Blue Annals (deb-ther sngon-po)
by George N. Roerich | 1949 | 382,646 words | ISBN-10: 8120804716 | ISBN-13: 9788120804715
This page relates ‘Good Friend Drapa Ngonshe and Chenye (Monastery)’ of the Blue Annals (deb-ther sngon-po)—An important historical book from the 15th century dealing with Tibetan Buddhism and details the spiritual doctrine and lineages of religious teachers in Tibet. This chapter belongs to Book 2 (Later spread of the Doctrine).
Chapter 9 - Good Friend Drapa Ngonshe and Chenye (Monastery)
[Full title: Good Friend Drapa Ngonshé, his disciples, and Chenyé [Monastery] (dge bshes grwa pa dpon slob dang spyan g. Yas pa’i skabs. Chandra 84; Chengdu 124; Roerich 94).]
The Story of the kalyāṇa-mitra gra pa mngon shes:
Khri srong lde btsan’s minister 'chims rdo rje spre chung was not a wealthy man, but very wise and skilled in speech. The king was very pleased with him. He built the "blue" stūpa of bsam yas, and the monastery of Upper byang chub gling. The middle one of his three sons took over skyid ru of lhar che sgra. His son was called gnya' ne. His son was gnya' chung. The latter’s son was dpal legs. His son was btsan 'od. His son was zhang se tsha legs brtan. Up to his time the family were called 'chims, but after se tsha they were called zhang. The eldest of his four sons was called jo dga'. His sons were zhang ston chos 'bar, stag dkar and zhang dran pa, the three. Zhang ston chos 'bar took up ordination, and became learned in many systems of the Tantras and Sūtras, such as the Sādhanas of Saṃvara (bde mchog), Hevajra (dkyes rdor), Guhyasamāja (gsang 'dus) and the Kālacakra. He also studied the Prajñāpāramitā. He also mastered the Sādhana of zha 'on rdo rje bdud 'dul composed by the ācārya Padma.
Zhang stag dkar ba’s eldest son was stag tshab. After him stag chung. After him bzhen pa. After him gyang bzhi—the Four. Then two daughters, in all six. Stag tshab (gra pa mngon shes) was born in the year Water-Male-Mouse (chu pho" byi ba—1012 A.D.). He was of the same age as master mar pa. In his youth he worked as shepherd for rngan during five years. Then his mind having been awakened, he took up ordination in the presence of yam shud, and received the name of shes rab rgyal ba. He studied the Vinaya for one year. With his uncle zhang ston chos 'bar he studied all the texts known by the latter. Having received the Sādhana of zha 'on from his uncle, he had a vision (of the deity). Further, after studying for awhile the books, he was able to master them, and his learning became very excellent. He built many vihāras, starting with gye, and in most parts of gyor.
After the death of his uncle, he did not wish to remain abbot in the monastery of dgon pa ri phug, and became a layman at gnas mo che of glag, and built a new mansion for himself. He taught numerous commentaries on the Tantras, and built bde mchog, also the caitya (sku 'bum) of dgyen pa rdo rje. Many disciples of yar klungs pa came there, and many gathered to hear his exposition of the commentaries on the Tantras. He received an invitation from a disciple to visit yar klungs. His fortune increased, and he became known as the kalyāṇa-mitra gra pa.[1]
In the meantime he met dam pa sangs rgyas and the paṇḍita Somanātha (zla ba mgon po). He offered some gold to dam pa, but the latter declined to accept it, and bestowed on him the precepts of zhi byed sgron ma skor dgu. Somanātha bestowed on him the precepts (avavāda) of the Ṣadaṅga (sbyor drug, n. Of a system belonging to the Kālacakra). Having meditated on it, he mastered the great wisdom. King bug pa can being sonless, prayed to Saṃvara, and obtained a son during the same year. He then presented a turquoise called stong bdud 'dul, to decorate the neck of a sacrificial vase, as remuneration for the initiation rite an image made of gilded bronze, and a golden throne as a thanks offering (gtan rag), a silver spoon with the image of a stag, a sword with an ornamented hilt, and an armour with the image of a scorpion on it. Then he proceeded to gra, and having gathered sufficient funds, built skyid ru. Two of his nephews took up there their ordination, and were named 'byung shes and 'byung tshul. From skyid ru came four disciples: bre ston 'bum lha 'bar who founded gnas sgor, rngan chung ston pa who founded sga 'dra; the kalyāṇa-mitra lhab who founded so thang, and the venerable byang chub sems dpa' who founded ri phug.
