Chapter 3 - Arrangement of similar dates

[Full title: Arrangement of similar dates (dus mtshungs bsgrigs pa’i skabs. Chandra 63; Chengdu 96; Roerich 69).].

Further, lha bla ma ye shes 'od invited the East Indian paṇḍita Dharmapāla, who had many disciples, such as the three Pālas—Sādhupāla, who was the chief among the disciples who expounded and practised the Vinaya, Guṇapāla, Prajñāpāla and others. Their lineage (brgyud pa) is called the "Upper Vinaya" (stod 'dul ba). Further, in the time of lha sde—Subhūti Śrīśānti, known as the Great Paṇḍita of Kaśmīra (kha che paṇ chen), was invited. He translated many sūtras and śāstras belonging to the Prajñāpāramitā Class, including the Aṣṭasāhasrikā Prajñāpāramitā,^[1] its commentary,^[2] the Abhisamayālaṃkārāṭīkā^[3] and other works.

Numerous learned translators, disciples of the Great Translator (lo chen), translated numerous texts from the Vinaya piṭaka ('dul ba'i sde snod), the Prajñāpāramitā, and many Tantric works. In particular dge ba'i blo gros of rma translated numerous texts, including the Pramāṇavārtika^[4] , its auto-commentary^[5] , Devendramati’s (lha dbang blo) commentary^[6] and the commentary by Śākyamati^[7] , and made it into a system through teaching and study. This was the beginning of the spread of the teaching of Logic, which became thus established in the region of dbus and gtsang. During that time, khyung po grags se, famous for his learning, composed numerous treatises on Logic. They are called the "Old Nyāya" (tshad ma rnying ma). Later the translator blo ldan shes rab founded the lineage known as the "New Nyāya" (tshad ma gsar ma). The great paṇḍita Jñānaśrī came to Tibet, without having been invited. Numerous (other) paṇḍitas also came, and made numerous excellent translations (of texts). In the time of king 'od lde, Atīśa (jo bo rje) was invited, and reformed the Doctrine.

In the time of the king’s son rtse lde in the year Fire-Male-Dragon (me pho 'brug—1076 A.D.) most of the great Tripiṭakadharas (sde snod 'dzin pa) of dbus, gtsang and khams assembled to a Religious Council (chos 'khor), which became known as the "Council of the Fire-Dragon Year" (me-pho 'brug gi chor 'khor). Each of them set in motion the Wheel of the Doctrine. About that time the zangs dkar lo tsā ba translated the Nyāyālaṃkāra ^[8] .

In general it must be said that the services rendered to the Doctrine by these kings of Upper mnga' ris find no parallel in other countries. Rwa lo tsā ba, gnyan lo tsā ba, khyung po chos brtson, btsan kha bo che, rngog blo ldan shes rab and mar thung dad pa shes rab attended the Council. Among the lo tsā bas dags po dbang rgyal was also present. Btsan kha bo che having studied the "Doctrine of Maitreya" (byams chos) with Sajjana, returned (to Tibet), and great was the benefit. Rwa and gnyan on leaving the Council, proceeded to Nepāl and India. Then having returned to Tibet, they laboured extensively. Dags po dbang rgyal and khyung po grags se held a contest of preaching, having established their residences on the po ta ri and dmar po ri. Monks used to visit the religious schools of both (teachers). Though there exist an account that khyung po had studied the "Old Nyāya", and had left behind numerous disciples, it is not sure whether the "Old Nyāya", which had been studied by him, had not originated from khams or mnga' ris, from a translation of Devendramati’s commentary by rma lo tsā ba. Khyung po seems to have been a contemporary of po to ba.

In general, in the year Iron-Female-Ox (lcags mo glang 821 A.D. Or 881 A.D.), 252 years having passed since the birth of srong btsan sgam po, king ral pa can concluded the treaty with China. In the next Water-Male-Tiger year (chu pho stag—822 A.D. Or 882 A.D.), the Pillar of lha sa (lha sa'i rdo rings) was erected. In the fifteenth year after this Water-Tiger year (chu stag), in the Fire-Male-Dragon year (me pho 'brug—836 A.D. Or 896 A.D.) king ral pa can died. From that year to the year Iron-Female-Hen (lcags mo bya—841 A.D. Or 901 A.D.) dar ma ruled. The Doctrine of  Ordination (rab tu byung ba'i bstan pa) disappeared. This Fire-Male-Ox year (me pho glang—917 A.D. Or 977 A.D.) in the 77th year since the year Iron-Hen (lcag sbya—901 A.D.), when the Doctrine disappeared. Sixty-four years have passed between the next Earth-Male-Tiger (sa pho stag—918 A.D. Or 978 A.D.) and the Iron-Serpent year (lcags sbrul—1041 A.D.), which precedes

Atīśa’s coming to Tibet in the year Water-Male-Horse (chu pho rta—1042 A.D.).During these years the "Six Men from dbus and gtsang" (dbus gtsang mi drug) propagated widely the Doctrine of Ordination. When Atīśa came to Tibet, the disciples of the "Six" khu, rngog and many others were still alive. Thus from the birth of srong btsan sgam po ^[9] 413 years have passed ^[10] . The year Water-Male-Horse (chu pho rta—1042 A.D.) of the coming of Atīśa to Tibet, is the 141st year since the disappearance of the Doctrine^[11] . At that time Lord mar pa (rje mar pa) was in his thirty-first year, and 'khon dkon mchog rgyal po in his ninth year. Gzhus and gra pa mngon shes acted as abbots at that time.^[12]

