyang-relleft the impressions of his hands and feet in rock. In accord with a prophetic declaration of the gakinis he went to the base of Mawocok Rock, where a gakini of pristine cognition conferred upon him the name Nyima Czer. He became known thus thereafter.
Guru Rinpoche emanated as a yogin called Wangcuk Dorje, who granted Nyang-rel essential documents containing an inventory [of treasures] and gave him lessons. Also, the inventories ofTrapa Ngonshe and the Rashak Treasure-finder,991 with their supplements, came into his hands. In accordance with them he proceeded to the treasure site at the base of Sinmo Parje Rock. He stayed the night there and on the following day a woman who was an emanation of Yeshe Tshogyel came bringing two antelope-skin chests loaded on a white mule. From within one of them she brought out a tiger-skin casket and offered it to Nyang-
756 History: Close Lineages ofthe Treasures
h s and discovered a copper reI. He also found the entrance to t ettrleoabsu)'ercets and many other riches.
I . ges sacramen a ,
casket, a c ay vase, I m a , £ th [the doctrinal cycles of] the
From the copper casket there ca. me and the Peaceful and Wrath- Great Compassionate One (thUgsh-? edchen). Pfroo)m the clay vase the Cycle of
A ,I' h Guru(gu-ruz1- rag, . k ) spects oJ t e ( -po dang ngan-sngags-kYl s or ;
(mkha'-'gro'i chos-skor).
[images, books, and stupas] representing respectively the body, speech and mind of Hayagrlva, plus sacraments and much else besides. Moreover, from Samye Chimpu, Sinca Rock in Namkecen, the shrine of Enetrakri, and elsewhere, he also brought forth many treasure troves.
Nyang-rel Nyima Ozer attended on numerous gurus including his father, the great Nyangt6n; Gyanyonpa Tonden; Zhikpo Nyima Senge; Mel Kawacenpa; and Tonpa Khace. 992 Under [these masters] he studied mantras and dialectics extensively. He practised the attainment of the Guru as the Gathering of the Three Bodies (bla-ma sku-gsum 'dus-pa) for three years, whereupon he met the master Padmasambhava in person and obtained many oral authorisations. While experientially cultivating the Guru as the Attainment ofMind (bla-ma thugs-sgrub) at Mutik Shelgi Pagong, Yeshe Tshogyel actually arrived and bestowed on him the text of the Hundredfold Dialogue of the pakinf (mkha'-'gro'i zhu-Ian brgya- rtsa). She led Nyang-rel to the SItavana charnel ground, where the master Guru Rinpoche and the eight awareness-holders who were suc- cessors to the transmitted precepts gave him, separately, the empower- ments of the Eight Transmitted Precepts (bka'-brgyad), in general and in particular. They also gave him the tantras and the esoteric instructions in their entirety.
Nyang-rel took Cobuma, an emanation of Yeshe Tshogyel, to be his wife, and she bore him two sons, Drogon Namka Ozer and Namka Pelwa, an emanation of Avalokitesvara. Once, when the accomplished master Ngodrup arrived, Nyang-rel volunteered that he possessed the treasure troves of the Eight Transmitted Precepts. Ngodrup then stated that he had preserved the related Transmitted Precepts of the Narrow Path to the Fortress (rdzong-'phrang bka'-ma). Nyang-rel therefore studied them as well and blended together, into one stream, the trans- mitted precepts and the treasures. The accomplished master Ngodrup also gave him the Five Scrolls ofthe Doctrinal Cycle ofthe Great Compas- sionate One (thugs-l'je chen-po'i chos-skor shog-dril lnga) which he had discovered in Lhasa, saying, "Now, you are their master. ,,993
Once, while Nyang-rel was performing the means for the attainment of elixir (sman-sgrub) the elixir goddess personally offered moist myro- balan to him, together with the leaves. 994 He could ascend, cross-legged, into the sky, travel without his feet touching the ground, and display countless other miraculous abilities. He devoted his whole life to meditative attainment and the advancement of education together. Later, his enlightened activity became as vast as space; so his legacy to the teaching was inconceivable.
In his sixty-ninth year, 1204 (wood male mouse) ,995 Nyang-rel Nyima Ozer displayed vast wondrous omens. Above all, a white syllable HRIJ:I emerged from his heart and went off to SukhavatI. In this way did he withdraw from the array of his body. He had predicted that three emanations ofhis body, speech, and mind would arise simultaneously.
ful
Mahakala and Mantras ctrinal cycles of the 9akinls and from the tiger-skm casket many 0
Nyang-rel Nyima Ozer
fi f an image was given to him Sometime a br. aken an inventory, following by a merchant. InsIde of It Nyang b 'sh and the other
chests one rownl
which he discovered two treasure. 'K h tl'ng From inside the
h· d . ge of Valrocana at 0 .
pale gray, be m an Ima h h Tantra of the Gathering of the
brownish chest came. fort t e alon with its transmissions Sugatas of the EIght . TransmItted h nJred and thirty doctrinal and esoteric instructIOns, m ng_man-ngag-dang-bcas-
(bka'-brgyad bde-gshegs _ in the
pa'l chos-tshan brgya-dang sum cu T for use as the rehgIOus kmg
of Vairocana and that of the pale gray chest he found Trhisong Detsen's personal Coples. lt m
Nyang-relNyima Ozer 757
758 History: Close Lineages ofthe Treasures
When Chak Lotsawa went to cremate the master's remains, he failed to start a fire. Then the pyre ignited all by itself and everyone saw a young boy in the crematorium, surrounded by and chanting HA RI NI SA with them, as well as many other omens. Manyextraordin- ary relics were left behind as objects of veneration.
During the actual funeral ceremonies, the great SakyasrI and his followers were invited to attend, and they were delighted with vast offerings of gold. Nyang-rel's son, thinking he should be ordained as a novice asked SakyasrI, who refused to grant his request, saying, "Both of you, father and son, have been great bodhisattvas; and I cannot interrupt a family line of bodhisattvas. Maintaining your present life- style you will be of great benefit to living creatures. "
SakyasrI's extensive praise of both the doctrine and the man shows that, from the start, Nyang-rel was universally renowned as a great indisputable and authentic treasure-finder. Moreover, even biased par- tisans of the new translation schools are free from the taint of having harboured perverse notions [about Nyang-rel], and he became as famous in the Land of Snows as the sun and moon.
Nyang-rel's son and main disciple, Drogon Namka Pelwa, was the master of his teaching, to whom the succession of the transmitted precepts of maturation and liberation was entrusted in its entirety. A prophetic declaration states him to have been the emanation of Ava- lokitesvara. Thinking to fulfil [his father's] intention, through his ex- ceedingly great miraculous abilities he drove the stones in front of Mount Shampo into the sky, as if they were herds of sheep. Others never knew where they came from, but they all landed in a grey mass on the banks of the Kyicu in Lhasa, where they were used for [the reconstruction of] the dike996 [which protected the image of] Lord [Sakyamuni in Lhasa]. It is said that in past times those stones could be distinguished without error.
Drogon Namka Pelwa also commissioned one hundred and eight wall-sized paintings in the Nepali style. He possessed exceedingly great occult powers and abilities and was served by the protectors of the doctrine. Therefore, he could destroy all his enemies with lightning, hail and so forth, by sheer force at any time of the day, disregarding
997
There are many stories which illustrate this. Because of his inconceivable compassion Guru Chowang and many
other emanations became his disciples.