Chapter 1a - Eary Translation Period Tantric Texts and Lineages

[Full title: General Introduction to Eary Translation Period Tantric Texts and Lineages]

Whereas the doctrine of the Vinaya spread widely and then declined here in Tibet, the doctrine of the Mahāyāna Tantras has not ceased to exist up to the present time. During the period which preceded the coming of the paN+Di ta s+m+r-i ti (to Tibet), they (the Tantras) were called the “Old Tantras.”^[1]

i. Defence of Early Translation Textual Authenticity

Here the first three divisions of the eighteen great divisions of the Tantras^[2] of the Mantra school^[3] of the “Old Believers (rnying ma pa):”^[4] dpal sang ba 'dus pa,^[5] zla gsang thig le,^[6] and the sangs rgyas mnyam sbyor.^[7] They are also called the “Tantras of Mind, Speech, and Body.”^[8] Their preaching lasted long.

Many passages of the gsang ba snying po are quoted in the “Commentary on the Guhyasamāja”^[9] by Vajrahāsa^[10] which is included in a section called the “Chapter on the system of Vajrahāsa,”^[11] in the Index of the bstan 'gyur prepared by bu ston rin po che,^[12] and their method of exposition appears to be the same.^[13] The Commentary on the ‘dus phyi ma or ”Later” samāja,^[14] composed by bi shwA mi tra, which is also included in bu ston’s Index of the bstan ‘gyur, appears to be a true rnying ma pa work. Also in the Commentary on the mnyam sbyor,^[15] composed by Indranāla^[16] are found numerous quotations from the Guhyagarbha.^[17] This Commentary was also approved by bu ston rin po che, who quoted extensively from it.

Whereas here in Tibet the Sādhana of Vajrakīla^[18] was widely known, there are some who had expressed themselves against this Tantra also. In later times the Dharmasvāmin sa skya pa^[19] discovered at shangs sreg zhing its Sanskrit text which had belonged to the ācārya pad+ma (sambhava). He translated it and since then all those who had expressed themselves against it, remained silent.

When the kha che paN chen^[20] arrived at bsam yas, he discovered the Sanskrlt text of the gsang ba snying po.^[21] Later it got into the hands of rta ston gzi brjid, who presented it to it sha gang lo tsA ba. The latter sent the text to bcom ldan ral gri. Bcom ldan ral gri having accepted it (to be a genuine translation), composed the gsang snying sgrup pa rgyan gyi me tog. He showed the text at an assembly of Tantrics at ma mo gnas, and highly praised it. After that thar pa lo tsA ba made a translation of the gsang snying rgyud phyi ma which was not found before.^[22] Most of the pages of the text were damaged. The remaining pages of the Sanskrit manuscript (rgya dpe) are in my hands.

ii. Summary of three-stage transmission history:

[Full title: Summary of three-stage transmission history from the dynastic period under khri srongIde btsan, to snubs sangs rgyas ye shes, to the zur clan]

During the time of khri srongIde btsan and his son, many siddhas, followers of the Vajrayāna, appeared, such as ‘bre dpal gyi blo gros, sna nam rdo rje bdud ‘joms, nyan lam rgyal mchog dbyangs, un a nang ga, snubs nam mkha’ snying po, glang dpal gyi seng ge, glang gtsug gi rin chen, ‘bre rgyal ba’i blo gros, khams pa go cha, vai ro tsa na, rma rin chen mchog, gnyags dz+nyA na ku m A ra, gnyan dpaI dbyangs and many others, who were able to move in the sky, penetrate mountains and rocks, float on water, and exhibit before multitudes their forms inside divine maṇḍalas.

Further there appeared many female ascetics, such as 'bro gza’ dI pa M and others.

After most of them had passed away, the royal laws became abrogated. During the time of the spread of the general upheaval, snubs sangs rgyas ye shes rin po che attended on many learned men residing in India, Nepāl, Bru sha (Gilgit) and elsewhere, and thoroughly mastered the mdo dgongs pa ‘dus pa, which had been translated into Tibetan by his teacher the translator of Bru sha, (bru sha'i lo tsA ba), che btsan skyes.^[23]

His (magic) power became excellent, and all the gods and demons of Tibet made him a promise (i.e. Undertook to serve him). He lived for 113 years, and propagated the doctrine of the Tantras.

Soon after his death, the teaching of Tantras and Sādhanas became widespread, thanks (to the labors) of the two zur, the Senior and Junior. When zur, the Junior, was forty one, the Master (jo bo rje Atīśa) came to Tibet–such is the accepted view.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

gsang sngags rnying ma.

