Blue Annals (deb-ther sngon-po)

by George N. Roerich | 1949 | 382,646 words | ISBN-10: 8120804716 | ISBN-13: 9788120804715

This page relates ‘Zur Geneology (i): Lha rje zur po che shAkya ‘byung gnas’ 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 3 (Early translations of Secret Mantra).

Chapter 1c - The Zur Geneology (i): Lha rje zur po che shAkya ‘byung gnas

[Full title: The Zur Geneology (i): Lha rje zur po che shAkya ‘byung gnas (‘ug pa lung pa).]

Now the genealogy (gdung rabs) of zur: the grandfather of lha rje zur po, the Elder, was zur shes rab ‘byung gnas. His son was bzangs mig po che. The latter’s son was lha rje zur po che. Lha rje sman pa. Sgom chen shAk sde. Sgom chen rdor ‘byung.

Zur po che being a brahmacārin, had no progeny. Lha rje sman pa was also sonless. Sgom chen shAk sde’s son was a mi shes rab bzang po. His son–a mi sher blo. The latter had four sons: lha rje zur dpal, khams pa, dbang nge and jo mgon. Dbang nge had two sons: a mi he ru and dbang mgon. A mi he ru’s son was zur ‘od po, who had two sons: shAk mgon and shAk’od. Sgom chen rdor ‘byung’s son was jo btsun rdo rje ‘bar. His son was zur nag 'khor lo. The latter had two sons: lha rje kun dga’ and jo rtse. Kun dga's son was rgyal po. Jo rtse’s son was ‘ber re.

Though in general lha rje zur po che shakya ‘byung gnas had many teachers, he especially studied the Māyā (sgyu ‘phrul) and the “Mental” class (sems phyogs) with myang ye shes ‘byung gnas of chos lung. He obtained the bdud rtsi from lce shAkya mchog of dge gong. From gnyan nag dbang grags of yul gsar, he obtained the secret initiation (guhya abhiṣeka, gsang dbang) and the upāya mārga.[1] He obtained from thod dkar nam mkha' sde[2] the mdo class (of the rnying ma Tantras), and the par (spar) khab.[3] From ‘bre khro chung pa of Upper myang, he obtained instruction in the Noumenal Aspect (ka dag) and the Phenomenal Aspect (lhun grub), the lam rim chen mo,[4] and other books. He obtained the yang dag,[5] from rog shakya ‘byung gnas of bsam yas ‘chims phu.

Having studied under the above and many other scholars, he classified (the Tantras) into Mūla Tantras (rtsa rgyud, or basic texts), and bshad rgyud or “exposition” Tantras.[6] He grouped together the basic texts and their commentaries, and grouped together the Tantras and their corresponding Sādhanas. He also grouped together Sādhanas and ritual manuals (chog yig). Etc.

He preached to the “Four Summits of the People” (‘bangs rtse mo bzhi), to the “Crown of the Summit” (rtse lkog), five in all, to 108 ascetics and others. Here the “Four Summits" (rtse bzhi): zur chung shes rab grags pa, who became the “Summit of the Theory" (Ita dgongs kyi rtse mo); mi nyag ‘byung grags of pan nam bres, who became the “Summit of one form of teaching the Māyā system” (sgyu ‘phrul gyi bshad pa phyogs cig gi rtse mo); zhang ‘gros chung ba of ra za, who became the “Summit of Wisdom” (mkhyen rgya’i rtse mo), and bzang sgom shes rab rgyal po of ‘tsho nya, who became the “Summit of Meditative Practice” (sgom sgrub kyi rtse mo).

The “Crown of the Summit” (rtse lkog): rtsags bla ma, who became the “Summit of Manliness" (pho za'i rtse mo), in addition to that of the Doctrine.

He (zur chen shakya 'byung gnas) preached extensively to a large crowd of disciples, such as the eight “Crowns of the Summit” (rtse lkog bgyad): lo rog, lo thung shAk rgyal, rta rog, rtsags bla ma, sum pa dbang tshul, 'ol sgom, sum pa blo rgya, chags ston nam mkha’, and others. He built the vihāra of ‘ug pa lung.

At the meditative cell (sgrub khang) of sram pa of Lower shangs, he erected the images of the nine gods of dpal chen po.[7]

While traveling up country from that place, he captured a nāga who was dwelling in the rock of ‘og bdong, and placed it in a jar. He closed the jar with a piece of skin, and having sealed it, kept it. The nāga gathered wine from all quarters, and acted as his attendant. During the building and consecration (of the vihāra), wine was served to all from one single jar, without exhausting the supply.