The kalyāṇa-mitra khu ston, though himself a former disciple of his, felt envy and enmity towards him, and had recourse to witchcraft. Later he thought that great benefit might arise from the building of a temple on the border of sna shud, and asked zha 'on whether he will be able, or not, to erect a temple, and received the indication that he will succeed in doing so. When he was seventy, he laid the foundation of gra thang in the year Iron-Female-Hen (lcags mo bya—1081 A.D.). In his seventy-ninth year a disciple treated his heart (there exists in Tibet an ancient treatment of heart ailments by drawing out lympth /chu ser/ from the heart region with the help of a golden needle), and he passed into Nirvāṇa. At the time of his death, he had almost completed the building (of the monastery). Its building was completed by his nephews 'byung shes and 'byung tshul within the three years preceding the Hen year (bya lo—1093 A.D.). Altogether it took thirteen years to complete.
Ma gcig labs kyi sgron ma was well-versed in reading and became the house-priestess of the kalyāṇa-mitra gra pa for the purpose of reciting the Prajñāpāramitā. In the meantime she met dam pa at yar klungs rog pa who bestowed on her the precepts of gcod, following which she attained self emancipation, and laboured extensively for the welfare of others. The practice of gcod was widely disseminated up-to the present time. When gra pa was forty-five, in the year Wood-Female-Sheep (shing mo lug—1055 A.D.), rma sgom chos kyi shes rab was born. When he was fifty-one, so dge 'dun 'bar was born in the year Water-Male-Tiger (chu pho stag—1062 A.D.). In the same year skor ni rū pa was born. It was said that gra pa obtained initiation from him. Skam ye shes rgyal mtshan was a disciple of gra pa.
Such was the manner in which the "Early" and "Middle" Lineages of the zhi byed (doctrine) appeared during the life time of gra pa. This Fire-Female-Hare year (me mo yos—1027 A.D.) was the first of the current years which were added to the period of 403 years (me mkha' rgya mtsho = 403), according to the Kālacakra astrologers (lnga bsdus pa), and the 16th year of gra pa and mar pa. It is said that in this very year gyi jo had translated the Kālacakra. I believe that zhang ston chos 'bar, who was also learned in the Kālacakra, followed this translation. After the death of gra pa, chos skyabs of gra thang, known as don stengs pa, occupied the chair of gra thang. While the followers of the bka' gdams pa doctrine maintained a liberal attitude towards the bestowing of the cittotpāda initiation (smon pa sems bskyed), their attitude towards the bestowing of the "cittotpāda initiation of practice" (‘jug pa sems bskyed) was strict. Don stengs pa proceeded to Tuṣita in his dream and met Maitreya.
With his hands full of lcam pa flowers, he showered flowers over the body of Maitreya, and they transformed themselves into a wonderful flower canopy over the head of Maitreya, who said:
"If you do not bestow the initiation of the "cittotpāda of practice" (‘jug pa sems bskyed) to all high and low living beings in the World of Men, you will be acting contrary to My words!"
Later he adopted a more liberal attitude towards the bestowing of the "cittotpāda initiation of practice." don stengs pa himself was a disciple of rog dmar zhur ba. When he adopted a more liberal attitude towards the bestowing of the cittotpāda initiation, rog reproved him. Later he told him about (his dream), adding that it had to be done, and rog had faith born in him.
Then the Teacher told him: "Well, you should bestow it on me!"
He then bestowed on rog the cittotpāda initiation. Don stengs pa acted as abbot of phu thang spyan gyas, founded by gra pa. He was succeeded by the Sthavira dar ma bkra shis, the kalyāṇa-mitra kha che, the Senior and Junior, mes ston chos 'bar, khu spyan gyas pa, dharma seng ge, the "Southerner", 'od 'jo ba, mkhas btsun dad pa, the paṇḍita of myang nam mkha' gzhon nu, nam mkha' dpal, mkhas chen rgyal tsha gzhon nu grags, mkhas chen sangs rgyas rgyal mtshan, gzhon nu dpal, dbang phyug dpal, byang chub dpal, sangs rgyas brtan pa, gzhon nu seng ge, sangs rgyas 'bum dpal, chos mchog pa, byang dpal pa, gzhon 'od pa, brtson rgyal ba and sangs rgyas mgon po.