[2]:

rgyud sde chen po bco brgyad or Tantra sde chen po bco brgyad

[3]:

sngag gi lugs

[4]:

Many Tibetan scholars questioned the genuine character of the rnying ma Tantras. For this reason bu ston did not include them into his Catalogue, and stated in his chos 'byung (gsung ‘bum, vol. XXl V (ya) fol. 179b): "Regarding the ancient translations of the rnying ma Tantras, the lo tsā ba rin chen bzang po, lha bla ma ye shes ‘od, pho brang zhi ba 'od, 'gos khug pa lhas btsas and others were of the opinion that they (the rnying ma Tantras) did not represent pure Tantras. My Teacher, the lo ts A ba nyi ma rgyal mtshan and rig ral, as well as others, maintained that they were real Tantras, because they had found the Indian original texts at bsam yas, and had discovered parts of the Vajrakīla Tantra in Nepāl. In my opinion it is better to keep them out, without expressing an opinion (on their authenticity)…"

[5]:

Included in Vol. XIV /pha/ of the rnying ma’i rgyud ‘bum. The text is said to have been translated by Vimala and dpal brtsegs. The rnying ma’i rgyud 'bum comprises 25 volumes. The Tantric texts included in this Collection are not found in the bka’ ‘gyur. An edition of the rgyud ‘bum exists in Derge.

[6]:

rnying ma’i rgyud ‘bum, vo1. XIV /pha/, translated by Padmasambhava and dpal brtsegs.

[7]:

rnying ma’i rgyud ‘bum, vol. XIV /pha/; rnying rgyud dkar chag, fol. 233a.

[8]:

thugs gsung sku’i rgyud

[9]:

gsang ba ‘dus pa’i ‘grel pa

[10]:

rdo rje bzhad pa. This is the Tantrarājaśrīguhya samājaṭīkā, Tg.rgyud. No. 1909

[11]:

rdo rje bzhad pa’i skor gyi le’u

[12]:

bstan ‘gyur dkar chag, gsung 'bum, vol. XXIV (ya), fol. 37b 38b

[13]:

The title page of the Tibetan text of the gsang ba snying po does not give the Sanskrit title of the Tantra.

[14]:

‘dus phyi ma’i 'grel pa, a Commentary on the ‘dus phyi ma, Kg. r Gyud, No. 443; bu ston gsung bum, vol. XXVI (la), fol. 34b: le'u bco brgyad pa’i phyed kyi rtsa ba’i rgyud rdzogs pa man chad kyi 'grel pa slob dpon bi swa mitras mdzad pa

[15]:

Śrī Sarvabuddhasamayogaḍākinīmāyāsambaratantrārthodaraṭīkā, Tg. R Gyud, No. 1659

[16]:

brgya byin sdong po

[17]:

bu ston gsung ‘bum, vol. XXVI (la), fol. 27b

[18]:

Vajramantrabhīrusandhimūlatantra, Kg. Rnying rgyud, No. 843; rnyin ma’i rgyud ‘bum, vol. XXI (za)

[19]:

sa skya paṇḍita kun dga' rgyal mtshan, 1182-1252 A.D.

[20]:

Śākyaśrībhadra, 1204-1213 A.D.

[21]:

Guhyagarbha. The gsang ba snying po contained in vol. Xll (na) of the rnying ma rgyud 'bum was translated by Vimala, gnyags Jñānakumāra and rma rin chen mchog. See rgyud 'bum dkar chag, fol. 232b.

[22]:

rnying ma’i dkar chag, fol. 232b: the text translated by thar lo nyi ma rgyal mtshan and included in the rgyud 'bum, vol. Xll (na), consists of the XXXIII and XXXIV chapters of the Tantra only. (After that thar pa lo ts A ba made a translation of the gsang snying together with the later Tantra.??? 136.19 20—JDG)

[23]:

This book, a rnying ma text is found in vol. X (tha) of the rnying ma'i rgyud 'bum. According to the Index compiled by 'jigs med gling pa entitled snga ‘gyur rgyud 'bum rin po ch'i rtogs pa brjod pa ‘dzam gling tha gru khyab pa'i rgyan, fol. 231b, the sangs rgyas thams cad kyi dgongs pa 'dus pa'i mdo in 75 chapters was translated from Sanskrit by the Indian upādhyāya Dharmabodhi, Dānarakṣita and the lo ts A ba che btsan skyes at bru sha.