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 (ii): Zur chung shes rab grags pa’ 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 (ii): Zur chung shes rab grags pa
[Full title: The Zur Geneology (ii): Zur chung shes rab grags pa (bde gshegs rgya bo pa).]
The Sugata (bde gshegs) rgya bo pa, who became the highest among the “Four Summits of the People:” There was an elderly beggar monk called zur sgom, a son of one named the grand father a tsa ra, who went on a begging round. Lha rje rgya bo pa was a young novice who followed after his father. When they came to ‘ug pa lung, lha rje zur po che said: “What is your family name?” lt is zur”–replied the father. “Well, you should leave this young novice with me, I can foster him! If you find something resembling a garment, fetch it!”
The father was pleased, and said: “Well, we shall do accordingly!” The boy was left with lha rje who brought him up. He received the name of shes rab grags pa, and was also called by the nickname of zur chung. Later he became known as zur chung shes rab grags pa. Because he practiced meditation on the summit of rgya bo dgu 'dus, he became known as the Sugata rgya bo pa.
'Ug pa lung pa having thus brought up the young novice, his knowledge became very great. He introduced him to his studies, but though he was known to be learned in the Doctrine, he was unable to obtain Tantric initiation because of want of means, and did not copy books.
Now lha rje 'ug pa lung pa had at khang sngon of ban a rich lady supporter called jo mo g. Yu ma, who followed meditative practices, also her daughter. Lha rje said (to shes rab grags pa): “Marry this mother and daughter!”–“I shall not keep a family!” replied shes rab grags pa.
“Do not be narrow minded! You have no means, but having become master of their property, you can obtain Tantric initiations, copy books and complete your studies of the doctrines. It will help these two to acquire merit, and your purpose will be achieved. Is it not better?” said the Teacher.
He followed his Teacher’s advice, and all his aspirations were achieved.
The Teacher then said to him: “Now, you should not remain there. Bring gradually your belongings here, including books, etc., and come here!”
The disciple inquired: “But will this do? These two were very kind to me.”
Do not be narrow minded! You will become a person able to benefit living beings. In these difficult times you should labour for the welfare of all living beings through propagating the Doctrine of the Sugata, and this will be a proper reward for their kindness. If you continue to look after these two only, you will be unable to achieve your own purpose, and the welfare of others.”
He followed his Teacher’s advice. He was able to obtain without effort on his part whatever he desired, as for example, tormented by heat amidst the sands of a desert valley, he felt thirst, and wine was offered to him, or when climbing to the summit of a desert mountain, he felt hungry, and food was offered to him, etc.
Then be thought: “Now, I shall be successful, if I labour for the welfare of living beings.”
The Teacher said (to him): “Now you should preach (the Doctrine)!”
He then preached the mdo dgongs ‘dus, and on one occasion three hundred students possessing text books (dpe ‘grems) gathered round him.
When a novice, he used to circumambulate a stūpa, situated at the door of 'ug lung pa’s dwelling. Lha rje saw him circumambulating the stūpa at the height of about one cubit, without touching the ground with his feet, and thought: “Well, this must be an incarnation, who will become an exceptional man,” and was very pleased.
Again when lha rje ba was observing the annual practice of yang dag at the hermitage of bsam pa of shangs, lha rje said to him: “You, the ‘Four Summits of the People,’ should hold a contest in meditation."
All (the four) composed their minds for meditation, and the mind concentration of the four became immovable and unshaken like a mountain. It is said that zur chung ba was able to raise himself in the air to the height of about one ta la.[1]
The Teacher then said to (his) maid servant: “Listen to the amplitude of the sound produced by zur chung reciting the Rulu.”[2]
The maid replied: “When I was coming out of the hermitage, I listened, and the sound did not grow weaker. When I was passing the edge of the hill, I listened again, and (the sound) did not grow dimmer.”
Then lha rje said: “Though you are equal as brothers, you should not walk over zur chung’s shadow!”
In general this Sugata had properly grasped the mind of lha rje ‘ug lung pa, and possessed all wisdom in the manner of a vase filled to the brim. He also possessed extraordinary mental courage in matters concerning the doctrine.