At the time of the consecration ceremony, he having loaned much cattle from the villagers, killed them, and held a great feast of consecration.[8] At the end of the day he was able to return all the cattle, (that had been killed), to the villagers. Intending to perform a similar miracle on the southern bank of the gtsang po, he proceeded there, having taken with himself the wine jar. On the way, his attendant thinking: “What is there in this (jar)," opened the jar’s lid, and the white snake came out, and escaped. After that he was unable to erect the image.

When he was practicing meditation at rgya pa of thag, the great teacher ‘brog mi wrote to him, saying: “Because I do not have enough gold to present to the paṇḍita (Gayādhara), bring a large quantity of gold![9] I shall bestow on you the hidden precepts."

When he decided to go there, his retinue tried to dissuade him, but he replied: “The very word of the teacher is a gift! Let us go!"

In a ravine, situated not far from that place, he asked a demon for gold. The deity of the locality (gzhi bdag) said: “Take out gold, as long as there does not appear an ingot of gold in the shape of an animal!

After they had taken out much gold from a hole, there appeared a golden ingot of the shape of a frog, and he then discontinued (the digging).

Then having gone to myu gu lung, he presented the translator ('brog mi) with a hundred golden srangs. He pleased the teacher by his humble conduct, such as carrying above his mantle a load of thorny creepers in the autumn. The teacher bestowed on him numerous precepts.

When the fortune of lha rje 'ug pa lung pa (zur chen) had increased, ma ma g. Yung drung bkra shis and her husband wished to hold a religious assembly at nga ri, and invited all the villagers and relatives. When they asked: “Who will be suitable as ācārya (to preside over the assembly)?,” some said that a Tantric was best, and that a Tantric should be invited. Some said that a monk should be asked. Again some said that a bon po should be invited. Because they could not agree, they said to ma ma g. Yung drung bkra shis: “We are unable to agree, you should make the choice.

The woman said: “Well, my means being sufficient, let us invite all three!” Three respectable priests were accordingly invited. ‘ug pa was invited as the Tantric. Ke rtse ba as the bon po priest, and chu mig ring mo ba as the monk.

The three priests said: "We must build a temple!” Then the three having gathered, held a consultation about the erection of the temple, but could not reach an agreement on the chief deity (to be placed in the temple). The Tantric said that (the temple) should be consecrlted to the name of Vajrasattva. The monk said that (the temple) should be dedicated to Śākyamuni. The bon po priest said that it should be dedicated to gshen rab mi bo. So they built separate temples.

Lha rje ‘ug pa lung pa laid the foundation (of the temple) at a place situated below sgro phug, and built the temple jointly with the bon po priest. The bon po priest said: “When I shall erect the image, will your god be the principal deity, and mine his retinue, or will my god be the principal deity, and yours his retinue?" Because neither of the two propositions were acceptable to ‘ug pa lung pa, he gave the temple to the bon po priest.

Sgro ston presented him sgro phug, and a temple was then erected at sgro phug.

Then the alms giver gnyan sde gsum said: “Whoever will place the roof on the temple, should pay the expenses.” The Tantric and the bon po priest built the roof, but the monk did not. Since the Tantric and the bon po priest have been collecting offerings each year, the monk said: “Though we did fail in the building of the roof, let us collect money also.” Having paid (the expenses) for one year, they went to collect money in turns. It is a Iso said that they protected annually the country side from hail turn by turn. When the temple of sgro phug was about to be completed, it was entrusted to rgya bo pa. ‘ug pa lung pa passed away at the age of sixty one.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

Here thabs lam means, as usually in rnying ma texts, Tantric sexual practices.

[2]:

i.e. the Tokharian. Among Tibetan family names one often finds the name li, which indicates that the family had come from li yul or Khotan.

[3]:

a commentary on the gsang snying

[4]:

a rnying ma text

[5]:

one of the eight Tantras

[6]:

i.e. Tantras expounding the subject matter of the basic Tantras.

[7]:

che mchog Heruka and the eight deities symbolizing the eight Tantras, or bka' rgyad.

[8]:

sha ston, a feast during which meat is served.

[9]:

He had promised 500 golden srangs to Gayādhara in return for instruction in the Path and Fruit (lam ‘bras) doctrine.

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