The kalyāṇa-mitra gra pa erected the old vihāra of spyan gyas together with its courtyard and verandah (mdo khyams), as well as the circular wall. The upper temple (dbu rtse) of the large vihāra, together with the wall of the outer courtyard, were built by the kalyāṇa-mitra kha che, the Senior and Junior. While the inmates of spyan gyas seem to have been a medley of followers of the bka' gdams pa doctrine and the Vinaya, in later times the mahā upādhyāya nam mkha' gzhon nu heard from 'od gsal ba the complete exposition of the precepts of spyan gyas and bya yul pa. Later he also took over the chair of 'od gsal and composed the chos skyong gri gug ma and the bya yul gtor chen, according to the method of bya yul pa. Henceforth they became followers of the Lineage of lo bya yul pa.
Don zhags pa sangs rgyas rin chen said to the mahā upādhyāya rgyal tsha pa, because of his virtuous character:
"I never saw a monk more attractive than you!"He used to praise, saying! "spyan gyas, the monastery of monks with good character!"
This mkhas btsun dad pa who was a preacher of rgya tur during the life time of rgya ngur dar yas, came to his monastery at rgya sar sgang, and blew the conch. This having somewhat displeased the upādhyāya dar yas, he settled in spyan gyas and became abbot of spyan gyas. Since that time rgya sar sgang joined the spyan gyas pas. The mahā upādhyāya rgyal tsha, who belonged to the Spiritual Lineage of the Elders of spyan gyas proper, was called rgyal tsha because his mother had been a princess (lha). In his youth he was forced to lead the life of a householder. He stimulated idiocy and pretended not to understand (people). He was therefore seized and chained with an iron chain to a pillar. However they did not succeed in changing his mind, and he took up ordination. He studied well the Vinaya, and then proceeded to study the Mādhyamika system with the ācārya dbu ma pa of skyam, but the omens were not auspicious. He again returned (to the monastery), and the previous abbot having approved of his character, saying that he "should do so for the sake of their vows" (a common sentence told by teachers to their disciple), he was nominated abbot.
While acting as abbot, he journeyed to the north of dbu ru and heard the exposition of the acquisition of Bodhisattvic knowledge, and numerous precepts or the hidden Mantrayāna, as well as practised them. He possessed the trance characterised by a continuous gleam (ābhāsvara), was established in the practice of the Vinaya and was a Bodhisattva in appearance. On return to his abbotship (mkhan sa), he found that a great many people in the neighbourhood had perished of a terrible pestilence, and great compassion was born in him. In order to remove their defilement, the ācāryas dgra bcom pa and ston bshod pa inaugurated the virtuous practice of perpetual recital (of religious texts). Don zhags pa sangs rgyas rin chen also visited spyan gyas. The fast of the "Eleven faced" (bcu gcig zhal, Avalokiteśvara) is continued there to the present day without interruption. It was inaugrated in the life time of this abbot.
When the great scholar rgyal tsha became abbot, the monastery had not more than thirteen inmates, but in his life-time the number increased to about a hundred. Later during the time of the great scholar sangs rgyas rgyal mtshan their number increased to about 360. The Lineage of the exposition of the (Bodhi)caryāvatāra at spyan gyas: the Teacher tshul rgyal ba having met klal pa kun rgyal, a direct disciple of 'jam dbyangs Śākya gzhon nu, studied under him. Thus (the Lineage) originated from tshul rgyal ba. The mahā upādhyāya sangs rgyas mgon po ba was appointed abbot at the age of fifty-two in the year Water-Female-Hen (chu mo bya—1453 A.D.). This Fire-Male-Ape year me pho spre—1476 A.D.), is the 24th year. Ron skam was first built by the queen dpal gyi nang tshul ma (the queen of king khri srong lde btsan).
Later the kalyāṇa-mitra gra pa built there an annex to the temple. At the time of establishing a monastic community there, gzus erected a great vihāra, and inaugurated the teaching of the Vinaya., From that time to the present day the monastic community exists there without interruption. The other monasteries of gra pa have no inmates at present. In this manner the doctrine of the Vinaya originated in the third year after the birth of zhang sna nam rdo rje dbang phyug in the year Earth-Male-Tiger (sa pho stag—978 A.D.). From that year to the present Fire-Male-Ape year (me pho spre—1476 A.D.), five hundred years, minus one year, have elapsed. From the birth of the kalyāṇa-mitra gra pa to the year Fire-Male-Ape (me pho spre 1476 A.D.) 465 years have elapsed.
The chapter on the kalyāṇa-mitra gra pa, his disciples and the monastery of a spyan gyas
Footnotes and references:
[1]:
A famous gter bton pa ot the rnying ma pas.