The Vinayadhara of rgya (rgya 'dul ba 'dzin pa) began the study of the Vinaya. Gra pa’s disciple btsan kha bo che was in his twenty-third year. This was the time of the great disciples of gzhus: the translators leng, 'brog and 'gos, stag lo gzhon tshul, 'bro seng dkar Śākya 'od, khu dngos grub and gyi jo zla ba'i 'od zer. 'brom died twenty-three years after the coming of Atīśa to Tibet^[13] . Bla chen po 'brog mi also passed away about that time. After the death of 'brog mi, rgya gar phyag na came to Tibet. He preached extensively the precepts of the grub snyin (Saraha’s Dohākoṣa) to twenty-one great scholars and others in Upper gtsang. Soon after the death of Atīśa, dam pa sangs rgyas came to Tibet, and taught the old tradition of the zhi byed Doctrine to gra pa and Ice dwal sgar pa.

The Kashmirian Somanātha (zla mgon) also came to Tibet. These two preached and taught the Doctrine of the Kālacakra, Dam pa again returned to India. Having proceeded to sha 'ug stag sgo, he spent three years at snang gro of gnyal. After that he preached the doctrine of the "Middle"Lineage (brgyud. pa bar pa)^[14] to rma, so, skam and others. It seems that about twenty-six years must have elapsed since the death of Atīśa^[15] . After that (dam pa) proceeded to China, and spent twelve years there. Later he came to ding ri, and for twenty-one years laboured for the benefit of living creatures. During the fortieth year after the death of Atīśa, the lo tsā ba blo ldan shes rab taught the Piṭaka to more thang 23,000 students possessing text books. ^[16] During that period the "Three Cousins"^[17] of the bka' gdams pas, sne'u. Zur ba and others, shar ba pa, glang thangg pa, bya yul pa and others, greatly fostered the bka' gdams pa doctrine.

In the time of blo ldan (blo sdan bstan skyong), the Venerable mid la and dam pa sangs rgyas propagated the practice of the Meditative Lineage (sgrub brgyud). Rngog, father and son, 'tshur dbang nge, mes tshon po dpyale tsa^{[18] [19]} , 'khon dkon mchog rgyal po, father and son, ba ri lo tsā ba, rgyus smon lam grags, zangs dkar lo tsā ba and brothers, rwa lo, gnyan lo, 'gos, teacher and disciple, mar pa do ba and others taught extensively the Tantras. Ba ri and the Venerable mid la were born in the same year92. When ba ri (rin chen grags) was fifteen, he met Atīśa^[20] .

Zur chung pa’s son Śākya seng ge of gro phug and his disciple extensively preached the Tantras, belonging to the "Old" class (rnying ma). This was the only time when the Precious Doctrine of the Buddha received its greatest spread. Dpal sgam po pa was born in the year Earth-Female-Sheep (sa mo lug 1079 A.D), twenty-six years after the death of Atīśa. At first he heard the precepts of the bka' gdams pa sect, but later he attended on the Venerable mid la and practiced many precepts. Having attained the great undefiled wisdom (zag pa med pa'i ye shes, anasrāva jñāma), he laboured for the benefit of living beings, and became the Leader of the Doctrine in the Meditative Lineage (sgrub brgyud). His disciples were numerous, both in regard to numbers and the excellence of their achievements. The synchronisation of teachers and their dates is to be understood in the above manner.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

'phags pa shes rab kyi pha rol tu phyin pa brgyad stong pa, Kg. shes phyin, No. 12

[2]:

'grel chen, the Abhisamayālaṃkārāloka, Tg.shes phyin, N0.3791

[3]:

mngon par rtogs pa'i rgyan 'grel pa, Tg. shes phyin, N0.3794

[4]:

tshad ma rnam 'grel, Tg.tshad.ma, No. 4210

[5]:

Pramāṇavārtikavṛtti, Tg. tshad ma, N0.4216

[6]:

Pramāṇavārtikaṭīkā, Tg. tshad ma, No. 4217

[7]:

Śākya-blo;Pramāṇavārtikaṭīkā, Tg. tshad ma, No. 4220

[8]:

tshad ma rgyan, Tg. tshad ma, No. 4221

[9]:

to the year 1042 A.D.

[10]:

if calculated from the year 629 A.D.

[11]:

in the Iron-Hen year, which according to the author is the 901 A.D.

[12]:

so that at least ten years must have passed after their ordination, as is the rule in the Vinaya. The last named was the author of the ma ni bka bum.

[13]:

in 1064 A.D.

[14]:

I.e., the zhi byed doctrine.

[15]:

1054+ 26 = c. 1080 A.D.

[16]:

dpe 'grems means a "student possessing a text book." In ancient Tibet only hand written text books were available, and their number was very limited.

[17]:

sku mched gsum po to ba rin chen gsal, spyan snga ba tshul khrims 'bar and phu chuṇ ba gzhon nu rgyal mtshan

[18]:

The Venerable mid la, rngog tshur and mes were known as the "Four Great Pillars of rje mar pa" (rje mar pa'i ka chen bzhi).

[19]:

A.D.

[20]:

in 1054 A.D