Chapter 1b - Detailed transmission history from dynastic period

The Holy Doctrine originated during the time of tho tho ri gnyan btsan, which preceded that of gnam ri srong btsan. Nothing else is known, except that the royal family worshipped the gnyan po sang ba.^[1]

Srong btsan sgam po adhered to the Tantric Sādhanas of various benign and wrathful deities, and it seems that there had been many people propitiating these deities.

Before (king) mes ag tsom, Tantric Sādhanas existed in secret. Among the many religious practices that appeared (in Tibet), the prayer to Avalokiteśvara and the “Six Letters Formula” (i.e. Oṃ Maṇi Padme Hūṃ) spread among all Tibetans, beginning with small children.

The book containing the conjuration of Bhairava, composed by srong btsan, exists even now a days. Śrī Guhyapati himself delivered a prophecy to the mahā-upādhyāya las kyi rdo rje (Karmavajra) concerning his former and future rebirths. Further it is said that when las kyi rdo rje was born as a nāga in yar klungs, he employed witchcraft against a Bhairavī yogin. The latter made a burnt offering, and the nāga and his attendants were all destroyed by fire. The nāga was then reborn as ljang tsha lha dbon.

Then khri srongIde btsan invited the mahā upādhyāya Śāntarakṣita. Many Tibetans took up ordination, and propagated the doctrine of the Vinaya. Therefore his fame of having propagated widely the Doctrine is well founded.

Further, pad+ma sam+b+ha ba having come (to Tibet) during that time, he propagated the Tantras. Pad+ma himself bestowed on the king (the initiation) of Vajrakīla and Hayagrīva. The king especially propitiated Hayagrīva. On three occasions the neighing of a horse was heard, and many people heard it.

i. Transmission of the eight precept deities (bka’ brgyad):

The Vajrakīla:^[2] pad+ma bestowed it on the queen (ye shes tshogs rgyal) and on a tsar sa le. Later it spread widely through its Lineage and various schools.

‘jam dpal sku:^[3] the ācārya sh An+ti gar+b+ha having come to Tibet, propagated (this Tantra). He is known to have performed the consecration ceremony of bsam yas.

The Cycle of yang dag:^[4] the ācārya hUM ka ra having come to Tibet, is known to have preached (the Tantra) to fortunate ones.

This (doctrine) really belongs to the sangs rgyas mnyam sbyor.^[5]

bdud rtsi:^[6] this Tantra was preached in Tibet by the ācārya bi ma la mi tra. From him began (its) Lineage.

Thus the “Eight Doctrines of Propitiations" (bka' brgyad), as practiced by the “Old Believers” (rnying ma pas) were: ‘jam spal sku, pad+ma gsung, yang dag thugs, bdud rtsi yon tan, the Five Sections of the Transcendental known as phur pa phrin las,^[7] ma mo rbod gtong, Imod pa drag sngags (Curse and witchcraft), 'jig rten mchod bstod—thus eight classes (the last three belong to the so called “World” class).

Now, ‘jam dpal sku (corresponds) to Vairocana (rnam snang). pad+ma gsung to Amitābha ('od dpag med). yang dag thugs (corresponds) to Akṣobhya (mi bskyod pa). bdud rtsi yon tan to Ratnasambhava (rin 'byung). phur pa phrin las to Amoghasiddhi (don grub). They thus correspond to the five Dhyāni Buddhas (rigs lnga).

The three divisions of the so called “World" class (‘jig rten pa’i rigs kyi sde gsum), such as ma mo and others: it is said in some rnying ma pa texts that because the ācārya pad+ma had subdued and conjured Tibetan gods and demons, and divided them into three classes, they (i.e. The books) are of Tibetan origin. I believe (this opinion) is acceptable.

Further, in the maṇḍala of 'jig rten chod bstod the great gods of Tibet are present, such as Śambu and others. These great gods had also met the Buddha. Each of them possesses his own particular Tantric secret word (gsang snags kyi gsang tshig). This all is of benefit to the world.

DpaI ‘dzin said “Were demons destroyed elsewhere, by the fact that Tibetan gods and demons have been introduced into the maṇḍala of 'jig rten mchod bstod (Praise of the World)?" These spiteful words represent a misstatement. He (dpal ‘dzin) is in great confusion as regards the description of numerous yakṣas of various localities in the Pañcarakṣā.^[8]

ii. Transmission of the Great Perfection Precepts:

Here in Tibet, those known as the “Great Perfect Precepts” (man ngag rdzogs pa chen po) are said to be of three kinds: the “Mental” class (sems sde), the “CIass of Relativity,”^[9] and the “Precept Class" (man ngag sde).

In the “Mental” class there are five precepts which had originated from bai ro tsa na, and thirteen which had originated from bi ma la (mitra).

The klong sde also appears to be in the nature of a precept, and to have originated from bai ro tsa na.