Further when he was teaching in the temple of g. Yas ru khang khri, he entrusted the monks to three useless men, saying: “You keep up the study of the Doctrine! I shall go to carry on meditative practlces.”
He went on to the rock of rgya bo. This rock of rgya bo was similar in shape to the Blessed dpal chen po (che mchog Heruka) surrounded by eight gau rI mas.[3] He said: “If one were to practice meditation here, great would be the blessing, and spiritual realization would grow nearer." The rock became known as rgya dgu 'dus (the Assembly of Nine rocks of rgya bo).
Having come there, he practiced meditation, and at the beginning a great exhibition of magic power by demons took place. All quarters of the earth were filled with scorpions, and one of them was of the size of a kid.
One night he saw in his dream a giant black man on the summit of the rock of rgya bo, who seized lha rje by his legs, turned them upwards, and then flung him towards the centre of a large plain in the lower part of thag. On awakening from this dream, it is said that he found himself lying in the centre of that plain. Again he climbed the rock, and settled on it, without paying any attention to all similar supernatural phenomena, and meditated.
At first he meditated and practised at rdo rje sems dpa’i khang bu (the Hut of Vajrasattva) the Sādhana of Vajrasattva called the “Method of Dhyāna and Mudrā which originated from the systems of gsang ba and Māyā.”[4] He had a vision of Vajrasattva, and the valley of thag was filled by Vajrasattva. Having obtained the vision of kṛtsnāyatana,[5] he understood clearly all his visions to be of the nature of Vajrasattva. This was the sign of the increase of the force of proper discrimination.
“Nothing is definite”–he thought. He then stayed in his meditative cell, plunged into the sphere of effortless “Great Perfection,” [6] and experienced the meditative state characterized by an impartial idea of the “Great Perfection” (rdzogs pa chen po). He was able to pass without impediment through all kinds of rocks, stones and soils.
At that time a kalyāṇa-mitra learned in the sūtras, and named sba dge mthong arrived in thag (to attend) a religious assembly. One of his monks, a learned man, started a debate with lha rje. The monk having put forward “in front there is a column" as the minor term (dharmin, chos can), and added “the column is the minor term."
Lha rje replied: “ka pa chos can. Ka pa chos can! you (column), confronted with the mistaken notion of the independent existence of the World, appear to possess an independent existence! According to the impartial conception of the ‘Great Perfection’ (rdzogs pa chen po), a collumn does not exist!,” saying so, he is said to have passed his hand without hindrance (through the column, in order to demonstrate the absence of a column).
The monk expressed great wonder and was filled with faith, remaining speechless. He became a disciple of lha rje, and was said to have been called ma thog byang bar.
In this manner he spent thirteen full years, and several months short of fourteen years on the rock of rgya bo.
It is said that there had been two reasons for his leaving the monastery.
The first: the three “Useless Men" while searching for the rear, lost the front.
For 'go bya tsha had said: “While practising the upāya mārga, according to the gsang ba snying po, one should have as one’s rear the Tantras of the ‘Mother’ Class (ma rgyud)."
He went to the residence of 'gos khug pa lhas btsas to listen to the exposition of the Hevajra (Cycle). On the way he met two monks who said to him: “Venerable monk! There are enemies on the road!"He replied: “On the path of differentiation between the subjective and the objective, the brigands of Moral Defilements are indeed numerous. They have imprisoned the child of the Śravakas."
The two monks then said: “You monk seem to be proud and boasting!”
Again he replied: “From the summit of the Kingly Vehicle, the boulder of the Kingly Theory will roll down. It will destroy the city of Śravakas!”
When he came to 'gos' school, there was a man in the school named rma ra jo sres rma bya, who was greatly honored by others, and full of pride. He expected that 'go bya tsha would honor him, but the latter when saluting him, looked sideways.
Gos remarked: “kalyāṇa-mitra go bya tsha! You should listen devotedly to the Doctrine, and salute (the Teacher) in a humble way!”
In reply the latter said: “Your subordinate rma ra jo sras rma bya ba is divested of his trousers, but wears a belt. He does not let (anyone) sit above, and I do not like to remain below. I am listening with devotion to the Doctrine. Pray forgive my saluting carelessly."
meg chung dbang seng, one of the “Useless Monks,” said: “When one removes a maṇḍala in this Māyā (sgyu ‘phrul) doctrine, one requires a yoga in support.” He accordingly went to sum pa ye 'bar to listen (to instruction) in the yoga.
'go chung dbang nge said: “When studying the theory of the basis and the path in this Māyā doctrine, a proof (pramāṇa) is required in the rear.” He accordingly proceeded to listen (to the exposition) of Logic at the residence of spang ka dar chung ba.
It is said that in this manner the three (“Useless Ones”) were unable to protect the Doctrine. He (zur chung) had to come back to protect the monks. Because of this the three became “useless.”
One (of the reasons): lha rje ‘ug lung pa died without completing the temple. He said (to zur chung): “You complete this work of mine!”[7] Having received his teacher’s advice, he returned.
He had many disciples, such as the “Four Columns” (ka ba bzhi), the “Eight Beams” (gdung brgyad), the “Sixteen Rafts” (phyam bcu drug), the “Thirty two Planks” (dral ma sum bcu rtsa gnyis), the “Two Ascetics” (sgom chen mi gnyis), one “Boaster” (yus po che mi gcig), the two “Simple Ones” (dkyus pa mi gnyis), the two “Honorables” (sta gur mi gnyis), and the “Three Useless Ones” (go ma chod mi gsum).
The “Four Columns” (ka ba bzhi po): At first, an alms giver having invited to myang ro the kalyāṇa-mitra khyung po, a monk of the kalyāṇa-mitra khyung po grags se, who was very learned in the sūtras, and lha rje chen po held a religious assembly (in the locality), and at the time of the assembly, the kalyāṇamitra khyung said: “Let this heretic zur chung shes rab grags be defeated!”
Having deputed the four, the four went into the presence of lha rje. At first skyo ston shAk yes inquired: “lha rje chen po lags! Do you hold in high esteem the method of meditation of the school of the ‘Great Perfection’ (rdzogs pa chen po) only?”
The latter replied: “ls my mind attached to any particular object?”
–“Are you not concentrating your mind on the ‘Great Perfection’?”
Lha rje chen po said: “Why should I be disturbed?” The interrogator feeling powerless, remained speechless.
After that glang ston shAk bzangs inquired: “Are you not maintaining that all visual objects exist as the sphere (maṇḍala) of gods and goddesses, as stated in the system of gsang ba sgyu ‘phrul?”
Lha rje then replied: “Who will deny the validity of the proof of direct sense perception of the visual objects as independent material bodies?”
–“Well then, are you not maintaining this?”
–“Who will be able to contradict it, as it had been deducted from many teachings, the Sūtras and Tantras, in order to remove the wrong illusion characteristic of the living beings regarding the independent existence of visual object?” Again this remained without answer.
In this manner the four put questions (to him) in turn, but he answered them by remaining silent. Then they said: “Nowhere did we find such a kalyāṇa-mitra possessed of the incontrovertible understanding of the doctrine of the Mahāyāna, endowed with the understanding of emancipation and science! If we suddenly become his followers, our teacher will be displeased.” Therefore they made a solemn promise that next year they were to leave their teacher and honor zur chung ba. Next year they came to lha rje (zur chung), and these became the “Four Pillars."
When they returned and presented themselves before their former teacher, the latter asked them: “Did you defeat zur chung ba?"
–“He could not be defeated,” they replied, and the teacher became displeased, and covered by the darkness of jealousy, said to them: "zur chung shes rab grags pa, a man of such wrong views, as he, and a leader leading all beings on the wrong path, if he were destroyed, the murderer would doubtlessly attain Buddhahood! Therefore (the Budda) had permitted even objectionable acts, if they were useful.”
These words were overheard by some students of lha rje, who reported them, saying: “The kalyāṇa-mitra khyung po has said this and that.”
(Lha rje) remained silent, but next morning, when he was sitting on the chair, and was about to preach, he began laughing. “With what are you amused?'' they inquired, and he replied: “The so called religion is indeed found in this Mahāyāna Tantra of mine![8] I was of the opinion that the belief that one might attain Buddhahood through murder, belonged to the system of Tantra only, and not to that of the Sūtras, but such a great scholar, as khyung po grags se has now said that by killing zur chung ba one might attain Buddhahood, therefore in the depth of his mind he has followed my doctrine, and therefore I became pleased!”