The “Precept" class (man nag sde) is known as snying thig, and it originated from bi ma la mi tra. The Lineage was continued by his disciple myang ting nge 'dzin bzang po. The three (classes) spread widely in this country of Tibet.

iii. Transmission of Magical Illusion from the dynastic period to the zur clan:

The teaching of the Tantras, which existed among the ancient rnying ma pas, continues up to the present time. This is the system of sgyu ‘phrul gsang ba snying po{GL_NOTE::} . This (system) was transmitted by bi ma la (mitra)to the great translator rma rin chen mchog who made a good translation of it. This translator taught it to gtsug ru rin chen gzhon nu and gye re mchog skyong. These two taught it to dar rje dpaI gyi grags pa and zhang rgyal ba'i yon tan.

From zhang onwards, his followers became known as the bka' chims phu bas or the “Lineage of Precepts" (man ngag brgyud).

Dar rje preached it to many in dbus and gtsang. Having a Iso visited khams, he preached it there. Among his followers two schools are known to exist: the dbus lugs pa (the School of Ü (dbus)) and the khams lugs pa (the School of khams).

The Commentary on the gsang ba snying po, composed by nyi 'od seng ge, was translated by the translator bai ro tsa na at the vihāra of 'og rdu thugs rje byams chen in khams. Thus the teaching of this Tantra appears to have belonged to the Lineage of the ācārya bai ro tsa na also.

Further, bi ma la (mitra)’s disciple gnyags dz+ny Ana ku m A ra and the latter’s disciple sog po dpaI gyi ye shes and the ācārya sangs rgyas ye she zhabs have been his disciples. L believe that there existed also an exposition of the sgyu ‘phrul which belonged to his Lineage.

In regard to the time of the appearance of this sangs rgyas ye shes, some say that he lived in the time of khri srongIde btsan, some say that he lived in the time of ral pa can, and again some say that he lived in the time of khri bkra shis brtsegs pa dpal. It seems it would be correct to say that having been born in the reign of (king) ral pa can, he lived until the time of khri bkra shis brtsegs pa dpal.

He had four beloved “sons” (i.e. Disciples), and one who was the best among the disciples, in all five.

The four sons: so ye shes dbang phyug, to whom he taught the theory only;pa gor blong chen ‘phags pa, to whom he taught the system according to the 'grel ṭīkā; nyan yon tan mchog, to whom he taught the method of removing the hindrance of bleeding; and gru legs pa'i sgron ma, to whom he taught (the system) in beautiful verses.

To yon tan rgya mtsho, the best of his disciples, he taught a summary of (his) theory. Having revealed the Hidden to him, he taught him the precepts according to their order. He taught him profound secrets, as if he was giving him food. Since he had taught him the four methods, including the method of removing the hindrance of bleeding (during meditation), yon tan rgya mtsho possessed the complete (understanding) of all the systems.

He had two sons: ye shes rgya mtsho and pad+ma dbang rgyal.

The son of ye shes rgya mtsho was lha rje hUM chung. The latter taught witchcraft to the Venerable mid la.

Myang shes rab mchog was a disciple of yon tan rgya mtsho and his son. He built the vihāra of gshongs at ngog, and was known to be learned in the utpannakrama (bskyed rim) and sampannakrama (rdzogs rim) degrees of the three Classes.^[10]

While he was practicing meditation on the rock of ha’o rgol, he had a vision of the sphere (maṇḍala) of Vajrakīla (phur pa). There exist many stories about his acquiring magic power (siddhi), such as the power of splitting a rock with a vajra, as if it was clay, and others.

His disciple myang ye shes ‘byung gnas of chos lung was held dear by the teacher, and was learned in both the utpannakrama and sampannakrama degrees of the three Classes. Most of their followers were called the “School of Rong.” They are also called the “School of myang'' after his family name.

In this connection (it might be said) that while So‘s three disciples were: ngab thung byang chub rgyal mtshan, kong btsun shes rab ye shes and ra thung shes rab tshul khrims, gyung ston pa enumerates them one after another in the Lineage of the teacher (So). It seems there is a slight error in this, (because they were not his disciples). Thus myang ser mchog was a disciple of both yon tan rgya mtsho and his son, and of so ye shes dbang pbyug. He (taught) myang ye shes 'byung gnas. The latter’s disciple was zur po, the Eldest. Because this zur po, the Eldest, was also a disciple of stong tshang 'phags pa rin po che, between sangs rgyes ye shes and zur po, the Eldest, there has been one teacher only.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

The books that were said to have fallen from Heaven.

[2]:

Vajrakīlayamūlatantrakhaṇḍa, rdo rje phur pa rtsa ba'i rgyud kyi dum bu. Kg. r Gyud, No. 439

[3]:

one of the eight rnying ma Tantras

[4]:

yang dag gi skor, one of the eight rnying ma Tantras

[5]:

rnying ma’i dkar chag. fol. 233b.

[6]:

one of the eight rnying ma Tantras

[7]:

phur pa phrin las shes 'jig rten las ‘das pa'i sde lnga

[8]:

gzungs grwa lnga. Kg. r Gyud. No. 558, 559, 561, 562 and 563

[9]:

klong sde, klong being a synonym of stong pa nyid, śūnyatā, and chos dbyings, or dharma dhātu

[10]:

i.e. sems sde, klong sde and man ngag sde