Further, the “Pillar of the Mental Class” (sems phyogs): skyo ston shAk yes of gung bu.
The “Pillar of the mdo:” yang kheng bla ma of skyeng lung.
The “Pillar of the (system) of Māyā:” glan shAkya bzang po of chu bar.
The “Pillar of Magic” (phrin sgrub): mda’ ti jo shAk of nag mo ri.
The above and ma thog byang 'bar are known as the “Five Descendants" (brgyud paInga).
The “Eight Beams:” ma thog pa, skya ston chos seng, glan shAkya byang chub, rtsags shAk rings, snubs ston bag ma, dbus pa sa ‘thor {R 121}, su ston zla grags, rtse phrom byang dpal. Again some included among them: a la gzi chen, nal rba snying po and ram ston rgyal ba.
The “Two Ascetics" (sgom chen mi gnyis): 'ba sgom dig ma and bon sgom do pa.
The “Boasting One" (yus po che): zhi ston bsod rgyal of las stod.
The “Two Honorables” (sta gur mi gnyis): zhang ston sngags se and khyung po rta chung grags se.
The name of those known as the “Rafts” (phyam), the “PIanks" (dral ma) and the “Simple Ones" (dkyus pa) are not mentioned.
In this manner while lha rje rgya bo pa was increasing his fortune, and there was no one among the assemblies of Tibetan Tantrics, who took his seat above him, or did not salute him, 'gos lo tsa ba said to the followers of the “New" Tantras (gsar ma): “We have no cause to honor him, and no reason to sit below him. We must observe this rule.” In this manner he established a new rule.
Once a large festival was held at shangs, and many Tantrics assembled there. 'gos lo tsa ba also came there, and saluted zur chung ba, who was sitting at the head of the row. Then all present also saluted him.
After the end of the festival all inquired: “You had laid the rule of not saluting (zur chung ba). How is it, that now you, yourself, honor him?"
Said 'gos: “When I met him, I thought that this must be the Blessed dpal chen po (Vajrakīla) himself, and it did not occur to me that this was a human being."
Further, when lha rje yang khye was a student, he possessed a very small income and was in need. Once lha rje chen po came to his cell, and brought with him a brass cup which could contain about nine handfuls (phul), and asked yang khye: “I am thirsty, have you anything to drink?" “I have some food and drink" replied yang khye. “Well, bring it!" said lha rje chen po.
Yang khye then offered him some food and drink which he had stored away after a bon po festival. Lha rje chen po drank two cups, and asked: “Can I have some more?," and drank another cup. Yang khye then asked him what to offer more and lha rje chen po said: “If there is any, bring some wine!” yang khye offered him a cup and lha rje chen po again asked: “Can I have some more?” yang khye then replied: “l still have about one full measure.” “Well,” said lha rje chen po, “I could not finish it. If I were able to consume it all, then your fortune would not be able to accommodate itself in the whole of this Tibet. Anyhow a great fortune is coming to you!” Having given him three loads of barley, lha rje chen po said: “Till that time subsist on this. Then aid will come to you” It was said that after he had consumed this barley, his fortune increased.
This lha rjeSugata rgya bo pa had three sons and daughters, all endowed with many accomplishments. Once a son and a daughter were born to his former consort the princess (btsad mo) Dharmabodhi: jo btsun rdo rje ‘bar and jo sras ma shAkya Icam mo.
Footnotes and references:
[1]:
Height of a palm tree.
[4]:
gsang ba sgyu ‘phrul las byung ba'i phyag rgya bsam gtan gyi sgrub pa.
[5]:
snang bzang bar gyi skye mche, the vision of all external objects, as possessing one form only, such as fire, water, etc.
[6]:
rdzogs pa chen po rtsol bral gyi ngang
[7]:
lit. the imprint of my hand
[8]:
Tantric texts teach that an act, even objectionable, if directed towards a good purpose, may be approved in certain circumstances.